dragging home office surplus?

[gardenmom5]

desks, filing cabinets, etc. . . 

 

is this the new thing of husbands bringing home the beast?

I'm going through filing cabinets to get rid of their contents so I can get rid of filing cabinets!
I've already managed to get rid of *multiple* slab desks dh has brought home (from two different defunct businesses . . ) 

I've been in Texas - and come home to find new "but it was free" . . . . (but it takes up SPACE!!!!!) items . . . 

and It just made me think of that and wonder.  dsil will drag a lot of stuff home too . . . 
So, i started wondering if this was a guy thing.

[kbutton]

My DH finds things on the side of the road all the time, but it’s often something we need!

I think our whole family scavenges, honestly, but we’ve saved tons of money this way.

As we get older, we are going to have to curb this a bit, but a lot of what we find is immediately useful, and if not, easy come, easy go.

Our biggest problem at the moment is that our older son has a ton of (absolutely necessary and useful) stuff, and he’s not likely to move out anytime soon as he’s still in YA limbo, and I think we all enjoy living together at this point.

[marbel]

My husband will drag computer stuff home, but not furniture - we simply have no room for any furniture. He has to keep all his "extra" computer stuff in his office. 

[gardenmom5]

12 minutes ago, kbutton said:

 

Our biggest problem at the moment is that our older son has a ton of (absolutely necessary and useful) stuff, and he’s not likely to move out anytime soon as he’s still in YA limbo, and I think we all enjoy living together at this point.

oh I relate . .  
2ds lives here.  (HCOL area).   He's into collector SW lego . . .after many years, I *finally* got to turn a basement room into a theater.  snack bar, etc. . . His lego has taken over . . . (some of them are huge. - and he keeps the boxes as they're part of his "investment".)

[TechWife]

If we need something & someone offers it, that’s fine. But we don’t bring home random things just because they’re free. We would rather someone else get what they need. This is true even when the object in question has been discarded, someone else could get it that needs it. 
 

Several years ago I went through an “upcycling” phase that lasted about two months. I had fun, but we didn’t need stuff and I didn’t want to have a business selling it. Having all the stuff around was more annoying than any pleasure I got out of doing it. I still see furniture on Facebook marketplace sometimes and think about what I would change - Paint, handles, knobs, etc.. 

[kbutton]

1 hour ago, gardenmom5 said:

oh I relate . .  
2ds lives here.  (HCOL area).   He's into collector SW lego . . .after many years, I *finally* got to turn a basement room into a theater.  snack bar, etc. . . His lego has taken over . . . (some of them are huge. - and he keeps the boxes as they're part of his "investment".)

Oh, mine has tools and is ultimately wanting to be a finish carpenter (has training and skill—needs better connections). 

[fairfarmhand]

Yes. Good heavens yes.

A few months ago he brought home a drafting table because "It was too good to throw away." Thankfully, we found a new home for it, but I was not happy. The thing was huge.

[almondbutterandjelly]

Not necessarily. My dh does not bring home things. We do have a friend we call when we want to get rid of stuff. He usually takes it. He’s awesome.

[KatieJ]

Yes, but not furniture. That would have been unwelcome. 

He did bring home a Basically new printer when they switched brands at work, we loved it and we needed it.

He also brought home  some of the tools in the garage that maintenance didn’t want to mess with fixing.  Compressor, drill press , etc. 

 

[catz]

I think it's just an individual thing.  Some people like to treasure hunt, some people have problems getting rid of things, some people love free stuff, etc.  My sister in law is this way and her spouse rolls eyes.  

[SKL]

I don't think it's a guy thing.  My mom used to sneak furniture into the house and strategize how to tell my dad so he wouldn't freak out.  😛

When I was young and poor, I used to acquire "bargains," but I just got sick of stuff one day.  My ex-employer was replacing all its furniture and offered to sell the old stuff to employees.  I considered it - could have used some file drawers - but it was the wrong size for my house.

When a friend's employer was getting rid of old furniture, my friend suggested giving it to our new hotel we were opening up.  We just had to arrange the transportation.  It was a win-win.

Nobody wants to see useable stuff go to waste.  Maybe you could help your dh brainstorm another use for it, such as a nonprofit or small business expanding in the area.

[gardenmom5]

1 hour ago, kbutton said:

Oh, mine has tools and is ultimately wanting to be a finish carpenter (has training and skill—needs better connections). 

has he been "sorted" yet?

 

[CTVKath]

Um. Well. I'm known to do that!!!! Office supplies from my working days; stuff on the side of the road if it looks good. Chandelier, Little Tykes outdoor kid toys, gas grill.........  I don't do it often but if it looks good and I think I can use it, I bring it home!