How to Declutter a Storage Closet

Did your New Year’s resolutions include a pledge to become a more organised person? Perhaps even a vow to declutter your storage room? Even if you haven’t made that promise to yourself yet, don’t worry.

Tackling this room is no easy task for anyone, but with a bit of persistence and some helpful decluttering tips, your storage closet can be transformed from a room of nightmares to a neatly organised spot.

So, if you:

• Have decided to declutter your storage closet;
• Are not sure where to begin;
• Need some helpful organisational tips,

Then read on! This article is for you.

Usually, one would start their decluttering project from the most presentable place – the living room. Naturally, you’d want to move on to the bedroom and the wardrobe, as well.

But there is one room that we all dread. The one that deserves just as much attention as any other. The room we’ve been ignoring for such a long time that a part of us is scared of what we may find inside.

This black hole of a room is the storage closet.

The storage room is often filled to the brim with junk, decorations, furniture, sentimental items and what not. While it’s easy to dispose of the garbage in your closet, some may find it difficult to decide what to do with sentimental objects. Fear not! In this post we will go through some helpful steps of how to organise your storage room beyond reproach.

Decide what you want to store in the closet

Over the years, you may have thrown all sorts of stuff in your storage closet. This is not really the best practice, though. It just makes it more difficult for you to find that particular piece of tinsel when it’s hiding in between your spare chairs, the stack of kitchen rolls and your year 7 biology project. To make organising your storage room easier, decide what you want to keep in it. Get rid of anything else or move it to another location.

For example, if you buy household necessities – toilet paper, dishwashing liquid, paper towels, etc. – in bulk, you may want to reserve closet space for them. If you don’t, you probably already have a storage compartment for them in your kitchen or bathroom.

If you decide to store spare furniture in your closet, keep in mind it will probably take up most of the space. Storage rooms tend to be smaller than the rest, so you should plan how you will store your furniture beforehand.

All in all, the storage closet probably contains everything you aren’t sure what to do with or where else to put. There’s also a good chance that it’s currently full of things you’ve long forgotten about. So, decide exactly what it is you want to store in it.

Once you’ve made that decision, it’s time to start decluttering. As with most other rooms, you may want to dedicate at least a day to it.

How to declutter a storage closet

When organising any room, it is important to be in the right state of mind. Since decluttering the storage closet is one of the more difficult projects, you may want to build up momentum by starting with an easier room. Such rooms are the kitchen or bathroom. Once you’ve got the right energy and the suitable mindset, move on to the storage room.

Get some company

It’s always a good idea to have some help when decluttering a storage closet. Having a friend there to ask you questions, such as “Do you really need this?” and “When did you last use that?”, can help in your decision making.

If you choose to tackle your storage room on your own, you can play some upbeat, motivational music to keep your spirits high while working.

Start from large to small

The bulkiest items should be the first ones to go. This mostly includes furniture and large decorations.

Examine each item carefully. If anything is broken, you probably left it in the closet with the idea of fixing it someday. Try to remember when you buried it in the storage room and be realistic as to whether or not you’ll actually repair it. If your answer is not “yes” or “right now”, then you should take the broken item to a recycling factory.

If none of the furniture is broken, check if the items can be used and placed in another room in your home. If not, you can see if a family member or a friend would have any use for them. Transporting bulky items can be tricky, but you can always call in for a man & van service to cover that.

You can also consider donating your spare items to charity. Alternatively, if they’re in a very good condition, you can try and sell them.

Designate baskets to sort your items in

Once you’ve finished sorting through the bulky stuff, it’s time to pay attention to any smaller objects.

Prepare a rubbish bin bag for the ones you are absolutely sure you want to dispose of. For the rest, designate three large baskets:

Once you have finished separating the items, your closet should only contain those that you will keep inside. They will probably be scattered randomly around the place. So, now it’s time to put everything in order.

How to organise the storage closet

Since you have decided exactly what to store in your closet and removed any unnecessary items, sorting out the remaining objects shouldn’t prove too difficult. However, it might take some time, depending on how many there are and how organised they are to begin with.

Here are some tips on how to organise your storage room:

1. Start with a cleanup.
   Unfortunately, if you haven’t paid attention to your storage closet in a while, it’s probably covered in a layer of dust. Take everything out and give the room a good clean. Make sure to wipe the dust off the items as well.
2. Place back the items, starting with the larger ones.
   Begin by placing any furniture, sports equipment, etc. back into the closet first. This way you can make sure those don’t clutter the place.
3. Organise smaller items into boxes.
   Keeping your storage closet organised is easier if you sort smaller objects into labelled boxes. Separate your Christmas decorations from your Halloween ones, for example. This way, they will be easier to find when the time comes to take them out.
4. Install additional surfaces.
   If it seems like your storage space still isn’t big enough to fit everything, consider installing shelves or hanging multipurpose bags on the door. This will give you more room to arrange your belongings.
5. Close the door, then open it again.
   Once everything has been organised, close the door. Take a deep breath and reopen it. Feels good, doesn’t it? This is what decluttering is all about.

Dispose of the negativity

Now that you have finished decluttering your storage closet, it’s time to rid yourself of all those unwanted items. Dispose of the rubbish bag and give a local recycling company a call.

Just because we don’t see the clutter in the storage room doesn’t mean it doesn’t weigh on us. It’s just another annoying point on your to-do list, which never gets crossed off. Clutter takes up space not only in your home, but in your mind, as well. By getting rid of it, you give yourself a small piece of tranquility. In today’s stressful life, peace of mind is more valuable than gold.

What if you end up with too much furniture to move?

If during your decluttering spree you have found yourself with a tonne of spare furniture, moving it all can be a bit tricky.

If you don’t own a car or if the items don’t fit in the one you have, why not turn to the professionals? Our reliable man & van service can ensure that any objects or furniture arrives safely at its new home.

Takeaways

• Decluttering a storage room requires patience and persistence.
• Start by getting rid of the large objects first.
• While decluttering, sort your items based on what you plan to do with them.
• Before you put the remaining belongings back, give the storage closet a good clean.
• Organise smaller items in boxes.
• If you find decluttering stressful, you can always rely on professional home organisers.

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Did you find this article useful? Do you have any tips on decluttering a storage closet? Tell us in the comments below!

Image source: shutterstock / sirtravelalot