I prototype designs I do and will order the standard 10 piece cut tape (for a few extra and often cheaper if you need 3 or 4 anyway. I order more of the parts that I know I'll use again, jellybean R's and C's etc.
I keep the parts for a proto in a labeled shoebox and the protos that don't get shipped to the customer for evaluation end up in the shoebox along with any programming/test fixtures.
Then time passes (year or two or ...) and the shoebox contents have been 'maturing' on the shelf. I eventually go through the shoebox and move anything that "could come in handy" to an appropriate catch-all shoebox.
More time passes... the "didn't come in handy" stuff eventually makes it into a "if hell freezes over, may be needed" box. That box then gets donated via a posting on this forum or to an up and coming young hoarder
![Laughing :-DD](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/smiley_laughing.gif)
Being in the US and having access to Mouser and Digikey parts within a few days, makes long term hoarding unnecessary.
I had to clean out a lab/office and storage of a company I started working at about 18 months ago. It was mind boggling the stuff that had accrued - it was worse than a junk store/warehouse. Huge amounts of stuff into e-waste - pallets and pallets. It took weeks to get through the junk and so much was brand new bags of parts that "could come in handy". It was barely possible to walk down a narrow path in the lab (at least 500 sq.ft). Workspaces were overflowing with 'stuff' with tight walk 'trails'- no way it could ever pass any safety inspection.
The urge to bring some of it home was high, but from past experience I knew that it was necessary to resist and be very clinical with the whole process. I also found that complete reels of discretes had dried out so much that touching the leader tape would have the adhesive layer let go and parts would be spilling everywhere.
I don't have any old laptops, drives, test equipment etc. Test equipment is relatively modern with LCD etc - no boat anchors and not multiple units that provide no 'unique' benefits. No databook library and anything I'm ever likely to need is in PDF on the web. I do 'hoard' PDF data sheets - but only since they live in the project folders so I have access to the version that was used during the design process. I can then compare publication date with the latest in case there was a correction and I based part of the design on a datasheet error.
I'm well past 60, and have evolved to utilize new tech and just look back on the "good old days" as the "mostly simple/primitive days"
![Cheesy :D](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/cheesy.gif)
Give me SMD and 1 week turn PCB's any day vs point-point soldering an 8080 veroboard or wire-wrapping z80/dram etc.
cheers,
george.