Tips to Proper Storage of Your Items During Cold Weather

LongIsland.com

Look over these tips on how to properly store your items away as you tidy up around the house for the holidays and get ready for the colder weather.

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Some fun & festive sweaters - perfect for the holiday season!

Photo by: Fleur Suijten, via Free Images.

Seasonal changes can mean cleanup time around the house. So while leaving the patio set outdoors was fine during the summer, now with colder weather that will eventually come with heavy rain, wind and snow, it’s time to properly store these items away.

Cleaning up around the house can also mean shuffling things around like putting away an unused television set, kitchen appliances and other items. So where do you put all your items? More likely than not, it’s going in the basement or garage for most people, but if these areas don’t have climate control, the cold weather can damage your property – even if it’s in an indoor space.

Learn how to properly store your items away during cold weather!

  • Typical items safe for cold weather storage: Patio sets, bicycles, roller blades, camping gear, canned food, clothing
     
  • Typical items not suitable for drastic changes to temperature: Anything glass, plastic, paint, electronics

Steps to Take When Storing Your Things Away

  • Clean first.
    Yes, it’s easy to simply dump items into storage, but to make it easier on you when it’s time to reuse, make sure the items are clean and rid of dirt and moisture first. Gasoline in lawn mowers should also be emptied. Any moisture left behind can turn to ice when the temperature drops below freezing.

     
  • Cover your items.
    Under cold weather, moisture can build especially when you are using vinyl and tarp. For a better solution to covering your items, use cotton and wool material like with old towels, bed sheet or blankets. There is less of the chance for thin ice to form around your belongings and then melt into a puddle of water when the weather warms up again.

     
  • Invest in climate control.
    If the outdoor temperature is 32 degrees Fahrenheit or below, you can bet your garage or basement with no climate control is not far off from that. If you’ll be storing valuable items, consider whether they can withstand such cold temperatures or make the investment to have climate control for the room. Also, properly seal areas where air may be seeping through.

     
  • Alternative solution to proper storage space.
    Self-storage facilities are plentiful with many offering climate-controlled rooms. Investing in one will not only ensure the proper storage of your property, but eliminate the need to waste space in your home.

Photo by Pascal Thauvin, via Free Images.