Store, save or skip?

A couple of years ago, we gutted out our lounge and made some big changes. We hired a skip for the rubble and to get rid of old bits and bobs, and worked so hard that bank holiday weekend to makeover our family room. We even redecorated the hallway the same week, too!

Something about this time of year always has us busy around the house. Last year, we hired another skip and decided to clear out the loft. Ever since we moved in, over 11 years ago, we have put things up in the loft every so often. And because Ste is the only one who can fit up there, I had little idea of just how much stuff we had been hoarding.

And boy, was it a lot!

Spring is of course a great time to do some spring cleaning and to really look through your things to assess what you need and what you want, what you really don't need anymore but someone else might and those things that have no use at all.

It's a game I like to call store, save or skip!

Having a really thorough clear out can feel like a challenge at the time and takes effort but it is oh so worth it. You can be sure to keep a handle on what you have and organise things, so even if your house isn't big enough to have everything out, and you need a loft, garage or self storage space, you actually know what you have.

Christmas decs can take up lots of room.

When you have a baby, you don't like to throw things away and you might need them again one day.

And with our weather being predictable, you can have different seasonal clothes on rotation.

Cupboard challenge

I think we're all guilty of buying fresh food week in and week out whilst still hoarding spices that have long since gone out of date. I've done a bit of stock-check of our cupboards this past week, to see what we already have and work out what few things we need to turn these into meals, rather than shopping almost from scratch every week.

It would be a great challenge I think to try and use everything up before doing another shop - might force you to get creative with your cooking at the very least!

Clear the clutter

I have no idea where half the clutter in our house comes from (I swear untidy pixies sneak in during the night to dump random stuff here and there to fill all our cupboards and drawers) and it's one reason why I don't think I could ever face moving house!

A good tip is to take each room in turn and have a good look and a good rummage to see what you really need and what really needs to go. When you have a few days to do this over, it's not so bad.

We have a few Ikea units in the lounge and in Ethan's room, with its handy storage boxes that can hide all sorts away; and this spring, each one has been checked and used as needed. There's our dresser and bureau in the dining room, which both seem capable of storing twice as much as you'd expect; both have recently been cleared on top and inside, so there's less clutter, a logical place for everything and even space left over now.

Bills and paperwork are all in one place (with important documents like passports and insurance policies nice and safe). We only have as many glasses as we need, rather than enough to host a party for everyone we know. Tatty old cushions have given up the ghost. And every drawer and cupboard has a clear purpose now. Phew.

Whilst we still have a lot of stuff in the loft, we are being much more choosy about whether something stays or goes.

It is worth considering whether a storage unit is worth using, if you have quite a few things, items of furniture or items that you just don't need right now but don't have space at home for. My mum, who lives down south, used a local company to her like Shurguard self storage when she moved house, using the calculator to work out what; she didn't know what would fit in her new place plus she had quite a few things from the sale of my Grandad's house, and it gave her time to work out what she wanted to do with everything, rather than making rash decisions.

We have friends too that really rate self storage to keep those non-essential but still important items safe and sound.

With Ethan now the grand age of 5, there's quite a few clothes, toys and other baby paraphernalia to sort through over the past few years and we've kept the bigger or more expensive items (such as his pram / travel system and cot) into the loft, but wouldn't rule out self storage in the future.