![\"storage](\"https:\/\/www.organizedinteriors.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/storage-container-sales.jpg\")
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Some things in January are as predictable as clockwork.<\/p>\n
New Year\u2019s resolutions. Regret over how much we consumed during the holiday season. Packing up the holiday decorations. And storage container sales at seemingly every store around.<\/p>\n
Being inundated with reminders that we need to buy more plastic storage containers, bins, tubs, totes, or whatever you call them (and at a deep discount!) is admittedly smart marketing by retailers.<\/p>\n
Many of us are feeling that urge to get our homes organized to start the new year off on a positive and productive note. And picking up some more storage containers probably seems like a practical way to help us do that.<\/p>\n
But are storage containers really helping you get organized or are they actually (and ironically) adding to your household clutter?<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s why you should think twice before buying from any more storage container sales.<\/p>\n
Merriam Webster defines clutter<\/a> as \u201cto fill or cover with scattered or disordered things that impede movement or reduce effectiveness\u201d and \u201ca crowded or confused mass or collection\u201d.<\/p>\n Merely moving loose, scattered things on your floors or in your closets into storage bins doesn\u2019t subtract from that confused mass or collection, however.<\/p>\n An average-sized storage container holds approximately 50-60 L. Its length is about 16″ wide and 24″ deep. That means the container alone takes up about 2.7 square feet of space.<\/p>\n Even if that container is filled to capacity with other clutter, the overall footprint of the amount of \u201cstuff\u201d in your home logically increases<\/em> with each new storage container that\u2019s added.<\/p>\n Storage containers really just give you the illusion of being organized. You think<\/em> you\u2019re managing your clutter by providing a mini storage space for it.<\/p>\n In some cases, there\u2019s a certain level of practicality and organization involved when using them. A couple of examples would be when containers are used for storing out-of-season clothing or a bunch of toys that your kids regularly play with.<\/p>\n But more often than not, they\u2019re used to quickly stash unsightly clutter in order to make a home more presentable for visitors or to store odds and ends we just can\u2019t find the time to properly go through and declutter.<\/p>\n Even Marie Kondo had to learn that storing more things than she really needed in an organized manner didn\u2019t lead to fulfilment with her living space. As the organizing guru wrote in her 2012 bestseller The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, <\/em>\u201cWhy does my room still feel cluttered when I\u2019ve worked so hard to organize and store things away?\u201d<\/p>\n While researching this blog post, I came across a thread on Reddit<\/a> (the world\u2019s biggest online forum platform). Someone was asking whether or not it might be a good idea to start a business renting out plastic storage containers to people who were moving.<\/p>\n One of the responses perfectly summed up why storage containers don\u2019t solve clutter issues: \u201cI like the plastic boxes especially for long term storage. About half my belongings are boxed up and they have been for years.\u201d<\/p>\n While this is just one person\u2019s viewpoint, it undoubtedly reflects how many of us are fooled into thinking that storage bins help keep our homes organized. We would ask the person quoted above \u201cWhy do half the things you own have so little use to you that they can be stored away in containers for years on end?\u201d<\/p>\n Using storage containers doesn\u2019t encourage you to declutter.<\/strong> Instead, they facilitate an out of sight, out of mind mentality for a lot of things you\u2019d be better off just getting rid of.<\/p>\n We\u2019re pretty sure every home has at least one of these \u2013 the plastic storage container or cardboard box filled with ancient wires, cables, remotes, and computer peripherals you\u2019ll never use again.<\/p><\/div>\n It\u2019s not a stretch to say that in most circumstances, storage containers are essentially a clutter enabler.<\/p>\n As an example, take that tote or cardboard box filled with miscellaneous cables, wires, remote controls, and old computer peripherals that virtually every home has (and a lot of homes probably have more than one of them).<\/p>\n There\u2019s probably several rolls of previously used phone line and coaxial cable alone sitting there that you\u2019ll never use again. The same goes for that VCR remote, pre-2K wired mouse, and USB 1.0 and 2.0 hardware and cables that would be torturously slow to use today.<\/p>\n More common items we needlessly keep in storage containers include:<\/p>\n Why do we hold onto most of this stuff? We suspect that the fact they\u2019re all hidden away and have a \u201chome\u201d in a storage container (even if that isn\u2019t a true home) isn\u2019t helping matters.