July 27, 2015

Over the years, it’s easy to build a collection of barely-used belongings. Items get thrown into boxes, packed into closets, or tossed into household storage without another look. Even the usual decluttering can result in simply transferring the clutter elsewhere in the home, such as your basement or garage. Use these self storage tips from […]

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Over the years, it’s easy to build a collection of barely-used belongings. Items get thrown into boxes, packed into closets, or tossed into household storage without another look. Even the usual decluttering can result in simply transferring the clutter elsewhere in the home, such as your basement or garage. Use these self storage tips from Total Storage Solutions to kick clutter to the curb for good, and create a better living space for yourself.

Getting Started: Make a Plan of Attack

When you’re tackling the clutter in your home, making a plan – and sticking to it – is an essential step. There are several aspects you’ll need to plan: where to get started, when to start and when you want to be finished.

Usually, starting from the back of a room and working your way out is a great strategy. This way, clutter is moved out of the room in a direct path rather than collecting around the room. Tackle one area at a time. An additional strategy is to work from the top of the house to the bottom, so all the clutter is collected in the main area.

Make a timeline for when you’ll get started and when you’d like to be finished. This doesn’t have to be something you complete in a day, but when you start an area or room, be sure to complete it so you aren’t living in a half-cluttered state. Assign a room a weekend, and tackle the task little by little. This can also help the task seem smaller than it is.

Getting Sorted: Keep, Donate, and Trash

After you make your plan, carrying it out in an organized manner is the next step. Create categories for the clutter in each room: keep, donate, trash and store.

1. For your keep pile. Only hang onto items that you use on a regular basis, or that you’ve recently purchased. Even belongings that you use less frequently can be placed in the keep pile if they are valuable or necessary for monthly tasks. This can include clothing that you wear, cleaning supplies, appliances, and jewelry.
2. For the donate pile. Place gently used items that have been outgrown or are no longer used. This can include clothing, toys, books, and items that have been replaced by a new purchase.
3. For the trash pile. Throw out any items that have overstayed their welcome in your house. Like old mail (dispose of safely), food packaging, soda cans, doodle notepads, and anything that you have no use hanging onto. The trash pile will also contain clothing that is too worn to wear or donate, broken items that aren’t worth repairing, and anything that has expired.
4. For the storage pile. The storage pile is perfect for items you want to keep but don’t have use for in your everyday life. For example, while your childhood collection of comic books is valuable to you, you may not look at it on a regular basis and it’s just taking up valuable space in your home. Storage units make a great home for seasonal items like clothing, decorations, collectibles, baby items, family photos, sports equipment, and any items that you’re keeping in your household storage. Some facilities even have a space for your boat or RV.

Getting Stored: Using Self Storage to De-Clutter

Many items in your home simply take up space, but for some reason, you can’t bear to let them go. Even if an item has been gathering dust in your basement since move-in day, the urge to hold onto it just won’t go away. Instead of letting clutter gather in your basement or garage – which may even overflow into your home – store these items in a secure storage unit. Large items like luggage or the weight set you haven’t touched for months can be placed in storage until you have a place for them in your home. Create more space for your everyday items or turn your basement into a livable space with the help of self storage.

With your foolproof plan in hand and these storage tips, you’ll be living clutter-free in no time. Even finding a secure storage unit is simple! Visit Total Storage Solutions to get started on sorting and storing your clutter – and make space in your home for everyday life.