The longer you are in your home, the more clutter you will accumulate. Unless you sort through your things and toss them on a regular basis, it will build up. Decluttering is something we all must do time to time. If your home isn’t very big or you don’t have a garage, you may eventually need more space. Renting a small storage unit can give you the option to really get serious when decluttering your home.
Sorting Clutter
The first step to decluttering your home is to go through the things you own. If you have a lot of clutter, this may be something you put off easily for another day. Going through your things can be done in steps, break up the tasks and choose one category a day if it is easier.
Getting rid of items you no longer need, if in good enough condition, can be donated. If they are damaged or stained, they should be tossed. If you have unneeded large pieces of furniture, donate them to a local charity – many offer a pick-up service.
Appliances, tools and electronics can take up a lot of room, so choose what you like most and stick with that. If you have any documents, magazines and even photos cluttering up your room, go through them. Many can be tossed, important ones can be saved and even uploaded to store online or on a memory stick.
What Should You Put In Storage?
After you have sorted through your possessions, tossing items no longer needed, the next step is deciding what to put into storage. If you use items regularly, you don’t want to store those in a hard to reach area or offsite, but there are many things you can store to declutter your home.
Seasonal items and items used on occasion can easily be moved into storage to help free up space in your home. Holiday decorations can be packed away until they are needed. Collectables might be taking up more space than you think in your home, it may be better to store them in a climate controlled unit. Sports equipment can be quite large and used rarely. Putting these items in storage is an easy choice. Gardening equipment is another item, such as grills, patio furniture, tools and such can get damaged when not in use. Putting them in storage frees up space without leaving them exposed to the elements.
What Size Storage Unit Works Best?
There are many choices when it comes to storage units. They can be as small as a locker or big enough to storage a vehicle. Common sizes include:
- 5×5 – If you don’t have a ton of stuff to store, this size may suite you well for small items and anything that can be disassembled to fit into the unit.
- 5×10 – If you need to store a bed or larger furniture, along with a few miscellaneous items, this size unit may work better.
When packing your items into a storage unit always ensure the heavier items are on the bottom and more delicate items on top. Pack it so you can have enough space down the side so you can easily access items as needed.
After you have freed up space in your home, you can now rearrange your furniture and make your space work better for your needs. Whatever you decide to do with your new found space, you can always use self-storage to help keep down the clutter, making it a more organized place to live.