You came into marriage loving each other’s sense of humor, intelligence and compassion. His comic book collection? Her dozens of concert T-shirts? Those you could do without.
So you battle over space. He’s willing to sell his duplicates. She’ll let go of any shirts from bands later found guilty of lip-syncing (sorry Milli Vanilli!). You reach a fragile compromise
But all it will take is one crowded shelf or closet to rock the peace. Is this really the way you want to live?
The Dangers of Clutter
In a 2011 study, researchers at the Princeton University Neuroscience Institute used functional magnetic resonance imaging and other physiological measurement tools to map the brain’s responses to organized and disorganized environments.
Here’s what they found: When the space around you is cluttered, you simply can’t focus as well.
And here’s more bad news. Researchers at UCLA’s Center of Everyday Lives and Families found that women who have a “high density of household objects” also have higher cortisol levels. More stuff equals more stress.
Finding a Solution
Obviously, you’ll want to give away or sell items that you no longer use or have any emotional connection to.
Once that’s done, you have two options: live with the clutter or get more space. That pretty much means you need to buy a bigger house—or find a storage solution.
It could be that the time is right to buy a bigger house. Perhaps your family is growing and you know you’ll need significantly more room in the future anyway.
But if that’s not the case, you might want to explore other options. After all, bigger homes are generally more expensive. They also tend to come with higher tax and insurance bills.
Want a Happier Marriage? Maybe It’s Time for a Self Storage Unit
Renting a self storage unit can be a great solution to the age-old space dilemma. You can get the extra room you need—without buying a new home or getting rid of things you’d rather hold on to.
At StorageMart, we offer clean, well-lit self storage units in a variety of sizes—all of which can be rented on a month-to-month basis.
That way, you can organize your comic books, your concert t-shirts, and, most of all, your marriage in excellent condition.