# How the hell did I end up with so many water bottles? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 18, 2023, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-hell-did-i-end-up-with-so-many-water-bottles/979996 "2023-02-18T17:31:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2023, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-hell-did-i-end-up-with-so-many-water-bottles/979996/1 "2023-02-18T17:31:44Z")
Especially since I don’t use one. I keep cases of water in my classroom so I will pull from those when I get thirsty. So how did I end up with 20+ expensive (and not so much) water bottles in my possession? A cursory inventory shows: 3 - S’well bottles (1 advertising my lawyer, 1 from a Vegas casino, and a rainbow one with a “=” on it that sits behind my chair at work as a discreet signal that my room is a safe space) 2 - Thermoflasks (1 from my union, 1 from a Vegas resort) 1 - Klean Kanteen (no logo) 1 - Sig bottle (from a college we used to debate at) 3 - non-insulated aluminum bottles (Kitty Pryde, another college, another no logo) 3 - small non-insulated aluminum bottles (World Wildlife Fund logos) 5 - plastic sports bottles (college, health clinic, fun run, Captain America, Superman) Og only knows how many Nalgene bottles from the camping kits, which are the only ones I remember _buying_, and those decades ago) Anybody else have a large collection of items they just **don’t use** , but seem to amass anyway? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2023, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-hell-did-i-end-up-with-so-many-water-bottles/979996/2 "2023-02-18T17:54:01Z")
Hi, This is Lizzie speaking; I’m one of **burpo** ’s dogs. Through no fault of my own, I have accumulated like 200 dog toys (mostly from my departed sisters) that I just don’t need. I have a half dozen on rotation, but the rest are piled in the corner, gathering dust. I thought I saw E.T. in there once. Please make my stupid humans stop buying toys and concentrate on treats. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2023, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-hell-did-i-end-up-with-so-many-water-bottles/979996/3 "2023-02-18T18:29:24Z")
During the time we were at home, I went through our water bottles at home and got rid of the plain plastic ones, plus one Nalgene bottle. Then went back to work and got rid of two more plastic ones. I don’t like drinking out of plastic bottles. At home: **1 large SIGG bottle** 2 medium SIGG bottles 1 Kleen Kanteen bottle (never used) 2 SIGG knock off bottles from the camera store 1 Nalgene bottle (should just throw it away, but I’ve never even used it) **1 Hydro Flask (vacuum)** [bought to replace another non-vacuum bottle that had been dropped so many times, it wobbled] 1 Starbucks bottle (vacuum) 1 smaller vacuum bottle At work 1 Klean Kanteen (also never used) **1 company water bottle** 1 vacuum bottle The ones in **bold** get used. In addition, I have two vacuum tea infuser flasks, neither of which is being used. The first one was left by a coworker and I was encouraged to use, and he also left tea, which was packaged for the tea infuser, which I used. He sent more tea infuser flasks for us, via another coworker, but never sent more tea (different coworker was supposed to bring it, but forgot it), and I haven’t seen him since. Probably I could use any old tea, but I just haven’t gotten around to doing it. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2023, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-hell-did-i-end-up-with-so-many-water-bottles/979996/4 "2023-02-18T18:40:11Z")
Jebus, don’t get me started on flasks! A quick look in the cabinet shows 18 of the suckers! 4 plastic, 14 stainless steel. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2023, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-hell-did-i-end-up-with-so-many-water-bottles/979996/5 "2023-02-18T19:06:24Z")
A wise woman once opined that: > I’d rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy So, there’s that. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2023, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-hell-did-i-end-up-with-so-many-water-bottles/979996/6 "2023-02-18T19:19:09Z")
The motivation to pick up something that is of good quality and FREE is strong indeed. At some point, I managed to make myself think, “But do I need/want it?” “Do I want to have it in my house?” If you can get those thoughts in your mind, you’ll find less stuff ending up in your house. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2023, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-hell-did-i-end-up-with-so-many-water-bottles/979996/7 "2023-02-18T19:30:32Z")
Water bottles? Yeah, dozens. Remotes? Can’t remember what half of them are for. TMI, maybe. Panties. I look in my drawer and there they are a silken, lacy, and colorful wad of knickers. I wear only certain ones I find comfortable. Kids socks. We have a box in the laundry room full of orphans. Cans of pork ‘n’ beans. It ain’t me. I ain’t eating them things. Or buying them, for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2023, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-hell-did-i-end-up-with-so-many-water-bottles/979996/8 "2023-02-18T23:22:52Z")
I have a collection of water bottles of various types because a convention I work at frequently includes them in the annual staff swag. I also have several varieties of totes and carrying bags from the same source. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2023, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-hell-did-i-end-up-with-so-many-water-bottles/979996/9 "2023-02-18T23:55:46Z")
I have a number of water bottles/flasks I don’t use. I get them as little gifts for attending/working racing events. They sometimes have the event and date on them, sometimes just the name or logo of the club. Let’s see, can huggers? Yep. Chip Clips? Yep. Pens? Yep. Whistles, lanyards, hats, tee shirts, posters, and for a while there, mousepads? Yep. I used to haul them to other events I’ve attended and hand them out as goodies, especially if they have the racetrack name on them. That’s great when you are attending international events. My favorite giveaway was when a boy came selling light bulbs for the Scouts. He saw my posters and asked about the racing. I loaded him down with goodies to decorate his bedroom. The next day, I came home from work to find three friends camped out on my front step to see what they could score from me. Sometimes, I regret giving away those Porsche posters. But it sure made them happy. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-hell-did-i-end-up-with-so-many-water-bottles/979996/10 "2023-02-19T01:22:15Z")
