Trashable 'concern' for Rails models

20120625030355_add_deleted_at_to_user.rb

# db/migrate/20120625030355_add_deleted_at_to_user.rb

class AddDeletedAtToUser < ActiveRecord::Migration
  def change
    add_column :users, :deleted_at, :datetime
  end
end

application.rb

# config/application.rb

module YourApp
  class Application < Rails::Application
    config.autoload_paths += %W(
      #{config.root}/lib
      #{config.root}/app/controllers/concerns
      #{config.root}/app/models/concerns
    )
end

trashable.rb

# app/models/concerns/trashable.rb

module Trashable
  extend ActiveSupport::Concern

  module ClassMethods
    def trashed
      self.where.not(deleted_at: nil)
    end
  end

  def trash
    run_callbacks :destroy do
      # Check if this is the timestamp you want to use
      update_column :deleted_at, Time.zone.now
    end
  end

  def recover
    update_column :deleted_at, nil
  end
end

user.rb

# app/models/user.rb

class User < ActiveRecord::Base
  include Trashable
end