3 Tips To Prepare For Storing Items Long-Term
Long-term storage of items can often lead to damage, simply because people rarely make preparations for storing items long-term. Planning ahead can increase your chances of safe, long-term storage in your traditional or mini storage units.
Clean Items
Unless you are in an emergency situation, it is imperative to take the time to properly clean the items you store. Not only will this reduce the instance of attracting pests to your storage unit, it also makes your life easier when you take items out of storage. Some of the most important items to clean are anything that might have food residue, such as crumbs from the couch cushions or splattered food inside a microwave. Next, you should wash any laundry that you will store. Once the smell of dirty clothes sets, it is difficult to remove the smell, even after multiple washes. Not properly cleaning items is ultimately a waste of storage space if you need to toss the items later.
Be Smart About Space
Although it is better to have a storage unit that is too large, many times you can go with a smaller unit if you simply organize your items a little better. You should also try to avoid cramming items into your storage unit. Not only can this become a hazard, especially if items are stacked on each other, but you also reduce the amount of air that can circulate between items and increase issues with mold or mildew. One way to save space, especially if you need to store larger furniture items, is to make sure you utilize shelves and drawers. There may be boxes that can be placed on bookshelves or inside the dresser to avoid wasting this space.
Address Humidity
Ideally, you will be able to purchase a storage unit that is climate-controlled. Some of the advantages of climate-controlled units are you might have fewer concerns about batteries and electronic items becoming destroyed from extreme heat and cold, and high-humidity might not be an issue. If you cannot use a climate-controlled storage unit, you may need to invest in boxes or packets of silica gel to prevent your items from becoming damaged because of humidity. In addition to adding boxes of silica gel to your storage unit, you can easily add packets to boxes or bags of clothes before sealing them. If you will check on your items periodically, simply replace the silica gel once it becomes damp.
Storing items long-term can be challenging, especially if you are concerned about damage. Preparing for the most common problems when storing items long-term can keep your items safe.
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