Spring Cleaning: Save Space – Put Seasonal Things in Self Storage
Spring-early summer is the perfect time of year to give your home a good cleaning. Winter can be rough on your home, from tracking in salt and sand from your boots to a buildup of dust coming from your heating system. One of the best things about spring cleaning is that it allows you to assess your belongings and decide what you can get out of the way until you need them again. If you get yourself properly organized, you can begin an annual and seasonal clean up that allows you to free up space and send the items you don’t need into storage for safekeeping.
Here are 11 seasonal self storage suggestions for this spring:
1. Paperwork
Hopefully, your respect for the environment has you storing and using fewer paper documents at home. However, most people still have a fair share of paper documents, whether it’s income tax forms, old receipts, or other legal papers you may need from time to time. Although it’s good to keep these documents on hand, they don’t necessarily have to be stored at home. You can get everything organized, filed, and then stored in waterproof bins so you can send them away to your self-storage for safekeeping. While this might seem less secure, it’s actually the safest place for your papers. They will be stored in a temperature controlled storage unit, and you’ll also know your most important documents will be safe should any disaster strike at your home.
2. Winter sports gear
All your winter sports gear can take up a lot of space. You can put it in a self-storage unit, including everything from hockey gear to skis and sleds to snowshoes.
3. Christmas and holiday décor
Christmas décor can be a real monster to store, depending on how enthusiastic you are about the season. From those plastic reindeers and Santas to your Christmas tree and all its baubles and tinsel, you can free up seasonal space useful for your summer needs by banishing the holiday décor until next year. And don’t forget that scary and fun Halloween stuff either! You won’t need these items for months to come. Label all of your boxes clearly to make them easy to find. While you’re at your storage space, grab anything you’ll need for Easter!
4. Winter clothes
Your winter clothes are bulky and take up tons of space in your bedroom and hall closets. You can launder everything and then pack it all up to free space for your summer clothes. Be sure to keep some warmer clothes on hand because, let’s face it, Toronto weather is so unpredictable. Some sweaters, closed shoes, and a light jacket should suffice. Get a rotation going so your summer clothes come out of storage when your winter clothes go in so you can do it all in one trip.
5. Snow shovels, snow blowers, etc.
Winter maintenance is tedious, and if you own your home, chances are you have shovels, snowblowers, and leftover bags of salt. You could easily send these away to a self-storage space to keep things neater and tidier. This way, you can make way for your lawnmower!
6. Winter household items
If you have heavy winter linens like duvets, extra blankets, and such, they can be packed up and stored until that dreaded fall wind begins to blow again. Of course, if your home is air-conditioned and you like to crank it up in the summer, you might need to keep some of those heavier blankets on hand! Don’t forget things like boot racks, winter area rugs for wiping feet, and entry mats that can look messy when left in your entryway.
7. All that clutter
Every spring cleaning should include a major decluttering. When done right, you will rid yourself of most of the clutter, which can be sold or given to charity. However, anything you decide you want to hold onto can be packed and sent to self-storage.
8. Out of use furniture
This could, in theory, go under clutter, but that isn’t necessarily true. Old furnishings sometimes just get replaced or become a space hog, and you either trim or remove them altogether. However, with the cost of furniture today, it sometimes makes more sense to store it rather than selling or otherwise disposing of it. For example, if your kids are at an age where they might be heading to university soon or are considering moving out on their own, it’s good to have some pieces to offer them. As well, some furnishings might not suit your taste anymore but have sentimental value, and you may not be ready to part with them. Regardless of the reason for keeping favorite comfortable furniture, self-storage allows you to hold onto pieces while not worrying about the space they take up.
9. Collections
A home full of collectibles can become crowded fast. You might want to keep some of your best finds front and center, but you just may have too many of them to have on display at one time – so, rotate! You can trim your collections to the bare minimum to keep things neater and store the rest.
10. Winter toys
Kids might have winter toys that can get in the way when you no longer needed. While the sports items are tucked away for the winter, you might as well throw in the toys they won’t need, like snow fort brick moulds, snowman kits, snowball makers, etc.
11. Snow tires
Snow tires take up a lot of space, and a self-storage unit is an ideal place to keep them over the summer. Your tires will be safe and out of the way. These ideas will help you declutter your home and free up space in your garage, attic, or basement. If you live in a condo or rental apartment, self-storage can free up limited space and make your apartment more comfortable and liveable.
If you would like information on our storage services, contact us today.