Totally Sucked In: My Story of Stuff

I have been decluttering recently and came across a plastic tub I have barely touched since my last move.  I cringe when I see it and fear not throw it out.

It is my technology graveyard and cord box.  Do you have one too?

(And this doesn't even include the 3 other cameras and video camera I bought)

In the tub are all the various music players and cameras I have bought, that still work, but that have been superseded in some way.  I also keep all cords from said technology, lest I throw them out and render technology unusable. Yes, I am not totally sure what each cord is for, so I keep them all.

I cringe because I think of all the money I have spent!! I was sucked in to the hype of better.  The items still work but are impractical…or just not as good as subsequent technologies.  Only a couple of times have I bought new just because I want, I want - the iPod shuffle and the Lumix camera are examples (I have had each for 7 and 8 years respectively and still use them).  Often it was just poor timing or I got sucked in to the idea of the product.

For example, the Pentax film SLR camera I bought in 2000.  I had wanted one since high school and when I bought it I asked about digital SLRs and was told they didn't do as good a photo.  Fast forward 3 or 4 years and most people had digital cameras and film processing was becoming inconvenient and more expensive.  Ideally, I'd like to get a new digital body to use with my lenses to lessen my guilt and get some more use out of the camera.

Another bad buy was the mini-disc player.  I bought it in 2003, just as iPods were taking off.  The player was faulty, so I had it fixed twice - an investment of 4 3-hour roundtrips.  Now I see it as a bit of a time capsule - listening to the music of 10 + years ago - and hopefully a novelty I could either rock myself or offload on ebay one day.

My weirdest buy was in early 2000, while travelling in the USA: Pocket Mail.  It was basically a tiny laptop for composing emails.  To send and receive emails, you would hold the device up to a phone and call the Pocket Mail people. It worked well in the US, but in Europe and Australia it was prohibitively expensive.

I think I am also annoyed when I think of the devices I have that I rarely use now because my iPhone has their capabilities.  Alarm clock, camera, video camera, watch and personal music device…all now in my pocket.  Which reminds me, there have been about 8 mobile phones since my first in 2000.  Laptops: 4.

So what do I do with all this stuff?   The phones have been disposed of thoughtfully and laptops have been recycled appropriately.  Any thoughts would be appreciated, especially on the SLR and mini disc player.  Or do I suck it up and just op shop them all?!


P.S. Check out Story of Stuff

P.P.S  I have started a secret group on Facebook for people who do nanna technology at their place - the idea being you can share what you have done, get inspired by others, share info and stay motivated.  If you are interested, request to join Nanna Technology Brag Book. Be warned - it is just my mum and I at this young stage, but we'd love to have you there!!