Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Desert Storage. They have a new location just around the corner! 

Storage is something we had never really considered as a family, until recently.

Last week, a pipe behind our dishwasher cracked, and the kitchen looks like a disaster zone. The pipe was a drain pipe, so the water is unclean. The dishwasher is in the middle of the floor and there are three huge machines dehumidifying and cleaning the air.

The restoration company that came out suggested that we empty all kitchen drawers and cabinets so that they can investigate the damage and replace as needed.

I’m sure my jaw hit the floor as they told me everything that would need to be done. Counters cleared, drawers emptied, cabinet contents packed up and removed from the kitchen. After 16 years of marriage and six people in our family, you can imagine how full those drawers are! With sweet Mary Alice wandering around, there are not a lot of places to store breakable dishes and household cleaners.

Desert Storage just opened a new location around the corner from us! Knowing that there is a great option just around the corner from us gives us great peace of mind. Locally owned and operated with over 25 years in the storage business, Desert Storage is committed to providing customers with clean and secure storage options, convenient locations and top quality service.

That is wonderful news. We don’t have an attic and storing items in the garage during summer is not an option here in the desert. When we moved here from Texas, we were stunned that many homes don’t have an attic. It’s just too hot. The attic is where we always stored everything from sleeping bags to holiday decorations. When temperatures are hitting over 110 degrees outside, knowing that air conditioned storage unit is an option is fantastic!

Their blog is full of wonderful tips and storage advice. Their article about Why Your Family Needs a Storage Unit really got me thinking about what else I could use the storage unit for:

1. Rotate out your seasonal clothes
   When it’s time to pack the summer clothes away, you may be tempted to just throw them in the closet or slide them under the bed. It sounds like an easy solution—but if you have multiple children—the boxes of clothes can quickly add up. Instead, use your storage unit as a safe home for seasonal digs. You can choose to sort by child or by season. Either way, make sure you properly label boxes to know what contents are inside. When the season changes, simply bring home your boxes of clothes from the storage unit and replace them with the prior season’s clothing. This is an incredibly efficient way to save on space and time when you have to rotate your children’s (and your) seasonal clothing.
2. Temporarily store old toys and clothes
   With the average 10 year-old owning over 200 toys, the clutter in your family room can start to overcome the space. Instead of keeping every toy stored inside your home (incase you need it for the next baby), rent a small storage unit to keep old toys and outgrown clothes from clogging up your living space. That way when you decide to have another baby, you’ll have everything you need packed safely away and out of sight. It can also help your current children feel less overwhelmed by their stuff. If they have less options to choose from, they will most likely use the toys they enjoy the most.
3. Make room for a new baby
   If you’re ready to expand your family (but not ready to buy a bigger home), a storage unit is the perfect solution for your family’s upcoming transition. You can use the extra space to store unneeded furniture, turn a room into a nursery or get rid of any bulky items you don’t necessarily need right now.

What would you use additional storage for?!