Clear your space—and your mind
A home free from excessive clutter is a wonderful thing. It looks better, functions better, and is beneficial to your mental wellbeing. Creating space in your home—and in your head—means there is room for growth; for bigger projects and dreams.
However, it can prove a difficult process for many people.
Some things are hard to get rid of; sentimentality is often in conflict with practicality. The task can be a large one both physically and mentally, making it feel overwhelming to get started. However, the rewards are plentiful!
Decluttering doesn’t have to mean throwing everything out or giving it away. A storage unit allows you to have a home that’s tidy, clean, and clear of clutter while holding on to the belongings that hold meaning or aren’t in regular use.
Read on for tips on how to declutter—and to navigate the roadblocks that might be standing between you and a home free from too much stuff.
Dominate the decluttering process
An effective and thorough decluttering takes some planning! Follow these steps to ease into the process and set yourself up for success.
Get your head in the game
Having the right headspace is crucial. Remind yourself of why you’re doing this: is your home too difficult to keep clean and tidy? Do you want space for new things and hobbies? Are you jumping on the minimalist bandwagon? Has Marie Kondo finally gotten under your skin?
All of these reasons are valid—and whatever yours is, keep it front of mind before and during the decluttering process. Clear intentions will help you to stay focused and motivated.
Take it bit by bit
We’ve said it already, and we’ll say it again: decluttering an entire home is a big job and one with the potential to overwhelm. Start small by focusing on one room, one cupboard, or even just one drawer. Breaking the task into smaller, more manageable chunks means you’ll be less likely to feel overwhelmed and more likely to make progress.
Categorise
Each item you come across needs a category. These will vary depending on what your plans are, but there are some common options to choose from: “keep”, “donate”, “throw out”, and “move to storage” are a good place to start.
Consider how often you use each item. If the answer’s “never”, it’s time to let it go! If it’s something with sentimental value but not much practical use, it might be a candidate for storage.
Organise
Decluttering only to end up with piles of stuff all over your home, eternally waiting to be moved into storage or donated, is a very labour-intensive way of shooting yourself in the foot. Once you’ve been through and categorised everything, it’s time to maintain momentum and organise what’s left.
Invest in storage solutions like bins, baskets, and shelves to A) pack away the things that are leaving and B) keep the things that are staying organised and in place. Be strategic about where you place each item, with frequently used items easily accessible and less frequently used items out of the way.
Stay on top of things
Decluttering isn’t a one-time event; it’s an ongoing (some might say never ending) process. It’s helpful to commit to regularly assessing your belongings and letting go of anything you no longer need or use.
Offense is the best defence, in sports and in decluttering. A mindful approach to your consumption can help prevent junk from accumulating in the future. Less money spent, a more sustainable lifestyle, and no clutter weighing on your mind: everybody wins!
Navigating the challenges of decluttering
Minimising is a rewarding project, but not without its challenges. Nostalgia and emotional attachment, with a sprinkling of guilt for getting rid of things that were gifted, can stop even the most determined declutterer in their tracks.
Here’s how you can push through:
- Take a moment to think of the memories associated with the object in question, and recognise that those will remain even without the object in your possession.
- Take photos if you need a physical (digital) reminder.
- Consider that the giver of an item probably intended it as a token, not a burden—and if its usefulness has run its course, you can let it go.
- Ask yourself whether keeping too many old memories in their physical form is preventing you from easily making new ones.
- Focus on the fact that donating an item will allow another person to enjoy it.
Decision fatigue and overwhelm may also be standing in your way. This is one of the reasons that we recommend breaking the task into smaller chunks, with breaks in between. This requires a bit of planning ahead—consider the time you have available, and set a time to tackle each room or section. Half an hour per day may be all you can spare, and It may take weeks to get to every corner of the home. So be it.
Sustainably-minded people, let’s get one thing straight: decluttering is not creating excess waste. If something is too far gone to be useful, it is rubbish whether you’re putting it into the bin or not. If someone else could use it, donating it means that you’re doing the exact opposite of wasting it—not only extending its life, but ensuring that someone else can buy second-hand rather than new. Living a low-waste lifestyle doesn’t mean holding on to things unnecessarily; it will be reflected in the consumption decisions you make moving forward.
The benefits of a decluttered home
Knowing how to declutter your home is one thing. Knowing WHY is another entirely.
On the practical side of things, a home free from clutter is much easier to keep tidy and clean. It’s visually more pleasing, your belongings are easier to keep track of, and you will have space to move, grow, and create. Additionally, getting rid of things that are no longer serving you—from your cupboards, drawers, rooms, and property— makes space for things that will.
There are also proven mental health benefits to a decluttered home. Most of us are aware, of course, that clutter taken to its extreme is a sign of the widely-recognised mental health condition of hoarding. While an average household with too much stuff is in no way an example of hoarding behaviour, many have learnt from experience that reducing the amount of STUFF in your home and life can bring with it mental clarity and space. The direction of the causal relationship is not entirely clear in some cases. Is clutter a cause of poor mental wellness, or a symptom? Either way, the act of decluttering can bring joy and relief from anxiety. An ordered environment helps towards an ordered mind.
Declutter with storage as a secret weapon
Whether you can’t let go of a particular item for sentimental reasons or are convinced you’ll definitely have use for it in a year or two, there is a solution that will essentially let you have your cake and eat it too.
A storage unit will get things out of your home and working spaces, keeping them safe, dry, and secure until you need them enough to go looking. They are ideal for seasonal storage, holding things like camping equipment, skis, winter jackets, and even boats or jetskis until their time comes back around.
Some items do hold enough sentimental value that they will rightfully resist even the most determined of decluttering attempts. These might be baby clothes, books, and toys reserved for passing down to grandchildren, high school yearbooks, medals, family heirlooms—whatever it is, a storage unit will keep it safe and also out of your hair until you need it.
Find the right storage unit
One of the most important factors in choosing a storage unit is going to be size. A simple way to determine the space your stuff will take up is to stack it up in your home and measure the dimensions of the pile as a whole. This will give you a vague idea—always add a margin of 10-15% to make sure you’re not committing to a unit that’s too small.
Consider the location of your storage unit carefully—not only the location of the complex (local is, of course, ideal), but of the unit within the complex. If, for example, you know that you’ll be needing to get bulky snowsport equipment in and out several times a year, you’ll want to find one that’s readily accessible for your car. If you’re more likely to be retrieving small items sporadically, a bit of a walk with a trolley is not an issue.
Always ask about the security measures in place. National Mini Storage is serious about security, with controlled access, sturdy fencing, cameras, unit alarms, and more keeping your things safe. We also offer insurance options if your contents insurance does not cover items in storage.
Streamline your spaces
Getting rid of excessive STUFF is good for you: for tidiness, cleanliness, mental health, and more. Although it can seem like an overwhelming task, with the right approach anyone can benefit from a good, cathartic decluttering.
National Mini Storage can help you declutter your home while keeping important, sentimental, or seasonal items safe and secure. Give us a call on 0800 786 764 or book storage to start storing!
