A few things to keep in mind in each of these three spaces: ÆThe Basement • Climate and moisture issues; items that are not good for basements: books, papers, photos, artwork or important documents. A dehumidifier is a must for moisture issues. • Store items off the floor if possible • Keep the space in front of electrical boxes, the furnace and water heater free • Flammable items should never be stored in the same room as a gas water heater.
ÆThe Spare Room • How often do you have guests? Do you really need a bed or can you have a portable air mattress? • What are you comfortable storing in here if you have guests often? • If this will be a hobby room, how much space and what furniture do you need to make it completely functional? ÆThe Garage • Do you want 1-2 cars in the space? If this routinely gets hard to maintain, tape off the area you need so you don’t infringe the area(s). • Who is using things in the garage? Can something be hung and be accessible? Vertical use of the space can really help such as hanging hoses and bikes. • Are children and/or pets in the space? If so, safety with chemicals and tools must be considered. Consider lockable cabinets. • Label any bin that is not see-through or hard to distinguish the contents. So, you have all those items you let go of, what do you do with them? It is a must to get the items out as soon as possible. If not, they become clutter again. Placing on the front lawn with a FREE sign works well for many people if in warmer months. Freecycle can also be used or the free tab on Craigslist. Or even just putting the word out to friends of what you have. Make use of the internet too for ingenious ways to find new homes for linens, magazines, books and more! ³ saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
Simply Saratoga | SPRING 2014 | 49