My Storage Pod is here to help you declutter your home with five simple steps that will make your home a more enjoyable environment to live in – or if you’re moving, this is a quick process you can use to get organized fast!
1. Sort Out Your Items
In the main rooms of your home (e.g. living room, dining room, kitchen and bedrooms) you should sort out your items into what you are using regularly and what you are rarely using. If you identify any items that you are not using regularly put them to one side to make a decision on whether you want to keep them or not.
2. Dispose Of What You Don’t Need
Once you have sorted out your items you need to decide if you want to keep individual items in storage or try and sell or dispose of them. You need to be very disciplined with yourself in this process as many people don’t like to get rid of household items even if they’re never going to use them again. Once you have sorted out what you want to dispose of you need to decide weather you can sell or give away your items – or if you need to throw them away. Any multimedia items such as cd’s, games, dvd’s and electronic devices can easily be sold online via auction websites, as can clothes if they’re in good condition. However, if you struggle to sell any of your items you might want to donate them to a new home by giving them away to a charity shop.
3. Make Use Of Your Household Storage
Any items that you cannot part with but rarely use should be stored in your household storage spaces such as attics, lofts, garages and pantries. These places can be particularity useful for storing expensive items if you need some time to decide what you want to do with them. It is important that you make sure all your household storage places are free of damp to prevent mould or mildew damage as this could obviously ruin, and devalue, your items. If you are using a shed as storage be careful not to store expensive items – outdoor storage is often at risk of water damage, criminal damage, and theft.
4. Utilise Private Storage Facilities
You may find that your own storage facilities are inadequate for some of your items, or you are simply just running out of space. If this is the case you may want to consider using private storage facilities. Self Storage is very useful if you have any large, expensive or delicate items – private storage will ensure your possessions are safe from damage, pests and theft.
When choosing a storage facility you should always choose indoor storage over outdoor storage unless you want to store very bulky items or vehicles. This is because indoor facilities are often safer, more convenient and climate controlled. It is also important that you take out insurance on your items when they are in private storage, and often the storage companies themselves can offer insurance for you.
5. Monitor What You Are Storing
As private storage costs (often per month) it is important you monitor what you are storing and question whether you are getting value for money or not. First of all you need to consider the size of the storage facility you are using, for example a large outdoor storage container is not worth your while if it is only half full.
It is worth remembering that storage facilities range from small lockers to large containers so try and pick the right size for you, don’t waste space! Also beware of storing items for no reason or purpose, if you have no long term plan for the item and you haven’t used it for a long time there is no point in paying for it to be stored. This is when you should seriously consider selling the item.
Following these steps will ensure your house will be free of clutter and an all-round nicer place to live.