Before You Buy More Storage
Having the right amount of storage solutions in your home is important, it allows you to find the space that you need to put the items you own, away; they will have a home and a place where they belong. However, there is little point to continuing to buy more storage as you buy more products for your home; there’s a limit to the items you can fit into your home. Thinking about other options for storage is a great idea, and it can save you money too.
Options For Not Buying More Storage
You might think it is odd for an organizer being against spending money for storage items, but I think there is a limit to the amount of items you need, the more you buy, the more storage you think you need and the more money you spend.
There are alternatives, don’t buy more storage until you consider the financial implication the storage items are going to have on your budget, have you planned this spending into your monthly workings? If you can’t afford the storage options then it might be time to consider the possibility that you don’t need so many items.
Organizing and going through items, you already own, working out which things you want to keep and the items that you could either donate or sell, will free up some space, allowing you no need to spend extra money on storage options.
Often, it is easy to think that you need more storage when in fact, you need less stuff, and for this reason it is important to go through the things which you own and find ways in which you can free up space, you might even make some money in the process too.
Re-use Or Repurpose
It might seem cheap to reuse an item, or repurpose it for another job, but it is saving you money and it prevents items being thrown away and filling up landfill sites when they are still able to offer a purpose. It might not fit the original requirements, but using something, which will work for what you want and you already own the item, is going to save you money.
It is possible that you can buy an item second-hand if you feel that you do need some extra storage, you will find this option is cheaper, but you might have to wait to find the perfect item that will meet your needs and fit your budget.
Money And Storage
The most important aspect before you consider buying new items for storage, is that you can actually afford the item and that there is no way that you can either de-clutter the items you own to create more space or to find something that fits the purpose without the expense of buying something new.
I really dislike spending money on storage; if you just have too many items that are cluttering up your home and making it more difficult for you to bring home new things, the easiest option is to de-clutter. Go through your current storage options and see if there aren’t pieces there that you can sell or donate, making room for the new items.
Therefore, it is important to not rush out and buy more storage, but to see what you have already and see if you can’t get rid of some items or re-purpose another item, to become the storage option that you need. It should never be about buying for the sake of buying; you must have a need for the item and not just a desire because it is popular.
I need help! I am a collector of possible storage boxes. They are pretty and I always think they will be nice for presents, then still don’t use them because they are too nice or will cost too much in the post. These are usually acquired because my family have bought me lovely presents, beautifully presented. I have Hat style boxes which contained hand/body lotions, beautifully soft leather clutch bag which contained lotions, a pretty box which looks as though it is covered in jewels(but really colored glass, acquired from my late mother which I am loathe to part with and so the list goes on. Any ideas what I can use them for??
If you have no room for them and you don’t truly love them then part with them and give them to someone who will love them, if you want to remember them then take a picture first. Thanks for taking the time to visit. 🙂
These are some great tips.
Thank you for your kind words 🙂
Great tips! I’ve been reading Design Mom’s new book about living with kids. Yesterday, I was feeling the pull of buying more organizing items until I realized I just need to switch a few things around.
It is so tempting to buy more when we just really need to look at what we have! Thanks for visiting 🙂
Great points…. hard to do, but necessary.
I’m the one that keeps containers and boxes that things come in for storing stuff. iPhone boxes are great for junk drawers;0) It is certainly better to get rid of stuff than to store stuff you’ll never use in pretty containers. Sometimes it’s hard to imagine you will never use something that you once used often. That’s where I get stuck.
I have this issue with toys. I keep buying more and more storage containers to keep them “organized” instead of just throwing some away. Need to get on this for sure as it’s getting out of hand. Thanks for sharing.
It is so easy with toys to think the more storage you have the better when in truth sometimes it is just less toys! Thanks for taking the time to visit 🙂
It is not easy and I know it I too want to keep things and in reality it is just not practical and sometimes not possible too! Thanks for taking the time to comment 🙂
Totally necessary and very hard to do! Thanks for taking the time to visit 🙂
Oh these are such wise words. I often think I need a storage solution when all I really need is to take a bag or two to the charity shop! For your first commenter, with all the cute boxes that gifts came in, I love your idea of taking photos of precious things then letting them go. I would suggest she just keeps one though, the most special and then uses it in a way so she will see and enjoy it every day, perhaps for jewellery or something. The rest take to a charity shop or goodwill and let someone else think a brilliant use!
Great tips! I used to be such an impulse buyer with storage, but I learned very quickly that simply repurposing some items (or just looking around at what we have around the house), is much better. It saves both time and money! Glad I found you through Totally Terrific Tuesday!
I am glad you found me 🙂 I dislike spending money when I don’t need to re-purposing is great! Hope to see you back soon 🙂
Thank you for your kind words 🙂 It is so much easier to donate a few things rather than spending money 🙂
It’s true that usually when things are cluttered it’s because we have too much crap, not a lack of storage. It’s a good idea to really think about not only whether you want the item, but WHERE you should be storing it. So often I keep something in the laundry room or under the kitchen sink, or wherever, just because that’s where I’ve always kept it, when there’s a much smarter place for me to keep it (namely, in the place where I use it next to all the other things I use it with!) When I haven’t followed that advice sometimes the storage solutions I end up buying just end up being more useless clutter (I’m aware of the irony here.)
LOL! I know what you mean about storing items in the wrong place! I also have fallen into the trap of pretty storage only to find that it was a waste of money which is why I don’t purchase more storage items! Thanks for taking the time to visit 🙂
Thank you for linking at Snickerdoodle. Always have such great suggestions!
Thank you for your kind words 🙂 Much appreciated 🙂
I used to be awful about buying “storage” bins and boxes just because I thought everything in my house needed to have pretty, matching containers to keep the “stuff” in. Right down to my fridge. My husband hated it, saying that it made it harder to find things, and seemed more cluttered rather than organized. Funny how that works right? Thank you for sharing with us at Merry Monday! Hope to see you again tomorrow!
I know it seems weird that more storage can actually make the situation worse! I will be back! 🙂
I am a definitely a purger – so this is SO true and good! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Thanks for your kind words 🙂 Have a great week 🙂