The more we buy to upgrade and replace other items in our lives, the more those old items tend to collect in our storage room–and the more clutter tends to stack up, turning a useful space into an unmanageable mess. If this describes your storage space, it’s worth taking time to clean and declutter it so you can fit more in it and find what you need when you need it.
In this article, we’ll go over the best steps to take when you’re organizing your storage room, from planning to sorting to keeping it from getting messy again. By the end, you’ll be well-equipped to tackle and prevent a storage mess of any size.
Assessing and planning
Even the most intimidating cleaning jobs are much easier if you plan instead of diving right in. Take steps to see what kind of mess you’re dealing with and work out the best way to organize what you have on hand.
Evaluate your space
Start your cleaning job by taking a thorough look at your storage room and identifying the biggest and most immediate problem areas. Are there many items you don’t need to keep around? Can you easily move through the room to get to everything you might need? Is there any sort of organization in the room? Finding areas to focus on will help you break down a larger job.
Set goals and targets
Use the problem areas you’ve identified to put together a plan of attack. Start with larger goals, such as cleaning off the floor or properly organizing the room’s contents, and break them down into smaller tasks and steps so you can track your progress and see how close you are to your main targets over time.
Sketch a layout
If organization is your top priority, or you simply work better with a visual aid, use your goals to draw up a quick sketch of what you’d like the room to look like once it’s properly organized. Make notes of which areas are for which items and clearly label your sketch so anyone who’s helping you organize is on the same page as you.
Decluttering strategies
Once you’re done planning out your cleaning strategies, you’re ready to start the first important task–sorting through your storage room and figuring out what items you can get rid of. After these steps, your room should have more space and you may even have a little extra money in your pocket!
Sort and categorize items
Go through everything in your storage room and separate the items out into categories based on what you want to do with them:
- Keep anything you need, still regularly use, or have a sentimental attachment to.
- Sell anything you no longer need that’s still usable and has some value, such as recent electronics, clothes and shoes, and valuable and collectible items you don’t want to hold on to.
- Donate any items that you don’t want or need but are still useful. Clothes and shoes can be donated to shelters, and appliances and tools that you don’t need can be donated to thrift shops.
- Discard anything broken or unusable. Check with your local recycling service to identify what items should be recycled, and make sure any hazardous or volatile materials you can’t recycle are safely disposed of.
A rule of thumb: Any items that you haven’t used within the last year most likely don’t need to be kept, such as clothes and electronics. If you find you have more items than you know what to do with, you might want to consider renting a small storage unit to clear out space while you organize.
Take it one step at a time
Smaller tasks and easier cleaning jobs all contribute to the end goal of a clean, organized room, so focus on one easy area at a time as you separate out your clutter. Seasonal items and decor, for example, are some of the easiest items to sort as they’re both stored together and simple to see whether or not they’ve been used in the last year. Archived documents are also easy to sort and digitize, and any boxes full of random items with no category can be brought out for later sorting.
These smaller steps will quickly come together and clear out space, making it easier for you to sort and get rid of more difficult items.
Storage solutions
Once you’ve moved your sellable and donatable items out, and you’ve properly disposed of any trash and recycling, you should be left with only what you need to keep. These items should be much easier to store and organize, especially with the right solutions.
Shelving
Installing a shelving solution in your storage room will make it much easier to use vertical space and clear off the floor. Storage.com recommends a wall-mounted adjustable shelving system for sturdiness and flexibility if your storage needs change over time, but there are many other shelving systems to look out for if you need something less permanent.
Racks and overhead storage
If you have the space and you need to store items like tools or bicycles, consider wall-mounted hanging racks to get the most out of your vertical space. Storage rooms with high ceilings can get a lot of mileage out of ceiling-mounted racks and shelves, especially for items you don’t necessarily need regular access to.
Boxes and bins
Some items in your storage room will require specialized boxes; for example, documents and other paper goods should be stored in acid-free boxes to protect them from any chemicals in the box material breaking down over time, and delicate and vintage clothing should be stored in garment bags or breathable fabric boxes. Less delicate items can easily be stored in sturdy, stackable plastic tubs.
Organizing techniques
You’ve planned, decluttered, and obtained storage solutions. Now it’s time to sort and organize everything so it’s easy to find what you need when you need it.
Label your boxes and bins
While you can see some of the contents of a bin if it’s made of clear plastic, some items need to be stored in opaque bins and boxes to protect them from light damage, and other items in clear plastic bins can obscure most of their contents. Make clear labels for multiple sides of your boxes and bins so you can identify what’s inside without having to dig through them every time.
