Storage Units - Garages - Basements: Stuff Everywhere

A lot of people have things in storage. Whether its in a garage, the basement or a storage unit.

The big questions is - WHY? 

Why did you put it into storage? Are you really going to use it again? Later? Sometime? In the next year? The next five years? Be honest!

Let's be realistic. If you put it into storage because you don't have enough room in your closet and you switch between summer and winter clothes - well - that's one thing.

But - a few suggestions. Make sure that the clothes are clean when you put them into the bin. Make sure the bin is securely closed (to prevent dust, water and critters).

Make sure the bin is labeled so that you know what's in there!

If you are storing things because you are going to move - be sure that everything is in good condition and wrapped well. Again, label the bin (or box). It will save you time when you are ready to move so that you know where to put the bin once you arrive at your new destination.

Don't store things that you have never used or rarely used or will probably never use. Don't store old books that you will never re-read or books from your high school or college years. Be honest - you are never going to re-read the books and there is no reason to store them.

Don't store old magazines that you never have time to read - because you won't ever get around to reading them.

Don't store things from relatives or friends - that you will never use. Give them to someone that will use them and appreciate them.

Don't store old furniture from your childhood for your kids. They have their own tastes and they don't want your stuff. They just don't have the nerve to tell you.

Don't store stuff that you will not be able to use for the next five years. It's a waste of space and money and in five (or ten) years - you won't want it anyway. And it will also probably be moldy or unusable.

Be realistic. If you don't have room for it - you need to make a decision on how long you are going to pay to store it. Look at the money spent on storage fees - versus the actual value of the item.

Sometimes you just have to let things go.


Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life 

Organizational Consulting Services

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Setting Goals for Your Projects

Most people, when they get the idea that they want to "organize" their home, start too big. Their idea is "organize my entire house". It's a great idea - but it overwhelms most people.

When you have a project - it needs to be realistic and manageable.

You need to have a plan. You need to have goals. You need to have a timeline.

So instead of saying "I am going to organize my entire house"  - pick one room. For example, let's pick the basement.

What are your goals for the basement?

• Get it decluttered and clean
• Get rid of old paint cans (from 10 years ago)
• Get rid of old tiles (from a previous remodel)
• Put in new flooring
• Paint the basement

What is the deadline for your project?

• Estimate how long it will take and put the end date on your calendar
• Work backwards and put completion dates on your calendar (for the floor, the paint....)

What supplies are needed?

• Make a list of needed supplies and where you are going to get them

Decide on the flooring and the paint and order them.

Pick a date/time and schedule yourself to "declutter" the basement and get rid of the old paint & tile (this needs to be done prior to painting and new flooring).

Planning ahead for your projects - breaking them down into smaller, manageable pieces, scheduling them on your calendar - may seem like a lot of work - but - it will save you time in the end. Also, it will make your project run smoother and save a lot of stress!

Now - go plan your own project!


Organizational Consulting Services

Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life


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A Good Reason for Clutter

It's been a great week - not! We had a pipe leak and water everywhere. The pipe was in a storage crawl space that we rarely go into. Thank goodness we happened to go into the space to get something.

Everything was soaking wet. Who knows how long the leak was going. Luckily most of our things were packed in plastic storage bins. Except of course one huge box - which was so wet it literally fell apart when I touched it. Inside the box most things were o.k. - except the nativity set which was in another box that was also soaking wet.

After removing most of the bins in the crawl space we got busy putting towels around the pipe and floor and calling the plumber.

It would be a long week before things were finally fixed.

In the meantime - let's just say that I had boxes in the hallway, the bedroom and office.  Stuff everywhere.

As a Professional Organizer I like things in their place - where I put them - not all over my house. But this was an instance where I had little control and - well - I had "clutter". 

I kept telling myself  "it's o.k. - stuff happens".  It will eventually work itself out and be back to the organized place that keeps me calm.

So - a good lesson was learned. Never put anything directly on the floor that might get wet. Place all boxes or bins at least a few inches off the ground. Especially if your room has a water pipe in it!

Remember - clutter happens to all of us - at one time or another.



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ORGANIZING YOUR BASEMENT

A lot of people use their basement as a “catch all” room. Anything that doesn’t have a place anywhere else gets dumped in the basement.

Cleaning supplies, sports equipment, storage boxes, memorabilia, photo albums, holiday decorations and lots of other things…..

When storing things in the basement you need to consider the moisture that a lot of basements have. Also be sure to keep everything off of the floor (at least a few inches). You never know when you might have some flooding after a heavy storm. The one year that I decided to “hide” my Christmas presents in the basement we had a really bad rainstorm and the basement got a few inches of water. Of course I had all of the presents on the floor, lined up in a perfect line, wrapped perfectly, in perfect bags, all ready to go. I lost just about everything and learned a very valuable lesson (no, not the one about being too organized).

I learned that basements flood ! (and no, I’m not telling you where I hide my Christmas presents now…).

If you put any type of shelving units in your basement be sure that the bottom shelf is at least three (3) inches above the floor to be safe.

Keep in mind that mold, mildew, water and little critters might play a role in how you organize your basement and what types of storage bins you use.

It’s best to keep things in plastic boxes with tight fitting lids. Be sure to label the boxes so that you know what’s in them…but do not put the label on top of the lid, put it on the sides.

If you stack the boxes make sure that the heaviest boxes are on the bottom.

You need to decide how the basement is going to be used. Storage, workshop, office, playroom….. If the basement is going to be used for more than one purpose break the area into “zones” and section off each zone. For example, if the basement is going to be used for both storage and a playroom use some type of divider to keep the kids out of the storage area.

A dehumidifier might be a good idea to help remove the moisture in your basement and to help get rid of the musty smell.

Be sure to keep things away from the heater.

Remember, organizing any room that is cluttered is going to take time. Give yourself a break by setting a time limit (one or two hours) so that you don’t exhaust yourself and get frustrated and give up.

I’m sure that it didn’t get disorganized and cluttered overnight and it’s going to take some time to get organized.

Once the room is organized the maintenance to keep it that way will be minimal.


Organizational Consulting Services

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