What to Put in Storage During the Winter
Do you find that your home is a little over-packed with things? When you look through it, you may discover that most of it is stuff that you use and can’t or don’t want to get rid of.
We all need to declutter sometimes. We think self storage is great and want people to rent units, but we also want them to be smart about it. There’s no use storing things you no longer want or need. So, we encourage you to go through your belongings twice a year to clear the clutter.
Then, we encourage you to think about the seasons. You wear different clothes, play different sports, and have different needs in the summer and in the winter. With the holiday season nearly behind us and winter beginning, now’s the time to put certain things in storage. We’ll cover the big ones here.
Your Summer Wardrobe
It’s gotten cold throughout the U.S. Shorts, tank tops, and flip-flops will not protect anyone from the cold weather. It’s time for jackets, long underwear, sweaters, warm boots, caps, and mittens.
So, once you have a storage unit, pack up your summer clothes and put them in storage. This will make extra room in your closets and dressers for the clothes you will wear this time of year.
Your Summer Sports Equipment
Do you enjoy surfing or boogie boarding in the warmer months? Or maybe that’s the time of year you enjoy playing football, basketball, or baseball. If so, winter is the time to put away your surfboards and boogie boards, your basketballs and baseball bats, and yes, to take out your sleds, skis, and snowboards.
Holiday Decorations
It’s fun to put up the tree every year and to decorate it with ornaments, to hang garlands and wreaths around the house, to get out the snowman cookie cutters, and to create a wonderful holiday environment at home.
Alas, once Christmas, or whatever holiday you and your family celebrate, has passed, it’s time to take all that down and welcome in the new year. Self storage is great for keeping your artificial trees, ornaments, decorations, and other holiday accouterments safe for the rest of the year, ready to take out when the holidays roll around again.
Your RV, Boat, and Other Vehicle
Traveling in an RV can be a blast, as can taking your boat out on a lake or the ocean. However, the warmer months are really the time to go on an RV trip or a boat adventure. In areas where the weather gets down to and below freezing, you’ll want to winterize your ride and store it somewhere safe.
For details on how to do this, check out our articles Preparing your RV for Winter Storage, Boat Winterization & Storage, Motorcycle Winterization & Storage, and Time to Winterize Your Jet Ski. The tips will help you prepare your vehicle for winter so it’s in great shape when you get it in the spring or summer.
A Note on Climate Control
In areas where the winters are truly cold and dry, we highly recommend renting a unit with climate control. Facilities keep the temperatures in these units between 50 and 80 degrees year-round, and the humidity between 30% and 50%, ideal conditions for your stuff.
If you need to find a storage unit and a great facility, check our listings, which span the U.S. and Canada. You’re bound to find one that’s right for you.
