The booming self-storage industry is revealing a sad fact about human psychology: We struggle to let go of our items.

What's happening?

A recent article written by Jessica Furseth for Dwell dives into the psychology behind storage units. Furseth shares her own, seemingly reasonable, experience of not being ready to let go of a cycling hobby and storing the sports equipment in a storage unit for years, racking up thousands of dollars in fees.

"According to the Self Storage Association, over 11% of Americans now rent storage units, a number that's been steadily rising in recent years; some surveys put the number as high as 40%," wrote Furseth. "The addictive nature of TV shows like "Storage Wars," now in its 16th season, has also contributed to normalizing the spaces as treasure troves that are just part of life now."

It used to be the case that the storage unit was a temporary solution for "when our worlds are in flux," explained Furseth. "The four D's driving the sector are downsizing, decluttering, divorce, and death."

One interviewee stores precious memorabilia from their late loved ones, but does this shrine to their memory make her happier? "Everything in storage is the story of my family, and I feel responsible for that story. It feels like a privilege, but it also feels like a weight," said Suzy Chase, per Dwell. "It feels like when I open the door, I'm opening up to grief."

Why are storage units a problem?

Furseth's interviews share that even if you have a perfectly good reason to open up a storage unit, it's easy to quickly become emotionally and financially tied to the stuff in the unit, getting sucked into years of expensive payments. And certainly, personal and widespread economic uncertainty plays a role in this.

The reality is that items in a storage unit are only racking up bills while losing value and not adding to your happiness. In the case of Katherine Coffey, storage units might not actually be much safer. An arsonist caused a fire in their unit with all of their family photos and irreplaceable paintings from their father. "The fire took every physical thing I had to remember my childhood," she said.

Meanwhile, those deteriorating items could be better used to fill the needs of people who will actually use them. That would reduce the need for manufacturing as well as lower pollution and the overuse of resources.

What can I do to prevent this?

Sometimes, temporarily removing items to a storage unit can make you realize how few belongings you actually need to be happy at home. "Living without my things has made me realize I probably had too much space before," said Polly Arrowsmith, per Dwell. "I've been getting rid of a lot and selling things on eBay. I really just want my things to go to a good home."

There's no denying that our items carry with them a major emotional toll. Fortunately, what can make that transition easier is the reward of knowing that your items aren't just going into a landfill, but going into other hands to be cherished. Reselling clothes, furniture, and even specialty pieces has never been easier, thanks to the internet.

Online resale platforms fit a variety of needs, from auctioning rare items on eBay to giving away stuff for free on Facebook Marketplace. There are specific sites that give you money for your old clothes and electronics, which are some of the biggest culprits in landfill pollution.

Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to recycle old clothes and electronics? Giving me money back 💰 Letting me trade for new stuff 👕 Making it as easy as possible ⚡ Keeping my stuff out of landfills 🗑️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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