Even though minimalism is the lifestyle trend now, it is not for everyone. Some of us can’t live with five items of clothing and zero home decorations save for a singular house plant. And you don’t have to — if having a house filled with things brings you joy, then these things shall stay. Let no fleeting internet trend dictate how you should live your life. However, too much stuff can also be stressful and even hazardous to health, so here are some storage tips for the maximalist home.

A place for everything and everything in its place

If you are also a person with many hobbies, one way to keep the mess in control is to have a designated place for each interest. For example, all watercolour materials should be in the same group of drawers while oil paints go in another. This reduces mess as you will know where each thing should be and retrieve them without hassle. It will make things easier to find and clean up when you need to. You can also make your objects part of your home decoration. Use boxes or displays that fit with your house “theme” or if you collect flat objects like coins or postcards, frame them up for your accent wall.

Rotate Your Items

If you have multiples of each item, rotation ensures that they will all be used at some point. This ensures that the excess objects do not take up too much visible storage space. You can do this with objects such as crockery, clothes, and even make-up. The things not in use can be put away in storage, and you can rent a storage locker from us to store these things. These lockers are inexpensive to rent and can fit a surprising amount of things (it measures 1.2m all around). This size is perfect to put winter clothes, seasonal decoration, bits, and bobs.

Find a storage system for yourself and stick to it

A method of storage that is both effective and easy to follow is also essential in creating order in chaos. You can try a variety of items like boxes, cabinets, boards, mixing both transparent and opaque containers. Make sure it is a system that you yourself will follow and remember. You could write down the contents of each drawer or opaque box, or have a note in your phone of where a certain group of items are kept. Some trial and error may be needed, and some items might be more effective than others!

Have a clear-out once in awhile

While us maximalists find it hard to part with things, one of the keys to having a put-together, maximalist home is to make it seem like every item was meant to be there. That means getting rid of some of the really old, falling apart things or extraneous items like the packaging. You do not have to do it all at once — sit down after work and clear a space for an hour, and gradually your whole house will be done. Breaking up your cleaning into chunks also ensures that you will have more mental energy to assess what kind of storage you would need to buy and how to best arrange your items.

Now that we have to be at home more, ensuring that our space is both conducive and relaxing to work in is vital in improving one’s mood.