If you have too much stuff and need to create more space in your home, there are nine (9) crucial steps you need to take. In a sense, it’s a mindset shift. In another, it’s the elimination of items. Here’s where to begin:
Tip 1: More stuff doesn’t equal more happiness
Like others, you may have lots of stuff in your home, attic, garage, basement, or closet. Often, we assume the more things we have, the happier we will be — even if that thought is subconscious.
The opposite is actually true. The more things we accumulate, the more stress we tend to feel. Stress could come because of…
- the lack of space we have in our home
- knowing there’s stuff stored away we eventually have to sort
- the thought of having to move all the stuff to a new home
Knowing you have a room full of stuff doesn’t help with stress.
RELATED: The Surprising Secret To Creating More Space
Tip 2: What is your stuff telling you?
What are the things you’ve collected over the years? Are there other things — mental things — you need to unpack as well?
Memorabilia and sentimental items are the hardest to part with, for the due reason that we don’t want our memories to fade.
Clutter is another that may be hard for us to recognize. Are objects stuffed in a closet or under the bed? Do you have the intention to use it later? If not, then consider getting rid of it.
Tip 3: Put items in a box and forget about it
This is probably the best trick to understanding what things you no longer need. Putting stuff in a box and storing it away for a while is kind of a dirty trick to play on yourself, but it works.
Put stuff you don’t normally use in a box and put it somewhere out of sight. If you need something from the box, you can go get it, but if you don’t, you’ll soon realize you no longer need it. Now, decide if you want to sell it, donate it, or trash it. Hey, less stuff is better, right?
Tip 4: Everything should have a place
Now that you’ve sorted your stuff, it’s time to put those items in a specific place in your home. When it has it’s own place, you’re more likely to keep it there instead of in a place that seems cluttered. Give your item a home to live in.
RELATED: 12 Ways To Make A Small Living Space Feel Bigger
Tip 5: Donate
Donating is an easy way to give your things a home that’s not in your home. Others can benefit from the stuff you have when you give it to someone else. It’s a freeing thing to let go of your items and let someone else benefit from it.
Tip 6: Go digital
Putting your photos, documents, and other papers in a digital “cloud” is a way to save space in your home and on your desk. Paper strewn all over a home office can be daunting. Digitizing it can relieve some of that stress because when it’s in the cloud, you don’t see it in front of you.
Tip 7: Stack your stuff
Height is your friend when storing items in your home. Think about the overall space in your home, not just the floor area. If your ceilings are ten feet high, you’re missing out on much available square-footage. Stack the stuff along the wall or use shelving to increase the area for storage.
Tip 8: Stuff in, stuff out
A great tip and rule to say, “If I bring new stuff in, I have to let old stuff out.”
This is great for clothing. If you buy a new shirt, then an old one has to go. This relieves the issue of cumulating too much stuff. A small apartment or home can only take so much!
Tip 9: Rent a storage unit
Renting a storage unit is a great way to save space in your home or apartment. Use our room size calculator to decide the size you need.
Most units are eight feet tall. Utilize this space for stacking boxes.
We (Moishe’s Self Storage) are ready to store your things. We have two locations (The Bronx and Queens) ready to store your items.
View Rooms for FREEReserve your room or view specials. We’ll pick up your things FREE!