Organize-It Blog

At Organize-It, we welcome any and all ideas on how to better organizer your life.  This blog was written by Jenn Young  from Uncle Bob’s storage facility.  If you would like to be a guest blogger for Organize-It, email social@organizeit.com.

The 4th of July has come and gone, and with the holiday cleanup underway, it’s time to remember that closets, cabinets and drawers are the biggest offenders when it comes to the seasonal clutter dilemma.  I think we can all attest to the less than ideal job we do of packing up seasonal decorations and clothes.  For me, taking down the Christmas tree, nativity scene and other items lacks the certain holiday flair I had when I put the items up.  Part of me knows that tossing all the Christmas lights into one giant garbage bag will mostly likely result in their failure to work next Christmas but halfway through the endeavor of taking them down, I simply lose interest in the matter and want the whole process to be done with.

What ends up happening? I find myself seven months down the road in July, that bag has been pushed aside, squished, and moved around to the point where reaching into the garage cabinet to get it out will result in a Jenga-like catastrophe.  But there is a glint of hope at the end of this story.  Through storage trial and error, I have finally learned my lesson.  The following tips and tricks have worked for me so I thought I’d share them, because who knows, they might just work out for you too!

Pitch or Pack

Before you start the process of packing up or even reorganizing a previous storage endeavor, take a moment to lug it all out where you can take it all in at once.  Having all of your seasonal items out in front of you gives you the best idea of what you need and simply, what you don’t.  Before the mass exodus of my decorations I was storing things I knew I would never use.  So each year, there they sat, in the back of my closest, taking up room and impeding on my ability to properly use the space to its full potential.

With each item out in front of you, begin to separate them into different areas based on their importance and how meaningful they are.  If you can look at an item and know that it will never again be proudly displayed on your entertainment center, then it’s probably time for that particular item to go.

With the excess removed from the useful you can now get ready for the second step, putting items in storage.

Find Space

If you have been using a shelf space, closet space, or under the bed space then perhaps it’s time to consider streamlining your seasonal items into one easy to access spot.  If you have the time, move a few things around so all your decorations will be in one central location and through cleanly labeled boxes such as, “Christmas”, “Easter” or, “4^th of July” you should have no problem finding what you’re looking for when you need it.

If space is a problem where you live, as it sometimes is for smaller homes or micro urban apartments, you might want to consider using a self-storage space to alleviate clutter and reclaim closets and cabinets.  Using a small storage unit for these seasonal items will free up valuable space for a home office or craft room, and generally only amount to a few short trips per year to retrieve and deposit seasonal items.

Protection

You will always want to store your seasonal items safely so they’re protected from moisture, extreme heat and cold, bug infestations and dust. Securing items so they are ready to be used next year is an important process in cutting down on the time it takes to set up and take down.

If you are storing items like blankets, table runners or placemats, then space bags are a great choice for keeping moisture and moths out.  A lot of smaller decorations can fit nicely into a closable plastic container.  Using standardized containers not only maximizes protection, but they are also one of the best ways to make the most of your space.

Storing and retrieving your seasonal items doesn’t have to be a nuisance.  Follow these steps to cut down on time, make the best use of your space and protect your stored items.

Jenn Young is a freelance writer working with Uncle Bob’s storage facility.  She is passionate about beautifying her home and keeping things organized. Jenn currently writes on anything and everything related to storage and keeping things clutter free!