It might be useful . . .

[niemeyjt]

I am just rummaging through some boxes of electronics kit and have come across such items as a 3.5" floppy disk drive (USB) and various PCMCIA adaptors for old laptops.

I am loathed to throw it - it will connect to my current PC - and "it might be useful" (although I cannot think of any 3.5" disks I still have).

So who is of the "it might be useful" camp - or does anyone subscribe to the notion if not used for a year it is not needed so bin it?

Oh, and as for the rummaging - I cannot actually find the one thing I thought I had that I needed today.

[Headers]

Meeeeee. I have an floppy reader. I found some floppy disks in a box and rediscovered some missing photos. It isn’t a big item so keep it!

[Liz]

Cables and stuff, always difficult to decide keep or throw.
I have looked in the bottom desk drawer and I have some floppies, but I seem to have junked the external disk drive - so why have I still got the disks?

[Bayleaf]

Very much so in the "might be useful" camp. We've been very fortunate over the last few years of "inheriting" quite a lot of stuff from house clearances from clients (it certainly helped big time for daughter kitting out her bigger appartment). As a result, we're pretty well stocked up on most things that if not currently being used, are far too good to throw. For instance, just this weekend, daughter took a small wooden and metal wine rack home to use as a stand for her gaming tower. They get hot, and having this open stand will help ventilation underneath. A little tweak here and there to ensure stability, and that's one item with a new use.

It's not the first repurposed item, and it won't be the last. Plus, all the things we've been given over the years have a history and hold memories.

Love it!

[Hotrodder]

I'm very much in the "keep that, it might be useful later" club. Although I have two large storage crates of computer parts and interconnect cables I tried to have a clear out a couple of years ago. I let my floppy drives and disks go to the tip along with a few sticks of memory and some cables with unidentifiable connectors on the ends. I'm still clinging onto a box of audio cables, a dozen or so new speaker drivers, a couple of off the peg crossover networks..........................and that's without looking. Outside there are a couple of crates of general hardware (all new), repairable power tools, and 16 crates of boot fair fodder that may or may not find their way to a boot fair when the season starts later this year along with 3 or 4 Briggs & Stratton rideon mower engines. I'm still clinging on to a lot of ply and timber offcuts (teak and mahogany) left over from my boatbuilding days over twenty years ago. A barrel of yachting rope,...............and stuff that hasn't seen the light of day for years unless I have to move it to find something that might be hiding behind it.
I would love to sell all of it (apart from the timber) but I don't do LebonCoin or Fartbook and the only expat forum withing driving distance that has a for sale section is one that is inhabited by a small handful of members.

[Blaze]

We want to clear out some furniture we've acquired over the years. I've tried putting a sofa on Le Bon Coin and 2 groups on Fartbook - free to good home - but no takers. It's in good nick, extremely comfortable, good springs and cushions but it's "cottage style" so not à la mode today. It's a shame because I couldn't possible take it to the tip. I could try Emmaus but they may say it's too old fashioned

[hughnique]

I can't seem to throw anything away, however on the odd occasion I do then a couple of weeks later, I realise that I need whatever and have to then buy it again, normally something in a multipack, then you are back to square one. Last time I had a bit of a clear-out I counted 130 screwdrivers of various sizes and types, but got rid in a bundle with other tools and stuff. It appears that crap is easy to flog but given anything that has seen little or no use is impossible. I bought a Philips DVD player / recorder, took it out of the box plugged it in to make sure it worked then put it back in the box, where it has remained ever since, can't sell it for a tenth of what I paid for it, might just as well bite the bullet and dump it, along with a whole host of other stuff that has never been used. I sometimes come home with a bargain buy and am quizzed as to why I have bought it, normally cos it was cheap, only for it to end up with the rest of unwanted stuff. The subject of "collectables" has been covered previously and when you are getting up the ladder and falling apart, you get to thinking should we have a massive clear out before we depart as my son will be absolutely lost trying to sort this lot out, normally these items were a bargain when purchased but are worth sweet FA now.

[hughnique]

We want to clear out some furniture we've acquired over the years. I've tried putting a sofa on Le Bon Coin and 2 groups on Fartbook - free to good home - but no takers. It's in good nick, extremely comfortable, good springs and cushions but it's "cottage style" so not à la mode today. It's a shame because I couldn't possible take it to the tip. I could try Emmaus but they may say it's too old fashioned

We had a lovely suite, all recliners one was electric, not a mark on it, a lovely table and six chairs, couldn't get rid of it and ended up getting Aspire to take them away, but then as you say they are getting a bit fussy.

[MAD87]

I'm just glad y'all as bad as I am.

[exile]

No I'm not.

I am worse!