How to Find and Save More Space
Do you ever feel like you just don’t have enough space? Space to breathe, space to move, space to be free from all the things that clutter your days. We all crave more space and when we found ourselves locked in our homes in the early days of the pandemic, some of us may have craved even more space. While social distancing is about maintaining space between yourself and other people, we also have a need for distance from all of the objects around us. And we can only have that kind of space by decluttering and removing the unnecessary objects to create more space.
One strategic approach to gaining more space in your home is to consider solutions offered by these Portland storage facilities. Keeping in mind the option of outside storage facilities, this article will share other unique space saving ideas that will help you gain more space in places you didn’t even realize.
Think About the Area Around You
Generally, we are all too busy engaging in daily life that we forget to take pause and consider our surroundings. But everyone once in a while, it is important to have a glance around you as you may very well spot some areas of your home where you could implement space saving strategies which would also make your life more convenient.
For example, not everything we have openly displayed in our homes is for purely aesthetic purposes. Certain utilitarian items may be better off stored in drawers or cupboards where they are easily accessible but also concealed from view. If you have the space available to reorganize in more efficient ways, why not take advantage of its full potential.
Another example is bed size. There is an obvious tradeoff between the size of your bed and the space you have remaining in the bedroom for other things. I personally prefer a King sized bed but I have the space for it. Clearly, smaller beds are better suited for smaller bedrooms. So if you are struggling with adequate space in your bedroom, you may consider sizing down your bed.
Sometimes storage is not always an option. For example, your old bed would be difficult to fit into a cupboard, so you would need to get rid of older, unused items permanently. Some of these items may fit into a regular storage bin, but for larger clearances you might need to hire a dumpster to remove it all. This type of dumpster is a good fit for a variety of projects so it would be worth looking into if you just can’t find a way to repurpose or gift away some of your old stuff.
Also, effective use of shelving will ensure that specific items have a permanent home where they are visible and accessible. You can add creative shelving solutions to your walls or incorporate additional bookcases into your decor for more storage space. Remember that bookcases aren’t just for books and can house a variety of decorative items on their shelves.
Family and Friends
When it comes to creating more space in your home, you may need temporary storage for surplus items during the process. For short term storage needs, you may be able to rely on friends or family. But most people have enough of their own clutter that they don’t want yours, too!
However, if you have some unique and interesting items that you no longer want or need, making special gifts of them is a great way to declutter while also giving new meaning and value to your old things. Be sure to inform the gift recipient that you are passing on a preloved item so they know of its sentimental value as well.
If you have items that could be considered family heirlooms but no longer wish to keep them for yourself, those are great pieces to offer to family members as well.
Storage Facilities
If you have very limited space to accommodate all of your things, you may consider storing bulkier items outside of your home. This is where self-storage units like Storage Post come in handy. If you are going to store items in an outside storage facility, look for storage units that are near your home in case you need to retrieve items on short notice.
Depending on the items you need stored, you may require special storage facilities. For example, certain items may benefit from temperature-controlled conditions within the storage unit such as antiques, artwork, leather goods, electronics, furniture, photographs, important documents, and even wine.
It is important to also learn proper storage methods for certain items especially valuable antiques. The point of protecting antiques is to protect the investment of the purchase or the family heirloom. Many antique objects are better suited when stored in temperature-controlled facilities that also have security on site.
Things like artwork, photographs, documents, or anything that is paper also benefit from temperature-controlled storage. If the storage unit gets too damp, you run the risk of mold growing on any or all paper items. And once it has mold, it is basically without value.
These are just a few simple ideas to reach your ultimate space saving goal. I am on a personal mission to minimize my stuff dramatically over the next few years. I will be handing down, donating, and finding other creative and environmentally friendly ways of discarding my unwanted stuff. And in the end, my ultimate goal is to be surrounded only by things that bring me joy!
Do you have any creative space saving solutions to share?
