Anyone else with storage problems?

[DontGiveAwayTheHomeworld]

Trying to declutter, doing pretty well but struggling to find space to store the things I'm keeping! We live in a ground floor flat, so no loft, which makes it harder.

Main problem is clothes that DS has outgrown. DH wants to keep them for the next baby. Makes sense, but I don't really have anywhere to put them!

Other problem is the two bookcases of books/dvds, but that's being solved today as a friend is giving us some DVD shelves he doesn't need anymore. Just need to clear DSs toys out of the living room so we can put them in!

Who's next?

What about the vacuum bags to store the clothes in? You can pick them up at the pound shop.

Stacking boxes with lids can look quite neat and tidy. We used to use B&Q ones for toys. If you get the large ones you can get a lot in them, stack them 3 or 4 high (or 2 high if toddler can reach).

Toys aren't really an issue, I just need to get off my bum and put them away, but it's a good idea. Storing it away for later!

Vacuum bags, never thought of that. Where would you put them though?

I have cleared out lots of mismatched old scratched glasses and mugs. I now have a smart tidy cupboard with matching mugs and new glasses. It has been strangely therapeutic.

I meant you could use the boxes for the clothes.

Friend with a first floor has organised huge amount of extra storage space by getting joiner to build a "shelf" out from the landing, over the stairs to the end wall - lots of room for tallest person to use stairs, and suitcases look quite tidy stacked there.

Under the bed, top of a cupboard, under the stairs?

Where do you store your empty suitcases?

Vacuum packed under bed? Or can you put a shelf up above a door somewhere? On top of wardrobes

Oh and DVDs we don't have any more- all Netflix/ love film
Books we don't have any more. Only a few work/ resources ones and children's. the rest on kindle
So only need x2 expedit cubes ( one for ours, one children's. each fits x2 rows)

Suitcases are stashed at ILs, as we don't have space! Top of my wardrobe could work, just need to clear the clutter!

Also Buy a DVD storage case. Take all the DVDs out the boxes and throw them away. Cut the books right down or donate them and get a kindle.

Books and dvds are non-negotiable for me, I love having physical copies of them. Friend is dropping the dvd shelves over later, so that's solved at least.

Storage boxes for clothes might work better, thinking about it. No need to find space for them later, just pull out the right size box!

Put the baby clothes in the suitcases I would also have a good sort through them and only keep what is in excellent condition etc. TBH you could have opposite sex, opposite season or completely different build and you may not reuse as much as you think...

For years we have had this. Last year we took 20 boxes of my daughters' stuff i.e. 40 boxes as there are 2 older daughters who have left home into the loft. I paid to have a loft ladder and a light and boarding and we carried it all up there. I hope when they buy a large house eventually I will get it all sent to them. Even so their wardrobes are full in their old rooms and book shelves and chests of drawers.

I feel I constantly clear and things gather more and more. It's endless.
A month ago I cleared old toys from the teenagers' storage area. We gave about 20 boxes to charity and kept 3 sacks of very good soft toys for future grandchidlren. Then I tackled the 4 bookcases where were double stacked so you could hardly see what was on them and stacked on their tops to the ceiling. I got rid of 40 boxes of books to charity too. So I think we are not so bad now. Before Christmas I got rid of a few of my clothes I don't wear too. i don't know why when I clear so much that things always mount up. I also work from home so there are endless papers and files and boxes of archives etc. It is much easier now the children are teenagers to tackle than when I had babies however.

I probably should get rid of a drawer of many many 1980s children's videos - we still keep the VHS player but no one has watched most of them for years.

Then there are archived records in storage cupboards upstairs - tax for 20 years, accounts, old invoices files, things you feel by law you probably do have to store.
I took a suitcase of books (work books) to each course I gave in the Autumn to give away to those attending who might want them. i still have a pile here opposite my desk to get rid of. I don't like clutter at all.

Can you vacuum pack the clothes inside a large plastic box (squish bag into box then remove air). You'll
Get 3 x quantity into the box. Then store these in your IL's loft?

Vacuum bags are great - as long as you're storying stuff you'll actually use in the future, not stuff you just can't bear to part with right now (this is experience talking) We have the ones you attach the hoover to a port on the back and suck all the air out.

I used them for clothes that didn't fit, but would in the future (that was fine), but we also used them for some stuff (like old towels, old curtains) where we went back and thought WTAF were we thinking keeping these, if we need to change the ones we're using we'll get new ones.

We're TTC, so it's worth keeping the baby stuff :-)

Keep the baby stuff ! I spent yesterday storing away ours. I love these

www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/8759009.htm for everyday wear clothes, bags etc.

Vacuum bags are great as mentioned.

Expedit shelving stores loads, we got some recently. Also declutter some more if you can.

Another thing I love are wicker chests, argos again. I have the leather ottoman. The extra large one stores a lot more than you think and is a seat too.

I am ruthless about letting go of things I don't want or use anymore and yet it still builds up! There is currently a large pile of toys that DD has grown out of sitting in the hall. I need to find someone to donate them to. Clothes and old textiles are easy to recycle but toys are a lot harder.