When that urge hits you again to make your home more neat and orderly, you will have to figure out what to store away somewhere and what to keep out where you can see and use it. Naturally you don't want to stash something in the basement, only to find in a few weeks that not only do you not have it at your fingertips but you don't know exactly where to find it downstairs.
If your home is like that many people, there are probably numerous things you can tuck out of sight for now to free up more living space. Here are a few ideas:
1. Unused furniture. Extra end tables, a broken chair that you plan to repair, the scarred desk that seldom gets used, the baby crib, and even the doghouse can be stored neatly in a corner of the basement or attic. Make a list of the items that are located in the same general area and that way, when you need one of them, you can check the list to find out if that is where you put it.
2. Discarded clothing. Force yourself to take as much of this item as possible to the thrift store, since clothes that end up in storage don't often see the light of day again. There is no good reason to save boxes of old clothes except for items with sentimental value like baby clothes. Faded jeans, torn tee-shirts, and outgrown pajamas serve little purpose unless you plan to make a quilt from these remnants. But if you must save some items, store them in a zipped plastic bag and attach a list of contents to the box where they are kept.
3. Children's toys. Sometimes when kids fuss over their playthings it helps to take a half or a third of them to a storage area and then switch with the remaining items after three or four months. The kids will enjoy rotating their toys in this way and keeping the items in boxes will prevent their accumulating underfoot. Place stuffed toys or dolls in plastic bags for protection. Marbles and trading cards can be kept in containers with lids.
4. Holiday decorations. Since holidays come just once a year, you can safely put away the lights, window decals, and other decorations for 11-1/2 months of the year. Simply list the items on the side of the cartons they reside in for quick reference when the next season rolls around. Do the same for anniversary or birthday decorations or seasonal items.
5. Family records and documents. Keep the more current ones from the previous year or two in an accessible location in case your income tax return is audited. Earlier ones can be filed in cartons, with the year numbers indicated on the side in black marker. Valuable records like birth certificates or marriage licenses should be stored where you can promptly reach them.
6. Entertainment and miscellaneous items. Videos, books, and family games that are no longer played can be arranged on basement or attic shelves for long-term storage in an out-of-the-way place. You might want to make a list of titles so that you'll remember which ones you have and where they are located.
Sorting out storage items can be tricky, but you'll appreciate the freedom of a clutter-free home after relegating the non-essential items to an extended storage area.
