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Comment by microtonal | Hacker News Reader

I am the exact opposite and sell or throw away pretty much everything that I don't use. I find that doing so not only clutters the house less, but also gives you less to worry about.

My general rule is - if I didn't use it for a year, I don't need it. There are obviously some exceptions like a fire extinguisher (which I hope to never use) and digitized photos, which only go through a careful selection.

I think the thing I kept the longest was a Libranet Linux 3.0 CD set because I worked for Libra Computer Systems for a while and this was the release that I helped building. A few years ago I threw it away, I think after I saw someone uploaded it to archive.org. When I'm 60 and want to install it again for good old time's sake I can.

tl;de: if you don't use something for a year, you probably don't need it.

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I don't get around to using plenty of things for the first time a year after I've purchased them. That policy in my life would be a nightmare of constantly rebuying stuff, or failing to rebuy stuff that is now gone forever.

Almost everything that has become indispensable in my life took years to integrate into my life to any significant degree.

"Need" is a weasel word. You don't need anything.

> "Need" is a weasel word. You don't need anything.

That feels uncharitable to your parent commenter. By that logic we’d never use “need”, and your use of “significant” would also be a weasel word (I don’t believe it is, merely making a point).

While the words used are important, we should strive to understand the idea being transmitted and steelman the argument. “Need” is relational. Some things you need to survive (even if technically you don’t need to live, and here we’re getting too philosophical), other things you need to feel comfortable, or you may need a chair to reach a high place. In this case your parent commenter is clearly referring to a subjective level of need which differs for each individual and trying to make you reflect on the balance between the things you keep and how their existence in your day-to-day affects your life.

I would like to hear more about this. So you buy a, say new air fryer, a new monitor, a new mobile phone or a new shirt and it takes you 12 months to first use it? Or was this more like I buy 3 SD cards in bulk buy might not need 3 right now? Do you live in a remote area where online shopping delivery is not available? Is it just a habit? Honestly curious.

I know > 1 people who buy a new phone, leave it in the box for > 3 months and then finally have the time to move over their data and start using the new device

I’d own a lot less stuff if there were more opportunities to rent infrequently used items.

As it stands, I have a workshop and electronics bench with many tools that will go unused for years but are critical when I need them and too expensive to buy and throw away.

There is also the problem that people who sell their used stuff on classifieds think of their article to be worth as much of the original purchase price as possible, but don't think about the fact that people would rather buy new stuff.

In reality the mindset they should be having is that the buyer and the seller are doing a group buy separated in time, which means that both paying half the price of new is fair and should be expected.

> There is also the problem that people who sell their used stuff on classifieds think of their article to be worth as much of the original purchase price as possible

That is quite the frustrating state of affairs when you try to reduce your consumerism and buy second-hand. It’s not that uncommon to see people selling used items at the same price or even more expensive than new with warranty.

> I don't get around to using plenty of things for the first time a year after I've purchased them

Examples always tell the story! Can you give two or three?

1. For consumables like film, or semi-consumables like storage media, I may buy it and sit on it for a while.

2. I might get a new [thing], but not make it to the [place where I can safely use [thing]] for a while

3. Videogames, or games in general

4. Idk sometimes I get depressed

I'll will be buried with my box of miscellaneous cables.

> fire extinguisher (which I hope to never use)

These expire, so make sure you check yours is still good!

Otherwise I agree with and do basically the same thing. I also make exceptions for most tools and emotional connection items.

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