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Space saving storage … it’s gold dust!!!

Isn’t it?

You just can’t have enough great storage.

Can you?

And I am – even if I say it myself – the queen of space saving storage hacks.

Hidden hacks beneath beds and above wardrobes in bedrooms.

Plus clever built in closets for clothes.

Baskets under furniture in the living room.

Extra shelves snuck into corners of the kitchen.

And all done in – if not a totally, tiny house – a pretty small one.

Anywhere I can sneak a clever space saving storage solution. I do.

Or at least, I did …

BECAUSE truly they are NOT the solution.

Those super smart, space saving storage ideas.

They ARE actually the problem.

Seriously they are.

I do NOW have space in my home.

Lots of lovely space.

In bedrooms. In the kitchen. In the living room.

BUT that’s NOT due to clever storage ideas.

It IS because I opened my eyes to all the BIG clutter in my home I didn’t enjoy owning.

And truly had no reason to own.

And I let it go.

And you can too.

AND create oodles of space fast.

WITHOUT the overwhelm, hassle AND sheer mess that comes with most declutter methods.

(I’m so NOT a fan of Marie Kondo!!!)

Sounds good, huh?

So let’s get started …

1. The Real Space Saving Storage Solution

OK so our starting point is simple.

And it’s understanding that (mostly) …

1. We do NOT have a storage problem
2. We just HAVE too much stuff
3. And the REAL space saving storage solution is to declutter

BUT lots of the clutter – driving us screw ball crazy – is the tiny stuff, isn’t it?

Socks. Lingerie. T-shirts. Cups. Cutlery. Stationary. Lego. Paperwork.

You name it, we’re drowning in it.

And it does take time or patience to let it all go. And we desperately want more space NOW.

BUT most of us also have loads of BIG stuff we CAN declutter fast to create space.

Big stuff we take for granted.

Big stuff we’ve stopped noticing.

Big stuff that’s become part of the wallpaper.

EVEN THOUGH it’s gobbling up our precious space. And tripping us up everyday.

I’ve got a big list of common culprits below.

Have a gander.

And open your eyes to all those space monsters hiding in plain sight.

And THEN check out my clever declutter hack.

It will help you:

• Decide which space busting clutter to let go
• AND get it out of your home.

WITHOUT stress and mess. Hurrah!!!

2. Space Saving Storage Ideas

So here you go.

A list of BIG stuff you can declutter to create space, lots of space:

1. Lamps no one switches on
2. Chairs no one sits in
3. humongous stereo & even more humongous speakers never listened to
4. Duvets unused even when you’ve got guests
5. Luggage broken or so large you can’t carry it
6. Storage you’re storing!!
7. Shelves you not read a book from in a year
8. Bikes & scooters & trikes no one rides
9. A shelf of big out of date reference books
10. Side tables that just collect clutter
11. Floor cushions gathering dust
12. Scruffy old coats
13. Tents when you never go camping
14. Ditto sleeping bags
15. The coffee table taking over the living room for no useful reason
16. Desktop computers slower than your tablet
17. Sideboards full of stuff but never opened
18. Piles of outgrown kids shoes
19. Rain wear and rain boots that leak
20. Piles of blankets housing moths
21. Towels, towels, towels, towels, towels!!!!
22. Kids cots, beds, mattresses they can’t fit in
23. Sheets with tears, stains, dodgy patterns or still in their packaging
24. TV screen no one watches
25. Antique games console
26. Sports raquets for games you don’t play
27. Musical instruments you forgot how to play
28. Stools with wobbly legs
29. Grotty old pillows no one wants to sleep on
30. High chairs for kids now at college
31. Mirrors no one looks in
32. Pictures stacked up in the garage or loft
33. Complicated garden tools you don’t know how to use
34. Rugs you’re storing … for reasons unknown
35. Old curtains you’re storing … ditto
36. Rusty old BBQ
37. Table cloths never put on a table
38. Old ironing board that won’t stand up
39. Whopping great kitchen gadgets still in their box – coffee machines, juicers, mixers, slow cookers etc
40. Sewing machines when you don’t sew
41. Super fancy specialist cooking pans when you’re a meat and potatoes kind of girl
42. Exercise bikes you ride one week a year
43. A whole cupboard of games never played
44. Fold out tables you never unfold
45. Seriously uncomfortable office chairs
46. Vacuum cleaner long since kaput
47. Deckchairs that collapse on you
48. Multiple ladders exactly the same size
49. Enormous inflatables that won’t inflate
50. Hostess trolleys & warmers last used in 1997
51. Printers, scanners & copiers that only work with computers you no longer own
52. Fans that don’t cool & heaters that don’t heat

Seriously.

I’ve decluttered a van load of BIG stuff like this.

AND freed up so much space.

Fantastic!!!

BUT you ask “how do I get it out of the house without creating more mess?”

Well, that’s where my clever space saving storage declutter hack comes in.

And the answer IS stickers. You what?

Let me explain.

3. Space Saving Storage Declutter Hack

The temptation, when you’re decluttering, is to yank everything out.

In face some “experts” TELL you to do this.

Don’t.

It will just make an unholy mess.

(If these experts had ever actually had a declutter problem they would know this!!!)

Instead play big clutter bingo for two weeks.

Use my list of space saving storage ideas above to spot big stuff you can let go.

When you spot it, leave it where it is.

BUT sticker it with a sticker on which you’ve written either:

• DONATED
• Or SOLD

Then write it down on an A4 sheet divided into two columns: donated & sold.

It sounds simple, silly even BUT that sticker seals your declutter decision.

Without you moving anything.

OR making a mess.

Afters two weeks, we can shift the donations.

Either contact a charity who collect large clearance items with your donated list.

OR take a snap of each donated item and post in a local free stuff group on Facebook.

I’ve shifted so much stuff this way.

And didn’t even wait in for people to collect. I just left stuff in the front garden or porch.

AND created lots of space fast!!!

You can then turn to stuff you’ve mentally sold.

Again, go through your list, take snaps and post on eBay, Craigslist or Facebook.

And then you HAVE to be a little bit patient.

But set a time box e.g. a month. IF it’s not gone, replace the sold sticker with a donated one.

Again it seals the decision for you.

And your acceptance you won’t make money.

Then process final donations. And your done.

You’ve got THE absolutely, best ever, space saving storage solution:

• Lots of big stuff decluttered.
• AND lots of space saved.

Great idea, huh?

If you’d like more help creating space by decluttering do check out my other posts and sign up for my newsletter.