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Why I don't want stuff

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Re: Why I don't want stuff

#281

Post by jessaustin »

Grishnakh wrote: post #269
eitally wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And there are plenty of companies all over the world who operate profitably renting tools & equipment to homeowners.

Yeah, and the stuff they rent is probably mostly old junk and beat to hell because renters don't take care of stuff. It's probably a lot cheaper to just go to Harbor Freight and buy a tool there than to rent something.

This really varies. On numerous occasions, I've gone to the rental place, taken one look at the machine, and then immediately left said rental place. Once, I had to wait for the dude to take the brand-new backpack leaf blower out of the box and pour in the first bottle of oil. I had no problem waiting that time. It's always a good idea to have the dude start the motor before you load up.

Harbor Freight is great for hand tools you'll use occasionally, or power tools you'll use rarely. There's a reason people who use those tools for a living shop elsewhere.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#282

Post by cfallin »

moonlighter wrote: post #11

I can very much relate to this; my motto is "you don't own stuff; the stuff owns you". And every time I've moved, I was amazed at just how much stuff one (even unwillingly) accumulates, and how liberating it feels to get rid of it. I also prefer to own just a few high quality and/or useful things over having a 'ton of crap'.

> "you don't own stuff; the stuff owns you"

Reminds me of the George Carlin bit on "stuff". Brilliant commentary on the American way, as always:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvgN5gCuLac

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#283

Post by jessaustin »

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.

Generators are likely not to be available right before a storm hits. Ownership is really the only model that works for items that are needed at exactly the same time, by everyone who would ever need them.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#284

Post by jessaustin »

hengheng wrote: post #220
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…

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.

Oh god no. I've been collecting tools for decades. When I need another one, I buy it. The last thing I need is a giant box of which I already have 80%.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#285

Post by cfallin »

andrewjl wrote: post #165

I grew up in a house with lots of stuff and share Derek's aversion to clutter. My solution is to aim for quality over quantity. I think there's still a case for keeping a good set of tools around. For us software engineers, most tools are virtual with the exception of our computers and / or writing utensils. I don't view it as any different from someone mechanically inclined keeping their physical tools around. Same…

Books and tools are my two vices as well.

Books especially -- there's something to be said for the user-interface both of an individual paper book, and of a whole bookshelf, in terms of ease of navigation. PDFs allow you to grep but spatial memory is much better suited to physical things. And I'm much more likely to pick up a paperback from my bookshelf when I'm looking for something to read than I am to go find a PDF and sit in front of my laptop/tablet.

And finally I really like the social aspect of physical books. "Hey, we were just talking about X, and you might like this book!" works way better with paper than with a PDF.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#286

Post by grahamburger »

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've often thought that it would be great if someone provided a storage-unit-as-a-service. Send me a box that I can pack full of winter gear and send back, for example. Then send it back to me next winter, and I'll send in my summer stuff. Seems like shipping is still too expensive to make something like that work, esp when you start looking at things like ladders and lawnmowers and snowblowers.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#287

Post by yourapostasy »

Xcelerate wrote: post #18

I relate to this guy so much. > It makes me really happy when another Christmas or birthday has passed and I didn’t receive anything. It makes me feel understood. My sister and I have this arrangement. I tell her every Christmas that her gift (nothing) is the best one, because I don't have to figure out where to store more junk until enough time has passed that I don't feel guilty throwing it away. She's even more of…

A wonderful quip I picked up from a teacher couple might help on invites: "Presence Not Presents". The absence of "no" makes it easier to accept socially, I suspect.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#288

Post by 0xffff2 »

MisterBastahrd wrote: post #176
mtreis86 wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Everything you describe is a tool. I think there's a difference between unnecessary stuff, and tools.

The average guy who owns a toolbox will never use 80% of the stuff in that box. He owns the tools "just in case."

Really? Never in my life have I ever bought a tool except when I had a specific need to use it. I can say with 100% confidence that I have used every single tool I own at least one time.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#289

Post by 0xffff2 »

Retric wrote: post #210
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..…

A lot of that stuff can be compact if you don't get focused on 'stuff.' Let's assume you have clothing, computer, and aka all hiking/ backpacking gear for a world tour can easily fit into a single backpack or fill a trailer. Photography, 1 decent camera is really enough. A single bike is actually fairly small. Start getting into road bikes, touring bikes, etc and they start taking up a lot of space. DIY can take endl…

>Photography, 1 decent camera is really enough.

Bahahahahaahhahahah... no.

1 decent camera is enough if you are not a photographer, just a person who likes taking pictures.

As a very amateur photographer, I do in fact only own one camera. The rest of the two bags is accessories for that one camera and several lenses, each of which serve a unique and useful purpose. Good camera equipment is dammed expensive. If I could buy less of it and still do everything I want to do, you better believe I would! I don't even do very complicated photography. I shoot exclusively outdoors in relatively bright surroundings. There is a whole other realm of lighting equipment that I haven't even entered into yet.

And just for some perspective, it is not at all unusual for professional photographers to carry two cameras at the same time. (With different lenses, since it takes several seconds to swap a lens.)

And that doesn't get into specialty equipment like medium/full format.

My two small bags of equipment is nothing compared to the amount of gear that an experience professional photographer is likely to acquire over the course of a decade or two.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#290

Post by branchless »

qaq wrote: post #129
axxl wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I understand most of your post and your desire to have less stuff. However, when you can't bring wine (a consumable, literally no long term space-occupation or anything else, probably gone that night, if not you can just dump it down the drain) to dinner... sheesh.

The point is it's a waste if you dump it down the drain

This is putting the cart before the horse. If I dump 4,000 kilos of butter outside your front door will you make enough sandwiches or should I not have done that?

I used to drink bad wine, then I realised I'm putting myself through displeasure for no real end.

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