Whether you're a first-time parent or have welcomed many other babies into the world, nothing compares to the immense happiness that comes from expanding your family. Even the most emotionally reserved parent is liable to get choked up after laying eyes on a beautiful new baby. A child being born represents the beginning of a whole new chapter in your life. Now that you have a baby to look out for, you've taken on the most rewarding job a person can ask for.

However, before bringing your little one home, you'll need to clear out sufficient space. If this is your first child, it stands to reason that any spare rooms in your home are filled with old clothing, computer equipment, appliances and other forms of clutter. In addition to freeing up room for a nursery, getting rid of excess clutter can make your home considerably more kid-friendly. Babies, infants and small children can incur serious injuries when playing in storage rooms, so it pays to nip this problem in the bud. When making room for your new arrival, consider the following storage and disposal options for any unneeded clutter.

Rent a Storage Locker

If you can't stand to part with the contents of your storage room, consider renting a storage locker. For a small monthly fee, you'll be able to store you buried treasures in a secure locker at a camera-monitored facility. Aside from the facility's manager, you'll be the only person with a key to your locker, so the chances of the unit being broken into are infinitesimal. Furthermore, if you're interested in clearing out space in your garage or driveway, an industrial-sized storage condo can comfortably accommodate motor homes, fishing boats and other large vehicles. No matter what type of item you need to store, commercial storage facilities have you covered.

Donate to Charity

It may surprise you to learn that the old clothing, compact discs, books and electronics occupying your storage room can bring joy to families in need. After all, if you can't see yourself using any of these items in the next six months, there's a good chance you can do without them. When clearing out space for a new baby, place all the items you'd like to donate to charity in specially-marked bins. For example, old clothes will go in the bin marked €Clothing,€ etc. After an hour or two, your home's designated storage area will seem considerably roomier. Once the bins have been packed and sealed, drop them off at the nearest Goodwill or Salvation Army location. Alternatively, if you have friends who have expressed interest in any of your old items, let them give the bins a quick once-over before proceeding to donate them.

Recycle

If the contents of your storage room aren't in salvageable condition, it's best to recycle them. Books with mildew-laden pages, broken electronics and other items that are unfit for donation won't do anyone much good. While paper and plastic-based items can be put out with your regular recycling, unneeded electronics should be taken to your nearest e-waste recycling facility, where they will be stripped for useable components and disposed of in an environmentally-conscious fashion.

Getting rid of old junk is a small price to pay to make room for a new baby. With mounds of clutter safely out of the house, you can welcome your family's new addition with peace of mind.