Don’t you guys have Goodwills or Salvation Army by you? Just because you bring something home, doesn’t mean you have to keep it. Just keep a box of things to donate, and when it gets full, drop it off. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-hell-did-i-end-up-with-so-many-water-bottles/979996/11 "2023-02-19T02:44:00Z")
Goodwill around here has water bottles by the 100s. They give them away in a buggy by the exit. They’re just making too many of them. Promotional give aways are fine. In fact I like them. But really ‘whoever-you-are-making-these-choices’ move on. Let’s get something else to logo up and give away. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-hell-did-i-end-up-with-so-many-water-bottles/979996/12 "2023-02-19T08:04:27Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > At some point, I managed to make myself think, “But do I need/want it?” “Do I want to have it in my house?” “Will I actually eat/use it?” When I buy toiletries from the department store, or bring back the containers, the salesperson gives samples of their other products - eye cream, toner, spot remover, anti-wrinkle cream, facial masks, etc. At the beginning I just accepted what she gave me - now I make sure to specify the products I will use, such as travel size shampoo, conditioner, facial cleaner, etc. I still have a backlog of the other items, but I am not in the habit of using eye cream, etc. So it’s slow going. > [@Beckdawrek](#): > > TMI, maybe. Panties. I look in my drawer and there they are a silken, lacy, and colorful wad of knickers. Ever so often I try to go through my entire cache of panties before wearing a pair a second time. Haven’t managed to make it yet. Finally forced myself to through away a few pairs that were showing their age. Still have too many pairs. Sock drawer isn’t much better. And I don’t seem to be able to get down to just 1-2 tubes of lotion. I think they are multiplying in the cupboard. (These are separate from the ones which I get from the department store.) ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-hell-did-i-end-up-with-so-many-water-bottles/979996/13 "2023-02-19T15:21:26Z")
When he was in early elementary school our son wrote a story called “Attack of the Evil Water Bottles.” There were also a couple of sequels. Fast forward 15 years or so, and his girlfriend did a short horror film that featured a water bottle. At the time she didn’t know about her beau’s childhood opus. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-hell-did-i-end-up-with-so-many-water-bottles/979996/14 "2023-02-19T15:43:32Z")
Waterbottles of many varieties and travel cups. I did manage to whittle down the water bottles by giving them to Vaderling to use at school. Dunno what happened to them and don’t much care, except maybe the nice one, with the real wood cap that was vacuum insulated, made by Thermos, I think? Anyway, yeah travel cups, 18 and 24 oz. The metal kind with no handle. I have one half of the “over the fridge” cupboard filled with cups. My theory is that when I tried to get a new shotgun by hiding a rifle and a vacuum cleaner in the back of the closet for a year, I tore something in the spacetime continuum that resulted in my collection of cups. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-hell-did-i-end-up-with-so-many-water-bottles/979996/15 "2023-02-19T16:28:00Z")
Coffee cups I’m ruthless with, mainly because a) I don’t drink coffee, and b) as a teacher if I kept every cup I’ve ever gotten from well-meaning parents/students I’d have no place to store anything else. Most of those go to Goodwill or become targets at Thanksgiving. Sample size toiletries I gather. Whenever I’m in Vegas I have everybody in the group strip their rooms of shampoo, conditioner, lotion, sewing kits, shower caps and all the other stuff they give you if you stay at a place fancier than Best Western. Those all get tossed into a box an given to the local women’s shelter. Don’t get me started on travel mugs… ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-hell-did-i-end-up-with-so-many-water-bottles/979996/16 "2023-02-19T16:53:09Z")
I have a bunch of 1-liter soft Nalgene bottles (with the plastic snap top) left over from my camping and backpacking days. Nowadays I have them filled up for emergency use or when the water in the complex gets shut off for plumbing repairs. The one “souvenir” bottle I’ve saved but never used is an “Alice Springs Master Games 10-Year Anniversary” bottle I found on the trail around Ayers Rock. Hopefully it wasn’t tossed aside by some competitor in the throes of dehydration and delirium during the event. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-hell-did-i-end-up-with-so-many-water-bottles/979996/17 "2023-02-19T23:21:23Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Don’t you guys have Goodwills or Salvation Army by you? Heavens yes, and some of the items go there when I do my annual purge, but some items I actually do use or think I will use. Some items have been fabulous, such as the Bridgestone duffle that I still use 30+ years later. And the insulated lunch bags that I ordered for an event ended up with leftovers because the company was testing a new printer and ran 800 when I only ordered 600. Extras were dropped off at a men’s shelter which were immediately put to use by the residents. That’s certainly one way to get your logo seen. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-hell-did-i-end-up-with-so-many-water-bottles/979996/18 "2023-02-19T23:54:35Z")
Despite living in Arizona, I don’t get many free water bottles. HOWEVER, anyone want a thread puller? Or a thread sorter? How about some DMC cards? I don’t even use thread sorters or DMC cards but I always have too many. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2023, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-hell-did-i-end-up-with-so-many-water-bottles/979996/19 "2023-02-20T00:00:00Z")
> [@JaneDoe42](#): > > How about some DMC cards? I would, but I have to Run. It’s like that. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2023, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-hell-did-i-end-up-with-so-many-water-bottles/979996/20 "2023-02-20T00:17:21Z")
> [@DorkVader](#): > > My theory is that when I tried to get a new shotgun by hiding a rifle and a vacuum cleaner in the back of the closet for a year, I tore something in the spacetime continuum that resulted in my collection of cups. Often referred to as Mossberg’s Postulate. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-hell-did-i-end-up-with-so-many-water-bottles/979996.md?page=2)