Mar
14

Fight the need to hoard with a storage unit

Real hoarding is the compulsive need or rather a condition that goes hand in hand with disorders like depression, OCD, and ADHD. Mind that there are five levels of clutter hoarding and, according to The National Study Group on Compulsive Disorganization, the first level is so mild that it can even mask the fact that the disorder exists. However, not all hoarders have hoarding disorder. If one truly has the issue, fighting it proposes treating the maladies it accompanies. But the only thing the majority of the so-called hoarders are infected with is mass consumerism. Emotional stability, which comes with keeping things that brought us (short) satisfaction and thrill, is the reason people have difficulties letting go. A rational decision should impose itself in front of each one of them. To fight the need to hoard. And find emotional stability in immaterial.

Out of sight, out of mind.

If the proverb is true, letting go is easier if you distance yourself from the object of your (irrational) desire. Hence, to fight the need to hoard, you should find a way to draw yourself away. Once the bond between the owner and the belonging weakens, it is much easier to sever it. To achieve this, you should use existing, proven tools as you're neither the first nor the last person battling piles of excess belongings. The tool in question is called self-storage. Self-storage is gaining popularity for a reason. Aside from our burning topic, self-storage saves money and time, protects your items, and allows business growth. Perhaps, to fight the need to hoard, people need sufficient additional motivation.

Advantages of self-storage

The benefits that come with storage rental mainly focus on

1. Improved Safety. Those who stepped barefoot on a Lego brick at some point in life can vividly imagine the implications of walking through a minefield that cluttered floor embodies. Protection goes both ways, though. Self-storage protects your belongings, as well. Adequate packing material and technique, ample padding, and quality moving boxes are the best solution in this regard.

2. Ease of access. We use the vast majority of items we possess only periodically. Those belongings are usually gardening tools and seasonal items or apparel. The whole point of storage is to keep seasonal belongings away until the moment we need them. Self-storage that is accessible 24/7 makes that requirement possible.

3. Guaranteed security. Keeping close what matters to you makes perfect sense. However, modern-day storage experts are aware that no one in their right mind would entrust their belongings to a third party without a contract, insurance, surveillance, and gated access. So, they work hard to ensure clients' peace of mind at the same time providing a service they are good at.

4. Cost-effectiveness. While it may seem at first glance that renting storage is just another needless expense, that is only making room for more new stuff, business owners would disagree. True, certain kind of growth is involved in the process. However, businesses rely on storage solutions for it reduces their expenses. Office space is too costly and inadequate for storage purposes. Utilizing affordable self-storage leads to higher profits by saving.

5. Time management. With all due respect for people functioning efficiently in their organized mess, nothing beats the simple beauty and elegance of clean and structured storage space. If you attach an inventory map at the entrance, it will make finding what you need when you need it even a little thrilling.

How to fight the need to hoard?

The first step in fighting an issue is to admit there is an issue. However, most may not be aware of it until something serious happens. An injury, an illness or a confrontation caused by compulsive gathering are the most common situations. There is no need to fight the problem alone. Asking for help is often rewarded with solutions you alone couldn't identify. Don't hesitate to join a support group for hoarders or keep the company of a friend who can teach you how to overcome your need to hoard.

If we searched for the cause of the hoarding problem, we would find emotional dependency at its heart. A powerful motivator, feelings are difficult to ignore. So, instead of fighting them, the solution lies in making them work in your best interest. The easiest way to achieve this is to distance yourself from the excess, unnecessary items by storing them away. Then, contact the local charity and hand over the items. There are very few things that make people so genuinely happy as making others happy. Being useful forms the true value of things.

There is also an option that involves a sale of your items. To avoid the pitfalls of spending the money on purchasing new items and spinning in circles, invest it in one of two ways. Firstly, you can donate the funds to a cause or charity you strongly care about. It will reward you with happiness coming from heartfelt gratitude. Also, you can invest the money on a vacation and positive experiences you can safely hoard. Travel to a destination you dreamed about for years but never had the time or money to visit. Just try to refrain from gathering souvenirs.

Finally, don't think you will end the hoarding issue if you throw away your excess belongings en masse and at once. A clean slate, in this case, isn't a solution. Just as you have gathered items over time, you need to take time to dispose of them, to avoid feelings of regret and anxiety.

Conclusion

The most widespread excuse for hoarding is the potential usefulness or worth of items we gather. The keyword is potential. It implies that, instead of focusing on experiences that truly enrich us, we assign value to items they will likely never possess. Breaking the ice and fight the need to hoard is a serious endeavor. Nevertheless, winning that fight will leave you with much more than you ever had, in every sense that matters.

By Sonya Stevens
Sonya is a new-age copywriter, old-school traveler, avid coffee-drinker, and a green thumb. She has yet to find a topic she hasn't done research on and a variety of coffee she hasn't tried.