We all have them. Deep, dark spaces into which we stuff the things we aren’t using…and eventually forget about.
During quarantine in 2020 I got in the habit of taking a walk in my neighborhood every morning. Many people would have their garages open and the voyeur in me couldn’t help but peek in as I walked past.
Some garages held cars with items around the perimeter of the space. Some were intentionally decorated as entertainment rooms. Others were filled to the brim with goodness knows what. Those were the ones I was really interested in.
It was fascinating to take this peek into other people’s worlds and wonder what choices were made to create what I saw.
And yet there was so much I couldn’t see. Did they have basements, crawl spaces or above garage storage filled with stuff, too? Was that shed I could see out back organized and taken pride in, or had it been taken over by chaos, too?
What about storage units people pay for? Did any of these families have spill-over that was out of sight, out of mind?
When I talk to clients about shame, I describe it as being in the deep, dark recesses of an under-the-stairs storage space. The way to release our shame is to go into that dark place and pull our stuff out into the sun.
It’s the stuff we hide that we feel the most shame about.
Decluttering our storage areas and turning them into intentional spaces instead of default, lost spaces, frees us from the heaviness connected them.
GARAGES
Let’s start by talking about a space most single-family homes, townhouses, and duplexes have – garages.
When we bought our house the garage was one of the best parts (the other was having stairs). I had never had a garage before. This felt like a luxury.
I couldn’t understand why so many cars were parked in driveways instead of their garages. It would be through the course of my work that I would come to understand…
“When Amazon boxes come, we just throw them into the garage to deal with later, but later never comes.”
“My husband keeps buying tools.”
“I don’t know, things just kept getting put in there.”
No one starts out hoping to have a cluttered space. Garages become convenient places to put all of the toys your kids haven’t been playing with lately, the vintage furniture you keep saying you’re going to refinish, and all of the stuff you think you’re going to use but get distracted away from.
Depending on the state of your garage you might have the makings of a good yard sale, or it may be best to rent a dumpster. The problem with dumpster rental is that sometimes you need a permit, and if it sits in your driveway, it could damage the asphalt.
An alternative is to check with your local Waste Management about getting a Bagster, a huge green dumpster bag.
If you’re not dealing so much with trash as larger items that need to be removed you can go to 1-800-GOT-JUNK or www.1800GOTJUNK.com and they’ll come out and take away the items in question for a fee.
BASEMENTS
Basements are similar to garages in how quickly they fill with excess stuff. Stacks of bins filled with old clothing, holiday decorations, and more of the children’s old toys, grow and consume the space.
Finished basements that are used for living are somewhat less likely to be filled with the odds and ends of life, but even they can have corners with things shoved into them.
If you’re going to use your basement for storage it’s important to have a plan. A friend of mine has a basement filled with dinnerware and glassware. When she first told me about it, I was aghast.
I envisioned unused piles of boxed plates and wine glasses.
Instead, she showed me industrial shelves with the different sets easily accessible to be used for entertaining or to simply to swap out with the current set being used. Purpose and intention.
As with all decluttering projects, go through the items in the space with the awareness of their purpose and the “why” of their continued presence.
Then create a plan for storage. Organize in a way that makes sense for you. In my mother’s basement my step-father has built a wall of shelves with boxes all clearly labeled. I might not see the purpose of the items in those boxes, but he does and he spent a lot of time creating an intentional space for his hobbies.
What is your plan?
SHEDS
Tiny barns in backyards filled with tools, garden stuff, and goodness knows what else. As with all storage areas it is too easy to let the space become overrun if there isn’t a plan and an intention for the space.
Sure, if the zombie apocalypse comes and you need your shed to house your best-friend-turned-zombie and your video gaming system…okay, you have to have seen Shaun of the Dead to find that funny, sorry.
Just because you can close the doors on a shed does not mean the chaos doesn’t exist. If you’ve ever seen American Pickers you’ll have seen how far a shed can go. And, if you have a shed in which you cannot reach the back, it’s time to ask yourself some questions.
Do I have sentimental attachment to the items in here?
Do I even know what’s in here?
Are there any potentially dangerous and/or flammable items in here that should be removed?
Would I be okay with sending one of my kids in here to get something?
Would I be able to tell that same child exactly where to find the item in question?
Be in control of your stuff, not the other way around. Having space for storage doesn’t mean you have to fill every nook and cranny.
STORAGE LOCKERS
Off-site storage is a sneaky way to increase your storage capacity. I’ve heard every reason a storage locker was rented in the first place, and they’re usually totally valid.
If you need space to store your old dining set for your daughter who will use it in her first apartment, cool, she’ll need it. If your brother had to go overseas for work for a couple of years and needed a place to store his stuff and left you in charge of it, that’s cool, too. He’ll want his stuff when he gets home.
My own sister utilized a storage locker to store most of her belongings when she moved into her fiancé’s small home before they were able to purchase a larger home and fill it with everything from that locker. It was a great solution for their situation.
The problem comes with the twists and turns that space takes when you have a place to toss stuff that you don’t have to look at.
So, what about all of that stuff you inherited from grandma, not because you had a use for it, but because you felt sentimental about her? But you didn’t actually want the stuff? Why is it sitting in a locker not being used?
Leaving belongings in dark holes, unloved is not honoring them, you or the people those objects came from.
Have you lost track of what’s in that locker?
When you declutter your house do you take boxes of things to that storage space instead of donating, tossing or selling?
Is having that space keeping you stuck and costing you money?
It’s time to let it go and face the items hiding in the darkness.
NOTHING’S A PROBLEM IF IT DOESN’T CAUSE A PROBLEM
Storage space is great to have. I love the space we have over our garage. It’s where camping gear, luggage and Christmas decorations can go as our little house would be bursting at the seams if we tried to keep all of that in the living quarters.
As with anything, it’s how we use that space.
You know when your storage is becoming a problem. Until then it’s a space being used for its purpose. Do a yearly clean out of the space in question and you’ll never have to worry about it getting out of control.
I try to go through everything in our garage and that space over the garage to see if there’s anything that I felt was needed last year, yet don’t see the purpose of this year. Then I give it a good wipe down, and sweep so I can ignore it for another year.
These spaces can be filled with items that appear useful or have sentimental value making it hard to get momentum or even get started.
Not to worry, setting up coaching sessions with me will be your first step toward freedom from your clutter and the emotions connected to it all.
The Decluttering Series
For all of the decluttering goodness in this series make sure you go back and read Decluttering Your Kitchen With the Basics, Decluttering Your Bathroom, Decluttering Your Closet, Decluttering Shared Spaces, and Decluttering Special Categories.