People use self storage for various reasons. Some use a facility to store the contents of their homes for short periods between home moves; others use units as overflows to clear space at home for everyday living. Whatever reason you have for using self storage, you should think hard about the things you'll store before you hire space. This can be a really good time to declutter.
Why Declutter?
According to Body and Soul magazine, organising your life by decluttering can have psychological benefits, giving you more mental space and making you feel more positive. Getting rid of things you no longer need may make you feel better, but it may also come with some financial benefits.
Self storage companies charge based on the space you take up. The more things you store, the more space you need. Therefore, if you can reduce your unit size by decluttering your possessions, you may pay less in self storage prices. After all, it doesn't make much sense to store things you don't really want or need any longer, especially if it costs money to store them.
Self Storage Decluttering Tips
Before you hire self storage space, look at the things you plan on storing. Separating items into piles may make it easier to assess what you want to keep. For example, you could have a pile of things you definitely want to store, a pile that you want to get rid of, and a pile you aren't sure about. Alternatively, use a sticker coding system, allocating a colour for each pile.
When you're done, reevaluate the items you're not sure about. To start with, ask yourself the following questions before you decide what to do with each item:
- Do you need it?
- Do you use it?
- Is it irreplaceable?
If you answer no to all three questions, you may well be looking at something that you can get rid of rather than put in storage. Try to avoid hanging on to things that you think you might use in the future. If you haven't used something for years, or have never used it at all, you aren't likely to use it at all. Unless it has real sentimental value, throw it away, donate it to charity or sell it.
Tip: If you find it hard to make decisions on what to keep and what to bin, ask someone to help you sort through your things. It may be useful to have an impartial opinion on how useful items actually are.
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