Storage Organizers for Keepsakes and Memory Items
Finding the right place to store the things you decide to keep can make a big difference.
The goal isn’t to buy a bunch of new organizers. It’s to make the best use of the storage space you already have and choose organizers that make your things easy to access when you need them.
Here are a few of the storage options I mentioned during the Make Room for Today Without Losing Yesterday workshop.
What is the best way to store keepsakes and memory items?
The best storage option depends on what you’re keeping, how often you need to access it, and where it will be stored. Use shelving to keep items safely off the floor, smaller totes for keepsakes and memory items, and rolling totes for anything you need to move or access more often.
Before buying anything new, decide what you’re keeping and where it will live. Then choose the storage option that works best for that space.
Before You Choose a Storage Option
Before you buy another tote or shelving unit, take a minute to think about what you are storing and where you plan to keep it.
How often will you need it? Items you use regularly should be easy to reach, while things you rarely use can go in harder-to-access areas.
Is the storage area a good fit? Attics, basements, and garages can have changes in temperature or moisture, so not everything should be stored in those spaces.
Can you get to it safely? A storage solution isn’t very helpful if you have to climb, lift a heavy tote, or move five other things every time you want something.
How much space are you willing to give it? Let the storage space you have help you decide how much you can reasonably keep.
Once you know the answers to these questions, you can choose a storage option that fits both your things and your home.
Garage Ceiling Storage
Best for: Lightweight seasonal items and things you only need occasionally.
If you’re using your garage for storage, an overhead ceiling storage system can give you room for totes without taking up valuable floor space.
Shop Garage Ceiling Storage Systems
Low Shelving for Attics
Best for: Using the lower areas of an attic where sloped ceilings make taller shelving difficult.
Slanted attic ceilings can leave you with awkward areas that are difficult to use. Lower shelving can help you take advantage of that space while still keeping your storage containers accessible.
Raised Basement Shelving
Best for: Keeping storage totes organized and safely off the basement floor.
If you’re storing totes in a basement, shelving can keep them up off the floor and help protect your things from moisture.
Shop Basement Storage Shelving
Storage Totes With Wheels
Best for: Items stored under beds or anywhere you want easier access without lifting a heavy tote.
Rolling storage totes can be a great option underneath a bed. The wheels make it much easier to pull the container out when you need something and slide it back underneath when you’re finished.
Shop Rolling Under-Bed Storage Totes
Smaller Storage Totes
Best for: Keepsakes, photographs, and smaller collections that do not need a large storage tote.
Not everything needs a large tote. Smaller containers can work well on shelving in a guest bedroom closet, utility closet, or other smaller storage area.
Storage Ottomans
Best for: Smaller keepsakes and memory items you want to store inside your living space.
When storage space is limited, look for furniture that can do two jobs.
A storage ottoman at the end of a bed can give you a place for photographs, keepsakes, or smaller memory items while still being useful furniture in the room.
One Last Reminder
Before buying any new storage organizers, decide what you’re keeping and where you’re going to keep it first.
Let your space help determine how much you can comfortably store, and then choose the organizer that fits that space and what you’ve decided to keep.
Remember, the goal isn’t to find room for everything.
It’s to create a home that fits the life you’re living today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Choose a storage option based on what you are keeping and where it will be stored. Smaller totes can work well for photographs and keepsakes, while shelving can keep larger totes organized and off the floor.
Avoid storing items that can be damaged by extreme temperatures or moisture. Photographs, important papers, delicate fabrics, and other sensitive keepsakes are usually better stored in a temperature-controlled area of your home.
Keep storage totes off the basement floor whenever possible, especially if moisture is a concern. Raised shelving can help protect your things while also making your storage area easier to access.
Start with the amount of storage space you are comfortable giving these items. If what you want to keep doesn’t fit comfortably in that space, go through it again and decide what still deserves a place in the home you’re living in today.
More Storage Solutions for Your Home
Ready to Right-Size What You Keep?
Storage works best when you’re only making room for the things that still belong in your life today.
If you’re not quite sure what deserves that space, my free Right-Sized Living Guide will help you look at your home differently and make those decisions with more confidence.