Do You Have Too Much Stuff & Not Enough Space?

Tired of feeling overwhelmed by the amount of stuff in your house?

Most of us collect stuff. We don't try to; it just happens. Over the years, we buy, get, and inherit. It can be Christmas gifts, craft items, tools, clothing, furniture, heirlooms, memorabilia — you name it. On top of that, now and again, we come across our children's things from their childhood that are still somehow at our house (weren't those toy cars sold at a yard sale years ago?). Then, one day, we see it for what it is — we have too much stuff and not enough space.

This isn't necessarily a bad thing or a problem. However, it becomes a problem when: 

	Your home looks cluttered, and it makes you feel stressed
	You try to find something and have no idea where it could be
	You come home from a shopping trip, and you're not sure where to store the stuff you bought
	You can't open the door to your collect-all room all the way
	You notice small piles morphed into mountains
	A corner of a room has gone from organized storage to fire hazard

All of this can leave you feeling frustrated, anxious, and overwhelmed. A house that feels too full often transforms from a peaceful place to a source of stress.

So, what can be done? We have some ideas that can help. 

Start Small

We're not suggesting you're a hoarder or that you need to "Marie Kondo" your life. But, we know the problem that you're facing and how it makes you feel.

It's always easiest to start small. So, choose a closet, cabinet, or drawer to tackle first. After you've selected a starting point, go through each item stored inside. You can declutter by throwing away things that are broken and selling or donating unused or duplicate items. From there, you can organize your space by rearranging items by size or use, putting the most used items near the front so they're easy to access. For smaller things, use organizational baskets, small baskets, shelf baskets, stackable shelves, or small compartment containers.

Starting small may seem like a waste of time or that the impact will be minimal compared to tackling an entire room. However, it will make a difference. Doing this will likely result in some reclaimed space, a more tidy appearance, and a feeling of satisfaction that will motivate you to continue with another decluttering project, inching you closer to a less stressful home. 

If you'd prefer, you could set aside a week to tackle your biggest trouble spot, which might be a room, basement, or attic. Once that big task is done, you might have done all you need to regain the space you've been missing.

In both cases, as you work through your home, keep an open mind and think creatively. For instance, outside of removing and organizing things, you can also digitize some items. You could scan photos, letters, cards, and certificates and keep them in an electronic folder, external hard drive, or photobook. This is a great space-saving solution. If you like the idea of digital storage but you still don't want to part from the originals, consider limiting yourself to a single storage bin. Since you know they're all blacked up digitally, it may be easier for you to decide which stay and which can go.

Think Beyond Your Four Walls

If, after taking these steps, you find that you still need more space or you don't have time or motivation to declutter and organize, you can consider additional storage outside of your home. There are many benefits to doing this. You can immediately reduce the clutter inside of your house and reclaim space.

There are several options for outdoor storage. You could rent a portable storage unit often called pods. They're ideal short-term and temporary storage solutions. Or you could rent a storage unit or garage on a month-to-month basis. While rental units come in many sizes and are great storage options, they can be inconvenient as you need to drive to them if you want something that's inside of it. You could reorganize your backyard shed to accommodate home overflow, or you can buy a second one to dedicate solely to home storage. If outdoor storage sounds like the right solution for your situation, consider these popular options. 

Prevent Deja Vu

Once your space is in order and you're feeling at peace again in your home, consider ways to prevent pile-ups from happening again. Clutter tends to accumulate in the same places — the front door, the kitchen table, hall closets, drawers — little by little each day. Focus on the areas where you tend to leave clutter and put those items away at the end of each day. Again, it may seem too simple to make a significant impact, but experts agree that doing this will encourage space awareness and go a long way in preventing the "I have too much stuff and not enough space!" scenario.