Be Smart About Storing Winter Gear

Many people engage in spring cleaning because it's the perfect opportunity to throw away unusable items, recycle usable but unwanted items, and put away the things that won't be needed in warmer weather to make room for the things that will be needed. But if you choose to put these things in self storage, be smart about it. If you just toss your skis, shoeshoes, ice skates and sleds into your storage unit with no plan, it'll be nearly impossible to find them when next winter's first snow storm looms. Read on for some tips on storing your favorite winter sporting gear so that it's easily accessible and in good shape when you're ready to use it again. 

Don't Forget the Walls

The walls of your self storage unit are the logical place to hold sleds, skis and poles. So they don't slip onto the floor during a long spring and summer of disuse, pick up a storage rack that can easily and neatly hold all of these items. Consider purchasing inexpensive metal shelves to hold ski boots and skates. It's a good idea to keep winter footwear on the bottom shelf just in case they drip. 

Get Everything Dry

If your winter gear has been sitting in the garage or even leaning against your house all winter, it's probably picked up a little water from melting snow. If you put these items into your storage unit wet, there's always the chance they could rust. It also isn't wise to introduce moisture into your storage unit because it can lead to mold and mildew growth. While it's true that your plastic saucer sled won't be damaged by a little bit of water, the precious baby clothes in a box under it might be. 

Create a Winter Bin

If you're a winter sports enthusiast, keep a special bin in your storage unit that has nothing but winter sports-related items. This bin isn't for those fancy leather gloves or your softest scarf. Instead, it's for the waterproof mittens or gloves, ski goggles and wax, boot inserts and hats. Before you pack these items away, clean them thoroughly so they'll be ready to go next winter. It'll be so much easier to grab that bin when you're ready to hit the slopes than dig through piles of winter sweaters hoping to find your lucky ski hat. 

A little careful planning during your spring cleaning is all you need to make sure your winter gear is ready next year when you are. 

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