When it comes to organizing whether be it for a house move, or just de-cluttering and looking at getting more organized, the common question always is "how do I store all of these?"
To help you find a solution for that dilemma, follow these 5 golden rules of home storage by About Home regardless of the method you choose:
One in, one out
Basic guideline: when you bring something in, make room by taking something out.
This principle may not always be applicable, say for when you are moving to a new apartment and starting with nothing. Otherwise, you should always consider storage before making a purchase or accepting a gift.
When it comes to collections like books, a long as they have real meaning and use and not acquired simply for the sake of acquiring stuff, then it's fine. But make sure to evaluate your collection periodically; some things you are holding onto could be of more use to someone else.
Start with storage spaces
Start with storage spaces like the basement, attic, closets, and garage when organizing your entire home. You may find items in those places that you no longer need and you could get rid of to make way for more space.
You can buy storage, but you can't buy organization
If you think that buying organizers such as shelving units, boxes, built-ins, and the like, could solve your organizing problem, then you're wrong. This means that after you create a space, you actually have to do the organizing yourself.
Your stuff will not make their way to your new storage cabinet by itself.
Label, label, label
Organizing your stuff accordingly is a good thing, but not putting labels especially those for long-term storage is not. Labeling your stored items will save you from having to open box after box just to find the items you are looking for. Label things clearly so you know where to put or get things.
When you think "storage", don't forget the digital kind
Technology has paved the way for new storage options. Some items that you used to store in boxes can now be stored digitally such as your piles of tax documents. Photographs, instead of collecting dust, can now be saved in hard drives so they are safe from tearing and fading.
If you love reading books and have built mountains of them already, you might want to try switching to e-readers so you don't add more books to the pile.
