New Year, New Space: 10 Storage Habits To Leave in 2023

The New Year is a perfect opportunity to learn how to break old habits and start good ones in all areas of life, including decluttering your home. If you’ve recently moved into a new home, now is the perfect time to change bad habits.  Learn how to identify and fix your storage problems with these decluttering practices.

Don’t have enough time during the holiday season to take care of all the clutter you’ve removed from your home? Saf Keep Storage is here for you until you can properly dispose of your clutter.

1. Drop It Wherever

The first bad habit is the drop-it-wherever mentality. Have you ever taken a tool out of a toolbox and left it on a counter or table? Perhaps you habitually misplace pens or other small trinkets in your home. It may take work and time, but put things back where you got them.

2. The Junk Drawer

We all have that one drawer we throw everything into. While you should have somewhere to put items you want to keep but have no place for, it’s essential to keep it organized.  Limit clutter in your junk drawer and find places for as much stuff as you can. If you’re strategic about what you put in your junk drawer, it’s easier to keep it organized.

3. Half-Finished Laundry

We’ve all been too tired to fold our clean laundry every once in a while. It’s normal to have those days because life can get hectic, but don’t make it a habit. Schedule your laundry days when you have plenty of time and energy to finish the task. You may not be able to find an empty day to do laundry, but you should be able to get a day where you have fewer tasks to complete.

4. Piles Upon Piles

Paper clutter can be the most difficult to sort out as some things might need to be easily accessible. Finding inexpensive storage options can be a difficult task, especially if you’re someone who works with a lot of paper or likes their magazines. Upright filing systems are the best way to keep paper piles to a minimum. Also, shred or dispose of any junk mail and old magazines you no longer need.

5. Inadequate Storage

Cleaning supplies and food are common items that lead to a cluttered home. You may find you don’t have enough space to store what you need. Plus, many of these things come in containers that are difficult to store. Try to get some additional storage out of your existing spaces. Whether that’s adding shelf dividers, drawer units, or better storage containers, make the most of the area you have.

6. Clothes Heaps

It’s time to stop leaving clothes around your room or home, even if you plan to wear them again. This bad storage habit can become a breeding ground for pests since your clothes trap heat. Be sure to keep clothes off the floor whether you plan to wear them again or not, and keep a designated spot for dirty clothes like a hamper or bin.

7. Impulse Buying

Whether it’s a good deal or something you want, we have all fallen prey to the dreaded impulse buy. Buying something you don’t need or have room for only makes clutter grow. Try to hold off on buying items because they’re too good to say no to. Wait at least a month, and if you still want it, make sure you have the room before purchasing it.

8. Improper Measurements

When purchasing storage options for your home, such as over-the-door organizers, shoe racks, or storage totes, it’s important to measure accurately and consider what you’ll be storing. For example, storage totes could be perfect to slide under a coffee table to hide clutter, but what size will fit under your coffee table? Be sure to check the width, height, and length. You should also consider if they are big enough for what you plan on storing in them. If they bulge out from under your table, it defeats the purpose.

9. Collections

Collecting is a fun hobby that brings joy to a lot of people. Before you start collecting, consider how much room you’ll need to store your collections and where you’ll store them. Some items may need to be stored in a self storage unit, while others can be displayed beautifully on shelves. Make sure you have adequate space before starting a collecting hobby.

10. Holding on Just in Case

We all have the habit of holding on to stuff just in case we may need it someday. What if I suddenly need twenty plastic bags? What if I lose ten pounds and fall back in love with that dress I wore in college? What if I want to try a recipe out of that old magazine? Letting go of these items can help you declutter your home and mind.

Make Decluttering Easy With Saf Keep Storage

Remember to be kind to yourself when building good storage habits in your home. Breaking old habits is hard, so you’ll likely have setbacks. Try to only adopt one or two of these tips at a time and spend ten minutes each day decluttering one area of your home. The slower you go, the better your new habits will stick. If you find yourself in need of more space, the experts at Saf Keep Storage will make sure your items stay secure.