Winter hobby items: skates, instruments, video games… how to reduce clutter
In winter, “indoor hobbies” often come back to the foreground: skates, a guitar or keyboard, consoles and video games. The issue is how quickly they spread: a case in the hallway, game boxes in the living room, accessories across multiple drawers. In smaller homes around the BAB area—especially if you’re near our Anglet storage centre—the best strategy is a rotation: keep what you truly use within reach and store the rest properly to cut clutter.
Why these items take over (and what damages them most)
- Small parts get scattered: cables, controllers, adapters… you waste time and buy duplicates.
- Humidity and dust: a bad combo for electronics, fabric covers and some materials.
- Shocks and stacking: warped instrument cases, crushed game boxes, fragile headsets.
- Batteries left inside: leaks and corrosion over time (controllers, small gadgets).
- “Temporary piles” become permanent, and your living space shrinks week after week.
Best practices before storing at home or in a unit
- Clean and dry everything—especially covers, pads and textiles.
- Pack by “kits”: one box for the console, one for games, one for music gear, one for skates.
- Remove batteries from controllers and small devices; group chargers and adapters together.
- Protect electronics: tie cables, bag small parts, close boxes, and pad fragile items.
- Instruments need stability: ideally a hard case, nothing heavy on top, no bending pressure.
- Label for retrieval: on the side of the box with a short list (e.g., “console + 2 controllers + cables”).
- Do a quick keep/declutter pass: if you haven’t used it in 12 months, consider selling/donating.
Pick the right unit and organise it efficiently
- A clean, secure space for valuable gear (instruments, consoles, accessories).
- Keep boxes off the floor (shelves/pallets), especially for electronics.
- Use height: sturdy boxes + shelving = less floor clutter and fewer crush risks.
- Easy access if you rotate items depending on the season or your routine.
- Estimate size quickly with our unit size calculator.
How long to store: rotation is the right mindset
For winter hobbies, keep weekly-use items at home and store the rest. Once a quarter, do a quick check (boxes in good shape, accessories grouped, nothing crushed, no smells). A practical example: a couple in Bayonne, close to our Bayonne – Les Arènes storage centre, keeps the console and two “current” games at home, and stores the rest (game boxes, VR accessories, guitar case, skates + pads) in labelled kits. The living room stays clear, and everything is easy to retrieve.
Go further
- Never overlook storage unit insurance: it protects your belongings if something happens.
- Use the full height of your unit to pay the right price per m².
- Keep a central aisle so you can reach boxes without moving everything.
- Label boxes on the side, not only on the top, for faster identification.
- Ask our team for advice before storing fragile or sensitive items.
Want to keep your hobbies without living in clutter? Build a rotation: keep the essentials at home and store the rest in clean, labelled kits in a right-sized unit. More space—without giving up skates, music or gaming.