5 Tips for Storing Seasonal Items

Each year is filled with beautiful seasons, all that come with their own seasonal decor and items. During the summer, you might take out the pool or water toys and equipment. When fall marches around, you'll need to access your rakes and light jackets.

Depending on what season you're in, you'll need different clothing, toys, equipment, and more. What happens to all these items when it's the off-season for them? Where do you store them?

It might be time to search for a storage unit near you.

Is your garage filled with holiday decor and water sports equipment? Are your closets overran with a mix of heavy winter jackets and bathing suits? If so, then you'll want to learn more about how to store seasonal items and how a storage unit could be beneficial.

Continue reading the guide below to find out more about storing seasonal items.

1. Store in Labeled Clear Bins by Season

When you're ready to start storing your seasonal items, the best thing to do is get organized. Place all of your seasonal items in clear storage bins. Separate everything by the season it belongs to.

Using clear storage bins is beneficial because it allows you to see what's inside the bins before you open them. You should place labels on each bin as well, which tells you what season the items belong to. If you don't want to use clear bins, then you also have the option to use colored bins.

To help you stay organized, match different seasons with different colored bins. For example, all of the winter items can be placed in blue bins. The spring items can be placed in greens bins, and so on.

As long as you create an organizational system that works well for you, that's all that matters.

2. Use the Same Bins For All Items

Before you go and buy your storage bins, do try to figure out how much stuff you have for each season and how many bins you'll need for each as well. Then, be sure to use the same exact bins for all your items. The bins should all be the same size so that they can easily stack on top of one another.

If you use different types of bins, then you're taking the risk of them not stacking perfectly. This can cause organizational issues and make it more difficult for you when packing items up in storage and when attempting to retrieve something. It's also a good idea to use the brick method when stacking your bins. Rather than placing one bin directly on top of another, think of it as a brick wall.

If all of the bins are uniform, then the brick method will work well. This method then allows you to easily pull one bin out of the wall without causing the other bins to fall. It also prevents you from having to take down several bins to reach the one you need.

3. Take Inventory Each Season

We all know how important spring cleaning is. This is the time when you go through everything in your home and get rid of any items you no longer need or use. Although spring cleaning is a wonderful way to declutter, you should do this with your seasonal items each season.

After each season, and before you start placing your items in their bins, take inventory. What items did you actually use that season and which items went untouched? Do you plan to use those items again?

Have you purchased new seasonal items and the old ones are sitting in bins in storage? Take the time after each season is over to take inventory of that season's items and declutter your bins. Get rid of anything you no longer use and free up some of that storage space.

4. Store in a Climate Controlled Environment

As the seasons change, so does the weather. Extreme temperatures can cause damage to your more sensitive seasonal items. Storing them in a location that's subjected to weather conditions could leave you with damaged items when it comes time to use them again.

Humidity, high temperatures, and other weather elements won't affect your weather-sensitive seasonal items when you store them in a climate-controlled environment. When choosing a storage facility, it's best to choose one that's secure self-storage but also has climate-controlled units as an option as well.

When conducting a search for, "a storage facility near me," do be sure to check that the facility has climate-controlled units as an option if required for your items. This is the best way to prevent damages to certain personal belongings.

You won't have to worry about the items taking up space inside your home or becoming damaged by natural weather elements.

5. Replace Items How You Found Them

The last storage tip we have for you is to always replace your items how you found them. It's tempting to quickly throw your seasonal items into their appropriate bins and force the lid closed. As long as it fits you're good, right?

Not so much. When it comes time to access those bins next season, you'll have a mess on your hands. You might not even be able to fit all of the items into their bins if not replaced properly. Always take the extra time to fold lights neatly and so on.

You'll be thanking yourself when it's time to open those bins again.

Are You Searching For a Storage Unit This Year?

When you have several bins filled with seasonal items, plus a few items that can't fit into bins, utilizing a storage unit is a must. Self storage allows you to securely place your items in a storage unit and free up space inside your home. Conduct an online search for, "self storage near me" to find a reputable storage facility near you.

Click here to learn more about the storage options that A-1 Self Storage can offer you!