Whether it’s the attic, your closet, or a spare room where you keep all the “loot” you’ve accumulated over the years, people pay very little attention to their storage space. Most of the time, they just keep throwing more and more objects at it. Before you know it, you may never be able to find that family album, or your precious old dollhouse, or that dress you wanted to dry clean. Don’t let this happen to you. Be more organized.

regular cleaning days

If you want to keep your storage space clean and organized, have regular general cleaning days, especially for that area, and try to get rid of things you will no longer need. Do this at least three times a year. Prepare two large boxes and collect items that you will no longer find any use for in the next two years.

Keep precious memories (such as albums, carefully selected toys and trinkets, wedding dresses, etc.) in a place that you can easily access. Invest in good shelf space and secure cabinets for the things you plan to keep, and be emotionally prepared to donate items (like old sweaters, shoes, etc.) to charity if you think they’re just collecting dust in your attic.

Group and tag

Group your keepsakes carefully, and if you must box them, label them properly. You should still have walkways in your attic, and these items should be well secured so you don’t endanger yourself if you get trapped there during an earthquake. If you have children in the house, you may want to keep the attic or storage areas closed just to prevent accidents.

Once everything is grouped and labeled correctly, it will be easier for you to check its condition during your regular cleaning days. Discard memories that are slowly eaten away by termites or mold. Mold and mildew buildup typically occurs in storage spaces that aren’t kept clean and organized, and you don’t want to expose yourself or your family to this type of risk.

Make your storage area available

Allocating small storage areas throughout the house can help you keep your memories in check. Use your attic as a den or den and you’ll soon be forced to keep things neat, organized and manageable. When you allocate only one room for your storage area, the tendency for you is to just forget about the space and keep moving items into it that you still can’t let go of due to emotional attachments.

If you organize everything right in your attic, you could even turn it into a small display area for your family keepsakes. After all, there is no reason to keep these things inside the box if they can be used as decorative elements. Don’t let your storage rooms hold unpleasant secrets that you want to keep away from your guests. Try to be more organized and soon you will be literally proud of every corner of your house.

hold garage sales

Yard sales are a great way to get motivated enough to drop off your old stuff. If you don’t want to just give your old stuff to charity, or throw it away, you can raise money for a new sofa by leaving the old one in the attic, or use the money you’ve earned by letting go of your old dresses to redecorate your bedroom. The possibilities are endless. Just get creative and you’ll find a way to get rid of your clutter and make better use of your storage space.