Ask HN: How do you manage your private tech inventory? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: How do you manage your private tech inventory?

13 pointsAtLeastITried11 comments

Many of us have plenty of tech inventory:

All kinds of devices, computers, network devices, cables, adapters, gaming consoles, plugs, tools, hardware components, accessories that belong to another device, USB thumb drives, laser pointers, external HDDs, cases, manuals etc..

Such a collection can easily end in chaos: - Things do not have a place where they belong and lie around at random places. - It gets difficult to find things when needed. - Things can't be identified or distinguished: Was this the unique special Adapter from connector A to connector B? Was this the graphics card with the defect which looks the same as the replacement exemplar of the same type.

It needs a systematic approach to restore order. It is easy to group some things of a kind and put them in a box.

But what do you do with all the unique things where you own only a single of it's kind? And how do you recognize a special adapter after years, when it isn't special from the outside? And how do you know after years which accessory belongs to which device?

I thought of using an inventory management system in software. Every box and every device gets labeled with a unique number. The software stores which devices is in which box. Also it could store extra information like specifications, digital manuals, drivers and it could manage a log history of a device. There you could keep information like: "CPU upgraded on server.".

I never used an such a software but I am sure there are some commercial ones on the market for professional use in organizations. I would prefer a simple FLOSS solution for a desktop computer without the need to run a server. Also the data must be accessible for backing up.

How do you manage your inventory?

How much stuff do you have? If you are thinking of using software to inventory then maybe you should just get rid of things.

I use lots of stackable transparent plastic boxes. Group all the common fungible items together in their own boxes like power, network, USB cables, USB plugs, USB adapters, etc.

Non-fungible stuff like drives, special adapters, and parts that go with other things that are stored separately: Avoid mixing them. Just keep all the drives in boxes with only drives. Use a label maker to label them and a textfile or spreadsheet or note in your password manager to describe more if needed.

Anything weird: verbosely write what it is for or goes with in sharpie on an appropriately sized Ziploc and stick it in, then store the Ziplocs in boxes.

Get lots of these boxes and many sizes of bags so you everything stays loose and easy to search. Perfect is the enemy of good, I don't think it's worth spending a lot of time doing this otherwise I might as well just throw it all away and re-buy stuff as needed.

And re: Sharpies, a silver sharpie is great for writing on black external power supplies.

I use ziplock bags and boxes. I try to distinguish between stuff that's "in use" and "in storage". For your needs I'd add a DYMO label maker and a spreadsheet.

Future preservationists will probably thank you for sticking labels to (or writing on) bags and boxes rather than their contents.

I use standard domestic storage shelving, like these https://www.bauhaus.dk/trestles-lagerreol-max-1000-kg-b23 For machines and monitors, I have 4 of them in a large walking in the living room, and another 4 in the office. I use the clea ikea storage tubs for lose items, they're a nice system, where two "smaller" fits perfectly on top of one "larger", like the A paper system.. They make it easy to see what they contains, so I have some what "ISA", "PCI", "PCI-E" and such on them. They also seem to exhibit little or no static buildup. For cables I put them in tubs along with others of the same category, like "power" "digital video" "vga" "analog video" "audio" and such. For rare and fragile parts, I try to store them responsibly, in ESD packaging, and with a not in the box.

I have 3 IKEA plastic, transparent bins in different sizes.

- One is used for high voltage stuff (power extenders, power cables, electrical switches, etc. basically anything related to 240v).

- One for low power cables (usb cables, audio cables, hdmi cables, etc). Things there are, mainly, stored inside Ikea ziplock bags, categorized (I have a ziplock for USB a to USB a, one for USB a to USB b, etc).

- One for hardware (smart home sensors I dont currently use, modem, etc).

Those are for long term storage, infrequent use items. Near my desk, I keep a drawer where I store frequently used items such as external HDD, batteries, and one cable of each needed type (mainly USB C to USB C, USB A to USB micro A, and Apple crap cables). This is mainly so I won't have to go over the bins every time I want to connect an external HDD.

I try to go over my stuff once every month or two, and sell / donate / give away anything I don't use any more. I don't see a point to hoard items.

Four to six transparent Rubbermaid "Clever Store" tote bins (1), each with a bright orange label indicating the rough categories of stuff (Audio/Video, USB, Power/AC, Networking) plus a few larger ones which are big enough to hold old motherboards / boxed NICs / etc.

Within each, similar items are grouped into clear, labelled zip-loc bags. (e.g. USB mini cables, USB micro cables, Lightning Cables, 2.5mm audio adapters, headphones, etc.)

Random 1-off items (e.g. a weird Fuhu NABI tablet adapter) goes into the related category box (USB), which is usually good enough to find it later.

Most importantly, I repeat to the fam to CHECK THE BIN before buying yet another cable/adapter.

(1) https://www.rubbermaid.com/containers-totes.html

Not worth the time spent organizing and taking stock, in my opinion. For any given thing, there are perhaps three places it could be and they can all be searched in short order.

I have a good enough memory and not so many objects that I can recall what I own and what it looks like.

IKEA KALLAX storage bins.

Each loose "group" of tech detritus goes in the same bin. For example, I have an "electronics" bin, a "cables frequently used" bin, "cables infrequently used", "motorcycle gadgets" etc.

If a single item with lots of parts or adapters exists, it goes in a ziplock bag, in the storage bin. If it doesn't already have its own carry case, or whatever.

The last thing I need is another system to maintain. Storage bins require no maintenence.

I have a bin for certain things. I have a bin for ham radio stuff. I have a bin for cables, connectors and chargers. I have my old Xbox and accessories in a bag. I have all my various unused SBCs in a zip lock bag in a bin (usually in the little mylar and box they came in for protection) and that bag is in a big bin with other electronic components bags (caps, resistors, diodes/transistors, connectors/cases, etc).

The only thing that comes to mind is Snipe-IT [0] which I haven't used myself but as I understand it's FLOSS and fairly extensible.

[0] https://snipeitapp.com/

I separate it by categories and store it in boxes.

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