Getting Organized: The Oversized Edition
Written by Lisa Montanaro | May 13, 2011

By Guest Blogger, Jared Heath

Everyone has pencil drawers and filing systems that we fondly refer to as “organized chaos.” But sometimes you have more to organize than five years of tax returns and insurance policies. If you’re anything like me, you love your motorcycle, the entertainment center you built for your wife, and that hideous couch-and-chair combo you bought before you got married. And if you’re still like me, you need to find a place to put all of it before your wife auctions it off on Craig’s List.

Fellas, I know you love your garage, but it just isn’t that big. In fact, home sizes have been shrinking according to this USA Today article, presumably to accommodate the new “slim-but-not-so-sleek” look of the average American’s wallet since 2008. So what do you do with all your stuff without all your space?

Storage units. You start by biting the bullet and selling the nasty couch, and then you take those valuable and seasonal possessions and put them away for the time being. As Lisa Montanaro recommends, getting rid of the clutter saves time and money. Some things, however, don’t fall into the “clutter” category, though it doesn’t quite qualify as junk, either.

Here’s the principle in action: my wife and I got married eight months ago, and we started collecting furniture before we had a place to live. Paying rent in the LA area is a beast as it is, and paying a few months’ rent before the wedding while still paying for our personal apartments was not going to happen. That’s when I discovered that Los Angeles storage units were far more affordable than Los Angeles apartments as my wife and I got our lives put together.

Everything needs it place, and your basement and garage are not as bottomless as you had hoped. That doesn’t mean, however, that you have to sell absolutely everything with which you can’t bear to part. Downsize your house, downsize your life, and get a storage unit for a few bucks a month to keep things organized.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jared Heath is a freelance writer whose passions are his family, writing, and motorcycles. After reading Lisa’s blog on putting every aspect of life in its place, Jared offered his own ways to keep order in life and peace with his wife. Jared and his family now live in Utah.

Meet the Author

Helping others be the best versions of themselves gets me jazzed!

I’ve worn many hats in my lifetime—often at the same time—while enjoying fulfilling careers. I’ve been a performer, teacher, sign language instructor, lawyer, career counselor, law professor, coach, consultant, mediator, entrepreneur, speaker, trainer, writer, and author. 

I’m an eternal optimist and life-long learner, constantly researching ways to improve personal and professional effectiveness. And it brings me great joy to then pass on the results of that persistent curiosity to my clients and audiences. 

Of all the career hats I’ve been privileged to wear, my favorite is owner of this business since 2002. Why? Because it provides me the opportunity to work with wonderful organizational and individual clients. On any given day, I get to connect deeply with audiences, work with dedicated teams, improve workplaces, watch clients have a-ha moments, and know I’ve made a difference in their lives and careers. And that is very satisfying.