2024
5 tips for Transitioning Your Storage Unit from Winter to Summer
Does this weather have you itching to get at your garden equipment and pool supplies from storage? If so, that’s a sign it’s time to transition your locker: Pull out your summer gear and move winter gear into its place.
But before you tuck your skis and snow blowers away and bring out everything you’ll be using in the next several months, read these 5 tips to ensure the process goes as smoothly and easily as possible.
Storage unit seasonal transition: 5 tips
- Exchange winter items for summer items in bulk or in stages.
- Gather items/organise
- Rotate items, bring about-to-be-used closer to front.
- Inspect items for problems
- Rehome stuff you don’t need
Exchange items
There are two good options to make this easy. One is to take everything you plan to store in one trip. You’ll exchange it for all the summer supplies you’re going to want. This way, the room you free up at home by packing up all the winter things, can be filled with all your summer items. There’s no need to find extra room by trying to fit both, temporarily, into your living space.
The other option is to exchange items in stages. This is a good option if your storage locker is at capacity but you don’t want to add an additional one, or move up to a larger one just yet. So, perhaps you need the lawnmower and gardening tools now but don’t plan on setting up the pool or using the jet ski until later. Simply take enough winter items to replace the summer ones you’re bringing back.
Gather/organise items
Organising your items is the most efficient way to make a smooth transition.
Make a list of all the winter items you want to store. This could include clothing, outdoor gear, blankets, snowboards, skates, skis, snowblowers, winter tires and chains, & Christmas decorations and lights.
Make a list of the summer items you’re going to want: the lawnmower, bbq, ATV, RV, pressure washer, gardening supplies, pool equipment, summer clothing and beach/camping supplies, summer sports equipment, etc.
Ensure everything you plan on putting into storage is clean and dry. Read here for a few more best practices for storing winter items
Rotate
Any time you access your storage unit is an opportunity to make exchanges quick and easy. Move the items you’re going to be accessing soon to the front and put newly stored items at the back where they won’t interfere with finding more pertinent items.
Inspect
It doesn’t hurt to check on the condition of your stored possessions to ensure there hasn’t been any surprise infestations, animal damage, or humidity issues (a temperature-controlled unit will go a long way toward mitigating these kinds of issues). Sometimes these checks reveal less than ideal packing conditions so it gives you a chance to address any problems and find a better way to store some things.
Rehome
In the amount of time you’ve had something sitting in storage, you may find you just don’t need it anymore. Rehoming these kinds of finds is a great way to free up more space inside your storage unit and keep everything more manageable.
Visit one of Storguard’s 5 self storage facilities so you can see the variety of secure storage units available for all your storage needs.
