Six Summer Self-Storage Tips

When using self-storage units from Ten Mini Storage this summer, make sure you follow these helpful tips to keep your belongings safe all season long.

1. Dry your items and unit before storing them

Moisture, plus the dampness of tiny pools of water – combined with hot temperatures inside your storage unit (it can easily approach 40˚C inside a closed rental) – is a perfect recipe for mold and mildew growth.

Things which are prone to mold or mildew damage include:

Kitchen appliances
Clothing (especially leather)
Mattresses
Paper products
Wood
Upholstered furniture mattresses

Although mold and mildew growth is closely associated with organic materials (fruits & vegetables), chances are there are mold spores on all your personal items.

That doesn’t mean your items are dirty. Mold spores are everywhere.

It does mean that you need to remove as much moisture (and humidity) as possible to prevent those spores from growing or sprouting.

The easiest way to do that is to totally dry your items and storage rental before moving your things inside.

2. Use vacuum-sealed bags

Further to point #1, while it seems like a good idea to wrap items in protective plastic, the remaining air & water vapor inside the bag could create a breeding ground for mold and mildew.

Sucking that air out with a vacuum-sealed bag minimizes the chance of fungus growth and extends the lifespan of your items too.

3. Don’t place excessively heat-sensitive objects inside a self-storage unit

As mentioned earlier, the summer temperatures inside certain storage units can reach or exceed 40˚C.

If you can’t control your storage space’s climate, you may want to consider keeping the following items out of it:

Electronics
Jewelry
Oils or chemicals (you should NEVER put these in storage anyway)
Ammunition or weapons
Paintings or artwork
Old or fragile antiques

Simply put, there are certain items which just aren’t conducive to handling such extreme heat.

4. Use a facility which excellent security features

If you’re going away for the summer and won’t be able to check on your belongings frequently, you want peace of mind knowing they’re safe and secure.

A modern and trustworthy self-storage company should have the following security features in place:

24/7 video monitoring
Gated premises
Computerized, key code access
Individual personal access codes

A run down, dingy facility with lax security can’t guarantee your items will be protected while they’re in storage and while you’re out-of-town.

So you should avoid places like that at all costs.

5. Avoid wrapping items in newspaper

It’s convenient to wrap certain items in newspaper.

But over the summer, the ink from that paper can leak off and transfer onto your items.

And depending on the delicacy of those items, that news ink may not come off.

Using newspapers to move items to your personal or commercial storage unit is fine.

But you should find something else (like high-quality bubble wrap and other moving supplies) to protect them once they’re there.

6. Get the right-sized unit for your needs

Trying to save money by cramming all your belongings in a too-small unit will cost you in the long run.

Over the summer, your items could warp, fall or damage each other.

Plus having the wrong-sized unit doesn’t allow for air circulation (which, as already mentioned, can lead to mold and mildew growth).

Having the right-sized unit will keep your items safe and give you room to move around too.

Not sure what unit size you need?

Take a look at what our individual units can store for you.

Keep your items safe all summer long with Ten Mini Storage

Need a safe, clean and reliable self-storage unit for the summer?

Take a look at the units we have available.

Our units are:

Kept clean and dry
Protected with high-level security
Available in all sizes
Accessible 24/7

Throughout the summer (and beyond), Ten Mini Storage will keep your important belongings safe & sound.

Contact us for a FREE quote on our units or for more information. We’ll get back to you – fast – with all the answers you need.