Why You Need a Storage Unit When Decluttering Your Garage

The spring season is upon us again and while it does mean budding trees, gorgeous views and the freedom to move around without being bundled up in layers of clothing, it also comes with certain rituals and obligations.

Specifically, spring cleaning. This process can be time-consuming and difficult, especially when you’re focused on decluttering a space like an overstuffed garage, where all kinds of things tend to get dumped. I know; it was literally impossible to get into my garage a few years ago.

Luckily, spring cleaning can be streamlined in a way that makes it easier, more enjoyable, and more productive. The answer is to get a storage unit, and this article will tell you exactly why you need one.

Why declutter?

Before you go any further, you have to consider if there’s any need to declutter in the first place. There are a number of benefits. One is being able to have increased concentration. When you have too much lying around, it subconsciously stresses you out and leads to a mind that is more cluttered and disorganized. If you clean up the spaces you inhabit, then you’ll also be cleaning your mind which will help with work, play and anything else you’d like to do.

Another bonus is enhanced creativity. A more minimalist environment makes for a clearer mind, allowing for enhanced creativity, inspiration and the flow of amazing ideas for your personal and professional life.

On a basic level, you can look forward to better sleep because you’ll have less anxiety and distracted thinking over a job that stays unfinished. What’s more, reduced visual clutter will lead to a calmer state of mind.

Lastly and most practically, clearing out a space in your garage means you have more room to find and use other things that you might actually end up enjoying on a more frequent basis.

There are a lot of reasons to declutter so don’t hesitate to get started, even if it seems overwhelming at first.

Why get a storage unit?

You may think that you don’t need a storage unit but as you begin the decluttering process you’ll likely find that you have way more things than you need. In fact, there are probably many items that you could put in a storage locker rather than have them taking up valuable space in your garage.

Some examples of things to put in a storage unit include holiday decor that is infrequently used or furniture that doesn’t match your house but which you still want to keep. You can also use a storage unit to store collections of things that you don’t need at your fingertips but don’t want to throw away. A similar logic applies to documents and paperwork that you want to file away.

Plus, consider the fact that you can store away seasonal clothing, camping equipment and books, media and other sentimental items that you don’t want to throw away.

So the reason why you need a storage unit is simply that it allows you to store away all the things that you don’t need as often, saving you space while still offering you convenient access when necessary. All that’s left now is the question of how to declutter.

How to Declutter

1. Dedicate a Day to Declutter

The first thing to do is to pick a good day or weekend, depending on the size of your garage and the amount of sorting out you need to do. So make sure to schedule enough time to clean and organize properly. Also keep in mind the weather, just in case you have to move things outside while you’re cleaning. After all, you don’t want the rain to damage your goods.

2. Get Help from Family or Friends

Another good thing to do is to enlist the help of anyone that’s willing, whether it’s your kids, spouse or friends (just make sure to reward them after with a nice pizza). This is critical if you have heavy objects that you can’t lift on your own.

3. Create “Zones”

Now that you’re on to the actual process, consider dividing your garage into zones. Set areas for gardening, car maintenance, yard supplies and sporting goods so that you can have everything easily and coherently organized. Make sure to pull out everything and place it into separate piles based on category and size. Try labelling the piles and maybe put them into containers for ease of mind and access.

4. Tackle Each Zone

The next stage is diving into each zone. Consider dividing them into categories, like those you’ll want to keep, those you’ll want to sell, donate or throw away, and those that you want to put into a storage unit. Donating is a great way of building up positive karma and helping the community around you so don’t overlook it as an option!

5. Utilize Wall and Overhead Storage

As for more practical organizational tips, consider putting rarely used items in rafters or ceiling storage, and try installing hooks and peg boards on walls (on workbenches) if you want to be able to hang up loose items and frequently used items in convenient places.

Now that that’s all done you may find that there still isn’t enough space. Not to worry, as this is the exact time when you’ll want to call in your trump card – the storage unit. Once everything is cleaned up and you know exactly what you want to keep and exactly what you want to throw away, you can start moving things to the storage locker.

Closing Thoughts

Decluttering isn’t exactly the most glamorous thing, but it’s important for so many reasons from the practicalities of increased space to the mental benefits and relief you’ll feel. You may find in the process that you don’t have as much space as you’d like, which is the exact time when you should call in a storage unit to put away your less frequently used goods.

To learn more about why you need a storage unit in North York, call Abacus Self Storage at 289-807-1033 or contact us here.