The move is done. The boxes are unpacked, sort of. You’ve even spent time decorating and finally, your new home looks like you. The only problem is that you can’t fit your car in the garage.
Now, some people might question why you even bothered to move the boxes you have stored in your garage. You don’t need that kind of negativity. Sure, it’s possible you’ve barely even peeked in those boxes in your entire adult life. It’s possible that every report card, drawing and diorama since kindergarten is in those boxes. It’s also possible that inside that cardboard are the charred remembrances of relationships past.
Regardless, your car needs a home and fortunately, there are several things you can do to give your wheels the shelter it deserves.
Get rid of stuff
Yes, I know, I just said you don’t need that kind of negativity, but I am morally obligated to at least mention it. Sure, it’s true that if you haven’t needed something for the last two years, you’ll probably never use them again. And while there’s a chance you’ll fit into your 90s mom jeans again, do you really want to wear them?
If purging was your goal, though, you probably would have done it before the move. There’s a reason you’re holding on to that stuff, and who are we to judge? Then again, mom jeans are back in style, so you might be able to get a couple of bucks.
Organize
There’s a possibility that you have reached a moving wall, which sounds nothing like it actually is. The process of packing, moving and then unpacking takes a lot of momentum. There’s a certain point, though, where many people hit a wall and it can take a long time to break through. Maybe you want to unpack those boxes, but you lack both the energy and the places to put things.
While it’s costly to literally make more room in your home, a little organization might free up enough space for you to empty those garage boxes.
Store it
Just a few years ago, there were only a handful of options for storage. Today, the options aren’t quite endless, but there is something so suit every need. You can store on your property with a storage shed or a mobile container sent by a storage company. If you choose the container option, the storage company can store it on their premises as well.
If you haven’t moved yet, or even if you have, your moving company will be happy to store your goods. The advantage to that is that nothing needs to leave its safe moving-ready packaging. The moving company will protect and care for your goods. The downside is that the moving company will have to have one of their employees access anything you might want.
The third option is what most people probably think of when they think of storage, and that’s self-storage. Most self-storage facilities are drive-up, where you enter a code into a keypad and drive through the gate to your storage unit. Some even have indoor storage, which is generally more secure, but also more expensive. Most of these storage facilities will pick up for free, as long as you stay for a certain number of months. After that, everything is on you. You are free to rummage through, take away or add at will, but you are responsible for any loss or breakage.
Having too much stuff is the American way of life. It’s certainly nothing to be ashamed of, but when your car suffers, it might be time to do something.
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