Have you changed your life by tidying up? The average American household owns somewhere around 300,000 items, ranging from food items to shoes to electronics. Chances are, some of those things can be pared down in the interest of living a more minimal life. But if there are some things you find that you just cannot let go of, consider renting a cheap storage space to clear out some room in your home.

The average home is double the size it was 40 years ago, and our possessions have followed suit. That’s roughly 21 square feet of storage space per household. It’s still not enough room for many families. Some people like to hold onto mementos, while others go all-out in the decorating department for each holiday and need somewhere to store everything.

When you find yourself drowning under excess sporting equipment, old photo albums, or heirloom furniture, the current trend is to simply get rid of it. If that is not your style, the other solution is to find somewhere else to store it. Storage space units come in different sizes, for different lengths of time, and some are even portable storage units.

So which is right for you? To figure it out, consider why you’re looking for storage space. Is your teenager going off to college and you have plans for that extra room, but feel guilty throwing out their stuff? Chances are, they won’t be coming back for their stuff for at least four years, so perhaps at temporary storage unit is best. If you want your garage space back, but don’t want to actually part with the stuff inside, consider a permanent storage space. A portable space may be perfect if you need to clear out a room for a couple of months and don’t want your things to be too far away during that time.

Storage units are downright convenient. It is not aways feasible to just throw things out to make more space. Sentimentality, preparedness, or decorating mania may lead you to hold on to things. But that doesn’t mean your house must be cluttered. Consider a storage unit to help organize your home this spring.