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Many people are motivated by seasonal changes to make changes in their lives and homes. One of the things they commonly do is to get rid of unused things to prepare for new ones. If you’re ready to clean out your storage room to make space for other necessities or usable space, the following tips may help.
Remove Litter and Trash
If your storage room is messy, toss the crumpled papers and broken light bulbs into the trash. Work through everything in the room to get rid of the obvious things that are unusable and unwanted. Broken, damaged, or mildewed items can be thrown away at first to make room for sorting the other items that need further consideration. Old newspapers and magazines along with expired cans of food don’t require a second thought.
Get Rid of Clutter
After separating the things you might want to keep, consider the likelihood of using them in the future. Some items that you bought five years ago for a baby shower but forgot about can be given away. Old, faded gift wrap and greeting cards can probably be replaced with newer, fresher versions. Immediately eliminate everything you are never planning to use again, like the yellow dress with black stripes that led everyone to teasingly call you a bumblebee when you wore it. Even if you stashed some new things in your storage room, sell them online or give them away to friends or relatives to free up that space. Typically, if you don’t use something within a year of getting it, there’s a good chance you never will. Get rid of long-ago mementos or documents that no longer serve a purpose in your life. Broken toys that never got fixed, supply parts for the ceiling fan you got rid of years ago, and once-popular books that are no longer interesting can be given to the thrift shop or sold at a garage sale.
Set Aside Usable Items
You might find some great stuff that you forgot about and can still use. It might be winter boots you bought last year at the season-end sale or a cookware set that you plan to use when the current pots turn rusty or get broken. Maybe you received some costume jewelry as a gift that you won’t wear now but might consider a few years from now when your fashion taste changes. Pull items like these out of storage and keep them in handy spots to remind you of their existence, so you will use them sooner than later. Out of sight, out of mind, so placing them within eyeshot where you can remember their existence may help.
Safeguard Wanted Items in Professional Storage
If you come across some valuables that mean as much to you or more as they originally did, consider moving them to a commercial storage facility like Stord Sydney. You don’t want your twenty-year-old wedding dress to get moldy or moth-eaten in your basement storage area. In commercial storage, it will be kept in a temperature-controlled environment that seals out potentially environmental pollution and dust. Anything of value that you still want and may use later can be moved to a storage unit for safekeeping. Label everything along with the date that it goes to storage and keep a list of those things at home.
Clean and Reorganize Your Storage Room
After moving everything out of your storage area, clean it thoroughly to remove cobwebs, dust, and insects. Air it out with fans or by opening the windows. Check the walls and floors for signs of termites or other infestations and address anything of concern with an effective treatment. When the storage room is completely clean and fresh, you can restock it with things you plan to keep at home or reorganize the space for different use. For example, you might need a home office or kids’ play area more than a storage room, especially since you can use commercial storage instead.
Reclaiming your storage room will give you a sense of accomplishment while shuffling things you might not have seen for years. Keep what you need, discard what you don’t want, and put your fresh, new room to good use.
About the Author
Eric Reyes is a passionate thought leader having been featured in 50 distinguished online and offline platforms. His passion and knowledge in Finance and Business made him a sought after contributor providing valuable insights to his readers. You can find him reading a book and discussing current events in his spare time.
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