If you were to single out a resource that is an absolute must in the process of decluttering and organization, you would most certainly go with storage containers and boxes. You use jars and containers to store spices and condiments, drawer organizers to store accessories and stationery, and plastic bins for clothes and electronic items. To be precise, there’s no way you can create an ideal living space without bringing in a bunch of storage boxes and containers.
But as big a part as these boxes play in keeping your home organized, decluttering them is a task that can get daunting at times. While decluttering the contents of these plastic containers on a regular basis can have a significant impact on your home, it’s equally important to sort and go through the storage itself to decide which boxes to keep and what to do with the ones that aren’t needed anymore.
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If dealing with those plastic bins, containers and boxes is something that you have been struggling with, you’re at the right place. I’ve rounded up a list of some storage decluttering hacks that have worked for me and might work for you as well:
1. Vacate All The Boxes
The very first step that goes into decluttering the storage containers is to empty out and declutter the stuff that had been sitting inside these boxes. You obviously don’t have to empty out your entire pantry but just the boxes that you think are filled with random stuff. So bring out the bins and containers sitting under your bed, inside your garage, in the attic and the one hiding deep inside your closet.
There will be stuff that can be reused or recycled and things that will have to be sold or donated. If possible, you can also give some stuff away to your friends and family who may need it. Once you’re done decluttering the contents of the containers, you can move on to decluttering the actual containers which can be plastic tubs, Tupperware, glass containers, cloth/plastic bags and boxes.
2. Trash The Torn/Broken Storage
The next obvious step in decluttering the storage is to trash away the unusable bags and boxes. Any kind of storage that is torn, broken or lidless needs to be tossed straight into the garbage.
3. Eliminate The Excess Boxes, Bags And Containers
Now that you have a collection of containers that you need to declutter, start by getting rid of the ones whose size and type doesn’t suit your home. Any cloth/plastic bag whose quality or size makes it less useful for your home should be culled. If needed, you can choose to keep a couple of these boxes just in case you may need them in future.
You need to know that spaces are best organized when they are filled up with containers that are similar in size which makes it easier to stack them properly. So get rid of the ones that are too large or too small for your living space. If possible, think if these excess boxes can be used elsewhere in your house – kitchen or bathroom.
4. See If You Can Make Do With Fewer Boxes
Sometimes, we hang on to more storage than we need without even realizing it. With efficient utilization of storage, you can make do with fewer boxes and containers without having a ton of it. I remember buying a set of 4 plastic boxes that were all of different sizes thinking that they would come in handy to store all kinds of things in my closet. But over a few months, I realized that I didn’t need them all to store the little stuff I had. When I emptied out the contents of these containers for decluttering (that were mostly accessories, stationery supplies, clothes, books and a lot of random stuff), I became fully aware of the fact that a single big box was all I needed for storing things in my closet.
So if you have been thinking about decluttering the storage, see if you can cut down on the random stuff in your house and use fewer boxes to store the stuff that remains.
5. Reuse The Food Delivery Containers
Living in 2022 also means that you are piling up on a lot of food delivery containers and plastic cutlery on a daily basis. While our family tends to use these plastic containers to store leftover food in the fridge, the rest of these containers get reused when we are sending out sweets and eatables to someone outside the family – friends, relatives or neighbours.
If you are unable to make these containers useful, you can opt to give them away to someone who might need them. Many people in my locality give these boxes away to the maintenance staff who use them to pack their lunch. These containers being hazardous to the environment should never be trashed, and there’s always an option to donate or sell them.
6. What To Do With The Decluttered Boxes?
Now that you’ve decided on what all boxes you will be getting rid of, it’s time to deal with the ones that can be sold or donated. Kitchen containers and bags that are in good shape can be either dropped off at a donation centre or can be sold away at a garage sale.
Lidless, stained and broken containers need to be given away for recycling as soon as possible else they will end up creating another pile of clutter in your house.
Although decluttering the junk inside storage boxes won’t take more than 15 minutes, sorting and going through the storage can be exhausting. So make sure you use these strategies to get rid of any excess storage that you have been holding on to.
If there are other storage decluttering hacks that you think I might have been missed on, drop a comment below or write me at hello@theaestheticabode.com.
Happy decluttering!