Using Your Storage Unit to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions….Wait What?

Stick with me here. When the New Year’s resolutions have been made following that last bite of holiday dinner, don’t leave that overstuffed closet or garage off your list! January is notoriously the month when we clean up our eating, sort out our closets, and turn the first fresh, crisp, white page on our 2019 planner! It’s the moment many of us think of every time we say, “If I could just get through the holidays!” 

This time of year is perfect for new beginnings. You can be anything you want to be in 2019. It’s a new year! Most of us set a rigorous workout schedule and commit to spending more time with family. The Christmas decorations in all their glory get cleaned up, and each year you might say to yourself, “I’m going to put the decorations away in a nice, orderly fashion this time. This is the new me!” 

As your storage space returns to a jam-packed state due to housing your holiday decorations, you flop on the couch, glance over at where the tree once stood, and say, “Ahhhh….that’s better. What a clean, fresh start!” At that moment right there, push pause. 

(pause)

What if your entire house could have LESS stuff in it? What if one of your New Year's resolutions were to minimize the clutter? Sure, mail will keep piling up every day on the counter, and need to be sorted (that’s a given), but what if your Aunt Ruth’s vanity (complete with three-paneled mirror and sitting bench) was not in the corner of your bedroom piling up with stuff? Would you have less clutter? Sure, you took two days to strip the 100-year-old relic two summers ago... but now, it’s become a flat surface where everything from hair products to to-do lists have piled up. You find yourself never using it for its intended purpose. Gosh, you’d hate to get rid of it! Your late Aunt Ruth would never forgive you. 

(un-pause)

Have you considered self storage? 

What if you rented a small, secure space and considered putting a lot of things you cherish in there? You could simply back a truck up to an A-1 Self Storage facility, and carefully place Ruthie’s vanity in the far, back right corner of your storage unit (covered with moving blanket or wrapped in shrink wrap for additional protection). No harm, no foul. Think about what else could go in there. In an effort to conquer your New Year's resolution to simplify, you could take the older toys out of the playroom, and have plenty of space for the new ones. No need to donate them right now. Hey, someday you’ll have grandkids who will want to play with that Hot Wheels track. New year, new mindset. Your kids are getting older... maybe it’s time to put some of those keepsakes in a safe place? After all, it is the dead of winter. Spring and summer always prove to be chaotic, so getting things clean and organized now is a good idea. It’s January, what a perfect time to stay warm, busy, and burn a few calories by sorting through your stuff. 

Knowing where to start, and getting motivated can sometimes be tricky, but, as it turns out, there is a lot of advice out there about becoming and staying organized. Bonus fact, research is even finding that living in a tidy, comfortable space could have positive benefits for your health. And January is all about your health! 

What the Research Says

Research has been done that shows a correlation between the habits of people who live in a clean environment versus those who live in the chaos of clutter. The results don’t look good for those whose lives seem to be a constant mess. According to Susan Krauss Whitbourne, Ph.D, the “clutter effect” creates both physical and mental issues, especially when it comes to your overall energy level.

Guess what’s also common when you feel anxious due to disorganized spaces? Snacking. People actually tend to eat more when surrounded by a mess. 

Sometimes, looking at a large mess is the issue, because it can be hard to know where to start. Over time, the “mental clutter” that builds up as a result of physical clutter is possibly linked to age-related memory loss. Oh my! We need to get on top of this. A new year is the perfect time to start! 

Simple Steps to Conquering Your Resolution

There are several ways to begin (don’t be overwhelmed, deep breath in, and out), let’s start by making three piles.

Pile #1: Consider every item carefully. Has it served its purpose for you? Who else could find use for it? Donating your items to charity is a great idea. Place an item in this pile if this is your intent.

Pile #2. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, or so they say. Make some extra money and get some of your clean space back at the same time by selling some of your larger items on your local Facebook Swap N’ Shop group. If it could bring in some cash, place it in pile #2. 

Pile #3. Consider A-1 Self Storage. Maybe you can’t fit into your size 6 jeans, yet. No need to worry! Place those along with several other “soon to fit” items in pile #3. Place other older clothes you haven’t made a decision on, the kids' keepsakes, and space-taking stuffed animals (along with Aunt Ruth’s Vanity) and carefully place them in “Keepers” Pile #3. 

A-1 Self Storage Can Help

You can do this, A-1 Self Storage is here to lend our support. There are many reasons to remove junk food from your life, and clutter from your home, but you don’t have to give everything away, or have a garage sale to enjoy a greater sense of order. With more than 50 locations in California, A-1 Self Storage is one of the fastest growing storage companies on the West Coast. Odds are, there’s an A-1 Self Storage facility fairly close to your home. Regardless of what location you use, you can rest assured your things will be kept in a clean, secure space, giving your possessions a home away from home. Our friendly staff is ready to help answer questions, and make sure you get the right size storage unit for your needs.

What are you waiting for? Kick off January right! Shed the stuff, and start enjoying the benefits of a tidy living space! Breathe easier, feel calmer, and say goodbye to the stress-inducing mess. Load up your stuff, and head down to A-1 Self Storage. We’ll keep your things safe for as long as you need!