As we begin to shutter our homes for the winter, it’s not uncommon to experience an influx of creepy crawly spiders throughout your home or office space. A spider invasion will have you asking yourself, “Why do I attract spiders?”, and the answer is because spiders love clutter! The good news is that with a little organization and preventive measures, you can create a spider-resistant environment.
In this blog, we’ll explore effective strategies to get organized, how to prevent spiders in your basement, how to prevent spiders in your garage, and explain how a self-storage unit can keep your space tidy throughout the winter season.
How to Declutter Your Space
Spiders love hiding spots and clutter provides them with plenty of opportunities. Start by decluttering your living spaces. Sort through your belongings and create piles of items to keep, donate, sell, recycle, and toss. Seeing your items in these piles will help you visualize what you use regularly versus the things you can get rid of.
When making decisions on what you should do with your belongings, ask yourself questions like “Have I used this item in the past year?” and “Does this item hold sentimental value?” If an item doesn’t serve a purpose or bring you joy, consider letting it go. Once you start getting rid of the things you don’t need, you can move on to the next step: organization.
Organization Tips
Organizing your home will help prevent it from becoming cluttered again. A great way to stay organized is to create a dedicated space for everything using storage containers like drawers, bins, baskets, shelves, and drawer dividers. Group similar items together and assign them specific places. Use labels as a helpful reminder of where everything belongs.
Keep frequently used items easily accessible and less frequently used items stored further away. While it’s good to take advantage of space in your garage, basement, and attic, be sure to keep them organized, as it’s likely for spiders to accumulate in those areas. After your home is organized, it’s important for you to adopt habits that help you maintain your organized space to prevent clutter from returning.
Regular cleaning is one of the most effective ways to prevent spiders from setting up shop in your home. Vacuum and dust regularly, paying special attention to corners, ceilings, and under furniture. Spiders are less likely to take up residence in clean, well-maintained areas.
How to Prevent Spiders
Once your home is organized, you can take these preventative measures to keep spiders and other creepy crawlers from taking over spaces in your home, basement, or garage:
- Seal Entry Points: Inspect windows, doors, and vents for gaps and cracks. Spiders can slip through tiny openings, so use caulk or weather stripping to seal these entry points.
- Basement and Garage Organization: Store items in sealed plastic containers instead of cardboard boxes, as spiders can easily nest in cardboard.
- Address Moisture: Spiders are less likely to thrive in dry environments. Fix leaky pipes and faucets and use dehumidifiers in damp areas like basements and bathrooms.
- Outdoor Maintenance: A well-maintained yard can prevent spiders from entering in the first place. Trim back shrubs and trees near windows and entryways to reduce the chances of spiders using branches and leaves as pathways into your home.
- Try Natural Spider Repellents: Essential oils like peppermint, eucalyptus, and citrus are known to repel spiders. Mix a few drops of these oils with water and spray around windows, doors, and other potential entry points.
If you’ve seen a spider in your room or a close and you suspect you might be facing a severe spider infestation, consider consulting pest control professionals. They can assess the situation, provide effective treatments, and offer advice on long-term prevention.
Rent Self-Storage to Get Rid of Clutter
If you have a small space or just need more room to store your belongings, rent a self-storage unit. By keeping seasonal items, extra furniture, and items you don’t need immediate access to in a storage unit, you’ll maximize the space in your home which will help keep it clutter-free and spider-free through the winter season.
At MyPlace Self-Storage, we offer self-storage units in a wide variety of sizes, so you can store as much as you need to. We also provide our customers with an array of storage features like month-to-month rentals, convenient access hours, friendly storage managers, and advanced security features that all contribute to an easy and hassle-free experience. With plenty of storage locations in the area, we’re always a short drive away.
Not sure which unit size is best for you? Use our unit size guide to find the perfect storage unit for you. When you’re ready to rent your storage unit and say goodbye to a cluttered, spider-prone home, find a MyPlace Self-Storage facility near you and rent or reserve your storage unit online today!
