As winter and the cold weather approach, getting an early start on organizing your garage is important so you can avoid having to do it in the cold. You’ll also want to be able to park your vehicles inside before the first snow fall so you don’t have to worry about brushing off your car or scrapping the windows.
Follow these winter storage tips to get your garage organized for the winter:
Declutter Your Garage
Clean Your Garage
Make Sure Certain Items Are Brought Inside Your Home
Take Advantage Of Wall And Ceiling Storage Space
Prepare Your Seasonal Equipment For Storage
Rent A St. Albert Self Storage Unit
Decluttering on a regular basis is always recommended, but when you are starting a new organizing venture, it is always the most important first step. You can’t really know how much space you have until you get rid of items that are no longer needed or that should be stored in another part of your home.
Decluttering your garage will free up valuable space in your garage for vehicles and winter equipment. It will also allow you to come up with a great organization plan and eliminate unsafe conditions, such as tripping hazards.
Sort through everything in your garage, including bins and boxes, and create piles for donation and garbage. Keeping items in your garage that you no longer use or need will just take up valuable space and make your garage cluttered.
Once you have decluttered your garage, the next step is to get it clean. Dust, dirt and grime can build up more quickly in your garage than anywhere else in your home.
Clean any shelves or cabinets before putting your items back. Give the garage floor a good sweep and spray it down with a garden hose or pressure washer.
Many forget that there are certain things that should not be stored in a garage over the cold winter months. Anything that can freeze or be harmed by freezing temperatures should not be stored in your garage.
Pretty much anything in liquid form, such as cleaning products, paint and beverages, will be at risk of rupturing and making a mess everywhere. When liquids freeze and thaw, it also affects their effectiveness and consistency.
Electronics should not be stored in the cold. Condensation can damage, crack and rust the components.
Be careful storing any kind of paper or food products in your garage as these can attract rodents and other pests.
Many storage spaces, most of all garages, are not utilized to their full potential. By taking advantage of the walls and ceiling to store your items, you will gain an incredible amount of space.
The best way to take advantage of the walls in your garage is to invest in a peg board or slatwall storage system. These can store almost anything and will keep your garage neat and organized.
Not only are there hooks available for these systems, there are also baskets, bins and shelves. With all of the options available, you will be able to hang up your tools, gardening supplies, rakes, shovels and pretty much anything else you can think of.
If your garage has higher ceilings, a great space saving idea is to get ceiling mounts. There are many companies that make these and they are designed to safely store your bulkier, heavier items, such as an extra set of tires, skis, snowboards and bikes.
The best way to extend the life of your items is to make sure they are completely cleaned and dried before they are stored.
It’s a good idea to have any of your motorized items, such as lawnmowers and trimmers, serviced before they are stored for the winter. Any problems or maintenance should be addressed right away. When spring comes, all of your items will be ready to go.
No matter how well you clean up and organize your garage, you still may need more room for your items. By renting a St. Albert self storage unit, you can keep your garage clutter free and have space to park your vehicles.
At Riel Park RV & Self Storage we have unheated storage units with drive up access, in a variety of sizes, for easy loading and unloading. We also have climate controlled storage units for your more temperature sensitive items.
With access hours from 6am to 10pm, 7 days a week, you can access your storage unit whenever needed.
At Riel Park RV & Self Storage we offer a paved, gated storage facility with individual coded access, video surveillance and mobile patrols for added security.
Call one of our storage rental experts now at 780-459-6435 to reserve your storage space today!
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