The apartments that I stayed in while I was in college were not the biggest, and I had a roommate. Sharing a small place made it easy to know when we had too many things in our living space. Here are some tell tale signs that can help you figure out if you have too much stuff.
You have too much stuff in your apartment if you spend a lot of time looking for things, you have a lot of unopened items, you own a lot of stuff that you don’t even use, there’s not a lot of surface space, you have a storage garage full of things and it takes way too long to clean.
As you slowly fill your home with items over time, it can make you blind to the lack of space that you have. In that case, you have to pay attention to your lifestyle to know if you have too much stuff.
1. You Spend A Lot Of Time Looking For Things
Do you end up going on a scavenger hunt every time you need to find something? Do you feel like whatever you’re looking for is never in a memorable spot? That’s probably because you have so much stuff that there’s no room for organization. Not to mention that, if you tried to organize it all, you’d run out of places to neatly put things. If you want to easily find your stuff, get rid of the extra junk that you don’t need and don’t use. If you’re holding onto things because “you might need it one day” that is the very mentality that’s overcrowding your apartment.
2. You Have A Lot Of Unopened Things
Another way to tell if you have too much stuff is if you see a lot of unopened things around the apartment. Items that haven’t left your shopping bag since the day that you brought it to your apartment. If you tend to buy stuff that you don’t intend on using right away, or in the near future, then you’re unnecessarily filling your home with unneeded junk. Also notice that I said “near” future; If you can’t see yourself using this within two weeks, don’t buy it. Buying it for the far out future is tricking yourself into adding it to your storage pile.
3. You Own A Lot Of Stuff That You Don’t Even Use
Even if you don’t own a lot of unopened things, you still own items that you haven’t used since 2019 or earlier. You probably own stuff that you never used in the first place. These knick knacks are just taking up space and collecting dust. If you dug through every pile of storage that you have and separated the unused belongings from the necessities, then you’d probably free up spaces in your apartment that haven’t seen the light of day since you moved in.
By the way, if you don’t own a lot of items, but your place still looks cluttered, try my 10 tips and tricks to make the place look more organized.
4. There’s Not A Lot Of Surface Space
How much counter, table, coffee table or desk space do you have? Do you have to move stuff out of the way every time you need a surface to work on? Are there never any empty surfaces available in your apartment? This is a sign that you have way too much stuff. I guarantee that you don’t use every single thing that’s sitting on your counter and table tops. Freeing up those spaces will bring so much more breathing room to your apartment.
5. You Have A Storage Garage Full Of Stuff You Don’t Use
Do you have so many things that they can’t even fit in your apartment? Do a good amount of your belongings live in a public storage garage? If so, when’s the last time that you opened it up to grab something you needed? Regardless of the answer, if you didn’t have too much stuff, those things would be living with you in your apartment. Bottom line is, it’s time to turn that storage garage into a garage sale, and while you’re at it, stop renting the unit. By doing this, you’ll both save and make money at the same time.
6. It Takes Way Too Long To Clean
Cleaning an average sized apartment that doesn’t have too much stuff in it takes about one and a half to two hours. If it takes you significantly longer to do that, like six to seven hours or more, then you probably have too much stuff. If the mere thought of cleaning your apartment feels overwhelming (because it would take a week or longer), then you definitely have too many belongings. It’s time to tackle your storage one step at a time. Chipping away at it instead of trying to pick up the whole boulder should free up your space slowly but surely.
7. All Of Your Drawers Are Filled To The Brim
Drawers are almost everyone’s go-to option for at-home storage space. However, if yours are filled to the brim, to the point where you have to literally dig to get what you want, then that’s a sign. It’s also a sign if your drawers jam when you open them or you don’t even know what’s hiding inside. Time to empty out each and every drawer, separate what you need from what you don’t need, and clear out the leftover junk. You’ll be happy that you did. If you haven’t been given a lot of drawer space to begin with, check out these 11 tips for how to organize an apartment with no storage space.
8. There’s No Breathing Room In Your Closet
Speaking of ‘filled to the brim’, is your closet in a similar state? Better yet, do you have multiple closets that are overfilled? This could be due to an overwhelming clothes supply, or it could be stuffed with any and everything that won’t fit in the rest of your apartment. Trust me, one of the most aesthetically pleasing sights is an organized closet. Especially if it used to live in a state of overstuffed disarray. Start this transformation by sorting through and throwing out what you don’t need.
9. You Have To Do A Lot More Than Just ‘Tidy Up’ Before Guests Come Over
Does the thought of having guests over give you a headache? Why? It might not be because you don’t like who’s coming over. It might be because you’ll have to clear up enough floor space for them to simply walk from the door to the couch. Then there’s clearing off the kitchen table so that you all can all have room to eat. Either that or you’ll just use the couch. If this sounds like your reality, it’s time to make a change. Start donating and tossing the clutter.
10. You Have Too Much Of The Same Stuff
Are you the type to buy duplicates, triplicates and quadruplicates of the same thing? I’m sure you already realize that they’re the source of your overcrowded space. Buying duplicates may save you an extra trip to the store, but suffocating your apartment in the process isn’t worth it. Only buy doubles of something you’re absolutely sure you’re going to run out of before the next shopping trip.
11. Your Guest Room Has Turned Into A Storage Garage
If you’re lucky enough to live in an apartment with a guest room, then you might have transformed it into a storage garage to hold your extra stuff. Doesn’t opening the door to find piles of unused things make you a little sad? It could have been a beautifully decorated room for your overnight visitors but, instead, it’s a graveyard for the items you haven’t and might never use. It’s time to donate, sell and throw away all of this extra junk so that the guest room can live up to its name.