TIP: It's worth keeping even MORE junk than you think

[ProDave]

I'm usually one for keeping all sorts of junk. "it will come in useful some day" My wife keeps telling me to throw unused stuff away.

But todays PIR was proof I don't keep enough "junk"

One fault today was a completely missing cover on an immersion heater, in a bedroom. totally unsafe so I disconnected the circuit.

The immersion heater was still working and still in use. It would have been a shame to have to fit a new immersion just for the sake of a missing cover, and looking at the age of the tank wouldn't rate the chances of the tank surviving an immersion heater change more than 50:50

Thankfully my plumber mate came to the rescue. He had a tank in his garage that he had removed and hadn't got around to taking to the scrappie, so I was able to get a replacement cover from one of the heaters on that, so problem solved.

You can never have too much "junk" to hand for such eventualities.

god know how long this property has been rented like that with bare live wires in the cupboard in the bedroom.

 

[Nicky Tesla]

tupperware

 

[pewter]

I used to keep loads of stuff.

Unfortunately I would usually fix a customers problem for labour only, give them the part. So the customer was on a winner. I had to store loads of rubbish and spend more on fuel carting it all around.

Now I try just dump old stuff and if the customer needs a part they can buy one of eBay or just pay me to fit a new one.

Although I do still have a few boxes of old breakers in the shed, and few other new parts I will probably not use like a 12inch fan and couple of consumer units and ...... And ....

If its new is my weakness

 

[Andy™]

i keep most breakers i take out as spares, and have a few other parts around, but dont usually keep to much that probably wont be useful for something

 

[Theorysparky]

i keep junk

trouble is you forget you have it and then buy new off e bay etc

 

[Andy™]

i keep junk trouble is you forget you have it and then buy new off e bay etc

cant say ive ever done that... :innocent

 

[Evans Electric]

I'm like Prodave TBH, its nice to fix something up with something you put aside . But I started last year to dump stuff from the stores (Garage) after watching one of those TV programmes about someone who couldn't throw anything away .

I dumped stuff I knew had been there for 16 years , stuff from a twin fluoro fitting with one duff choke ( might come in one day) to some sets of distributor contacts (Points) for a Ford Cortina. ( Might come in one day)

One problem is we were not that well off when I was a kid and I remember my Dad saving up to buy our first TV set , small Black & White screen, BBC only . Great exitment when it arrived.

Then a couple of weeks ago , I couldn't help remembering that as I dumped a CRT colour set at the local tip and a big fat Toshiba wide screen to the charity shop as if they were nothing .

 

[steptoe]

Deke, thing is, apart from your TV have you ever taken stuff to a charity shop before?

the Mrs flatly refuses to give them anything now,

she took two bin bags full of clothes our little one had, and you can imagine how fast they grow so wear stuff maybe a couple of times,

the lady said, [my wifes words, I wasnt there] " dump them there love, whatever we cant sell we will dump for you seeing as you couldnt be bothered"

WTF,?!

fair enough, they probably do get a load of rubbish, but you'd think they would be grateful just in case it was decent stuff.!?

we wont be going back!

 

[Evans Electric]

Bloody hell , must have been having a bad day . I take a fair amount in TBH . They always seem grateful at the local Sue Ryder shop .

Obviously some stuff would have to be dumped no need for that attitude from them though . I used to buy loads of books from the local Oxfam shop , asked for change once for the parking machine, 60p or you can get clamped, bloody woman gets all shirty , "We can't give change , if we open the till it must be for a sale "

Hence I always go to the other shop now.

 

[sellers]

I try to keep a few things, not too much. I have a knack of binning the things I need, 1 week before I need them.

 

[springcrocus]

Every time I have a sort-out I let the Mrs help, but end up thinking she'll come in handy one day. ]