Okay, I’ll admit it: I’ve bought “storage solutions” off the internet in the past. I got sucked in by those “Amazon Finds You Need” videos on social media and bought some of those plastic organizers, baskets and even those “power strip” covers that were supposed to keep your electronic cables “neat and tidy” in your office.

And well…

Yeah.

While some of these solutions have actually been helpful, most of them will be taking up space in my local landfill…eventually.

So I’m not going to give you a list of the “best” storage solutions to suit your needs.

Why? Because everyone’s storage needs are different.

• None of us has exactly the same stuff.
• We’re each putting our stuff into different spaces.

What I am going to do today is talk you through what you should be thinking about when it comes to figuring out the storage solutions that will best meet your needs.

And I will warn you — every time I’ve skipped one of these steps I’ve regretted it.

Don’t be like me.

Step 1: Is this worth keeping?

Yep, rule #1 is as straightforward as it gets. Let me be very clear about this: It is a waste of time, money and energy to design ANY storage solution unless you’ve decluttered first. Go through the stuff that you’re wanting to store and answer the following questions for each item:

• Do I need this? For what?
• Do I want to keep this? Why?

If you haven’t answered yes to either of these questions, then dispose or donate the item.

Step 2: Plan a temporary solution

You probably won’t like this step. You probably don’t agree with me about this step. But buying a box of gallon-size Ziplock bags (or re-using an old Amazon box) will save you from the hassle of returning the wrong storage solution later.

NOTE: if you’re planning a huge organization project, it might be worth looking into renting a POD or other storage space. However, if you do decide to go that route, PAY CASH and only pay for one month’s worth of storage at a time if at all possible (less if you can). Out of sight will end up being out of mind and you’ll end up forgetting about (and potentially losing) a whole lot of stuff this way. Might be a good way to forcibly declutter your stuff…but if it’s stuff that you know you’ll want back, then make sure you have a plan to get it back once you’re ready to store your stuff at home.

Step 3: Clean out and measure the storage area

If the area where you want to store your stuff still has stuff in it, pull out that stuff, put it in a separate area and go back to Step 1.

Chances are pretty good that it is going to be a while before you will have the inclination to pull all of your stuff out again in order to “clean” the area. So grab your favorite all-purpose cleaner and give your prospective storage space a good wipe down.

Then — before you proceed any further, grab a tape measure or use the measure app on your phone and get a general set of numbers that will tell you how tall, wide and long the space is. The reason to do this is simple: you don’t want to buy a “storage solution” that is not going to fit in the space.

Step 4: Divide and Conquer

It is a rare space where you’re going to be able to just throw everything into the storage space in question, close the door and be done with it. You’re gonna want to sort your stuff into categories: this could be spoons/spatulas/other kitchen tools or socks/underwear/pants/t-shirts, etc.

Again, what your categories will be depends on your stuff.

But knowing what will go where and why is, quite literally, half the battle.

Step 5: Buy your storage solution

Now is the time to bring your measurement numbers to your computer and start shopping.

Re-read that last sentence if you have to.

While I’m not a big believer in retail therapy in general, I really don’t believe in impulse purchases of storage solutions. You haven’t gotten this far to leave things up to trial and error now.

If you must finish this project as quickly as possible: Start by looking at options from Walmart, Lowe’s, Home Depot (Ikea if you have one close) or other brick-and-mortar stores. Most of them have options that will allow you to place your order online and pick it up from the store that same day. Dollar Tree, unfortunately, does not have this option — so if you need to do this on a bare-bones budget, make sure you look up your ideas on the website to verify that the sizes will work with the measurements you took earlier, then create a shopping list and stick to it when you go to the store.

If you have the time to wait for shipping: If you have the time to wait, it frees you up to look at options like Amazon, etc. Make sure that the each item’s dimensions will work with the measurements you took in step 3.

Think like a designer. Don’t limit yourself to “storage containers”. If your space is small, consider buying hooks and shelf systems to maximize your vertical space. If your space is open to the rest of your living area, consider buying baskets or other boxes that will look attractive on the outside while storing your stuff inside. Give yourself permission to be creative. Make your space yours.

Step 6: Pack and Play

Once you have all of your containers together, things should go relatively quickly. Transfer everything into their designated containers and move them into your space.

Step 7: Have a (Maintenance) Plan

The cardinal rule of possessions: Stuff Accumulates. Or to put it another way — stuff multiplies. If you don’t have a plan in place for what you are going to do when new stuff appears, that new stuff will eventually overwhelm your space and you’ll be starting over again from square one…or worse.

No storage system will work without a plan for how to maintain it. The most well known rule for maintenance is “one in, one out”: when you bring something new into your space, you need to donate or dispose or something to make room for it. For the most part, I find that to be a good rule. I also think it’s helpful to periodically evaluate whether the stuff in your space is still as useful and/or valuable as you thought it was in Step 1.

I hope you found this helpful. If you have any questions or any organizational tips that need to be added to this discussion, please post them in the comments below!