Do you have kids? If you answered yes, take a look at the top reasons why you need to rent a self-storage unit.
Extra Artwork
Is your home about to overflow with finger paintings, pinch pots, popsicle stick sculptures, and other artwork? If you don't want to throw your creative kid's haul out, but you don't have room to store it at home, consider a rental unit.
Self-storage provides you with an easy, off-site way to keep your child's treasured crafty memories safe right now and for years to come. Before you store:
- Sort through the artwork.
You don't need to keep every scrap of paper or piece of clay. Decide which pieces are important to you and your child.
- Digitize some of the artwork.
If you don't want to keep some of the art, but don't want to put it into self-storage, take a photo and store it digitally.
- Use plastic bins.
Cardboard boxes can break easily and may allow moisture in. Reduce the risk of mold, water damage, and other issues with plastic bins. Make sure each bin has a tight-fitting lid.
- Organize by age, type of artwork, or a theme.
Create a bin for each year of your child's life, each holiday, or another attribute.
Now that your child's artwork isn't cluttering your living room, playroom, or basement, it's time to turn your attention to other areas. Read on for more information on other common reasons parents choose self-storage.
Holiday Gifts
Where should you hide your child's birthday, Christmas, Valentine's Day, or other holiday presents? A curious child can quickly find presents hidden in closets, crawl spaces, basements, and other in-home spaces.
Reduce the risk of your child finding a present before the holiday with a self-storage unit. If you use a storage rental to hide your child's gifts:
- Don't wrap them first.
It's easy to forget what's inside a wrapped package. If you don't wrap the package before you store, you won't have to open and rewrap it later.
- Use bags for boxes.
Save space, but protect boxed toys and games, with garbage bags.
- Use bins for soft toys.
Safely store stuffed animals and cloth dolls in plastic bins with lids.
- Use an inventory.
Create a spreadsheet, use an app, or make a list to organize the toys before you store everything. This will make it easier to find everything before the holiday.
- Store wrapping supplies too.
Store rolls of wrapping paper, ribbons, bows, tape, and everything else you need in a bin near the toys. This allows you to keep everything together in one place and gets you ready for the next, wrapping phase.
Not only can a self-storage unit keep your child's gifts away from their spying eyes, but it also allows you to buy presents weeks or months in advance. Go ahead and take advantage of sale prices or bulk buys, knowing you have a safe place to stash the items until you need them.
Out of Season Items
Your child doesn't need their tennis racket in the middle of the winter and they won't need their ski boots in June. Store your child's out of season activity items in a rental unit to keep them safe until the next year.
Seasonal items to store may include:
- Sports equipment.
If your child plays a seasonal sport save on equipment costs and save space at home with a storage unit. If your child has outgrown the items (such as skates), store them as a future hand-me-down.
- Clothing.
Like some sports equipment, you can hand down outgrown seasonal clothing.
- Footwear.
Store winter boots, summer sandals, or spring rain boots in the offseason.
Use garbage bags for clothing coats, and soft footwear. Store everything else in bins or boxes. Larger items, such as sleds or skis, may require plastic wrap, a tarp, or a specialized storage bag.
