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Why I don't want stuff

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Re: Why I don't want stuff

#211

Post by mahyarm »

candu wrote: post #196
danans wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In my neighborhood we all borrow each others gear, whether it's home improvement stuff, or occasionally used outdoor sports gear. Any startup in this space would have to establish the "trust" feature of a sharing community, which is a feature that a friendly neighborhood has built-in. You might be on to something if you find an easy way for people to publish their inventory of stuff to a trusted group of neighbors, m…

This. We don't need a slew of startups to solve this problem; it's called talking, and it can be done via any of several existing {meat,cyber}space communications channels. (I'm hardly a Luddite; rather, I think there's a lack of appreciation for basic interpersonal communication as a powerful technology in its own right.) I don't remember where, but in recent memory I saw an article about an apartment building where…

Talking & organizing has it's own costs. Something like uber or airbnb could theoretically be done by talking and coordinating, but the organizing software that makes it seamless makes it something ubiquitous.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#212

Post by wavefunction »

guptaneil wrote: post #193
danans wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In my neighborhood we all borrow each others gear, whether it's home improvement stuff, or occasionally used outdoor sports gear. Any startup in this space would have to establish the "trust" feature of a sharing community, which is a feature that a friendly neighborhood has built-in. You might be on to something if you find an easy way for people to publish their inventory of stuff to a trusted group of neighbors, m…

Coworkers might be another good trust network to build off of. It also has the benefit of you essentially being required to know your coworkers, while you aren't guaranteed to know your neighbors.

Let me encourage you and anyone else reading this comment to get to know your neighbors, if possible.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#213

Post by whitegrape »

noir_lord wrote: post #64
NovaS1X wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>(easy this year as I dropped nearly 70lbs, virtually nothing I had fits). Good job. That must feel good.

Dropped the first 60 in 4 months, that didn't feel great, 1500 calories a day for 4 months got old really fast but yeah physically I feel better than I have in a long time. Also according to NHS guidelines as of a few weeks ago I'm no longer even overweight I'm in the healthy range (not that I entirely trust their crude BMI stuff) which is a nice place to be.

Nice. Did you just do it with strict calorie watching or some other diet? My friend lost his 100lbs in about 5-6 months on Keto, I've used it to lose 50lbs quickly myself, I think it makes the lower calorie count hard to notice... In his case he avoided the clothing problem by wearing all his old clothes he's had in storage boxes for years since they no longer fit.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#214

Post by raisedbyninjas »

jimkri wrote: post #202
enjo wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are things like the Denver Tool Library ( http://denvertoollibrary.org/ ) that help to solve this problem. What I want is a delivery version. I'd pay $xx/month for access to tools and other household items I rarely need along with $x per delivery and pickup to not have to go get them.

>What I want is a delivery version. I'd pay $xx/month for access to tools and other household items I rarely need along with $x per delivery and pickup to not have to go get them. This reminded me of a startup idea that I have, I think one of the biggest items that could be rented out would be generators. Right before a storm hits deliver the generator and once power is back up, pick them up.

This is a big problem with the community sharing model. It seems like at least twice the hassle of craigslist exchanges since you have to coordinate two physical meetings rather than one. Then there's the whole issue of the borrower isn't quite done with the object yet, please try again next week.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#215

Post by magic_beans »

jrs235 wrote: post #9
Scarbutt wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In fact I have enough money to buy anything I want myself, so there is really nothing I would like to receive as a gift. That sounds like a closed mentality to me, you never know really, someone might just surprise you.

Give me the gift of recognizing my preference for no material gifts. EDIT: Or toilet paper. I'll eventually make use of and need TP.

I get the impression going through this gift that people don't actually know how to give gifts. I LOVE giving gifts. No, I don't go through someone's Amazon wish-list or buy them something they could buy themselves. I usually make people things, and it usually takes 2-6 months of work. I might spend a month on an embroidered pocket square, or a handmade notebook, or a handmade piece of jewelry or carving, or an elaborate 6-course meal and paired wines.

If I can't dedicate at LEAST few weeks to constructing the perfect gift/experience for someone, I won't give anything at all. Better nothing than a bad gift...

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#216

Post by magic_beans »

jrs235 wrote: post #9
Scarbutt wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In fact I have enough money to buy anything I want myself, so there is really nothing I would like to receive as a gift. That sounds like a closed mentality to me, you never know really, someone might just surprise you.

