Our clutter is becoming a storage units best friend.

Don’t look to storage units as a solution to your clutter problem.

Here are the cold, hard facts regarding storage units (as reported by the Self Storage Association):

• Currently there are 52,000 self storage units and demand doubled from 1994 2004
• The industry has 2.3 billion square feet of rentable space (which by the way is 3 times the size of Manhattan when looking at total square footage).
• 1 out of 10 households rent a storage unit.

If you rent a storage unit, it should be to fill an immediate need for a specific amount of time.  Maybe you are renovating a house and need to store items temporarily, or you are at a life transition such as a move, divorce etc. and  need a place to put some of your belongings until you have a permanent living arrangement.  What storage units should not be is a dumping ground for your excess clutter that no longer fits in your house.  If you buy a new couch, part with the old one, don’t spend money storing it for some day….because maybe your child will want it.  Or, maybe  you spent too much on it to feel comfortable donating it.  Consider the expense of storing it!

Storage units should be a TEMPORARY fix to a short-term problem, not a permanent solution to what will become a long term problem (i.e. expense).  Don’t fall into the trap.