6 Tips for Organizing Your Storage Room

Storage rooms are often the areas where things are stored in our homes and can often be full of non-valuable objects such as trinkets. However, in order to use storage spaces effectively, it is important to make sure that everything we store is still important to us.

Objects defined as scrap generally refer to items that are no longer used or broken. These objects occupy storage space and reduce usability. Therefore, during the storage room organization process, it may be necessary to throw away or recycle items that are no longer used or broken.

Organizing storage rooms is important, especially for homes with limited storage space. Better organization can provide space for more items to be stored. Therefore, when organizing items in a storage room, it is important to consider whether each item is valuable. If the item is no longer useful or has no value, it may be best to throw it away or recycle it. We also recommend that you check out Do you know what Self Storage is?

1. This stays and this goes

Expert organizers say that most junk is stuff we put off deciding whether to keep or throw away, for whatever reason. Take a few seconds to think about what you want to do with each item you find in your stash: keep it—and thus give it a use and a place—or get rid of it (sell, give away, or throw it away). Here are some examples to help you think.

They stay:

• useful things that we use occasionally: suitcases, tools, sewing machine, board games, Christmas tree and decorations, etc.
• very large objects: bicycles, scooters, lawnmowers…
• Items that have sentimental value for you but take up a lot of space: photo albums, an old typewriter or telephone, souvenirs from travels, etc.

They can go:

• “just in case”: things you honestly know you’ll never wear again (clothes you don’t like or don’t suit you, grade notes you won’t reread…)
• things you haven't used in over a year
• Things for kids that you no longer need (and that other kids can benefit from)
• Equipment for hobbies that you don't like and will never practice again (painting easel, sewing machine, magic books and articles, mixing table…)
• Things you don't even remember are there when you see them

2. Arrangement and placement

As we said above: the storage room is an extension of your home and therefore you should organize, equip and furnish it as carefully as any other room. The aim is for this space to cease being a semi-dark place where you can hardly step and where you don't really know where to find the things you are looking for (I'm sure this has happened to you at some point, you can admit it!).

Start by evaluating the available space (shape and square meters) and the amount of things you need to store. Remember that you need to be able to move around comfortably inside, so don't fill it up completely: leave a small hallway empty so that it's quick and easy to get in, get what you need or put it away.

There is a wide variety of storage furniture available in the sector: metal or wooden shelves, cabinets, chests and boots made of resin, hooks for bicycles, tables and panels for tools… Most of these have the advantage of being modular and adaptable, so it is very easy to create an almost tailor-made solution according to your needs.

3. Sort by frequency of use and weight.

Classify the objects you need to place by considering two criteria: frequency of use and weight.

Place items you rarely use in the back of shelves and cabinets, and reserve the front for anything you use regularly but can't store in other areas of the house.

Also consider the weight: If you put heavy items on top because you rarely use them, you may injure yourself or need help when lowering them. In this case, it is better to leave them at the bottom and at the back. Reserve the top for lighter items that you will not have any trouble lowering at any time.

4. Small things, always keep in the box

Sort small objects by type and store them in labeled boxes. It is a good option to opt for stackable box models: they are usually more durable and you can also stack them directly on the floor.

A Suggestion: Useful furniture with ample storage space

You can also opt for transparent boxes. This way, you can quickly see what’s inside without having to look at the label or open them one by one until you find what you need. In this case, there is a bit of visual noise because the objects are visible even though they are in the boxes. But don’t worry, the most important thing in this case is functionality.

5. Lighting!

The storage room also needs to be well lit to be functional. If it is large and you only have one central light point, you can place some spotlights on the shelves: this is the system used by stores so you can see all their products, copy it!

6. Make a commitment!

For all this work to be useful, it is very important to maintain the order of the storage room over time. You need to make it a habit to leave everything in its place when you no longer need it and before buying something new, always ask yourself why you are going to keep it and whether it is worth the space it will take up and that you could use for other things. Periodically review what you have to make sure you are not accumulating garbage and enjoy the peace that order brings!