Give me the gift of recognizing my preference for no material gifts. EDIT: Or toilet paper. I'll eventually make use of and need TP.

I get the impression going through this gift that people don't actually know how to give gifts. I LOVE giving gifts. No, I don't go through someone's Amazon wish-list or buy them something they could buy themselves. I usually make people things, and it usually takes 2-6 months of work. I might spend a month on an embroidered pocket square, or a handmade notebook, or a handmade piece of jewelry or carving, or an elaborate 6-course meal and paired wines.

If I can't dedicate at LEAST few weeks to constructing the perfect gift/experience for someone, I won't give anything at all. Better nothing than a bad gift...

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#218

Post by coldtea »

nostromo wrote: post #91
0xffff2 wrote: post #70

I can appreciate the sentiment, but I actually like doing things. Don't get me wrong, I probably spend much more time than most in front of my computer, but even so. I'm a photographer -> Two bags full of camera gear, tripod... I'm a hiker/backpacker -> Backpack, tent, sleeping bag, hiking boots... I'm a cyclist -> Bike, helmet, gloves, pump... I'm a computer engineer -> Solder station, wire cutters, crimping tools..…

I wish there was a startup in this space. I have so much house maintenance stuff. For example, I only really need a ladder once a year. But I keep it around forever because when you need a ladder, you need a ladder . I would love to not have to store and maintain all this stuff and to just request it on demand. Can someone solve that for me? I'm embarrassed to admit that sometimes it's easier for me to just buy a new…

>I wish there was a startup in this space. I have so much house maintenance stuff. For example, I only really need a ladder once a year. But I keep it around forever because when you need a ladder, you need a ladder. I would love to not have to store and maintain all this stuff and to just request it on demand. Can someone solve that for me?

Actually there is a sorta famous example of a startup that tried to do just that -- or close, they tried to build a social site for people to easily borrow whatever (ladder, chainsaw, etc) from other people in their area.

Turns out, most people said it was a great idea and encouraged them, and they even got lots of signups, but people really don't like dealing with strangers for such things, and nobody used the service in practice.

A, found it:

>There was just one problem. As Adam Berk, the founder of Neighborrow, puts it: "Everything made sense except that nobody gives a shit. They go buy [a drill]. Or they just bang a screwdriver through the wall."

http://www.fastcompany.com/3050775/the-sharing-economy-is-de...

and

http://entrepreneurship.org/resource-center/lessons-from-fai...

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#219

Post by sliverstorm »

enjo wrote: post #111
nostromo wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wish there was a startup in this space. I have so much house maintenance stuff. For example, I only really need a ladder once a year. But I keep it around forever because when you need a ladder, you need a ladder . I would love to not have to store and maintain all this stuff and to just request it on demand. Can someone solve that for me? I'm embarrassed to admit that sometimes it's easier for me to just buy a new…

There are things like the Denver Tool Library ( http://denvertoollibrary.org/ ) that help to solve this problem. What I want is a delivery version. I'd pay $xx/month for access to tools and other household items I rarely need along with $x per delivery and pickup to not have to go get them.

That sounds like a rather niche problem. Most people do not have lots of money to burn and no free time.

Maybe you could hire an Uber or a Task Rabbit to go pick up your tool.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#220

Post by hengheng »

nostromo wrote: post #91
0xffff2 wrote: post #70

I can appreciate the sentiment, but I actually like doing things. Don't get me wrong, I probably spend much more time than most in front of my computer, but even so. I'm a photographer -> Two bags full of camera gear, tripod... I'm a hiker/backpacker -> Backpack, tent, sleeping bag, hiking boots... I'm a cyclist -> Bike, helmet, gloves, pump... I'm a computer engineer -> Solder station, wire cutters, crimping tools..…

I wish there was a startup in this space. I have so much house maintenance stuff. For example, I only really need a ladder once a year. But I keep it around forever because when you need a ladder, you need a ladder . I would love to not have to store and maintain all this stuff and to just request it on demand. Can someone solve that for me? I'm embarrassed to admit that sometimes it's easier for me to just buy a new…

Quite the opposite.

Give me a "house improvement standard kit" and a well thought-out place to store it. A well-organized compartment, decent-quality tools that actually make sense, some extendability, and make it take up no space space at all whenever I don't need it. Charge $1000 (€1000) for it, and everybody will buy it along with their house once you've built a brand.

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