Are you a pack rat? Well, fear clutter no more with the help of Safeguard Self Storage! We all tend to collect and hold onto possessions past their time of usefulness, but with this helpful guide, you can ditch your squirreling ways – or find a more convenient home for your treasures. May 17th is Pack Rat Day, and we’re gearing up to help Baton Rouge residents kick clutter – and their pack rat habit – to the curb.
The Difference Between Hoarding and Pack Rats
We all have a little collector in us, but for those who struggle to let go of items more than most, these tendencies can become more than the norm. Hoarding is a big issue that is more than just being disorganized. While extreme cases have been featured on some hit TV shows, many people may not know the difference between hoarding and being a pack rat. Check out the following signs to see if your habit is turning into hoarding (and nip it in the bud before it becomes a big issue).
- You keep collecting items, without having use for the item or a place to display it.
- Your collection has taken over – and become piles of clutter that disrupt the livability of your home.
- Any room in your home that cannot be used due to clutter, or chairs and pathways are piled with stuff and can’t be used.
- You had strong attachments to belongings at an early age.
- It’s very difficult for you to part with unwanted items.
- You have so much stuff, but you hide it from other people.
- If you’re ashamed to invite people to your home.
Decluttering Tips for Pack Rats
- Take it slow. Don’t try to tackle your whole home at once. Getting rid of a ton of clutter and items in one sitting can be daunting – and possibly cause an emotional reaction from purging so many items. Set aside time every day during the week or on the weekends and tackle one room at a time.
- Give yourself a time limit. Don’t toil over an item for longer than necessary, and make a definitive decision for every piece. No setting it aside to come back to at a later date. Give yourself a time limit for each item, and decide to keep or toss.
- Scale down collections. This doesn’t always mean collectibles. As a pack rat, you may be likely to hold onto old school work, report cards or particular projects you were especially proud of. Keep one or two of these items, and throw out the rest. If an actual collection is taking over your home, find a new home for it with mini storage units in Baton Rouge. Safeguard storage facilities in Baton Rouge have climate controlled options to keep collectibles in pristine condition.
- Throw out unused items. Any items that you aren’t using or that are broken? Toss them out! This doesn’t always mean throwing it out. You could donate items or sell them in a garage sale.
- Box it up. If you’re really struggling over an item, box it up for 6 months. If you find yourself opening the box – or going to retrieve from your nearby storage unit – you know that you need to bring it back home. If you find that you can store an item in mini storage without noticing its absence, it’s time to toss it.
How Safeguard Self Storage Helps
Self Storage facilities in Baton Rouge provide a convenient home for all your extra clutter, and can help you make your home more livable. While mini storage can be a great home for all the items you can’t bear to throw out, it’s important to remember to maintain you’re new clutter-free home. Don’t empty your house just to fill it back up again! When you purchase an item, make sure that you really need it. And to keep valuable collections safe, choose Safeguard Self Storage.