How to create a minimalist space

Sometimes, you make a cup of coffee, sit down on the sofa, look around, and everything just looks cluttered. You didn’t notice it before, but the room feels small, the old rack of CDs looks out of place and the old books you never read are gathering dust on the shelf.

It’s time to declutter!

If you want to inject your home with a shot of zen, decluttering is how you do it, and self-storage facilities are the perfect accompaniment, especially if you’re low on space but want to keep hold of your belongings for the future or as collectibles.

Why declutter your home?

Before we talk about how best to declutter, let’s touch on the many reasons why decluttering makes a lot of sense.

Decluttering adds value to your home

If you’re selling your home, it’s an absolute must to declutter. As well as making the move quicker and easier due to fewer items, when you host viewings your home won’t look cluttered and disorganised.

The latter point is very important, as it could directly have an impact on the price you’re able to get for your home. According to HomeOwners Alliance, decluttering can add thousands of pounds in value, because in doing so and creating a blank canvas, you’ll allow buyers to weigh up how much space there is and ultimately envisage living there.

If you don’t, the house will look untidy, the amount of free space in the room will look smaller than reality, and potential buyers won’t be able to transplant their lifestyle and tastes onto your property as they view. It’s a free home improvement that’s really worth doing.

Decluttering makes space

Running out of room in your home? If your kids are getting older or there’s a new member of the family, then you might be considering moving, but before you commit, try doing a good declutter – chances are you’ll discover a lot of space that you didn’t know existed!

If you’re looking to decorate your home, decluttering is a must-do as it’ll give you more space to play around when you’re painting, wallpapering or getting more substantial work done.

What’s more, decluttering is an absolute must if you want to craft a more minimalist look in your home. Minimalism is all about creating order and making a space look harmonious – a previous Space Station survey found that a large proportion of Brits find that the style makes them sleep better and be more productive.

Declutter your thoughts

Neuroscientists have long proved that organised environments are better for the mind than cluttered ones. According to neuroscientists from Princeton University, clutter competes for the brain’s attention when performing tasks, reducing our ability to complete said tasks and making us stressed-out in the process.

Researchers from the University of California also found that there’s a link between stress hormones and clutter, which then had effects on the mood and
self-esteem of families they studied.

How to declutter your home

Now we know the benefits, here’s how you can enjoy them. Clearing out your clutter is easy, it just takes a little commitment to get the job done. Where you start is up to you, but the bedroom and living room are good areas to begin with, given how people generally spend most of their time between the two.

Don’t just think that it’s the obvious indoor areas of your home that need decluttering though. Our lofts, garages and sheds are all hotbeds of clutter, especially for stuff that can be thrown away because it’s broken and old.

Sort your belongings

The easiest way to sift through your belongings is to put them into five piles:

  1. Items you use every day
  2. Items used every week or so
  3. Belongings used once a year or so – ski equipment, garden furniture and so forth
  4. Items you want and need to keep, but hardly ever use, such as important souvenirs and mementos
  5. Stuff you don’t want or need – old toys, out-of-date tech and furniture that only takes up space.
  6. Keep the first and second piles at home, box up the third and fourth so they’re ready to store, and throw, donate or sell the fifth pile – voila, your
    home is safely decluttered!

Store your belongings

For piles one and two, make sure to invest in good home storage – chests, boxes and cupboards are better receptacles of your belongings than floors or countertops.

For piles three and four, self-storage is the obvious answer. For a small cost each month, you can unlock the potential of your home and enjoy a healthier, happier lifestyle.

Simply head down to your local Space Station location, get hold of boxes, packing peanuts and the supplies you need to safely and robustly store your items, then pack them away. It’s a great idea if you want to preserve expensive items like glassware – click here to learn how to store fragile items like glassware and stemware.

Bear in mind though, that lots of items, such as photographs and wooden furniture, will only look their best in a humidity-controlled area, which is exactly what you’ll get from a storage locker at Space Station. The same goes for security – storage facilities have less risk of being hit by thieves or damaged by fire compared to lofts, garages and basements.

Whether you choose to store your items for a short period while you move, or on a longer-term basis, self-storing is a great way to get rid of the needless clutter in your home. To find out where your nearest Space Station storage lot is, click here.

Sources

https://www.bustle.com/articles/136499-6-benefits-of-decluttering-your-life-according-to-science

https://www.houselogic.com/organize-maintain/cleaning-decluttering/clutter-depression/