Whether you are a gardener, home handyman, creator or tinkerer, you need tools for the job. But, how many do you really need and use?
Let’s get out into the garage and garden sheds and review our needs. We will look at both powered and non-powered tools, including lawn mowers and the like. At the same time, consider those bottles and bags of nails, screws and little gizmos that we can’t even remember what they were for.
So how do we decide what stays and what goes?
As we are working on downsizing and moving into a different style of property, our considerations include what we will need for our new home and garden and the space that will be available for storage. This is a challenging one for my hubby as he is very handy and likes to tinker! His father was the same and I know that some of the tools have been handed down over the years. One big rule for us is that tools we keep need to be functional (ie. working plus have a purpose in our lives) and they also need to have a home so if they won’t be able to fit in the designated storage area, something needs to go as none of us have elastic walls on our homes.
The criteria you created during Week 1 of our challenge will assist you in making decisions about your items. If you are new to the challenge, you can see our Week 1 post here.
What do I do with the keepers?
Keep them where they will be easily found and used but also in a way that minimises any chance of damage.
Use vertical space for storage too so you are maximising your space. You might install some heavy duty hooks, wall mounted storage systems or the sturdy old pegboard. You can grab everything from hooks to full on storage system from Bunnings or specialty storage providers such as GarageTek.
If you are already using tubs etc. for storage, re-use them in the garage/shed or elsewhere before you buy more. Jo and I always recommend that you wait until you are about 75% of the way through your organising a zone before you buy storage containers because you will likely have freed some up by then, plus you won’t be in a position to accurately estimate what your true needs are until you know what you are left with that you need to store.
What do I do with the ones that no longer have a purpose for me?
If they are in good working condition but no longer have a purpose for you, or you are simply paring back on the volume, here are some sell/swap and donation options for your items.
- Sell, Swap or Gift:
o Swap with or gift to your friends or family
o Post on your local/regional “Buy Nothing” or sales groups on Facebook
o Garage Sale
o List on Gumtree or in one of your local classifieds.
- Donate options:
o Ask your local Men’s Shed if they have a need for what you have.
o Check out Givit to see if you have something that is needed, or list them yourself on here. I have found some community organisations in the past have wanted tools either for their own use or for one of their outreach programs.
o Charity shops such as the Salvos or Vinnies
o Green Shed (Mitchell or Mugga Lane)
o Let’s Recycle Canberra (Hume)
How did you go? Feel free to share your successes, challenges and tips on our Facebook page.
Happy decluttering!
Melissa x