We have a local thrift store that sorts and stores the cables very nicely. 95% of the time I can find exactly what I need right away.
That doesn't mean I don't also have my big box of cables, but just offering an alternate strategy.
Don't let anyone take away your big box of cables
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Re: Don't let anyone take away your big box of cables
#72Key for me is to "group" cables. For example, I have a bag of USB-C cables, a bag of USB-A cables, etc. Grouping them is key to deduplicating. It's easy to look at a single legacy USB A-to-B "printer" cable in isolation and think "I might need this someday!" Because you really might need it someday. However, if you group them you might see that you have ten of them. And then you can get rid of... maybe 8 of them. I a…
>However, if you group them you might see that you have ten of them.
My first thought was "awesome, what project can I start that uses ten of those cables?"
Re: Don't let anyone take away your big box of cables
#731. it is easy to buy a cable and have it delivered to your home in 24 hours 2. You have to be able to remember -where- the box of cables is 3. box of cables takes up space and clutters your environment Throw out the box of cables.
1. I always know where my box of cables is, because it’s never moved from its location . 2. It takes up less than two shoeboxes of space, which is hardly anything in my home. 3. If I need the cable right now, I don’t have to wait 24 hours. 4. It costs me nothing to keep them.
Re: Don't let anyone take away your big box of cables
#74Only one big box of cables! What an amateur.
You need at least 4. And another one for power supplies.
Re: Don't let anyone take away your big box of cables
#75If you have children, at least one of them may become fascinated with retro hardware, and play with all of this stuff, reinstalling OS and connecting old drives. Once they grow past that phase, THEN you can bring everything to the e-Waste center :)
Re: Don't let anyone take away your big box of cables
#76Oh never. I have 2 giant boxes of them. The absolute worst thing ever is when you need something like a USB or HDMI cable, and you're forced to spend like 40 bucks at Best Buy because you're in a pinch.
Re: Don't let anyone take away your big box of cables
#77You’re not serious about it if you only have one box
My boxes been sorted by "what does the cable carry", one power cables, one data, one video, one patch cables, then some are split out, like sound production related cables, one with balanced 1/4", one unbalanced, one MIDI... I think in total 8 moving boxes by now.
Re: Don't let anyone take away your big box of cables
#78Whoever does need it, I give you permission to throw out all your old cables, power adapters, and routers. Yes, on the off chance you do decide you need a Palm III dock, Linksys WRT54G, or Sony PSP charger that means you'd have to buy one on Ebay, but you can cross that $10 bridge if it actually happens.
And whoever needs something else, I give you permission to ignore this fool and keep your box(es) of cables. I don't regret a single thing about my ~8 boxes of cables.
Re: Don't let anyone take away your big box of cables
#79Key for me is to "group" cables. For example, I have a bag of USB-C cables, a bag of USB-A cables, etc. Grouping them is key to deduplicating. It's easy to look at a single legacy USB A-to-B "printer" cable in isolation and think "I might need this someday!" Because you really might need it someday. However, if you group them you might see that you have ten of them. And then you can get rid of... maybe 8 of them. I a…
I'm going to steal your idea. What ziploc baggie size have you found is best for cables?
Re: Don't let anyone take away your big box of cables
#80Key for me is to "group" cables. For example, I have a bag of USB-C cables, a bag of USB-A cables, etc. Grouping them is key to deduplicating. It's easy to look at a single legacy USB A-to-B "printer" cable in isolation and think "I might need this someday!" Because you really might need it someday. However, if you group them you might see that you have ten of them. And then you can get rid of... maybe 8 of them. I a…
I'm going to steal your idea. What ziploc baggie size have you found is best for cables?
Quart ziploc for most. A couple gallon sizes for longer or thicker cables.