A Stay-Home Hari Raya

(Guest Writer: Luigi La Tona, Chief Operating Officer, StorHub Self Storage)

The first few months of 2020 have not been the easiest, but when it comes to festivals and holidays, a celebration with our loved ones is still very important.

We know that as the holy month of Ramadan starts for many Muslim Singaporeans, it is a time of prayer, fasting, a self-introspection and awareness.

Breaking the daily fast as the sun sets at Maghrib is typically done with family, friends and the community. This Ramadan and Aidilfitri, though, will be different for Muslims in Singapore and all over the world.

As Singapore has extended the Circuit Breaker to 1 June, space to observe the religious practice at home becomes premium.

We need an ideal environment at home to transition the space from work or school to being ready to break fast at Maghrib. A well lit, airy and organised space at home enhances the psychological aspects to enable one to enjoy the daily breaking of the fast. 

Clearing Space to Break Fast 

It is still possible to break one's fast with family and those living in the same household as you. Meal delivery services have made it easier for families to celebrate and welcome the new year together.

You can "meet and dine" with your friends and relatives through video calls instead of meeting in person! An organised and planned space at home catered to prayers, breaking fasts and downtime in your home is critical.

Unnecessary furniture, electronic gadgets no longer in use, as well as clothes and apparel that are rarely worn, can be stored away and organised away from the communal space in the home.  

Toss or Donate What Doesn’t Bring Joy

This year, promise yourself that you’ll toss or donate what you no longer need. One of Marie Kondo’s storage ideas for clutter is to maximise your (self-storage) space and pull out the items contributing to clutter. From there, you can organise the excess items into 'junk', 'keep', and 'donate' piles for maximum organisation.

Try to be more stingy with your space in 2020 by finally getting rid of the junk boxes you are storing, and don’t be afraid to go through the boxes again to toss any junk you may have thought to donate before.

Declutter, Consolidate and Reorganise

Embrace your inner desire to organise and put those storage ideas for clutter into action.

After you sift through your toss pile, then it’s time to make your storage space work for you. You can start by categorising your keep pile into groups based on their purpose. For example, keep your winter clothes and gear in one section, and your festive decorations in another.

During this process, it’s important to be mindful as you categorise and store. Try thinking about how you use the item, what you use it for and why you use it to determine its place and importance among other belongings in your self-storage unit.

Obtain New Containers After You Know What You Need

Once you’ve made peace and thanked your donation and toss items for the joy they’ve brought you, it’s time to consider what you may now need for your self-storage unit. We strongly recommend using new storage bins, shelves, and storage cabinets rather than reusing torn and broken boxes for your items.

It’s best to begin this process only after you’ve tossed and organised your things. Often, too many forget or have a faulty idea of how many bins they require when it comes to decluttering. When you’ve already put in the time, you’re well aware of the consolidation supplies you need to take your decluttering to the next level.

Above Image + Thumbnail Image © StorHub Self Storage

Selamat Hari Raya, from StorHub Self Storage to you and your family

Despite the uncertain times and generally subdued sentiments, we need to maintain a positive state of mind to work through difficult periods.

Decluttering and freeing yourself from unnecessary stress and items in your home will bring back a positive shine to everything that you do at home. A home that you are proud of, and a personal space that makes you comfortable, are vitally important to a healthy mind. 

Be sure to keep in touch with your loved ones and remind them that they are not alone! We believe that when this pandemic ends, you'll not only be impressed with your decluttering skills but also glad that you took the time to reorganise.