Advice
Welcome to our advice section. Every week I answer new questions submitted
by readers on Organizing, Image, Fashion and Event Planning.
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Storage In Small Spaces
05-13-2005
May
is National Moving Month and also, ironically, National Mental Health
Month. Use this fabulous month to de-stress and de-clutter even it
you aren’t moving!
Dear Kathi,
I currently reside in a 2Br/2Ba Apt with my husband. Our second bedroom
is a MESS. It’s a computer room, ironing room, guest room and
storage room. I really need some organization in there. With such
limited space, I just don’t have the ideas that a professional
would. I am to the point now of frustration and I need to clean up.
I do have a garage to store items also, but I am nervous about what
to store there due to mold, etc…
Lisa, San Diego
Lisa,
Think about the many activities that take place in your spare room
and decide which activities take priority. Can some activities be
delegated to other areas within your home? Gather a few plastic bins,
empty boxes and trash bags.
After determining which activities will take place in your second
bedroom, take inventory of the contents in this room. Are there items
there that don’t belong with these activities? For instance,
if this is a computer/ironing/guest room, can the hundreds of DVDs
and video games find a new home in the living room by your television?
Can you store your winter clothes under the bed in your master bedroom?
You will be best served by moving your storage items to the garage.
Before you begin moving these boxes, empty them and decide if you
still have a good reason to keep every item. Many times, we decide
to keep things and years later, if we think about it, we will decide
that we don’t need them anymore. If we don’t think about
it, items have the tendency to remain in storage for the duration
of our lives never to see the light of day again.
If you have boxes of books, which many of us do, consider whether
you could find them later at a library or online if you decided to
actually read them again. Donate extra books to your local library.
Books are better read than stored. The library will resale them to
raise money for future book purchases.
Once you decide which storage items must go back into storage, move
these out of your spare room and into containers. Plastic tubs with
tight fitting lids function well in garage areas.
If you are concerned about mildew, buy “Damp-Rid” packets
to absorb the excess moisture. Remember to empty the water collection
units regularly. Store your bins off the floor on wood or concrete
blocks if your garage is prone to flooding.
After moving things to the garage, box or bag your trash and donations
and take them to the dumpster or your car for transport to your favorite
charity.
Use the closet in your multi-purpose room to supplement the planned
activities. Find new homes for the items that don’t suit the
intended purpose of your guestroom. Make certain that the items in
your spare bedroom are compatible with your planned activities. Create
separate zones for each task within the room, whether it is ironing
or working on the computer.
Once these steps are completed, you will have a functional space and
feel less overwhelmed. With any luck, your guests will also have an
empty spot in the closet to hang their clothes. Good luck!
Please
submit your questions to:
advice@addspacetoyourlife.com
.
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