Feeling those Winter Blues? Discover How Self-Storage Can Improve Your Mental Health

Feeling those Winter Blues? Discover How Self-Storage Can Improve Your Mental Health

Tis the season to… be chilly. And for most of us that’s the December weather in a nutshell. It’s the season of thermal vests, woollen jumpers, long Johns, and heavy winter coats. It’s the time of year when most of us hibernate indoors, roast chestnuts on an open fire, and retreat from the artic conditions outside.

As comforting as stretching our legs by an open fire is, cabin fever can set in. Especially if we’ve neglected to keep everything tidy and organised. It’s not uncommon for our winter wardrobes to be busting at the seams, our living rooms cluttered with holiday decorations, and much more. We can quickly feel like we’re trapped, closed in, with little space to move around.

Now, of course, this isn’t necessarily a problem exclusive to the winter months. But it somehow feels worse in the winter when there’s a frigid snowstorm outside or hail pelting the windowsills. For many of us, the winter blues can set in. Something that can quickly escalate into an unwanted mental health problem.

What is seasonal affective disorder (SAD)?

You’ve probably heard of seasonal affective disorder (or SAD). According to the around 2 million people in the UK suffer from SAD. That may not sound like a lot but think about how often you have conversations with a friend or family member, and they talk about feeling “flat” or “low.” It’s more common than you think. And can often feel like a whole lot more of us feel the brunt of the winter blues than NHS data accounts for.

Feeling low this time of year isn’t unusual. Anyone feeling fatigued, suffering from low energy or mood, or have expressed less interest in doing things that they once enjoyed might be suffering from the winter blues. Now, of course, we’re not saying that the aptly named SAD is the root cause of low mood, but it could certainly be a contributing factor in the months from November to February.

So, what can you do? Well, we’re not exactly qualified to diagnose and treat SAD, we’ll leave that to the healthcare professionals. However, a tidy home is well-known to decrease stress levels, improve sleep quality, improve quality of life, even banish feelings of low self-esteem!!

Clutter and why we accumulate it explained

Some of us like having lots of stuff around us. It can feel comforting to have everything that makes us who we are withing arms reach. It reinforces our sense of self and reminds us of what we’ve accomplished.

There’s a whole décor style built around this concept. It’s called maximalism and, not surprisingly, is the opposite of minimalism. This style is dedicated to cultivating who we are by surrounding ourselves with stimulating design. Colours, textures, designs, for some can make us feel content.

But what is clutter? Well, it’s subjective to everyone. However, if you have an abundance of belongings that you neither use or need, struggle to find storage space, regularly misplace essential items, or can’t use certain spaces for what they’re intended for, it’s likely that your home is cluttered.

We all have reasons for keeping hold of our belongings. A sense that if you don’t need them immediately, you’ll need them sometime in the future. Sentimental value, like your son or daughter’s childhood toys, electronic equipment that was once essential to your lifestyle but today doesn’t seem all that important, or furniture that you’re keeping hold of should you need it in the future.

Many of us struggle to part with what was once so important. But the good news is that you don’t have to. If what you own has outgrown your available space, you can do what a lot of homeowners do… put it into self-storage. This is where EASS can help you this winter.

How self-storage can help you to declutter your home

For some, self-storage is a temporary, short-term solution. A place to store your belongings whilst you’re moving home or when your son or daughter starts to make their own way in the world, heading to university or moves out of home for the first time. For others, self-storage can be a cost-effective long-term solution to a lack of storage space.

To streamline your home, you don’t need to part with what at one time you treasured, putting furniture, for instance, on an eBay auction or dropping off bags of clothing at a local charity shop. You can just as easily rent a self-storage unit and use it long-term to store what’s you don’t need, want, or use every day.

Less clutter means more room in your home. More space to breathe. To relax. This helps your home feel like the comfortable sanctuary it should be and less like a space to eat, sleep, and try to relax. It reduces stress and strain, enhances your calm, and is perfect for when you’re cooped up indoors during what can seem like the long winter months ahead.

Better still, self-storage helps you to easily manage your clutter, keeping it safe and secure. Think about all the storage space you have in your home. Most of us use excess square footage as storage space. This is especially true of the garage and garden shed. The problem? It’s not uncommon for us to pile belongings one atop the other to create additional square footage in the living areas. This becomes an issue when you want to find, let’s say your lawnmower, garden shears, even a spare chair to two to seat your guests at an upcoming dinner party you’re hosting.

Lease a self-storage unit and you can neatly organise your stored belongings. Better still, you’ll be able to see what you have in storage with just a cursory glance, rather than spending ten minutes, or an hour looking for something!!

Keep an inventory of what you have in storage, and you’ll also save yourself any frustration, wondering where that dining room set, for instance, is!!

Why is this important to your mental health? Well, if nothing else, an organised, carefully labelled self-storage unit, complete with an inventory will stop negative emotions like frustration and anger over a lack of space from swelling up, making you feel unwell.

The emotional aspect of letting go

Letting go of some belongings can be emotionally taxing. It can also be liberating. You’re saying to yourself that you’re letting go of the past and preparing for the future. This is especially important to maintaining sound mental health and embracing a new chapter in your life.

But what if you don’t want to, for instance, part with wedding gifts or the furniture you bought for your first home? Why not lease a self-storage unit to store belongings that you’re not 100% sure you want to part with? This will give you the peace of mind that you can still access those sentimental belongings when you want to. This comfort can lead to emotional growth and personal development.

This can be especially important when the winter blues take hold. In times of discomfort, people often want familiarity and comfort. This is symptomatic when the temperature tips to close to, or below freezing. Having access to what you feel emotionally connected to can make all the difference when you feel tired, cold, maybe even vulnerable. Store your belongings in a self-storage facility, like EASS, and sources of comfort are just as car ride away!

Don’t despair, store your belongings with EASS this winter

There’s no denying that the winter months can be gloomy. We all feel it to some extent, even if it’s just for a moment or two as we trudge through the snow or walk home from work, shrouded by dark, the wind lashing our face.

Can self-storage completely quell those winter blues? No. But what it can do is help make your life just that little bit easier throughout the long, dark days when you just want to curl up by a warming fire with a cup of hot chocolate in hand.

Interested in leasing a self-storage unit this winter? Get in touch with EASS today.

 Sources:

https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/mental-wellbeing/low-mood-and-depression/beating-the-winter-blues/#:~:text=It’s%20thought%20the%20winter%20blues,of%20any%20age%2C%20including%20children.