Keeping it on the edge,
Shelbee
Joining these Fabulous Link Parties.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.
12 Comments
Marsha Banks
We are thinking about downsizing significantly…roughly half of what we have right now. I’m most concerned about two things…my clothes and my Christmas decorations!!! Every time we get close to making a decision (which has always been taken out of our hand at the last minute), I think, “Do I really want to give up my bedroom and closets?” The true answer is no. The practical answer is yes, Marsha, it’s time. You need to do some serious Swedish death cleaning!!!
https://marshainthemiddle.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Oh my gosh, Marsha, you crack me up! I need to do some serious Swedish death cleaning as well! I actually am ready to get rid of all of it except my clothes and shoes. In fact, I just order 5 freaking pairs of over the knee boots because they were on sale for $10 each. What in the world is wrong with me?! Stop shopping, start cleaning…that needs to be my spring mantra!
xoxo
Shelbee
Bojana Krienke
I love the idea of gifting special items that we no longer need or honestly even putting it out to friends and family and seeing who might want it. That way when you go into their space you feel a personal connection and happiness over giving it away, rather than regret. Also, is that your kitchen shelving? So pretty.
bosobdaciousblog.blogspot.ca
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Bo! I definitely prefer to pass things on to people who want or need them first. I have a really old dresser set that I believe belong to my great grandparents or maybe their grandparents. I have used them for the kids room but they are so old and warped they drawers are difficult to maneuver. So I am thinking of getting a price to have them completely redone and made functional again to keep around but if it’s not worth the investment, I am passing them on! As for the kitchen shelving…I wish that were my kitchen! LOL I love the way that looks and have to keep it in mind when I get to my kitchen makeover.
xoxo
Shelbee
Patrick Weseman
Very interesting and thanks for the tips.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks, Patrick!
xoxo
Shelbee
Lisa notes
I’m a fan of white space. A lot of clutter around me creates clutter in my thinking, so I like to put excess things out of sight, which means my closets contain unnecessary stuff. lol. That’s where I need to get to work!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Oh my gosh, Lisa, you just made me chuckle! I need to declutter everywhere! The visible and concealed places. Too much stuff really does start to get too heavy. I am over it!
xoxo
Shelbee
Carol
Recently, I’ve been decluttering and giving things away. Back in the fall, we had a yard sale, and everything that did not sell went immediately to Goodwill. Now, I actually have some vacant tabletops and empty shelves. At first it appears odd to NOT have lots of decor and stuff all around. But, I’m getting accustomed to a more mininalist home environment.
Carol
http://www.scribblingboomer.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Carol, thank you for sharing that. As I read your comment, I went through this rapid series of emotions from stress about the decluttering process to anxiety about a yard sale to relief at the words “vacant tabletops and empty shelves.” Yes, I definitely need to attack this decluttering process soon because I want that sense of relief I felt about vacant tabletops and empty shelves to stick around for a while!
I keep going back and forth about a yard sale though. While it’s nice to make a bit of extra money I hate the whole process of having to store it all for a yard sale then set up a yard sale and then actually have to deal with all those yard sale people for a whole day or weekend. I may just clear it out and give it all away. That’s how tired of the clutter I am. Be gone with it all! Haha
xoxo
Shelbee
Laurie
This rings so true! Not enough space; too much junk.
At first I thought you might suggest downsizing your family and friends, from your heading there. Lol. Seems that my family also needs to downsize, so I have to gift them sparingly with my castoffs
Good post!
Thanks for sharing it at the Sunday Sunshine Blog Hop 12!
Laurie
Ridge Haven Homestead
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
LOL, thanks so much, Laurie! Sometimes downsizing family and friends isn’t such a bad idea! I hear you about gifting things to family. I would offer heirlooms to my sister first, but I think she needs to downsize, too. We really have accumulated much too much junk…I guess that is an expected result growing up in the “buy as much as you can” era of the 1980s and 1990s.
xoxo
Shelbee