Renting a storage unit for decluttering

[Pistachiomix]

Goodness. I have so much stuff I’m thinking about renting a storage unit, 2 of the rooms are just full of stuff like seasonal decorations/ clothes/ old kids stuff/ spare chairs etc.

I don’t have a garage or loft and the older the kids get the more stuff piles up and it’s harder to get through the older stuff. I try and clear stuff for charity and to chuck away but the kids are always in the way, clambering over me or pulling stuff out and then muddling up the piles, or playing with said object that’s going away. I have lots of new, great clothes for vinted / eBay but no time to list and getting lost in piles.

Because of this, I am considering renting a storage unit to declutter as I can go throw the stuff peacefully and hopefully make actual progress. Has anyone else done this before? I really can’t tell what size I need. Does 50ft sound too big? I’m hoping I can clear in a month or 2 max. TIA

Hoarders love storage units.

😂

Don’t get a storage unit. You won’t keep track of the stuff there. Just get a skip and get strict with yourself about throwing stuff away.

My advice would be don't do it. I did exactly this 8 years ago. I'm still paying £168 per month, every month. To make it worse I still have one spare room with suitcases, Xmas decorations, my summer wardrobe of clothes, DH summer clothes and now more recently Xmas gifts I've bought for people. I wish I'd never got a lockup. My DH and youngest DS and I have been over a few times this year and we are between us gradually reducing the things in storage. I've taken a lot to charity shops, given that there things away and we have taken things to the tip. Sometimes it's best if I'm not there because a lot of the things, most of it really was stuff I had to take fromy Mums house after she died. I couldn't deal with it at the time and so keep ckedthe can down the road and had it all put in storage. I'm dealing with it slowly.

2 of the rooms are just full of stuff like seasonal decorations/ clothes/ old kids stuff/ spare chairs etc.

Just get rid of that stuff. In the time you spend moving it to a storage you have to pay for, you could get it out of your house for good. You know you won't be going to a storage unit to declutter if you can't do it in your own home. What were you planning to do with the kids while you're in a storage unit? Do that with them while you're getting rid of that stuff.

I rent a container for storage, and I absolutely love it! It’s very local though with easy access so if I need something I can easily nip up and get it. I keep bikes, camping gear, Christmas stuff up there. Also now full as I’ve just moved house and used it to help me drastically declutter ahead of the house viewings. It’s been a game changer for me and for my mental health not having all the clutter in front of me. Now the house sale has gone through I plan to gradually sort through and recycle/vinted/charity shop etc but not putting myself under any pressure to do so. I am in a lucky position that I can easily afford it though and I don’t treat myself to much so it feels like a little luxury just for me that does genuinely make my life happier.

If you can do it in a month or two after you've lugged it all to a storage unit, why can't you just do it at home in that time?

Or, what's more likely is that you can't do it in that time and you end up paying hundreds if not thousands to store junk. When will you even be able to go to the unit to sort things given that your post suggests that you are a single parent of young children? If you do have a partner, can you work through things together in the evenings? Or could the DC share a bedroom for a few weeks then you use one of their rooms as the 'storage unit' instead of off site?

The 'Decluttering at the speed of life' book by Dana K White is a really useful resource, she also has a podcast and website, or you can get AI to summarise her method, but one of her primary rules is 'don't get more storage, get rid of stuff'.

This isn't a space problem it's a hoarding problem. If you don't have time to sell things on Vinted, that isn't going to change if you get a storage unit. And likely the cost of storage will be more than you could make by selling.

Get a skip. Get someone to mind the kids for a day. Divide stuff into 1) chuck, and 2) donate. Take the donate pile to the charity shop.

I booked an Anglo doorstep collection last night for the first week of December. I’ve got till then to sort up to 20 boxes of stuff. I’ve already done one, sealed and ready to go. I’ll probably fill about ten, stacked in a corner of the bedroom and then the night before they go on the doorstep and boom vanished!

No, it'll make things worse. You'll just fill it up.

Try listening to A Slob Comes Clean podcast from the start, she gives very easy steps to easy declutteting. No mess, no piles, only progress.

I would spend that money on a skip and get rid of as much as you can. I spent far too long trying to rehome and sell stuff - storage is just a delay strategy. Get it gone!.

Storage units are often not very well lit or heated. I don't think you could spend hours there sorting through boxes. You have to stack things quite high as well to make it fit which would make it difficult. I kind of understand your thought process. Unfortunately it wouldn't feel like those TV programmes where they lay it all out neatly for you. Good luck :)

Skip, skip skip. That's the only real answer to shifting clutter and old 'stuff'. Yes its tough seeing everything go into landfill but promise to do better and buy fewer items and enjoy the clutter free space. Skip skip skip

Don’t do it.

You need to get rid of stuff as it’s impacting your quality of life. I would suggest a skip. And be ruthless. You don’t have time to list on vinted, eBay, sort for charity. You and your children need your home back now.

Renting a storage unit will cost money, the stuff will be far away from you and you’ll never get round to it. the money spent will be more than any money made from selling stuff.

Op if you are ever coming back another one saying don’t do it

my friend has had furniture for over 25 years in storage incase she or her daughters ever want big wood tables, cabinets and all things no one would ever want or need in their current homes

shes so stubborn she won’t admit it wasn’t the greatest decision so will prob continue to pay for it for the next 30 years or even make provision for it in her will

Don't do it! Just be brutal and donate it all to charity. Save back a few things to sell on Vinted if you must but decluttering means getting rid of stuff not squirelling it away elsewhere. The cost is just not worth it. Use that money to save for a holiday or something.