Earlier this month, I posted about how I keep too much stuff, and I how I had started working to remedy this.
For years, I have accumulated tools and supploes, and I am finally putting everything to order. Many of you have and do the same, and so I figured I would share another update to potentially inspire or motivate you. At the least, it’s helping me keep motivated.
Shown above is a Craftsman 4-in-1 laser lever and laser-guided measuring tool kit. It came with a laser level and an assortment of wall mounts, plus a distance measuring tool.
This isn’t a laser distance measuring tool, it’s a laser-guided distance measuring tool. I bought this at a time when laser distance measuring tools were much more pricier than the inexpensive models that are readily available today.
It’s an ultrasonic measuring tool with a laser pointer for aiming. Not to mince words, but this is no longer useful to me.
I donated it last week. If there are no takers, it will be recycled.
Goodbye Craftsman 4-in-1 LaserTrac kit! This is one less thing cluttering up my storage area.
I have unused wire shelving parts – shelves and poles.
I’ll bring them to the public works recycling event tomorrow, where they will be taken for use, or scrapped.
Here’s where I want to put something down on digital paper to ensure I go through with it. I have 2 garage-style wall cabinets that I will be parting with. I installed 3 cabinets in my garage, and 3 more in the basement. If I could use the other 2, wouldn’t I have installed them by now?
I hate the idea of giving away something I might want or leave later. I have a Gladiator wall cabinet that I used for several years. When I moved, it went into storage. I moved again, and there was one spot between a window and door where the Gladiator cabinet fit in perfectly.
I held onto the Gladiator cabinet, and it worked out perfectly. So of course my natural tendency is to want to hold onto the 2 other cabinets.
But no – they don’t do anyone good sitting on the floor. So, I’ll bring them to the public works yard tomorrow, and I’m sure one of the workers there will be able to put them to good use.
I gave away two flashlights today – Olight S2R Baton II lights, new-in-box. These were part of the titanium collection released for the 2020 Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales event. I purchased these with gift certificate funds provided by Olight. How many flashlights do I really need?
On the personal side, I’m working on decades of bad habits. This week I recycled sheet music from junior high school and magazines from 5+ years ago. I donated DVDs and box sets to the library. I gave away an unopened Milwaukee Fastback utility knives and blades bundle.
On the professional side, I’m making changes to my mentality. I don’t need to keep an archive of test samples. It’s okay if I cannot answer very specific questions long after a review. If a tool is important enough to future content, I can request another copy or buy one off the shelf.
Clearing tools (and all manners of personal clutter) is a short-term solution to a long-term problem. But, it’s giving me the breathing space, clarity, and motivation to make long-term changes.
If you’re thinking “this is something I need to do,” there’s no time like the present. “When I have the time” is partially how I got into this mess.
Seriously – the Craftsman 4-in-1 kit shown above lost is usefulness a long time ago. I was aware of this, but kept it, thinking maybe it would be useful for a comparison or other type of post one day. But when would that day come?
