Squirrel mentality in the lab

I'm guilty of this as well, i.e. having squirrel mentality (or could be worst, a hog). A squirrel, during impending winter, will store nuts and whatever food it can find in many places (crevices and underground) in the hope that all these will be of use during winter. In reality, having able to find half of the stored food when-need-be would be amazing...

As for me (and probably some of you), I would keep all samples, DNAs, RNAs, plasmids, proteins, lysates, slides, cell pellets, bacterial plates, solutions, media, etc for a long time with the hope that I will have better use of them in the future. But in reality, most of the stored stuff in the fridge and freezer ends up as "junks". For having kept them for so long now that it would be impossible to keep tab of what they are or were-meant-for; and losing them wouldn't affect a thing...

In order to prevent this from happening, I think the best way would be to keep what is needed and throw them once they are useless.Never ever procrastinate and never keep works for future because chances are, they will end up as junk.

Well, a squirrel is still better than hogs. Being a hog is obnoxious, and they impede the flow of productivity in the lab. A hog will waste, buy things in abundant (or redundant) and waste them afterwards when these things are expired. Hogs like to hide stuff, move them unannounced, work at wee hours to avoid detection. Hogs are dirty, they don't tidy their work benches (and others'), and they leave junks for others to clean. Hogs don't help prepare common buffers or solutions once they finished using etc... In other words, hogs are nasty. Never end up as one if you need friends and help....

Anyway, my problem is not of a hog, but a squirrel. With this entry, I hope I will be able to organize, clean and manage my stuff efficiently.