Summer is a great time for busting out all the fun toys and gear for enjoying the balmy weather. There’s also a lot of equipment needed to maintain the exterior of your home, like lawn mowers and weed whackers. However, as summer begins to phase into fall and the warm, sunny days become no more than a memory, you have to pack up all these summer toys and keep them stored away somewhere. For homeowners with little room to spare in the garage or shed, or for those living in apartments who lack the space to keep all of this stuff inside, storage units are an ideal solution for housing all of your summertime toys and equipment.
However, you can’t simply shove all these accessories into storage without a little preparation first.
Remove any and all batteries
Many summertime toys require batteries to fully operate functionally, including motorized Power Wheels, high-powered water guns and bubble-making machines, among a host of other gadgets and gizmos that make the outside such a fun place for kids. However, if you leave the batteries in these objects for too long, there’s a chance they can become corroded or lead to problems, which ultimately ruin the toys. Be sure to remove all batteries before putting them into storage.
“Leaving patio furniture outside can lead to rust, water damage or wood wear.”
Patio furniture
Patio furniture needs to be stored away properly as well. Those families without a garage or a storage shed will need to keep these items someplace safe during the snowy months. Leaving these chairs and tables outside can lead to rust, water damage or wood wear. Also, the accumulated weight of snow can even completely damage any one of the pieces of patio furniture beyond repair. Keeping these items in a climate-controlled storage unit can alleviate all these problems and leave the patio furniture ready for action come spring.
Grills
Storing a grill at a storage facility is a great idea – especially big gas grills that eat up a lot of space. It should be noted that charcoal grills should be free of any ash or dust, and it would be wise to clean it out before leaving it in storage for the winter. Gas grills should have their propane tanks removed and stored separately, while any and all valves should be fully turned off. Also, any grates, grease traps or other components should be cleaned out.
Lawnmowers
One of the nice things about the end of the summer means that you don’t need to cut the grass or worry about lawn maintenance for a few months. This means you can clear up the room by keeping your lawnmower and other gardening tools stored away for the winter months. Before taking this equipment over to a storage facility, it’s important to check the manufacturer’s instructions for long-term storage. Many lawnmowers require you to drain the engine until empty, while others instead require you to add a fuel stabilizer to the tank.
The end of summer brings a break to yard work, so you can keep your lawnmower housed in a storage unit.Bicycles
Unless you’re one of those rare individuals courageous enough to brave the harsh winter conditions on a bicycle, chances are you’ll be locking it up for the winter and waiting for the summer to roll around once again before hopping back on your bike. However, keeping a bicycle inside an already cramped apartment or tiny house with little room to spare only creates more clutter. Also, having a bicycle in the house can ultimately lead to damage to the vehicle or yourself if it’s in the way and you trip on it or drop something on it.
Keeping this in a storage unit is a great way to make sure the bike is out of sight and out of danger. However, before locking up your wheels for the winter, it’s important to ensure that the tires are fully inflated, which prevents deterioration of the rubber. In addition, it’s a good idea to clean and lubricate the chain, as well as scrub the frame and handlebars with a soft-bristle brush to reduce the possibility of any rust forming.
Contact SecurCare Self Storage today for great rates on the storage of all your summer toys, equipment and accessories.