[Amnon]

> Everything in the world has a U-shaped value curve.

On this point, a good thing to do is to keep some of the ubiquitous everyday things when you want to throw them away. Especially outdated technology like, say, old mobile phones. In 50 years they will become a rarity.

[brc]

True, but you have to count in your holding costs. Even a roman penny (whatever the equivalent was) is not worth that much because there were so many made. Yes, it's worth more now than it was back then, but if you consider the holding costs for that long, it's a losing proposition.

Holding costs you ask? Well, if you pay $10000 sq/ft/yr for your house (renting, buying, whatever) then it 'costs' you a fraction of that to keep stuff in boxes. Then, there is moving costs, insurance costs etc. I know this is an inane example, but the point is to make people realise that hoarding stuff has very real costs, one of which is the 'mental space' that it takes. We all know the feeling that comes from throwing stuff in the bin - that's the other side of the ledger to hanging onto it.

My point being that buildings are worth keeping, as are mobile phones to a mobile phone enthusiast. But we shouldn't just hang onto stuff because it might be worth something one day.

[Retric]

As an extreme example; 2 weeks ago a friend of mines floor collapsed under the weight of his record collection. Not that most people try to store ~50k - 100k records in one room, but it does show how limited our ability to store stuff is.

Edit: http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/540017.ht... also, he is in good health.

[Amnon]

Actually I wasn't talking about the monetary value. It's not an investment scheme but a way to keep souvenirs for the future.

(Apparently the people at HN tend to think of everything as a business opportunity ;) )