I used to hang onto things like that. Finally I realized that they are just not worth the hassle. I always seem to pick up the pair of scissors that doesn't cut all the way down the blade anymore or the bowed ruler. I look at it this way. I have probably used it dozens of times and even though I did pay good money for them, I have gotten the worth out of them. Bleeding fabric on the other hand, is a danger to keep around. I will toss it immediately if it doesn't stop with frequent washing. Love those color catchers.

I find it very freeing to get rid of things that no longer serve me. They are soon forgotten about and then I have more room for the things I love. This is especially true of fabric. I refuse to use anything I don't love. By donating fabric I feel good that someone else will enjoy it.

Sounds like me. On faded rulers where the lines have worn out I even have drawn new lines. Never accurate but at least semi useful???

Fabrics that bleed more than I wish to deal with go to the fabric recycling drop off. That's where you are supposed to take nasty old pillows and things. We have "transfer stations" (trash collection sites) that have a recycling center next to them with separate bins for things like fabric and other things that can be sorted like cardboard, plastic, glass, cans. There have been fabrics that even I have given up on -- and I'm not going to pass them on to anyone else.

Old rulers I keep in the tool closet. Often need a straight edge and is nice to not have to worry about permanent marker marks. I keep broken rulers around for a long time, until I get to a project that bothers me to have that one corner bitten off or I realize I already have a better smaller ruler.

Scissors I'm pretty fussy about, I have Fiskar sharpeners I use on them, if that doesn't fix it, I write Paper or something like that with marker on the handle and stick it in the non-quilting places for my husband to use. One of my sewing ladies is going to give me a set of Ginghers that she just doesn't use or appreciate (she likes Kai), the sewing repair place I like also sharpens scissors so I'll be taking them to him when they need it.

I use my rotary blades longer than I should. I'm trying to break myself of the habit and look at it that even a $5 blade is cheap compared to mashing $100 of fabric. I buy in bulk and tell myself to replace but it's a work in progress.

I have a hard time throwing rulers away but I don't want to donate them and have someone else have a faulty ruler and get discouraged when they try to use it. I guess I would just keep it (I don't know why??!!) If I have fabrics that are no use to me and are bleeders, I think the fabrics could go into dog or cat beds and still be useful for that reason

They aren’t more or less useable. Throw them away. A bowed ruler won’t cut straight. Messed up scissors don’t cut period. Fabrics that continue to bleed ruin entire projects. Don’t inflict them on someone else.

I keep old mats to use for projects where I have to use glue, like collages. Then I don't get glue all over the table.
Old blades, I keep and they get used in an old rotary cutter handle that has a ribbon tied to the handle so I know that it is for paper only.
Scissors that are no good anymore and can't be sharpened immediately go down to the garage.

Watson

I’ve gotten to the point where I throw out something that can’t be repurposed. I spent too many years trying to make do with not-so-great things. I had a really cheapy sewing machine where I had to hand wind a bobbin because the bobbin winder was broken on my machine. And I used cheap scissors and thread and only sale fabric because that’s what I could afford. It’s possible to sew with these things, but life’s getting way too short now for me to make do.

If the item is unusable I will throw away. If it just doesn't work for me any longer, I donate to my guild's free table.
I look at the item as taking up valuable real estate in my sewing area and I could use that space for something that does work for me. I agree with Doggramma, life is too short to put up with "faulty" tools and try to make do.

It may take me a while, but eventually I have a day of clarity and I get rid of them. After they are gone, Ii don't miss them at all. https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/boy.gif