Want to finally get your home organized?
Clutter happens gradually. One day your living room is neat and clean. The next day you look around and you suddenly see boxes, old furniture, and items you forgot you owned. Fact is, the average American household has 300,000 items in it. And most of those don’t need to be in your home daily.
Photo by Aga Adamek on Unsplash
Decluttering your home becomes much easier when armed with a good mini storage unit size guide. You can purge room by room without having to part with treasures that are still useful.
The room-by-room mini storage method is explained in this blog so you know what size unit to take.
Let’s jump in!
In this guide you’ll find:
- Why Mini Storage Works For Decluttering
- The Best Mini Storage Sizes Room by Room
- How To Pick The Right Size First Time
- Tips To Maximise Your Mini Storage Unit
Why Mini Storage Works For Decluttering
Self storage units are the perfect solution for anyone looking to declutter their home without committing forever to getting rid of their possessions.
Did you know….. 1 of every 3 Americans rent a residential unit today. Many are families who desire more living space.
Mini storage units (typically between 25 sq ft and 50 sq ft) work well because they:
- Cost less than full-size storage units
- Force you to be selective about what you keep
- Free up space in your most cluttered rooms
This helpful guide to miniature storage units is a great resource.
Typically Self Storage Facilities offer storage units in three standard sizes. Depending on the facility these measurements may vary slightly but will be close to the following descriptions. Below are the descriptions of each self storage unit size.
Extra Small
Perfect for storing boxes and a few personal belongings. You should be able to fit a few shelved units in these types of storage units. 5’x5′, 5’x10′ and 10’x10′ are common measurements for these types of units.
Small
Ideal for storing boxes, household goods and a few personal belongings. These types of units can typically fit one or two mattresses and still have some room to move around. Common measurements are 5’x10′, 10’x10′ and 10’x15′.
Medium
Perfect for families who are moving and need somewhere to store all of their boxes while they buy a new home. You should be able to fit all of your boxable belongings in these types of units. Common sizes are 10’x15′, 10’x20′ and 10’x25′.
Large
Ideal if you have a lot of boxable belongings. You may even be able to fit some furniture in one of these units depending on the size. Common sizes are 10’x25′, 10’x30′, 10’x40′ and 15’x50′.
Pretty handy, right?
However, not every mini storage unit works for every room. That’s why the following is divided room by room.
The Best Mini Storage Sizes Room by Room
Decluttering needs vary from room to room in your house. Your bedroom won’t need the same size unit as your garage. Read through this room-by-room decluttering breakdown.
Bedroom: 5×5 Mini Storage Unit
Arguably the first room people tend to declutter is the bedroom. Why? Because clutter here impacts your sleep.
The ideal mini storage space size for decluttering a bedroom is typically a 5×5 unit (25 sq ft). This amount of space can store:
- Out-of-season clothing
- Extra bedding and pillows
- Suitcases and travel gear
- Small bedroom furniture
- Boxes of personal items
Great size because bedroom furniture tends to have many smaller pieces instead of big bulky ones.
Living Room: 5×10 Mini Storage Unit
Living rooms often contain larger items — so you’ll need a larger mini storage unit.
The ideal size for a living room is a 5×10 unit (50 sq ft). This size allows you to have:
- An extra armchair or small sofa
- Coffee tables and side tables
- Boxes of books, DVDs, and decor
- Floor lamps and seasonal decorations
It also gives you space to breathe. You won’t need to Tetris your belongings every time you take something out.
Kitchen: 5×5 Mini Storage Unit
Kitchen clutter creeps up on you. Multi-use appliances pile up quickly and suddenly you have counter space full of gadgets you rarely use.
A 5×5 mini storage unit is plenty for kitchen overflow. It can hold:
- Bulky appliances (slow cookers, air fryers, stand mixers)
- Holiday cookware and serving dishes
- Extra dinnerware sets
- Small kitchen furniture
This is probably one of the best ways to utilize mini storage. Kitchen supplies are small but need room in your counters and cabinets.
Home Office: 5×5 Mini Storage Unit
Thanks to the surge in remote work, home offices have quickly become one of the messiest rooms in the house.
A 5×5 unit works perfectly for office overflow. Use it for:
- Filing cabinets and old paperwork
- Extra office chairs
- Boxes of supplies
- Old electronics and cables
When office sharing? Gain some of that space back with this device.
Garage and Basement: 10×10 Mini Storage Unit
Ok, so strictly speaking this goes beyond a “mini” project… but the garage and basement are where most houses are most cluttered. One quarter of 2 car garage owners actually park outside.
A 10×10 unit (100 sq ft) is large enough to purge an entire garage or basement. Spaces include:
- Tools and equipment
- Holiday decorations
- Sports and outdoor gear
- Old furniture and memorabilia
This is also the best size if you’re decluttering multiple rooms at once.
How To Pick The Right Size First Time
Choosing the correct sized mini storage unit from the beginning will save you both time and money. Many consumers choose a unit that is too small (then have to pay for upgrading) or too large (and pay too much).
Here’s the simple method…
Step 1: Make an inventory of items to store. Be detailed. Don’t list “boxes”, list “10 medium boxes of books”.
Step 2: Group items by size. Separate the bulky stuff from the smaller stuff.
Step 3: Add 20% extra space. You always need more room than you think.
Step 4: Match to a unit size. Use the room-by-room guide above.
The greatest error people make is undersizing. A 5×5 unit looks much larger when you are placing boxes inside of it.
Tips To Maximise Your Mini Storage Unit
Have you chosen your mini storage unit? Now it’s time to learn how to maximise the space within it.
Stick to uniform boxes. Boxes that are all the same size stack easier than odd shaped containers. You’ll also maximize vertical space.
Label everything. Print out what is in each box on two sides minimum. You will thank yourself later.
Leave a walkway. Avoid packing the unit from wall to wall. Allow enough space to reach those things in the back.
Keep heavy things on the bottom. Boxes with heavy items on top will crush whatever is below.
They seem like common sense tips… but are game changers when you are short on space.
Final Thoughts
Decluttering your home can be made so much easier with the right sized mini storage unit. Instead of getting rid of items, you have your own private space to keep them in.
To quickly recap the best mini storage sizes:
- Bedroom: 5×5 unit
- Living Room: 5×10 unit
- Kitchen: 5×5 unit
- Home Office: 5×5 unit
- Garage and Basement: 10×10 unit
Cleaning out clutter is something that many people avoid because it can be an intimidating task. Breaking it down by room and utilizing a compatible mini storage unit can simplify the process.
Begin with a single room. Choose the correct size. Move onto another room.
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