Use zone-based organization
Designate specific parts of your room for specific categories of items. For example, one shelving unit may be for clothes only, and one corner may be zoned for sports equipment. Use the layout you drew in the planning phase to help you categorize and organize everything.
Make a digital inventory
Whether you use a document, a spreadsheet, or an inventory app on your phone, writing out a detailed inventory list of everything in your storage room is the best way to keep track of what you have on hand. Share the list with anyone in your home who may need to find items inside, and keep notes on where in the room everything is.
Maximizing space
Remember, horizontal floor space isn’t all you have to work with when organizing a room. There are plenty of ways to use vertical space and fit more into a storage room with minimal effort.
Vertical space
Using stackable bins to store appropriate items will allow you to put them on top of each other and save space on your floor. Shelving units will also give you more vertical surfaces to place bins, boxes, and other items.
Doors and walls
You can find plenty of solutions that use door and wall space to further save space on the floor. Store shoes in an over-the-door hanging shoe organizer, and install pegboards on the walls to hold tools and other equipment.
Multifunctional furniture
If you’re planning on using your room for more than just storage, it may be worth investing in furniture with built-in drawers and cabinets. For example, if you plan on using the room for crafts, a table or workbench with storage drawers or cabinets underneath is a perfect solution.
Maintenance tips
Getting your storage room organized is one thing, but keeping it that way is another. Thankfully, regular maintenance and upkeep will prevent you from having to make another massive cleaning effort in the future.
Schedule regular storage checkups
Set aside time anywhere from every month to every few months, depending on how often you accumulate items that need to go in your storage room, to go through your items and make sure everything is where it needs to be. Check the items in the room against your inventory and update it so you have an accurate log.
Clean the storage room regularly
To best maintain the storage space and make sure the items within are in good condition, take time to clean the room every few weeks:
- Dust surfaces and sweep or vacuum the floor.
- Check for signs of pests.
- Address any humidity or temperature concerns with a dehumidifier, heater, or AC unit.
Safety and accessibility considerations
Whether you’re renting a unit or just using a room in your house, your safety should be a primary concern when going through the space.
Store heavy items on lower shelves or the floor
Heavier items stored on low shelves or the floor are less likely to fall and injure someone, and heavier stackable bins on the bottom of stacks are less likely to crush the items beneath them. Following this practice will also prevent lifting injuries when loading or unloading heavy items into the space.
Clear out paths to walk through
When drawing up your room layout, make sure there’s space for you to move through the unit and access any items you may need. Keep cables out of the walking paths to avoid tripping hazards.
Place frequently used items at eye level
Keeping the items you use most often at eye level, such as tools and cleaning supplies, will reduce your need to bend over every time you need them and be better for you in the long run.
Use step stools or stepladders
Keep a small ladder or stool in the storage space so you can get to higher boxes and items without having to stand on an unstable surface, such as a chair or another box.
Anchor shelving units and containers
To keep shelves from tipping over, anchor the units by attaching them to the wall or attaching weights to the bottom. Smooth or slippery floors can also cause shelves and containers to fall, so put non-slip mats or grippier feet beneath them to prevent this.
Saving money on storage solutions
If you don’t have the budget to invest in high-end shelving units, or you just want to save money while organizing your storage space, there are plenty of do-it-yourself and budget-friendly solutions that will still help you organize your storage room without issue.
Create custom shelving
If you have the tools, leftover wood, and know-how, you may be able to build your own shelves to the specifications you need while only spending money on any additional wood or fasteners to secure them to the walls. Measure the space you have so you can make the shelves the right size.
Repurpose furniture
Re-evaluate any furniture you may end up putting in your storage room to see if it can double as a storage solution. Nightstands, dressers, and vanities may all have surfaces and drawers you can put some of your items inside to save space and keep it organized.
Find affordable solutions at dollar stores
Discount and dollar stores carry plenty of bins, boxes, and drawers that you can use to store items at a low cost. You can also find hooks and adhesives that allow you to stick shelving on the walls easily without drilling.
Reuse objects you already have
Take a look around your home and see if you have any old food storage containers, glass jars, or otherwise unused items that you can repurpose to store odds and ends. You can also use leftover paper or cardstock to make your labels on the cheap.
Using a storage unit for decluttering your home
With all these tips in hand, you should be well on your way to maximizing space and minimizing clutter in your storage room. However, if you find you still have more stuff on hand than you know what to do with, it may be time to rent a storage unit to hold it–and if that’s something you want to do, you’re in the right place.
Keep reading through the Storage.com blog if you want to find more tips on finding the right unit for your storage needs. When you’re ready to start searching, use our convenient search tool to put in your location and compare storage facilities near you.
