I can relate. In 2002 I moved from a house I had been in for 11 years onto a boat with no storage. I offered items I perceived as valuable to friends and family and donated everything that did not get taken. Getting rid of all of my stuff was very liberating. I never realized how much time and money I spent organizing, cleaning and repairing my stuff. I no longer live on the boat, but have been somewhat successful in not collecting things. Now I buy what I need for a project and recycle or donate extra items when I finish. In an effort to keep my collection of crap small I tend to rent tools or toys rather than buy them. If I have not used something in 6 months I seriously consider donating or selling it. This is easier said than done and not always practical. I certainly have acquired a lot of crap over the last ten years. Still, there is a lot to be said for travelling light.

Hopefully this thread will motivate me to clean out my garage and finish the half a dozen projects I have going.

Never heard of freecycle, I will have to check that out.

Dang man, you're singing my song. I have got to get a handle on this issue. I've decided that a large part of the success and happiness of what remains of my life depends on getting on top of this. I'm trying to choose the most important project(s) and move forward.

Maybe we could have a quasi support group on this right here.

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Te futueo et caballum tuum

1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

I was granted the double edged gift of fire.... Wild fire took most all of my stuff (at least all the stuff at my house...) Kinda sucked losing all those 'resources' (I found it easier to be 'resourceful' when I had a ton of 'resources' ) but excepting the master tapes from my old band and some pictures, I haven't really missed it...

Ever since, I have been very careful about what I save/salvage/adopt... Makes life much less tiresome.

Sure am glad you live too far away for me to help you out though....

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On some nights I still believe that a car with the fuel gauge on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. - HST

1983 300SD - 305000
1984 Toyota Landcruiser - 190000
1994 GMC Jimmy - 203000

https://media.giphy.com/media/X3nnss8PAj5aU/giphy.gif

Same here, house fire in 2007 took everything I owned, except a vehicle and a few things I had stored at my parent's house.

Since then, I try to keep everything I now have as light as possible. I don't want so many things that packing and moving is too much of a hassle. The only thing I have in abundance anymore is tools...they were all over at my parent's.

Losing everything made me realize that things and stuff is just materialistic. Sure, I miss the items my dad made for me during a particularly rough Christmas season, but I cherish the memories of the closeness of that year more than I did what he made.

It's put things into perspective.

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

I always remember the guy that ends up with the most toys wins bumper stickers. What a crock. The reality is he gets to maintain orreplace far more than he really wants to. If that is winning spare me. I can hardly get to all I have to attend to as it is.

At one time I used to keep lists of what needed done. Eventually found them unrealistic and somewhat depressing. So today just do what I can. Even take blocks of time away from some semi obligations. If something does not get done and many things do not it is just too bad. It will not alter the world or matter at all 25 years from now especially. But some time away from them does matter now.