One of the most challenging things for the average American household is to learn how to reduce household clutter. When it comes to a typical Spring Cleaning, we do okay with the cleaning part – taking down storm windows and replacing them with screens, bringing out all of the gardening tools and putting away the snow blowers. However, it is the actual removal of things that we no longer need from our homes that can be tough.
Knowing what to keep and what to throw away can be difficult. On one hand you want to keep older things that you haven’t used in awhile because you don’t know when you might need to use them; on the other hand, logic dictates that if you haven’t worn an outfit in two years or haven’t used a tool in three, chances are you won’t be using it again. This is why spring and fall cleaning is important. It gives us a chance twice a year to decide what goes and what stays so we won’t become overwhelmed with stuff.
How Self-Storage Units Can Help
One way to prevent being overwhelmed by your belongings is to take advantage of affordable garage storage and local Fall River storage units to store your seasonal things. Think about all the things you use in the fall and winter versus all of the things you use in the spring and summer. Unless you have a huge storage space at home that will protect your things from water, weather and pest infestation year-round, self-storage units are the way to go. Keeping your holiday decorations in your attic can seem like a great idea. That is, until the year that your roof springs a leak or squirrels decide to nest in your insulation.
When you store your things at Affordable Storage Fall River storage units, you can rest assured that your things are in a secure, gated facility that you can access 24 hours a day, 7 days a week whenever you need to get something. Self-storage units are a great way to protect your belongings from pests, water damage, dust and other common issues that plague homeowners who store things in attics, basements, sheds and crawl spaces. You can reduce household clutter to make more room for the things you use year-round and switch out your seasonal items when you do your spring and fall cleaning.
Tips for a Good Spring Cleaning
It is always best to start your Spring Cleaning efforts with a plan. You don’t want to go over things more than once – unless it needs it – so start by giving your home a good cleaning. Write down what you have done so you can easily see what still needs to be done. If you are a “list person,” consider making a checklist of your entire home that you can print off on your computer that you can use again in the fall and the next year and the next. Wipe down and wash all of the walls, clean the windows, wipe down the counters, clean the furniture, wash the floors, clean all of the light fixtures and ceiling fans – make sure you don’t miss a thing.
Some other areas you will need to address include:
- safety – change the batteries in smoke detectors and check the expiration date on extinguishers
- appliances – pull out all of your appliances to clean the floor underneath and wash down the sides; clean the oven and scrub down the inside of your fridge
- paper – if you have stacks of bills, old magazines, newspapers and other paper items cluttering up your home, now is the time to remove it – make a pile of things to shred and a pile of things to recycle
- bedding – spring and fall cleaning is a great time to give mattresses a thorough cleaning and change the winter sheets and bedding to more appropriate spring and summer options
- clothing – before storing seasonal clothing items, make sure to wash them or get them dry cleaned before putting them into self-storage units; toss the things that you didn’t wear all season and things that you know you won’t wear in the future
Taking Spring Cleaning to the Next Level
If you want to do a little more to help reduce household clutter and keep your place organized and looking great, here are some other tips that you can incorporate in your regular Spring Cleaning routine. Consider freshening up paint and shampooing carpets when you do your annual cleaning. Use Fall River storage units to safeguard your furniture and other items during this process. You can rent a Penske Truck from Affordable Storage for the day or just a couple of hours to get everything moved around while you make your improvements.
Give your home a tune-up by also checking for things that need to be repaired or replaced, such as faucets, tiles, door handles and more to help keep your home functioning and looking its very best. Check the outside of your home for damage from the winter months, cleaning the exterior with a power sprayer and hosing down the garage and driveway to remove rock salt, sand and debris that accumulated from the snow and ice.
Take your lawn furniture and gardening equipment out of your affordable garage storage unit and clean it to prepare it for good weather. Replace these items in storage with your snow shovels, sleds, snowboards, skis and snow blowers so you’ll have more room at home. Use your newly recovered gardening equipment to get a head start on trimming bushes and trees, laying down some fresh mulch, aerating the lawn and planting some spring flowers.
Reduce Household Clutter with Affordable Storage
Bring your seasonal items to the self-storage units at Affordable Storage Fall River storage units to help reduce household clutter and make your Spring Cleaning efforts a lot easier. Our affordable garage storage can even provide you with space to safely store your RV, boat, ATV and other recreational vehicles year-round. Give us a call and find out more about how you can use self-storage units to your advantage.