<\/p>\n Eventually, you\u2019ll need to deal with the root cause of your clutter and start purging the excess items you never use and probably never will. Any thorough decluttering project involves some tough decisions with those items you\u2019re on the fence about keeping, but that\u2019s part of the process.<\/p>\n Clutter is known to be a contributor to higher stress levels, so eliminating as much of it as possible from your home will only benefit you. That includes another quality of life improvement like freeing up space in the home to do something more productive with a room.<\/p>\n This could include adding a new furniture piece or some plants to a room, or simply leaving a decluttered area empty to create a more open space.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t get us wrong \u2013 we\u2019re not saying that storage containers have no place in the home whatsoever.<\/p>\n Compared to using cardboard boxes for storage, plastic totes are more stable when stacked, don\u2019t require tape and have lids, provide an airtight seal for their contents, and are much more durable.<\/p>\n Fabric storage baskets or handwoven baskets are pricier, but provide a homier, more stylish look of your storage containers compared to the dull, utilitarian look of standard plastic containers.<\/p>\n Storage containers are ideal for the long-term storage of things you absolutely can\u2019t part with, such as physical photos, treasured family mementoes, and important documents.<\/p>\n They\u2019re also practical for storing things that aren\u2019t used every day, week, or even month, but are used at least yearly \u2013 holiday decorations are a good example.<\/p>\n Seasonal clothing is also commonly kept in storage containers, which makes a lot of sense. Keep in mind that the long-term storage of clothing and linens (for years at a time) in sealed plastic containers isn\u2019t recommended, as the fabrics need to breathe a little.<\/p>\n While storage containers can be useful, it\u2019s important not to over-rely on them for too many of your storage needs.<\/p>\n Because it\u2019s so easy to just toss something into a spare tote and plan to give it a proper home later, you want to avoid having too many storage bins that have essentially become junk drawers<\/strong> filled with odds and ends that won\u2019t be easy to find when (or if) they\u2019re ever needed.<\/p>\n Although plastic storage containers are useful, don\u2019t over-rely on them for your home storage needs.<\/p><\/div>\n Another reason to reconsider buying more plastic storage products for your home is the environmental impact they have.<\/p>\n On top of the carbon footprint from the container\u2019s manufacturing process, unrecycled plastic takes an eternity to break down naturally (it can take hundreds of years or more).<\/p>\n It\u2019s estimated only 10-20% of the world\u2019s plastic gets recycled<\/a>. Plastic storage containers can be tricky to recycle because they\u2019re usually too big to fit in a recycling bin. Some municipalities accept large plastic products for recycling at a depot (not unlike where you would drop off old electronics), but that\u2019s not a guarantee wherever you live.<\/p>\n And unfortunately, that extra little bit of effort required to dispose of bigger plastic products only increases the likelihood they\u2019ll just get put out with the regular garbage for pickup.<\/p>\n Another recycling problem is that older plastic products may be made from materials that make them impossible to recycle.<\/p>\n If you do need to buy plastic storage containers, be sure to buy products made from recycled plastic.<\/p>\n After successfully eliminating some of your home\u2019s clutter, you may have a bunch of now-empty storage containers left over.<\/p>\n Sure, it makes sense to hold onto a few empty containers that will come in handy down the road, but don\u2019t keep more than you need.<\/p>\n Because empty storage containers conveniently nest inside one another, it can be tempting to keep a few stacks of them around because they don\u2019t seem to be taking up much space when stored that way. Once again, only retain what you think you\u2019ll actually use.<\/p>\n Remember, those stacks are still taking up space, will need to be vacuumed around (or moved when you vacuum), and are going to collect dust that you\u2019ll have to eventually clean.<\/p>\n Try recycling them as recommended or try to donate them to a local charity.<\/p>\n One undeniable benefit of plastic storage bins is their sturdiness, which makes them ideal for using when you move.<\/p>\n Before stocking up during one of the storage container sales you come across for a future move, check to see if the moving company you\u2019re using or a local business has storage containers for rent.<\/p>\n Cardboard boxes remain the most cost-effective and practical way to move your belongings. They\u2019re easy to recycle, cheap (free in some cases if your local grocery store makes them available to their customers), and can be flattened to take up less space when not in use.