Self-storage tips – protect your belongings during summer months in NY
The summer is coming to the city of New York. The long winter is gone and the rise in temperatures is reminding us all of the necessary preparations we have to do in our homes. Decluttering is the first thing that comes to mind since we won’t need those winter jackets and boots anymore. If you don’t have enough space to keep these belongings at home, it is time to think about the self-storage unit. However, before renting a self-storage unit in NY, you need to know how to protect your belongings during summer months. Luckily, we have a few self-storage tips for you.
How to protect your belongings during summer months in NY?
The most common question you can ask yourself when storing your items in summer is “Do I need a climate-controlled unit?” It depends on what you plan to store, but in most cases, the answer is “yes”. Summer in New York City can be quite warm, and you don’t want your sensitive possessions to be ruined just because you wanted to save a few bucks. Climate control in self-storage is a convenient idea with the purpose of protecting your items from heat, mold, and humidity. Heart Moving Manhattan NYC is an example of a company where you can get all info about moving and storing your items during the summer without much effort. Besides having professional help, it’s always useful to know a few self-storage summer tips.
Strategies to protect your belongings during summer months in NY
The heat and humidity are your item’s worst enemy in the summertime. Especially if you need to store something more sensitive like artwork or musical instruments. A climate-controlled unit is there to keep the optimal level of humidity and the appropriate temperature level. This is where you want to use professional services when storing your belongings because they already have experience with storing things like:
- Electronic devices
- Photos
- Books and documents
- Wooden items
- Leather items
Electronic devices
Storing your electronics during the summer is not something you should do unless you are renting a climate-controlled unit. Computers, tablets, smartphones, TV’s, and CD’s are particularly sensitive and easily damaged by heat and excessive humidity.
Photos
You don’t want your photos to stick together because of the high heat. It will render them useless and unrecoverable. The best way to save them is to put them on a dark, cold, and dry place.
Books and documents
If you really must, then store your books and important documents in a secure place. Besides, a self-storage unit will protect them not only from climate changes but from rodents and insects as well.
Storing your books and paperwork in the right manner will keep them safe from humidity.
Wooden items
A piece of furniture is the most common thing for us to store when we need extra space in our home. But, storing a piece of wooden furniture without climate control can only lead to harm. When exposed to high-temperature differences, the wood cracks on the micro-level. Also, high humidity can cause rotting which is unrepairable.
Leather items
Any kind of leather, being that a piece of furniture or a piece of clothing can easily become damaged when exposed to an increase in humidity and temperature. Treat your leather with the conditioner according to the manual or ask leather manufacturers for advice.
Treat your leather items with the conditioner if you plan to use them again.
Watch your health
If you plan to do your storage packing yourself, the important thing is to avoid the temperature peak during the day. Start your packing early in the morning. Get a good night of sleep and prepare a lot of water to avoid dehydration. Also, consider calling a couple of friends or family members to help you with storing.
Plan your self-storage upfront
Summer is the most crowded period for transporting and storing in the self-storage industry. Don’t wait for the last train but reserve your storage upfront. For example, if you live in Manhattan, then call moving specialists you can find in Downtown Manhattan at least a few months before the summertime rush. Think about the closest local movers you can find and start calling as soon as possible before they reach their full capacity.
Use the old recipe – dryer sheets to protect your belongings during summer months
A good trick is to use dryer sheets to protect your belongings from pests. It’s a common knowledge that it repels moths and rats. The only disadvantage of this is that you will have to replace the sheets once a month if you want to be sure they’re working as intended. The modern self-storage units have their own ways to protect your items from pests, but this way you will at least get the fresh smell.
Pack your valuables the right way
You might be in a hurry thinking about the hot summer vacation and a way to get out of the NY heat, but don’t forget to pack properly. If you just throw your boxes without any order, you risk breaking the fragile items. Take the right measures and use wrappings and fillers in your boxes when packing sensitive items.
Label your boxes before storing them
Just like when you label your boxes when moving, labeling is useful in packing for storage as well. Imagine you store your items and after a while, you remember that you need something from the storage. There is no easy way of finding what you need without previous labeling and planned classification.
Label your boxes so you can always know where to look for items in case you need them.
Use all the space smartly so that you can protect your belongings during summer months
There is a lot of items you can disassemble before storing them out. However, not everything can be disassembled. It doesn’t matter since you can use them as mini storage. Vacuum bags, luggage, and drawers can provide you with an additional place to store your smaller items. Even fragile items can be safe if filled properly. Another thing, think about the most efficient way to use the vertical space in your storage. When possible, place smaller and lighter boxes on top of the larger and heavier. And don’t forget to leave some space between the boxes in case you need to reach something later on. Following all these pieces of advice will eventually help you to protect your belongings during summer months.
