It’s unbelievable isn’t it?
Somehow stuff just seems to accumulate, despite our best efforts. On shelves, in cupboards, behind doors, under the stairs…
And before you know it, your home is so cluttered it’s difficult to find the things you actually need and enjoy.
And you get so used to it you barely even notice the subtle pressure in the background, crowding out your thoughts, invading your peace of mind.
Until one day you look around and you know: It’s time to clear out the clutter and breathe freely again. But where to start?
Read on for tried and tested tips on how to declutter – and how self storage can make it so much easier.
Let’s get started.
Where to Start Decluttering?
The short answer is that it doesn’t matter too much where you start. What’s important is that you start, and then keep going, one room to the next.
If you want to feel the benefits as soon as possible, start with the room where you spend most of your time.
The Four-Box Method is a convenient and proven way to declutter. Get four boxes and label them: trash, give away, keep, or re-locate. Place each item in the room into one of the boxes. Don’t be tempted to skip any items, no matter how insignificant. This will help you see how much you actually own, and gives you a clear idea of what to do with each item.
For clothes, a good trick is to turn all the hangers in your closet so that the hook is facing outwards towards you. When you replace an item after wearing it, hang it with the hook facing the wall. After a few months you’ll start to see which clothes you’re wearing and which you’re not.
Store any out of season clothes or accessories in space-saving vacuum storage bags or foldable fabric storage.
Keep those precious items – but not at home
A major stumbling block for many is what to do with all those things, many of which you love but only use very rarely? Or are seasonal, such as clothes. You don’t want to get rid of them, but you don’t want them taking up valuable space in your home either.
That’s where self storage comes in.
For example, at the moment you’re not making bread regularly, but do you really want to get rid of your breadmaker?
The loft, or garage or shed, have been the classic places that are filled with stuff not in everyday use.
But once something’s in the loft, it tends to be forgotten. There are many things you might actually want, or would like to use, on occasion, but the hassle of going up to the loft and sorting through the clutter means you don’t bother.
When did you last have space in the shed for your gardening and DIY projects? And when you finally clear out the garage, it’s amazing! You can actually get the car in and open the car doors without having to squeeze between the boxes of stuff.
The conservatory, if you have one, can also tend to fill up with clutter. Clear out the clutter and suddenly you can have that sunny room back for you to use as you planned, as a place to enjoy with friends or quietly with a book.
Use self storage to create that valuable extra space at home
Self storage provides the extra room for those things you don’t want to throw away; those things you love, but don’t have space for right now; those things you only use once in a while, but make all the difference when you do need them.
It’s also ideal for those things you need to keep, but don’t need access to at all times. For example, all the paperwork you accumulate in day to day life. Yes, some of it is destined for the recycling bin, but there’s also paperwork you need to keep, particularly if you run a business.
This can include a lot of files and other paperwork that you don’t need every day, but you have to keep for a number of years. Instead of allowing it to fill up your house, store it safely in a self storage facility, where you can keep everything neat, organised, and easy to find when needed. Leaving your home to be just that – your home.
So many benefits to decluttering
There are so many benefits to decluttering. For a start, there’s less to clean, so it’s easier to keep your home clean. And cleaning takes less time.
With less stuff there’s less to organise, and because you now have space to think and breathe, you feel less stressed.
An uncluttered space supports an uncluttered mind, enabling better focus with fewer things to distract you.
It’s time to get your decluttering on
Seize the moment and get started.
Even if you can’t get out to a self storage facility right now, don’t let that delay you. Just put those items together in a corner of your home, ready to move to your self storage facility when you can.
Say goodbye to that feeling of overwhelm and start enjoying your home again. All that clear space can really help you fall back in love with your home.
If you’re in Somerset, Clear Space Self Storage has a wide range of clean, dry and safe indoor storage units to suit your needs and budget – get in touch with our friendly team to learn how we can help.