<\/p>\n Corrugated plastic boxes are a little less common and still contain plastic, but they\u2019re more rugged than cardboard and are a slightly more eco-friendly option than plastic containers.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve always wondered \u2013 do food storage containers multiply in our pantries? Because it seems like we have way\u00a0<\/i>more of these things than we actually need or will ever use.<\/span><\/p>\n The main reasons food storage containers accumulate to the point where we have too many is because:<\/p>\n Like larger storage containers, containers for storing your food are obviously perfect <\/span>for sending leftovers home with a dinner guest, taking leftovers to school or work, or just storing your own leftovers in. <\/span><\/p>\n We\u2019re just saying that you don\u2019t need a hundred of them stored in your pantry.<\/span><\/p>\n Even with something as unremarkable as food storage containers, a by-product of having too much of anything is the guarantee that it will be <\/span>more difficult to make a decision on choosing a container when the time comes. It\u2019s something that goes by a few different names including overchoice, choice overload, choice paralysis<\/a>, analysis paralysis, and the paradox of choice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Before buying from any more food storage container sales, take stock of how many containers you currently have. Decluttering your pantry will free up valuable storage space and save you from wasting time looking for that one particular container and lid hiding amongst everything else.<\/p>\n Can\u2019t mind a matching lid or the container for a lid? Has a container started to disintegrate from one too many trips to the microwave? Away they go.<\/span><\/p>\n Getting rid of storage containers that have started to break down is recommended because chemicals from the plastic can leech into your reheated food. Even if a container and lid is still in good shape, but just really old (we\u2019re talking 70s Tupperware old), it may not be as safe to use as you might think<\/a>. Ceramic and Pyrex food storage containers are always a safer storage option for food than plastic.<\/p>\n Avoid the disappointment of admitting defeat with your New Year\u2019s resolution when you realize those purchases from January storage container sales haven\u2019t translated into a more orderly home in February.<\/p>\n Talk to Organized Interiors for real solutions to your home organization problems instead of relying on stopgap measures that aren\u2019t effective in getting your home tidied up.<\/p>\n We can suggest more practical and efficient ways to maximize your home\u2019s storage and organization capabilities.<\/p>\n For example, our built-in bedroom cabinetry<\/a> has under-bed drawer storage, which is an upgrade over using flat rolling plastic storage containers that get covered in dust bunnies.<\/p>\n Are you currently using cheap plastic storage towers with drawers in a closet or the corner of a room? If so, you\u2019ll be amazed at how how much nicer our custom cabinetry storage towers are, both in terms of looks and functionality.<\/p>\n It takes less than a minute to schedule a complimentary virtual or in-home design consultation<\/a> with us.<\/p>\n Please share this post if you found it useful.<\/em><\/p>\n Some things in January are as predictable as clockwork. New Year\u2019s resolutions. Regret over how much we consumed during the holiday season. Packing up the holiday decorations. And storage container sales at seemingly every store around. Being inundated with reminders that we need to buy more plastic storage containers, bins, tubs, totes, or whatever you […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18,19],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nStorage containers don\u2019t encourage you to declutter<\/h3>\n
![\"plastic](\"https:\/\/www.organizedinteriors.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/plastic-storage-container-with-wires-and-cables.jpg\")
You\u2019ll eventually need to deal with the root cause of your clutter<\/h3>\n
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Storage containers have their uses. Just don\u2019t over-rely on them.<\/h3>\n
![\"Storage](\"https:\/\/www.organizedinteriors.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Storage-containers-in-garage-overhead-rack.jpg\")
Consider the environmental impact of buying more plastic<\/h3>\n
What about your unused storage containers?<\/h3>\n
Try renting storage bins when you move<\/h3>\n
Get rid of some of those old food storage containers, too<\/span><\/h3>\n
![\"food](\"https:\/\/www.organizedinteriors.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/food-storage-containers.jpg\")
Those storage container sales going on during January might also find you contemplating picking up some new plastic food storage containers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n
Skip the storage container sales. Use real<\/em> organization solutions.<\/h3>\n
See also:<\/h4>\n
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