Too Much Stuff by Debbie Norrell

I must admit, I have too much stuff, and it’s just not clothes, it is a lot of other stuff that I can’t seem to part with. For instance, a pretty straw picnic basket that I have never used for a picnic. I don’t even have someone to go on a picnic with, why am I keeping it? I did use it once for a display for an outdoor party. I placed the napkins and plates and silverware in it, and it looked great. That was 15 years ago. I just realized since I’m retired, I don’t need half of the clothes that I have but I’m attached to them. I was looking through the clothes the other day and discovered some things that I had totally forgot about. Perhaps when things loosen up, I can wear some of my pretty things. With all of the items that I have what I don’t have is a storage unit. But a lot of people do.

#1: In the U.S., 65% of self-storage renters have a garage in their home, 47% have an attic, and 33 percent have a basement.

#2: More than $3.5 billion in property taxes have been paid to local government authorities by self-storage companies.

#3: Self-storage facilities in the U.S. have employed more than 170,000 persons which averages 3.5 employees per facility.

#4: In 2015, 90% of self-storage units nationwide were occupied, leaving only 10% vacant.

#5: In 2014, there were nearly 48,500 primary self-storage facilities in the country. That’s an average of nearly 900 per state. Self-storage is an interesting concept to think about: humans pay to store their items to make space for more items. Why can’t we let these tangible items go? Sell them? Or recycle them? If there’s anything that the self-storage industry shows us, it’s that Americans have a hard time parting ways with their belongings.

I wrote this to give myself a good kick in the pants. I’m heading to the basement now to clean up and if you are like me, I suggest you do the same. We are going to feel so much better.

Email the columnist at debbienorrell@aol.com

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