Here are 3 Things Taking Up Precious Space in Your Storage Unit

No matter how carefully you measure, plan, and pack your storage unit, it is inevitable (especially if you’ve had your unit for an extended period) that you will begin to feel as if you are running (or have run) out of real estate in your storage unit.

You’ll receive no judgment from us—we’ve seen it happen time and again to even the most organised of renters. It is just so easy to keep piling stuff in instead of pressing pause and asking yourself if you might be storing items you no longer need or want.

To help you clear some space in your storage unit, we’ve gathered a list of 3 things that may be taking up substantial real estate within your unit. If you can let them go, you just might be surprised how much room you’ll have available to store items that actually matter.

1. Old Clothing

There’s a reason clothes take our number one spot—it seems to be the most common item that people hold onto…for a variety of reasons.

We all have a few outfits from our youth that we want to keep in the hopes we may fit into them again someday. If you have a box (or two) of such items, take a long, hard look at them. Odds are, they are no longer in condition to be worn again or, even if they are, the styling has become outdated and you likely won’t want to wear them should you find yourself able to fit in them.

Another type of clothing that’s often kept is vintage items from beloved family members. Perhaps it’s your grandfather’s wedding suit or great Aunt Helen’s overcoat with the mink collar. We often hang onto these items with no intention of ever wearing them because getting rid of them feels like a betrayal…as if we are getting rid of the person to whom the items belonged.

If you have a large collection of older or vintage clothing, consider removing them from storage and putting them up for sale in a consignment shop. Selling online through platforms like eBay and Etsy is another option. And anything that doesn’t sell can be donated to local charitable organisations.

2. Outdated Electronics

Sure, your kids might enjoy looking at your vintage 1980’s Sony Walkman or old-school VCR…but it’s unlikely they’ll ever have the desire (or access to cassette or VHS tapes) to actually use them.

If you’re hanging on to old, out-of-date electronic equipment, think like Elsa and let it go. If you have a bunch of old cassette and VHS tapes, consider converting them to DVD’s or CD’s, or to an electronic format that can be stored in the cloud.

Vintage electronics may fetch you a pretty penny so, before you throw anything away, conduct a quick online search to see if anything you’re moving out has value. There are plenty of collectors online who might pay a pretty penny for a functioning Walkman.

If you have any broken, non-functional electronics, call your local recycling center to see if they will accept them. Some charge a small fee to recycle large items like computer monitors or televisions, but it’s a small price to pay to keep them out of our landfills.

3. Children’s Toys

This is another common item taking up precious space in many storage units. It seems that at every stage of childhood our kids have a beloved toy…or two…or twenty…that mark that season of life, and we as parents have the hardest time letting those “treasures” go. So, we pack them up in multiple boxes and stick them in our storage units until our kids grow up and have kids of their own, at which point we present them with the boxes only to have them say, “Ummmm…no, thank you.”

We’re not suggesting you get rid of everything…but this is an area where healthy editing can help clear up space. Go through the boxes and keep a toy or two from each season of childhood—toys that are particularly nostalgic or representative of the era—then let the rest go. You can try selling toys in good condition online or at your local resale shop and donate what doesn’t sell to local charitable organisations.

You won’t believe the amount of space you’ll save if you go through your unit and get rid of what no longer serves you. In fact, it’s not uncommon for renters to clear out so much space that they’re able to downsize their storage unit, saving tons of money in the long run.

So, the next time you’re at your unit, take the time to look for items that can go…and get them gone. Your peace of mind…and possibly your wallet…will thank you for it.