I have too much stuff, and it’s driving me nuts. I live in a small space, of course–that’s college for you–but there’s nothing small about my collection of possessions. It’s huge and disorganized, and I feel like everywhere I look, there’s something sitting there and stressing me out!
Worse yet, I know that I won’t be here for all that long. I’m in this space for this coming school year, but I’ll be moving out again when classes end. I’ll be leaving the area for the summer (heading back to my hometown, perhaps) and then moving back into a different space when summer ends. So, that means that all this stuff I have must be moved! Ahh!
Experts, can you help? I need less stuff, or moving tips, or… something! Please!
Your problem is a very common one! In fact, a huge number of people in America and elsewhere believe they just have too much stuff.
As it turns out, the statistics back that up. The average American home is crammed with over 300,000 items, and we’re running out of room for all of it even though home sizes have increased. We’re buying more physical things than ever, experts say, and a quarter of the folks who have two-car garages can’t even fit their cars inside of them–because of all the stuff!
That’s a lot of stuff! However, here’s the good news: you have a great opportunity to organize and downsize when you move.
Trying to organize and downsize while also moving can be a lot to handle, of course, but it can also be an efficient way to tackle a few related tasks at once. After all, if a possession isn’t something you feel you need or ought to own, you shouldn’t pack it up and haul it to your next living space, or pay someone else to do it! So, as you’re packing and organizing, perhaps you should consider parting with some of your stuff.
How? You’ll need a system, experts say. There are several popular techniques to choose from, or you could even develop your own. The point is to have an efficient and standardized way to work your way through your possessions and make firm and quick decisions about what to keep and what to part with.
However, this doesn’t mean that you must get rid of all your things! There are plenty of things that you’ll want to keep, but that doesn’t mean you’ll have to cart them over to your hometown and then back to your off-campus apartment after the summer. Consider taking a look around the area for local storage businesses, which may be able to offer you cheap storage units for storing your things over the summer. Storing things in the area can make moving less of a hassle, and you’ll also save on gas by avoiding overloading vehicles or being forced to make multiple trips.
When you move back in, take another harsh look at your possessions and consider new organization options. If you put something in a given place while unpacking, there’s a good chance that it will stay there–so take the time to pick the right spots ahead of time. Check out organization tips for small spaces and try to keep your stuff neat–even a small number of possessions can look messy if they’re not well managed!
In the end, how you decide to balance decluttering with other moving and organizational strategies is up to you. Whether you choose to become a minimalist or a storage wizard is a matter of personal preference, but make sure that you take some steps to make your space more livable. Studies tell us that our personal living spaces impact us on all kinds of ways, including encouraging (or limiting) our productivity and improving (or ruining) our moods, sleep, and mental health. Don’t neglect your personal space, and don’t be afraid to take serious steps to correct your clutter problem! Good luck.
“I live in a home, not a storage unit. I live in a home, not a storage unit. I live in a home…” – Samantha Russell
