Trash to Treasure

[Bakersdozen]

My treasure, that is.



I spotted this at work, down next to the dumpster and started to salivate.  I knew I had to have it for storing wooden ware on.  One of the clients loaded it into my car, dust bunnies and all.  If that cart had been an inch larger in any direction, it wouldn't have gone in my back seat.  It's complete with locking wheels! 
The client that helped me load it, said it had been on his dorm and used for holding video and gaming equipment.  Someone went to a lot of work to build that only to have it thrown away.  Other than dust bunnies, it looks brand new.

[Perry]

Good score Bakers12!
I am always amazed at what gets thrown out, especially here in a University town. It seems when some of the grads leave after 4 years they can't be bothered taking anything with them and it all gets dumped curbside (sadly, including many small pets).

[efmesch]

Forgive my ignorance, but aside from looking to be in fine shape and working order, I can't really figure out what it is?  Was its original function to serve for storing wooden ware or is that the function YOU realized it could best perform in your posession?

[Bakersdozen]

Efmesch,  I was told by the boy that loaded it in my car, that it had been used to hold video and gaming equipment and a stereo.  It looked like a system where they could move all that equipment around to suit their needs. 
It holds two ten frame supers side by side with some extra space in the center for putting tools, queen excluders, bee escape boards, etc. on their sides.  Nuc boxes were just a shade too wide to go in the center.  It is really helped with the clutter.

[Retroguy]

Been there, done that. LOL

I'm in Facilities Maintenance.   Anything that gets tossed at work ends up in the back of one of our vehicles.  Sometimes we can't find a use for it but a couple of the guiys have managed to sell items back to the company after a need arose for that very item a year later.  Sell it back a 1/2 price, it's still pure profit for us.

[efmesch]

It was around 1980 that I built a storage shed for my bee equipment.  But I stored a lot of other items there and eventually all my stored supers moved outdoors.  The shed is filled almost to overflowing with all sorts of Items I've salvaged/scavenged over the years, with the intention to eventually repair or use them for the repair of other items.  It's almost unbelieveable how many things I've brought back to life using my stored collections.
Sometimes though, I wonder if the time has not come to eliminate some of the items I've been saving--like the engine block of a motor I overhauled about 20 years ago, or brake disks for car models that no longer exist.  Who knows what purpose they might yet serve? 

[lazy shooter]

You guys sound like my Scott born wife.  She can't bear to throw anything away.  If I don't see an immediate need or a definite need for it in the future, it goes to the trash dump or someone else's house.  But, I am only half of team.  This past summer we sold two homes and moved their contents into one home.  Obviously, two homes wouldn't go into one so my bride had to get rid of some furniture and a truck load of clothes.  To her credit, she was able to find a home for all of her largesse.   

It is my opinion that closets should be made smaller because regardless of how large a closet is it will soon be over filled.  My wife would fill a gymnasium sized closet in time.  I think most people would.  Hey, I still love her.

[efmesch]

lazy shooter says: "You guys sound like my Scott born wife.  She can't bear to throw anything away.  If I don't see an immediate need or a definite need for it in the future, it goes to the trash dump or someone else's house.

efmesch says:  I think the roles in your family aare reversed in mine.  But I also think that when the two "opposites" work together, it comes out best for all involved---the givers, the keepers and the receivers.

[apisbees]

If it was my stuff it is junk and clutter. Her stuff is sentimental treasures.

[Lburou]

I keep only good junk.

[neillsayers]

All junk is subject to personal observation.

[lazy shooter]

I keep only good junk.

You and my wife.

[brooksbeefarm]

My stuff stays where i put it, and there's alot of it . When i go to look for something i find things i forgot i had and i had bought another one recently that was costly. Inventory is out of the question, i don't have that many years left for that, and the wife would be more than willing to help. The best way i've found to keep her at bay, is to tell her that she should have seen that big snake in the storage shed ( sometimes i'll say two of them )every once in a while. She won't go near it. Jack

[Les]

Fair warning all you "junk" savers.  We recently moved an 86 year old friend from his home into a mobile home.  This man could have started his own salvage business with the stuff he had.  It was so sad to see all his nuts, bolts, tools, etc. go up for auction and essentially get taken.  The family filled a huge dumpster and we ended up with many tools, ladders, odd stuff....you name it.  This was a tremendous amount of work for them and Ken.  So think of your families when you accumulate too much stuff, they are the ones that will end up cleaning out your salvaged stuff.  Not to mention, it broke his heart to have to let this stuff go.  He was a child of the depression, need I say more.

[Perry]

I've got a shed full of "just in case" and a bunch of "you never know".

[kebee]

 I cleaned my junk out once, and as soon as the garbage truck picked it up I needed some of the junk that I throw away and had to go and buy it all over again so you can image how much junk I have now, the only problem I have now is finding what I need even though I kind of have it sorting out.

Ken

[CBT]

I bought a ton yes a ton or more of nuts,bolts and screws from a habitat store that was completely overwhelmed from a closing hardware store. We sorted them for a week.