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Thread: Is there a way to declutter household hardware?

  1. #1
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    Is there a way to declutter household hardware?

    Hi guys!

    I have decluttered my whole apartment and everything went fine, until I came to my hardware stuff.
    I'm pretty handy and doing -everything- myself. Changing floors, power outlets, kitchen fan, toilet seat and so on.. you get the point.
    To do all that I obviously need a lot of tools and hardware of all different kinds, but probably not as much as I actually have.

    My tools isn't my biggest issue but all screws, bolts, fasteners, electrical supplies, plumbing supplies etc.

    Does anyone have some rules or anything to declutter this type of things?
    How will I possibly know what I'll be needing for my next project?

  2. #2
    Yppej
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    DS has accumulated tools and I suggested a tool bench with compartments which he shot down. Some people use peg boards.

  3. #3
    Senior Member rosarugosa's Avatar
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    I do find it necessary to keep a variety of these items available. I did a bit of sorting a couple of years ago, and stored like with like in clear shoebox-like plastic storage boxes and wrote a description of the contents on the container with a Sharpie. I already had the shoeboxes on hand. I also had acquired some of those clear plastic drawer units (small units) and I used those for less heavy items (picture hooks, felt floor protectors, etc.) and I also wrote on the drawers with a Sharpie.

  4. #4
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    Like, rosarugosa, I also have some varied sizes of clear plastic boxes. Several have the dividers inside that create little square individual storage sections. These are perfect for me - sorting nuts, bolts, nails, hooks, etc. I also have the clear shoebox things rosa mentioned for slightly bigger items.

    Good luck finding a solution!
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  5. #5
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    Thanks for the suggestions

    I have the most organized the same way, I just think I have waaaaay to much of it!
    Took some pics of the stuff I'm talking about, and then I also have all wood materials..
    I live in a 70 square meter (750 square feet) apartment, I can't possibly need all this.
    My problem is that I have no idea how to know what I should/shouldn't declutter!

    PXL_20210731_171654499.jpgPXL_20210731_171151439.jpg

    (Don't know what happened with pic 2, it's vertical on my computer)

  6. #6
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    Furniture on pic 1 is 140cm (55 inch) wide, for size reference.

    I usually use the rule "If you haven't used it in... declutter it", but that doesn't apply very well in this case

  7. #7
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    Stop with the decluttering thought for a second. How is it currently organized?
    Then, what are your long term plans for projects?
    We have a store locally, that sells storage devices for around $8 that are similar to those sold by many companies. Building a storage unit for them, like the video link, could be a good start.

  8. #8
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    Alright I give you a bit closer look to how some of it is organized and also a picture from my storage where I store all the bigger containers

    PXL_20210801_071949889.jpg PXL_20210801_072156086.jpg

    I know exactly what I have and where everything are.


    I can give you guys a little more background..
    I'm almost financially independent and about to retire early.
    When I do, I'm planning to travel a lot and live like 6 month a year in other countries.
    I can afford to keep this apartment but I'm thinking of renting something smaller/cheaper anyway,
    that's why I'm so eager to declutter instead of organizing all this stuff.
    Today I live in a 750 square feet apartment and I'm trying to downsize my stuff to fit in a ~430 square feet.

    To answer your second question Toomuchstuff..
    This apartment is completely renovated and I have no planned projects right now.
    But if I move to a smaller apartment in the future there might be some new ones.

  9. #9
    Yppej
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    What type of projects do you envision that you would do rather than a landlord or landlady do for you?

  10. #10
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    Yppej: Now you really putting my english on test

    I don't know the words you use to make a different between the apartments you buy and rent?
    The one I'm living in right now is bought, and I'm thinking of renting the next one.

    My best friend owns a house with some apartments in it.
    The goal is to take one of those, if someone decides to move out.
    If I do, I can do whatever I want in it the same way as if I bought it.

    If I take the apartment I live in for example, I have:
    - Replaced all floors
    - Replaced all sockets
    - Painted all roofs
    - Painted/wallpaper every wall
    - Painted the whole kitchen
    - Installed a dishwasher
    - Replaced countertop/sink/tap
    - Replaced kitchen fan
    - Replaced oven/freezer/fridge
    - Replaced all window sills
    - Moved some power outlets & switches
    - Replaced all power outlets & switches
    - Replaced all doors (inside)
    - Cut out for hoses in a concrete wall (TV cables)
    - Installed a Elfa shelf-system in the storage
    - Installed a portable AC (permanent solution)
    ..and the list goes on and on and on..

    I have a pretty good example of my issue.. there's a whole carton with self closing hinges.
    24 pieces in total and I have saved them in case one of my furniture will break.
    I would definitely not need more than 2 in spare, but there's a lot of different kinds of hinges.
    Different hole pattern, different sizes, different opening angles.. my furniture isn't all the same either.

    How will I decide which to keep and which to declutter?

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