10 Storage Tips to Follow This Summer

Although you might not think of storage in terms of the seasons, many people find their storage needs change throughout the year. Furthermore, storing certain items in the winter differs from how you might keep them in the hot summer months.

Whether you use your self-storage facility in Richmond Hill all year round or have specific summer storage needs, it’s essential to understand proper storage methods during the year’s hottest months.

10 Storage Tips to Follow This Summer

Here we share our ten pro storage tips to maximise storage space and minimise damage.

1. Pull Out Your Summer Gear

Pull out the summer gear that you will need this summer before adding more items if you have an existing self-storage facility in Richmond Hill.

Do an inventory of your unit and see what you need during the summer months. Remove those items now to save yourself a few trips later.

You’ll make room for the winter items you’re storing and have the summer stuff you need ready to use, such as gardening equipment, pools, beach toys, etc.

2. Free Up More Space

As you sort through your summer gear, look for items you no longer need. Although your storage unit comes in handy to store items you don’t often use, you might find some of your stored items have lost their appeal or utility over time.

You can toss, sell, or donate those things to free up space.

3. Reduce Items to Store with a Quick “Edit”

Before lugging tons of items to your self-storage facility in Richmond Hill, quickly edit what you traditionally put away for the summer.

For example, go through your winter clothes, look for items you didn’t wear this year, and set them aside for donation or selling. You may have some holiday lights that are blown or inflatables that are defective and do not work, and that you can’t use anymore.

You’ll save time by reducing how much stuff you need to move to your storage unit while freeing up more space for your things to put in summer storage.

4. Invest in Some Storage Containers

Instead of randomly stuffing items into your storage unit, organise things in labelled storage containers. Stackable plastic storage bins are safer, more efficient, and more durable than boxes and bags. They will protect your belongings and also take up less space.

You’ll also find what you want to find in the storage unit faster with everything organised, stacked, and labelled. Consider using vacuum bags to protect clothes against mould and mildew. Vacuum bags also flatten out bulky items like winter sweaters and coats to free up space.

5. Temperature-Controlled Units

In the summer, humidity and moisture can damage your stored belongings. Keeping your items in a temperature-controlled self-storage facility in Richmond Hill that maintains a minimum of 8 to 10°C in winter and filters in the fresh air in the summer will help you avoid damage caused by high humidity.

In fact, it is highly recommended that you place items on wood pallets in the summer to improve air circulation. Since this makes a huge difference, ask if wooden pallets are available for free use in the storage unit.

6. Assess Your Unit Size

Follow our tips #1 to #3 to free up enough space for your summer items. However, consider moving to a larger unit if your area still feels tight. Likewise, if space is ample, you can save money by moving to a smaller unit.

Although a move might seem like a hassle, having the proper storage unit for your needs saves time and often money in the long run.

7. Wrap & Raise Stored Furniture

If you’re storing furniture for the summer, such as your kid’s dorm couch or mattress, it should be wrapped and raised off the floor. You can use moving/old blankets or secure plastic wrap to protect your furniture against damage from moisture.

Also, placing furniture on wooden pallets will provide better air circulation throughout the unit and around your furniture to reduce the risk of mould and mildew.

8. No Toxic Materials Allowed

All safe self-storage facilities in Richmond Hill generally ban toxic/flammable materials and chemicals from storage units to reduce the risk of contamination and fire. Of course, you are encouraged to ask whether the storage bans the storage of unsafe or toxic products or materials.

Banning these materials is for your benefit as well as for everyone else in the storage facility, so please follow the rules to prevent damage to your belongings.

9. Make Sure Everything is Dry

Avoid placing anything that may be damp or wet in your storage unit over the summer. Once shut away, the moisture could lead to mould and mildew.

Some items, such as laundered clothing, should be completely dry, as slight dampness will develop a musty smell or damage the fabrics. You don’t want to have to toss out your favourite sweater!

10. Take Advantage of Your Storage Unit

If you invest in a storage unit over the summer, take advantage of your investment and pack it with items that take up space at home, such as:

• Dorm Stuff: If kids are home from college or university for the summer, they might have stuff that needs to be stored, such as furniture, appliances, a desk, etc. Instead of taking precious space up at home, put your kids dorm stuff in your storage unit for the summer.
• Winter Equipment and Toys: All your winter equipment, such as shovels, leftover salt, snow blowers, fireplace equipment, etc., can be safely stored in your unit.
• Winter Toys: Whether it’s big boy toys like a snowmobile or items such as sleds, you can store the toys you won’t use until the first snowfall.
• Valuables When Away: If you are away for long periods in the summer, consider safely storing your valuables while you are gone. Keeping them in a unit will ensure would-be thieves find very little to steal should your home be burgled.
• Winter Clothes: Vacuum bag all your winter clothes and store them away until the fall.
• Holiday Decorations: Holiday decorations for Christmas, Halloween, etc. can take up quite a bit of space in your home. If you celebrate the seasons, it might be to your advantage to put them in storage over the summer.

These tips will make the most of summer storage space at your self-storage facility and protect items from the ravages of summer heat and humidity.

For more information about our self-storage facility in Richmond Hill, speak to the experts at Abacus.