Last year, Netflix dove headlong into the ideas of “tidying up” and identifying things that “spark joy” with the streaming sensation Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. This short series, based on Kondo’s book, focused on decluttering your home and only keeping things that make you happy. Now, there’s a (relatively) new series with many of the same principles: Get Organized with The Home Edit.
As storage and organization enthusiasts, we pretty much binged the whole thing in one sitting. After we watched Get Organized hosts Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin declutter homes and make spaces efficient, we found ourselves with one major question:
“How can you apply this kind of philosophy to your storage unit?”
Luckily, the show’s tactics are pretty simple, and they can apply both to the interior of your home and your storage unit.
Add shelving to storage to free up space.
One of the major ways Clea and Joanna help their clients declutter their spaces is to add shelving—and lots of it Shelves free up floor space, which allows you to maximize the verticality of your storage unit and create more room for walking around. In addition, shelving units have the benefit of getting your boxed items off of the floor. This can help keep them from being damaged by moisture or other conditions. Even in a heated and cooled, temperature-regulated storage unit, it’s still a good idea to store items off the floor.
Designate “zones” inside your storage unit.
We know what you’re thinking: it might be hard to dedicate zones inside a smaller storage unit, and it may not even make sense if you’re only storing items from one room. However, you can still make “zones,” even if it’s just a corner of the unit for a specific type of item. Try to organize your stored stuff by one or more of the following categories:
- Room (where it usually lives)
- Type (electronics, documents, furniture, clothes)
- Length-of-stay (temporary or permanent storage)
No matter how big or small your storage needs are, get creative with your designations. Just be sure everything is labeled clearly so you can find the boxes you need quickly when the time comes to move something out.
Choose the right type of boxes for storage.
The one thing we’ll say about all the Home Edit merch? You probably won’t need the fanciest totes, tubs, and boxes to store your stuff. Storage should—first and foremost—be about utility more than looks. Buy the right kinds of boxes: think smaller boxes for books and square boxes for vinyl records.
Where should you get boxes? In addition to asking friends and family, you can always pick them up at one of our storage locations. We sell plenty of sizes, from small boxes to big ones. We even have tape and other packing supplies available. Not sure what you’ll need? We have a checklist for that.
Trust Morningstar Storage for Storage Tips and Advice
You don’t need to binge-watch a Netflix series to learn how to organize your storage unit. Whether you’re packing for a move, trying to stage your home, or want to know more about why storage units are great for businesses, we can help.
To get started, check out our storage insights page for more tips and tricks on home organization, moving, and more. If you’re seeking affordable, convenient storage and excellent customer service, visit your nearest Morningstar Storage location today.
