Over the course of time, we accumulate more stuff – it’s just the nature of material life. Christmas gifts, old furniture, broken appliances, etc., are all hard to throw away, and so we amass a dragon’s horde of belongings. Some of it’s good to keep (those sentimental objects) and some isn’t (anything that doesn’t work). And in the gathering of items, many homeowners turn to self-storage units to declutter their house. These little boxes seem convenient – the buildings aren’t on your property and you won’t risk getting rid of things you may need later on. However, there’s a better way that won’t drain your money every month! Here are some ways you can avoid putting your belongings in self-storage:

Say goodbye to old items
Living simply takes dedication and a willingness to be honest about what you need and what you don’t. But by being able to get rid of things, you’ll decrease clutter in your home and eliminate the need for additional storage. If you’re considering putting things in a self-storage unit, ask yourself why you’re keeping it at all. These items won’t be at home, so you likely won’t use them. Isn’t storing them out of sight and out of mind essentially throwing them out anyway? The big difference is that you pay for a unit. If you haven’t used something in the last year or it’s beyond the point of repair, you don’t need it.

Use the space you already have
Your garage and basement both contain opportunities for storage you may not be using. You don’t need a lot of square footage to keep your belongings, you just need vertical space. Wall mount storage systems allow you to use a variety of tools (such as selves, cabinets, hooks and bins) to neatly store your items off the floor. Garage organization also lets you hide belongings behind the door of a cabinet. When you look at your space, it will appear orderly. Not only that, but wall mount storage for your home is also more flexible than a storage unit. You can reconfigure components to suit your needs. If you are storing things in the basement, you may have to get the space repaired for dampness since that can damage your belongings due to high moisture in the air. You can hire a basement waterproofing company for professional treatment of cracks, pores, and water seepage in the basement.

Brass tacks
Let’s talk money: Self-storage units cost anywhere from $30 and up every month, and the low-end of the spectrum only gets you about 5 feet by 5 feet of space. If you get a unit for just $30, you’ll spend $360 a year. However, a small unit like this won’t be enough for say, a sofa. Upgrade for more room at $50 an month, and you’ll spend $600 a year. The cost only goes up the more room you need and the longer you store.

Compare that to a one-time cost of purchasing wall mount storage. A deluxe wall storage set can run around $2,000 for a variety of components. That’s a year’s worth of self-storage savings! The best part is that all your items will be right at home in case you want to use them. By not driving out to your unit to gather items, you can save money on gas as well.

Storage