It may not always be in the way or on your priority list, but a cluttered storage room will always weigh on your mind. It’s one of those annoying tasks you know you have to do, but it feels big and heavy, and overwhelming.

How you could possibly sort through years of stuff and find a place for it all? There’s no room in your home for it, selling is a hassle, and donating feels like you’ve wasted your money.

But where to start? Moor Room’s storage space for rent has watched people from all walks of life accomplish their decluttering goals, and we’ve picked up a tip or two.

Have a Plan of Attack

Some decluttering jobs are simply too big to tackle at once. You probably filled this room over time, so there’s no reason to think you can suddenly unfill it in one go.

Schedule some time to declutter and be tough on yourself. Find a time where you’ll be free of other responsibilities, giving you no excuse to shelve your decluttering duties.

Decide on certain categories of items that you’d like to deal with first. This breaks down the problem into numerous smaller problems that you can focus on without feeling overwhelmed.

We suggest starting by throwing away simple things like rubbish or broken items that have zero material or sentimental value.

Then move on to whatever you feel is the next easiest category, whether that’s large furniture (giving you a larger sense of accomplishment), or strictly non-sentimental items.

Put Value on Getting Rid of Stuff

Your main goal here is to reduce the volume of things and make some Moor Room in your storage space. We highly recommend assessing the situation and getting rid of the easy things first before going out and buying organisational items that will only take up more space.

There is a big difference between organising and decluttering, and those 50-liter tubs are only encouraging you to fill them with more stuff.

Instead, try and find more joy in getting rid of things than you do in playing Tetris with your things.

Believe us, no amount of organised tubs will amount to the joy of a decluttered storage space.

Questions for When You’re Stuck

Once you’ve sifted through the easy-to-remove items, you’ll come down to one of the major reasons why you’ve put off this mammoth task – sentimentality.

The jump from asking “how could I possibly throw this out?” to “why didn’t I do this sooner?” is a big one. But it’s one we’ve all got to make at some point.

Try these questions to decide on whether you bin the more meaningful mess.

• When was the last time you thought about this item?

If it’s been more than a year, we say it’s got to go. Likewise, if the only reason you would ever think of it is because of a visit to the storage space, let go of the item and retain the memory.

• Do I have another item that stirs the same memory?

When it comes down to it, memories are what we’re scared to throw away. So if there’s another item that holds the memory, choose your favorite and you’ll be decluttering without feeling the loss.

• Would I buy/use this item ever again?

How sentimental could it be if its main purpose in your life is to collect dust? Yes, that’s another question but the point remains!

Still, Stuck? Contact Moor Room

With five locations across Victoria, Moor Room has seen the best and worst of storage space decluttering. We know it’s a tough task but it can be so rewarding.

Get in contact with us to learn more about renting a storage space or cleaning out your current one.