If you’re planning to remodel your home, it is a good idea to consider storage and decluttering costs along with the main expenses because these are necessary to make the most out of the effort.
Before you even lift the phone to call your contractor, you should already have a plan on how and where you will put your belongings while they do their work. Remember that contractors need the space emptied before they can begin your remodeling project.
To fully understand why you need to declutter and store your belongings before a remodel, you should know the different benefits of these two services in making the task so much easier.
Decluttering Benefits
Decluttering has more advantages than most people are aware of. Aside from being an essential part of relocation and remodeling, it also:
Makes organizing so much easier
The decluttering process involves the segregation of items that you no longer need, which then makes organizing a lot less daunting. After the things that you have no use for are removed from the picture, you can proceed with planning and categorizing those for storage and those that you will display in your newly remodeled space.
Aids in identifying what items you want to keep
Alternatively, the decluttering process also helps you get a good grasp of which items you wish to keep. At this point, you should be able to decide whether you will keep old items that may have the same use as other things. For example, you should choose whether to stick with your old record player or move on with your portable two-by-three-inch digital music player.
Encourages proper trash removal
Years-worth of unnecessary items can leave a mountain of rubbish that you need to get rid of. When you declutter, you get the chance to go through these items and remove them from your home at the same time. The trick is to stay focused and avoid getting swayed into keeping things that are beyond repair or which only add to your “life clutter”.
Helps make you eco-friendlier
Let’s face it, the items people buy on a whim at a grocery store or while shopping in a mall often end up being dumped on a landfill somewhere. Fortunately, decluttering can help reduce your carbon footprint and bring you closer to Mother Nature. Decluttering gives you the perfect opportunity to separate items for recycling, reusing, or donating the items that you think have no place in your newly remodeled home.
Perks of Storage Facilities
When remodeling your home or a room in your house, you may also need temporary storage to keep your belongings in. Having storage on hand will help to keep your possessions protected from dirt and damage, and will give your contractor sufficient space to work efficiently as well. Keeping those items—especially the ones that you want to keep but don’t use regularly—in a professionally managed facility also has its perks.
Storage facilities can help protect your valuables
Some items, like family heirlooms and antique furniture, may hold a certain value for a homeowner. Since remodeling may require a certain amount of clear space, keeping these cherished items in a storage facility is probably the best option. These establishments typically provide round-the-clock security and surveillance as well as onsite expert management to facilitate and keep track of whenever the storage is accessed.
Storage provides an opportunity for you to keep items you don’t often use
During the decluttering process, there is a good chance that you will find some items that you don’t regularly use but still wish to keep. A storage facility gives you the chance to secure these items while keeping them out of sight to avoid cluttering your newly organized and remodeled house.
This is totally understandable for some things have seasonal use such as holiday decorations, like your Christmas tree, Santa Claus and nutcracker figurines, and the like, or ceramic kitchenware that are too breakable to use every day but serve as lovely embellishments to your dinner table during special family affairs.
Ready to wrap up?
Remodeling can improve your home’s interior aesthetic, curb appeal, and can even boost its real estate value. To ensure that you succeed in this endeavor, you should understand that the task entails more than just reshuffling furniture. What’s more, accommodating your remodeling contractor to realize your vision may also provide you opportunities to reorganize and declutter.
AUTHOR
Craig Jones is the Managing Director at Aussiemove, Australia’s largest independent moving alliance. Craig is a respected member of the removalist network in Australia, having served in senior positions, including the President of the removal industries governing body, the Australian Furniture Removals Association (AFRA). With 23 years of experience at Aussiemove, he has the skills and a highly trained team to move families safely and reliably, in Adelaide, across Australia and around the world.