3 steps for perfect back-to-school storage

It’s the best time of the year for many parents: the kids are back at school, and you’ve reclaimed that many hours in your day.

Some people take that time to relax with popcorn and Netflix. Others like to use the newfound peace and quiet to finally organize the house. We’re all for the latter, because stuff piles up all summer—especially with the kids around. Between vacations, day camps and a needy family, it’s hard to find time.

Get that stuff organized and into storage. Here are the steps:

Sort and categorize items.

Start with a high-level to-do list. What rooms or areas have you been hoping to organize all summer? For example:

• Kid’s bedroom closet
• Bathroom drawers
• Kitchen cupboards
• Under the bed

Next, make a checklist of the items in each area. One for a bedroom closet might look like this:

• Shoes/boots/sandals
• Hangers
• Jackets/dress shirts/casual shirts/pants
• Belts/ties

By breaking down each task into separate tasks, it’ll seem less overwhelming—especially if the state of the closet is somewhere between Warner Bros’ wolverine and a tornado.

Sort each item type into categories of Keep, Toss, and Donate. Use coloured tape or labels if it’s a big project.

Get rid of anything you don’t need.

Move on to tossing or donating anything that’s in bad shape or that you don’t think you’ll ever use again. Most objects can be recycled, so look into your local programs to keep waste out of the landfill.

Out of the stuff you want to keep, decide where it’ll live. Is it going back into the closet, or somewhere else in the house like an attic or basement? Will you find off-site storage for important items you don’t use regularly, like the kids’ summer clothes or pool toys? Note what’s going where.

Create a storage system.

For in-home storage, make it a breeze to navigate by creating a system. Set up drawers, stackable bins or boxes, and use as much vertical space as possible. Label, label, label. You’ll thank yourself later.

For off-site storage, we recommend plastic bins rather than cardboard boxes. If you aren’t regularly accessing those items, you’ll have more peace of mind knowing moisture, mold, pests, and weird smells won’t infiltrate your stuff (even though Maple Leaf has climate-controlled interior units, it’s still a good idea). Check out our available lockers to evaluate your options.

Follow these steps and clear that black cloud that’s been hanging over your head. You’re going to feel much lighter!