Happy & Healthy New Year 2022, now it's time for those resolutions.

Bear with me here for the start of 2022!  After what is approaching 2 years living with Covid, many of us have been working from home or at the very least had much more time at home with family. As we often hear, overwhelmed with clutter and those extra items that a life at home has added.

When the New Year’s resolutions have been made following those last festive season celebrations, don’t leave that crammed spare room or garage off your list! January is notoriously the month when we clean up our eating, sort out our cupboards, and turn over that new calendar to January 2022! It’s the moment many of us think of every time we say, “If I could just get through the holidays!”

January, as always, is perfect for new beginnings. You can aim to be anything you want to be in 2022. It’s a new year! Many of us set a rigorous schedule and commit to spending more time with family. The Christmas decorations in all their glory get cleaned up, and each year you might say to yourself, “I’m going to put the decorations away in a nice, orderly fashion this time. This is the new me!”

As your storage items and gifts at home return to a jam-packed state due to housing your holiday decorations, you flop on the sofa, glance over at where the tree once stood, and say, “Well….at least that area is better. What a clean, fresh start!” At that moment right there, stop and think.

What if your entire home could have less stuff in it? What if one of your New Year’s resolutions were to minimize the clutter? Sure, mail will keep coming through the door everyday, and needs to be sorted , but what if your partner’s forgotten purchases were not in the corner of your bedroom piling up with stuff on top? Would you have less clutter?  Or the chest of drawers unused, you took two days to sand that 100-year-old relic two summers ago… but now, it’s become a flat surface where everything from hair products to to-do lists have piled up. You find yourself never using it for its intended purpose. Well, you’d hate to get rid of it! Your late Aunt would never forgive you.

Have you considered self storage? 

What if you rented a small, secure unit and considered putting a lot of things you cherish in there? You could simply drive up to A Need A Space storage unit, and carefully place those items in the far, back right corner of your storage unit (covered with moving blanket or wrapped in shrink wrap for additional protection). No harm, no problem. Think about what else could go in there. In an effort to conquer your New Year’s resolution to simplify, you could take the older toys out of the playroom, and have plenty of space for the new ones. No need to donate them right now. Hey, someday you’ll have grandkids who will want to play with those old toys. They may even be valuable collectors items one day. New year, new mindset. Your kids are getting older… maybe it’s time to put some of those keepsakes in a safe place?  After all, it is the dead of winter. Spring and summer always prove to be chaotic, so getting things clean and organized now is a good idea. It’s January, what a perfect time to stay warm, busy, and burn a few calories by sorting through your stuff.

Knowing where to start, and getting motivated can sometimes be tricky, but, as it turns out, there is a lot of advice out there about becoming and staying organized. As an aside, research is even finding that living in a tidy, decluttered comfortable space could have positive benefits for your health. And January is all about your health!

What the Research Says

Research has been done that shows a correlation between the habits of people who live in a clean environment versus those who live in the chaos of clutter. The results don’t look good for those whose lives seem to be a constant mess. According to Susan Krauss Whitbourne, Ph.D, the “clutter effect” creates both physical and mental issues, especially when it comes to your overall energy level.

Guess what’s also common when you feel anxious due to disorganized spaces? Snacking. People actually tend to eat more when surrounded by a mess.

Sometimes, looking at a large mess is the issue, because it can be hard to know where to start. Over time, the “mental clutter” that builds up as a result of physical clutter is possibly linked to age-related memory loss. Oh my! We need to get on top of this. A new year is the perfect time to start!

Simple Steps to Conquering Your Resolution

There are several ways to begin (don’t be overwhelmed, deep breath in, and out), let’s start by making three piles.

Pile #1: Consider every item carefully. Has it served its purpose for you? Who else could find use for it? Donating your items to charity is a great idea. Place an item in this pile if this is your intent.

Pile #2. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, or so they say. Make some extra money and get some of your clean space back at the same time by selling some of your larger items on your local Facebook Marketplace or eBay. If it could bring in some cash, place it in pile #2.

Pile #3. Consider Need A Space Self Storage. Maybe you can’t fit into your favourite old jeans, yet. No need to worry! Place those along with several other “soon to fit” items in pile #3. Place other older clothes you haven’t made a decision on, the kids’ keepsakes, and space-taking stuffed animals (along with that chest of drawers) and carefully place them in “Keepers” Pile #3.

Need A Space Self Storage Can Help

You can do this, Need A Space is here with our family run friendly team offering years of experience to assist with your storage requirements. There are many reasons to remove junk food from your life, and clutter from your home, but you don’t have to give everything away, or have a sale to enjoy a greater sense of order. With easy access just off the A2,  Need A Space Self Storage has the largest choice for self storage units in East Kent with the most competitive rates around.

What are you waiting for? Kick off January right! Store the stuff, and start enjoying the benefits of a tidy living space! Breathe easier, feel calmer, and say goodbye to the stress-inducing mess. Load up your stuff, and take a trip to Need A Space. We’ll keep your things safe with the latest high tech security, for as long as you need! Free move in vans are on offer too.