From scuba gear to lawn furniture and barbecue grills, you’ll probably pull all sorts of warm-weather items out of your storage unit this summer. To make room for seasonal belongings, you’ll need to put a few space-hogging items back inside the unit. To decide what to pack and maximize space, follow the below advice.

How to Prepare for Summer Storage

Decide What You Can Part With

Chances are you won’t use everything in your home, apartment, or dorm room throughout summer. To start decluttering the space, go around and take inventory of what won’t come in handy during the warmer months, including heavy coats and sweaters, boots, shovels, snowblowers, textbooks, and boxes of winter holiday decorations. If you’re prone to sweating at night, you can also put bulky, thick bedding on the list of possessions to pack.

Think About How to Protect Each Item

Your belongings should be in the same condition when you take them out of the storage unit as when you put them in. Whether they are vulnerable to damage largely depends on how you pack. Clothing should be placed in air-tight, plastic storage bins instead of cardboard boxes. You won’t have to worry about moisture or insects getting inside. If you decide to store furnishings, cover them with fabric cloths. This will prevent nicks and dents in transit and keep dust from settling and scratching the surfaces.

Pack the Unit Strategically

Before summer ends, you might need to revisit the unit to pick up a few things. Label all boxes to make the search easier. Anything you think you might need should be packed in boxes closer to the front of the storage unit; this will make it easier to locate and access them quickly. Furniture and other bulky items you probably won’t need should be arranged in the back of the unit.

If you need safe, secure storage solutions this summer or any time of the year, the professionals at Arctic Storage at Midtown in Anchorage, AK, have you covered. Staff members are on site to guard the facility, and clients use personal access codes to enter the grounds, ensuring items inside storage units remain protected. To learn about affordable self-storage options, call (907) 563-3342. Visit the company online for special offers and Facebook to see photos of the facility.