Do not sand where you can cut

This may be an unpopular take, but one of the most overused and over-rated tasks a maker, builder, or fixer can ever possibly do is sanding.   There came a time, I think it was in the 80's,  when sanding absolutely everything became a thing.

There specific reasons for sanding. To reduce coarse surfaces and prevent splintering is a well known one.  To prep surfaces for repair by creating a "roughed" area that is much better for bonding with adhesives, is another good one.  Prepping for finishing a surface such as paint, stain, etc... is yet a third good reason for sanding.  

And to be honest, there's really not many more good reasons for sanding where cutting isn't actually a better solution.  In fact, sanding had somehow come to take the place of planing,  chiseling, and scraping when it ought not.

One reason, in my opinion, is that many people never learned how to keep blades sharp and/or are just afraid of blades and cutting tools.  Learning basic tool handling and safety is one of the first things school shop classes were intended for. They took shop classes away and tool basics, like sharpening, and safety just disappeared.

Another reason, again my opinion, is the proliferation of affordable, powered sanding tools.  Which elicited a jubilant cry of, "Let's sand everything!",  much to my chagrin.

Third, it seems that over time, the idea that using tools like chisels, planes, and other cutters somehow only belongs in the realm of "advanced" tool use.  Which really isn't correct.  Using a plane or a chisel, a grinder, a variety of "knives", etc... should go hand in hand with using a saw.  These are not advanced tools.  They are basic tools.  Some of the ways they are used can be considered "advanced" but that's technique. 

In fact, sanding is much more a finisher's tool than anything.  Finishing being exactly that.  Preparing a surface to be "finished."  Finished could be painted, stained, varnished,  polished, or otherwise having a "finished" surface.  It's especially more important to, dare I say... a finish Carpenter?  Furniture and cabinet makers. Folks like that.

For the rest of us, we just need surfaces to not be dangerous.  To prevent splintering, burrs, etc...  Also to prepare for making connections such as items being glued, epoxies, have sealants applied, etc...  Those are the basic uses of sanding for us. 

Otherwise, break out thise planes, chisels, scrapers, and other cutting blades.  The results will be much better and our time will be much better used.