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Post by riversong1963 on Sept 12, 2023 14:01:30 GMT
Do you keep them? We're getting a new bedroom set delivered tomorrow. (After 34 years of marriage, and never buying a new set, we felt it was time.  ) As I was cleaning out all the drawers and shelves (yikes!), I found a stack of user manuals for my many machines and tools. I even have the manuals for my original Cricut machine. Some were easy discards, like the ones for the cameras I no longer have, but others weren't so easy. I'm keeping the Cricut manuals because I still have all the machines. My husband doesn't keep any manuals, because he says that you can find all that on the internet. For the most part, I agree with him. However, there have been times when I've looked for information about something, and I just can't find anything useful. What are your thoughts? |
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Post by Linda on Sept 12, 2023 14:29:17 GMT
DH is on team keeper of all the manuals...but I'm the designated actual KEEPER of the manuals.
My compromise is that I keep manuals for large appliances (fridge/freezer/washer/dryer/oven/dishwasher) and for major outdoor/workshop tools (lawnmower, table saw...)...everything else has or is going to be leaving. These are the ones that DH has and does ask to see now and then. I have tearing out the duplicate pages in non-English languages on my TO DO list.
Craft machines - I kept sewing machine manuals for each of my sewing machines and my Cricut and Gemini Jr...basically the manuals I ACTUALLY pull out and use.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,429 
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Post by scrapnnana on Sept 12, 2023 14:41:10 GMT
I keep them. If I don’t use the machine for awhile, sometimes I forget how to do something that I don’t do as often, and it’s nice to have a quick reminder. Yes, I can look it up on the internet, but sometimes one source is more clear than another, and I just prefer the printed paper copy.
I still keep regular books, too, even those that I have bought the digital copy. Too much screen time can be hard on the eyes.
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lindas
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,286
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Post by lindas on Sept 12, 2023 15:08:43 GMT
I used to keep them all now I just keep all the major appliance ones. DH had a cabinet full of ones for all the power tools he bought so in order to reduce the clutter I scanned them all and put them in a folder on the computer. It was a happy compromise, I got rid of the clutter and he still had his manuals.
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Post by quinmm14 on Sept 12, 2023 15:43:02 GMT
I've scanned what I could to keep and got rid of the books. I've also downloaded some to a folder on my computer for easy access.
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Post by papersilly on Sept 12, 2023 18:23:41 GMT
i would have to read them to actually feel the need to keep them. LOL. most of my tools are pretty user friendly and what i can't figure out, i google or youtube. if i do keep them, i rarely, if ever, refer to them. if i do, it's usually to find out about an accessory that came with it.
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jediannie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,066
Jun 30, 2014 3:19:06 GMT
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Post by jediannie on Sept 12, 2023 18:58:02 GMT
If I find the manual online that is available for download, I'll download it and bookmark the link and then recycle the manual. If I can't find a digital I keep the paper one until we get rid of the machine/appliance.
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Post by riversong1963 on Sept 12, 2023 19:23:31 GMT
Great ideas - especially to scan them! Thanks!
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Post by joblackford on Sept 12, 2023 19:49:26 GMT
I just went through ours last week. We have 4 large ziplock bags with a sheet of paper in the front listing which manuals are in each bag. They're divided into a few loose categories. When we sell, give away, or donate the item we usually try to pull the manual out and include it because we're big ol' nerds like that! Some people appreciate it. We rarely look at them though, and tbh I keep the ones I do reference a lot (eg. InstantPot with cook times) in a more accessible spot near the appliance. When I went through them the other day I tore out all the alternate languages to save space and got rid of things like the "manuals" to our pots and pans, which was actually a 20 year old ad for pot rack accessories. We have an empty drawer in our file cabinet so it doesn't hurt to keep them for now. But from clearing out our elders' homes I would say err on the side of recycling them if you don't actively use them or have a system for purging them periodically. We threw out so many manuals for appliances in mobile homes that were sold 30 years ago when we tidied MIL's den. But if you keep something for 50 years and you're lucky you might be able to sell the manuals to certain vintage appliances one day. I got $18 for a 1960s Bernina sewing machine manual on eBay |
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Post by joblackford on Sept 12, 2023 20:12:19 GMT
My husband wants you (and me) to know that he also downloads the manual if it's available online when we buy a new appliance and saves them in a manuals folder on his computer with the date of purchase in the file name. As I said, we nerds, especially him.
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Post by 950nancy on Sept 13, 2023 4:00:10 GMT
I have a nice three ringed binder with page protectors in it. I keep all of my scrap manuals I deemed important in there. I have used them from time to time. I also have a large 3 inch one for stuff in the house. When we were going to sell the house, I had the manual out on the counter and the buyer told her agent it was one of the reasons they were interested in the house. They knew things had been taken care of. Worked for me.
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Post by artisticscrapper on Sept 13, 2023 4:52:33 GMT
I always keep them.I have a special folder for them. You never know.
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Post by hoopsfn on Sept 13, 2023 13:13:52 GMT
Another believer in keeping them here. Except for manuals for items you no longer have.
Although it's handy to be able to look up instructions online, I like having that manual in hand!
And so many things don't even come with a manual anymore - this makes me sad.
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Chinagirl828
Drama Llama
Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 6,670
Jun 28, 2014 6:28:53 GMT
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Post by Chinagirl828 on Sept 15, 2023 8:27:09 GMT
I keep all of mine, I have a folder in my filing cabinet where I keep manuals and warranty info. I periodically go through it and get rid of anything we no longer own.
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) As I was cleaning out all the drawers and shelves (yikes!), I found a stack of user manuals for my many machines and tools. I even have the manuals for my original Cricut machine. Some were easy discards, like the ones for the cameras I no longer have, but others weren't so easy. I'm keeping the Cricut manuals because I still have all the machines. 
