We all reach a point at which things start to take over and your home starts to dictate your life instead of the other way around. The spare room which was once meant to be a guest retreat or home office becomes a tomb of unwanted gadgets and gizmos that once promised to be ‘life-changing’. Is your kitchen bench overrun by small use items like woks and slowcookers all fighting for a limited number of cupboards to call home?
In the hope that old fashions make a comeback, most of our wardrobes are chock a block with garments just sitting there.
Decluttering is often portrayed as a dreary process of binning sentimental objects and parting with precious memories. But does it have to be that way? There are many objects that hold deep emotional value that can be cleared from a space without having to be given up altogether.
Why traditional decluttering falls short
If you have read Marie Kondo’s books or watched her Netflix series, you may remember her famous quote “less is more”. For many of us however, the things that we thought were worthless in February are treasured in July. This is particularly true for items that are seasonal or related to special events. Examples of items that may fall into this category include Christmas decorations, seasonal sporting equipment, formal event attire, special occasion tables, linens, and dishes, and items that are used for camping and outdoor activities.
Why not just install the game to hard drive instead of taking up space on a SSD?
It seems that a home is either filled with clutter that weighs heavily on the mind when coming home, or items that could have been sold on eBay instead of being replaced first. Most items found in a typical home today were bought wisely by their original owner in their youth and still have a good resale value.
A more relevant question might be: How will I access seasonally used and occasional used items, if I am not storing them in regular use space.
When storage solutions actually work
Storage is most effective when it clears your home of clutter but has your items at hand. Not everything in your home needs the same amount of space.
Can you categorize your stuff and decide if storage is necessary? Out-of-season clothing, items used for only one day a year (e.g. holiday), items used for a few months a year (e.g. seasonal sports equipment), items used by guests for part of the year (e.g. extra furniture for 6 months out of the year), items that have value that you wouldn’t mind having access to occasionally but not immediately (e.g. important documents that you might need to refer to but aren’t in immediate danger of losing). All of these items can take up a lot of space in your home and can be stored off premises at a facility like Storage Solutions for a very reasonable rate.
Once your items are stored with secure storage in Bunbury or at a nearby storage facility, you will no longer be reminded of them on a daily basis and can appreciate their value. This is something that people are often surprised by. They have no idea the psychological benefit of taking things ‘out of sight out of mind’ and how it can affect how you feel about the items and the space they are taking up. You will have a clean and organised space in which to relax and take pleasure from the items, rather than having them cause you stress thinking about how you are going to store, clean and reorganise them.
The seasonal storage advantage
Seasonal rotation changes how you think about your things; items are no longer treasured all-year round toys, but seasonal playthings. So by October, your winter jumpers and shoes are already out of season, pushed to the back of the wardrobe and overlooked while your summer swimwear takes the forefront. Your Christmas decorations are rolled up and stowed away on January 1st instead of spent year after year in a cluttered box.
This approach requires planning but reduces decision fatigue.
Store seasonally used items such as golf clubs, bicycles, strollers, canes, walkers, suitcases, out-of-season clothing and other items of a special interest that you wish to access easily. Have everything organized in custom shelving and easily accessible whenever needed.
See also: The Basics of Crypto Lending
Security matters more than convenience
You spend a lot of time picking out the items you will store. Make sure you choose a storage facility that will keep them safe. Other facilities market themselves on low monthly rates, but in the long run, the damage from humidity, temperature, and theft will cost you more. We offer a variety of safe storage options to fit your needs.
Professional facilities maintain comfortable temperatures, prevent pest infestation, control humidity, and monitor many other environmental factors on a 24/7 basis. The upshot is that the storage environment is not gradually compromised over time. Storage in a garden shed, no matter how painstakingly waterproofed, is a wasted investment for your grandmother’s antique dining table or twenty years of tax returns that may have cost you a fortune.
Making the financial case work
However storage is money every month and can become expensive housing all your equipment.
We can come into your home and clear out all the clutter. Helping you make space in your home. We can help organisation systems and help reduce stress. Calculate the cost of replacing all of your items over the next 5 years. This will probably be more expensive than storing your items.
Try to work out the true value to you and your family of having the extra space and the relief that removals.com can bring. Stress caused by relocation can cause you to lose sleep and affect your health. Stress can also cause great pressure on your relationship with family members or partner. Many families who have lovingly acquired their quality goods over the years may find it cost effective to store them rather than to dispose of them.
Be DeOrganized suggests decluttering and storing your things in order to reach organized status. Within your home select a few items that you don’t need but do not want to part with (like heirlooms or gifts). Store those items out of the way. Next select a few items you enjoy periodically using (like seasonal kitchen gadgets or small appliances you only use for special occasions). Store these items within your home but out on a shelf, in a cupboard or drawer where you would normally be going anyway. This way you have your treasures (that you use from time to time) right there for you to access. Items you do not need but do not want to part with are stored and out of the way.
Most minimalism literature advises against hoarding or encourages tackling difficult decisions, but this can be alienating and unrealistic. The Minimalist House That Could takes a balanced approach that reveals minimalism that really works and shows how to create systems that accommodate and enable lifestyle.
Secure storage doesn’t have to be a headache for the home. When done correctly, it can even become a organisational ally.
