Man. Okay. So here’s the thing.
I was talking to this guy last week. He came in looking for a unit. Said he just needed somewhere to put his stuff for the summer while he redoes his basement. Cool. No problem. We get him set up.
Then he starts telling me about his last storage experience. And I swear to you my jaw dropped.
He said he rented a unit a couple years ago. Threw everything in there. Thought nothing of it. Came back three months later and his couch was covered in mold. Like fuzzy green mold. His box spring too. A bunch of clothes he had in those big black trash bags? Trash. All of it. The smell was so bad he said he almost threw up just opening the door.
And the thing is. He did everything wrong. But he didn’t know. Nobody told him.
So that’s why I’m writing this. Because summer is here. People are gonna be renting units. And I’m tired of watching people lose their stuff when they don’t have to.
Humidity Will Ruin Your Stuff Faster Than You Think
Let me just tell you what happens.
You know how in July you walk outside and it feels like breathing soup? That humidity is everywhere. It gets into your unit. It settles on your stuff. And if you’ve got cardboard boxes or fabric or wood? It soaks right in.
I’m gonna say something and I need you to hear me. Concrete floors sweat. They just do. The ground underneath is cool. The air above is warm and wet. That temperature difference creates moisture. It comes up through the floor. So if you put a cardboard box directly on the concrete? The bottom of that box is gonna get damp. Then whatever is inside is gonna get damp. Then you got mold.
I had a lady store a whole bunch of photo albums like that. Right on the floor. Came back and the photos were stuck together. Water damage. Her wedding pictures. Her kids when they were babies. Gone. She sat in my office and cried.
So rule number one. Get your stuff off the concrete. Pallets. Wood. Those plastic shelf things. I don’t care what you use just get it up off the ground.
Cardboard Is Not Your Friend
Also. Cardboard. Look. I know cardboard is free. I know you can grab a bunch of boxes from the liquor store or whatever. But cardboard is bad for storage. It absorbs moisture. It falls apart. And bugs love it. Like they genuinely love cardboard. Roaches hide in the corrugated parts. Silverfish eat the glue. Spiders make nests between the flaps.
If you’re storing stuff for more than a few weeks? Plastic bins. The ones with the yellow lids from Costco or the black ones from Home Depot. They stack. They seal. They keep moisture out. They keep bugs out. Yeah they cost money but so does replacing all your stuff when it gets ruined.
Seriously. No Food
Alright what else.
Food. I cannot stress this enough. Do not store food. I don’t care if it’s canned. I don’t care if it’s sealed. I don’t care if you think it’s fine because it’s just a box of crackers. Mice will find it. And once they find it they will stay. They will chew through plastic. They will chew through wood. They will get into your furniture and your clothes and your kids toys and they will make nests and they will poop everywhere.
My buddy stored some camping gear one time. Left a bag of trail mix in his backpack. Thought nothing of it. Came back and mice had eaten through his tent. His sleeping bag. His camp stove bag. Everything smelled like mouse pee. He threw out like six hundred dollars worth of gear because of a bag of trail mix.
Just don’t do it.
Label Your Boxes Like Your Sanity Depends On It
Okay also. And this is a big one. Label your boxes. But not like how most people label boxes. Most people write kitchen on a box and call it a day. But then you have eight boxes that say kitchen and you need your coffee maker and you have no idea which box it’s in. So you start opening boxes. And you open three before you find it. And now you have a mess on your hands and you’re annoyed and it’s hot and you just wanna go home.
Write kitchen plates. Kitchen cups. Kitchen coffee maker. And write on the side of the box too. Not just the top. Because when you stack boxes you can’t see the top. You can see the side.
Even better? Take a picture of what’s in the box before you close it. Or keep a list on your phone. Box one is camping gear. Box two is winter coats. Whatever. Takes two seconds when you’re packing. Saves you so much headache later.
Leave Yourself Room To Move
Another thing people mess up. They pack their unit like they’re trying to win a game of Tetris. Every square inch filled. Boxes stacked to the ceiling. No room to move.
Then two weeks later they need something. And they have to move half the unit to get to it. And they’re standing there sweating and swearing and moving heavy boxes and it’s a whole thing.
Leave yourself a path. Put the stuff you know you’ll need this summer right inside the door. Camping stuff. Patio stuff. Whatever you’re gonna use soon. Push the stuff you don’t need until fall or winter to the back. That way when you need something you just walk in and grab it.
What We See Every Day
I run a storage place and I see people make these mistakes every single day. And I try to tell them. I really do. But some people don’t want to hear it. They just want to get their stuff in there and leave. And then they come back later and they’re upset and I don’t blame them because I’d be upset too if my stuff got ruined.
That’s why we have climate controlled units. That’s why we tell people to get their stuff off the floor. That’s why we sell locks and bins and those moisture absorber buckets. We’re not trying to upsell you. We’re trying to help you not lose your stuff.
If you store with us or somewhere else just do yourself a favor. Think about it before you throw everything in there. Take the extra hour to pack right. It’s worth it.
A Couple More Things Before You Go
One more thing. If you’re storing a fridge or a freezer or anything like that? Clean it out. Dry it out. Leave the door cracked open a tiny bit. If you close it all the way the moisture gets trapped inside and it gets gross in there. Like really gross.
Same with a grill. Clean it. Get the grease out. Cover it with something breathable. Not plastic. Plastic traps moisture.
Alright I think that’s everything. I could keep going but you get the idea.
Come See Us
We’ve got units if you need one. Climate controlled or regular. Whatever works for your stuff and whatever works for your budget. Come by and I’ll show you around. Help you figure out what size makes sense. No pressure.
Just don’t put your boxes on the concrete floor. Please.
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