One of the major benefits of using self-storage services such as Rent A Space is the fact that you can use them to prepare your home for different seasons. When the winter is approaching, for instance, you could rent out a storage unit at Rent A Space and then use it to stow away the items that you won’t need.

This helps you get rid of them so that they don’t get in your way at home. This can also be used as a strategy to increase the amount of space in your home. This especially can come in handy during the holiday season, when you might be expecting an increased number of guests in the home. Being able to have more space will make everyone more comfortable.

Some of the categories of items you might consider putting in storage over the winter include:

• Outdoor furniture that you don’t want to get damaged by the extreme cold
• Machinery that you are unlikely to use in the winter, such as a lawn mower or a BBQ
• Sporting equipment such as bikes that you will not use during the winter
• Large pieces of machinery that you normally store outside, but which might get damaged by the chilly weather.

When should you rent the space?

It’s important to rent the storage units well before winter sets in. The goal is to make sure that by the time winter actually starts, you will have already put all the items you don’t need into storage. Well, doing this in advance will also be more convenient for you. It means that you won’t have to struggle with activities such as packing the goods when it’s really cold, or risk driving when there is too much snow.

The need for preparation

You will definitely need to prepare the items you want to put in storage before doing so. Some of the issues that you should specifically watch out for include:

• Making sure that they are dry: All the items that you decide to put in storage over the winter should ideally be dried first. This will reduce the risk of having water in the storage unit, leading to water damage. The presence of too much water on some items can also result in damage, particularly if the water freezes over. For instance, water within a hose could freeze and expand, potentially damaging the hose and other items stored near it.
• Clear any dirt on the items. This is particularly important for items that you normally use in the outdoors, such as gardening implements.

Your packaging options are critical

You will often need to package the items before putting them away in storage. Your choice of packaging material is critical in determining how long the items last. A general rule of thumb you should follow is to use a type of packaging that will allow the free movement of moisture and air around the items. If you use Rent A Space storage units, you can ask for packaging boxes and other packaging supplies to help you facilitate this.

Using packaging made of materials such as polythene is not recommended, since it tends to lock in the moisture on the item. This gives it enough time to damage the item, particularly if you keep it in storage for a very long time. For instance, you might notice rusting a few months later, simply because you chose to package the item in polythene.

All in all, Rent A Space offers excellent storage for both individual and commercial applications. Using the above guidelines, you can use the storage facilities as an excellent way to store items over winter, so that they don’t clutter your space too much and stay well protected this cold season!