How to store belongings in the winter

It is a great luxury to have a storage unit, and not need to keep everything in your home. When you are living in a small apartment, for example, keeping huge winter coats in your closets during the summer can be a haggle. Just the same, keeping your summer clothes in the winter months is quite redundant. That’s why you will want to get the most out of your storage unit if you have one. And one of the best ways to do this is if you put your summer items there during the winter. However, there are some guidelines you need to follow when you want to store belongings in the winter. Especially if the winters are as harsh in your area as they can get in New Jersey, there are some things you need to keep in mind. Find out what they are in this article.

Before you store belongings in the winter, clean them

One of the first things you should always do with your things before you store them in your unit for the winter is to clean them up. There are many reasons why you should do this. First, you need to realize the importance of keeping your storage clean. Clean and organized storages are easy to get around with. Also, consider the health of your items (and your own) with a clean and a dirty storage. Finally, if you store belongings in the winter in a clean storage, there is no risk of contaminating them with dirt or microbes. Similarly, storing clean things in your storage will keep them clean. You will only need to put them through a wash cycle to get rid of the dust, and that is if you didn’t use protective materials on your clothes. On the other hand, by storing dirty items, you will have the risk of them contaminating other items in the same storage. It can be a nasty surprise to open a bag of clothes only to find that some ink has slipped from one shirt to another. And since stains that stay on colored clothes for a long time are quite hard to wash, this can be a nightmare!

Use smart covers for your items

Now, this might prompt you to use some plastic sheets to protect your items, form both stains and dust. However, this is not the smartest way you can go about if you store belongings in winter. Plastic, vinyl and similar materials are good against dust, but they trap moisture and water. These can damage your items even more during the long stay in the storage, so you should avoid them at all costs. Instead, use wool or cotton covers for your items. You can use items like moving blankets that your antique movers provided when moving your items to your storage. Remember – they are using these for a reason. Not only will they keep your items safe from damage, but they will also help keep the temperature normal during the winter months. This is the time of the year with the highest precipitation, as well, so materials that don’t trap water are great here.

Think about the temperatures

While we are on the topic of the winter months, you should be very thoughtful about the temperature changes, as well. As you already know, these are the months that see the lowest of the temperatures low. These numbers can sometimes go pretty extreme, so you need to prepare your items for that. When you want to store belongings in the winter, don’t think about cutting cost on storage. Even though they can get expensive, climate-controlled storage units are great for this. They are perfect if you are storing temperature sensitive items, and you should always go for them. So, before you start sorting your things out, think about which temperature you need to keep in them in. If the low temperatures affect the items, then make sure you inquire about climate control when talking to the storage owner.

Keep electronics on the shelves

One of the most important things you need to remember is to keep your electronics off the ground. The floor in the storage units is usually concrete. When winter comes, and temperatures drop, the floor cools down significantly. The electronic equipment left on the ground during this time often refuses to work in the spring. This is why you should always plan your winter storage well. Even when there is temperature control, you should put your electronics on shelves. This way, they will stay out of cold surfaces. Once you are ready to thaw them out, they will be as a brand as new!

Protect your vehicle well during the winter

Finally, if one of the items you are storing is a vehicle, you need to protect it well. It doesn’t really matter if it is your summer car, a nice bike or a lawnmower. The rules are the same for all types of motorized vehicles! And as all local movers NJ will tell you, there are certain things you need to do to the vehicle before you store it away. First, you need to empty its tank of all the gasoline left. The substance is sensitive to low temperatures, so this is an imperative. Then, you should also remove the battery, as well as any coolants and fluids you have in it. Finally, you can protect your vehicle with a tarp designed for it. As you know, the vehicle is a big investment – just like any of your stuff. So if you store belongings in the winter without protecting them properly, you will only be losing money. This is why it’s important to think carefully and be responsible for your items.