(Metro) When organizing a home or apartment, homeowners and renters are often confronted with a stark reality: they have more stuff than space. Storage issues tend to snowball as individuals acquire new items without discarding old ones. Few people may consider a home addition or upgrading to a larger home to address their storage situations, as those can be costly solutions to problems that often can be solved with a less significant investment.

Storage facilities can accommodate individuals in various situations, making this an ideal option for anyone looking to organize their homes without getting rid of their possessions.

Organizing a home

Perhaps the most common reason to rent a self-storage unit is to create space in a home and make it feel less cluttered. Clutter isn’t just a nuisance, it’s also a potential mental health hazard. A 2016 study from researchers at the University of New Mexico found that clutter was negatively related to a psychological sense of well-being. Ridding a home of clutter may create greater feelings of happiness. Individuals who want to see if this approach works for them can rent a self-storage unit, where they can keep items that might have sentimental value but little practical value.

Selling a home

Real estate professionals note that staging is an important part of selling a home. In fact, a 2019 report from the National Association of Realtors indicated 47 percent of buyers feel a well-staged living room had a significant effect on how they viewed a home. Staging typically involves removing excess furniture and knickknacks to make rooms appear more spacious and free-flowing. Sellers can temporarily rent a self-storage unit where they can keep extra furnishings and other items so the rooms throughout their house are less cluttered and more appealing to prospective buyers.

Renovating a home

Every homeowner who has lived through a renovation project is likely aware of how claustrophobic a home can feel once the project commences. Cramped quarters and little room to move around can turn the weeks spent renovating a home into an exercise is stress management. Prior to a renovation, homeowners can rent a self-storage unit so furnishings in the room or rooms that will be renovated are not crammed into bedrooms, hallways and other living spaces. Most storage facilities offer temporary unit rentals that can make it much easier to navigate home renovations.

These are just some of the situations when renting a self-storage unit can make life easier and a little less cramped. Homeowners and renters are urged to consider self-storage solutions if and when things start to feel a little claustrophobic or crowded at home.