Tips for using storage units without climate control??

Question

My husband is deploying we just have a little over a week to have everything packed and into the storage place that we already paid for which is not climate controlled. Any tips on storing our items in this unit?? Our items would be in there for 6-8 months. Any tips or advice on long term storage would be appreciated!! Thanks so much!!♥
-Proud Marine Wife.

Answer 1

Get as many rubber maid containers as you can!! This will ensure that if it leaks, then your stuff wont get molded and mildewed.

Wrap as much as you can with saran wrap to protect it. Boxes will absorb moisture! So, keep everything off the concrete if you "have" to go that way. Get some pallets and put them on! When your finally done, put a large tarp over everything, so that the dust wont get to a lot of stuff and if it leaks again, your stuff is pretty well protected. (put the rubbermaid or plastic storage containers on the bottom if possible, to keep the cardboard up as high as possible.

NO FOOD!! Rats will get into the storage bin then... Also, the cans will burst in the cold.

Electronics should NOT be stored in the storage place, as humidity may affect them and warp them. (It may be possible, if you "saran wrap" them up very tightly)...

I will have your Husband, and all Service Personell in my prayers...

Semper Fi !!

I wish you well..

Jesse

Answer 2

Your concern is well-founded. Without some method of dehudification, mold is not far around the corner. I am going to give you some suggestions, from the least to the most expensive. But, by all means, do something. Any mold that gets started on your household goods will be costly and difficult to remove.

1. Air circulation: a high-powered oscillating fan running 24/7.

2. Dehumidification: add a dehumidifier in conjuction with the fan, making certain to empty the collected water on a regular basis.

3. Air purification: add a purifier to operate in conjunction with the fan and dehumidifier. In an unoccupied space, a small ozone-generating device will work wonders. Your best bet is probably
the Flair unit from Ecoquest International.

These measures, taken together, will virtually guarantee a mold-free environment, saving unbelievable aggravation. Look for used, borrowed, and distress sale bargains, but try to encorporate all of the above measures. Good luck and God bless you!

Answer 3

Thank your hubby for his service to our country and its citizens! A couple of hints about storage based on personal experience and my knowledge of interior design. Bad idea to store anything that could melt, explode, or leak. You'd be surprised at what that could be - deoderant, cleaning supplies, candles. I'm not sure what part of the country you are in, but wood furniture heat and humidity are not friends. If you can treat any wood with Scotts Liquid Gold or any such moisturizer it will fair better during the summer. Heat also has a nasty way of making smells come out of the cushions and fabric upholstery. Spray them with Lysol or fabric refresher before storage. Clothing should be covered and I prefer fabric (even an old sheet) to plastic because some fibers need to breathe. Dust is a surprising problem in most storage units, so try to cover or box as many items as you can. Try to use those little silica gel packets or moisture absorbers to help with the humidity. Place cedar blocks with fabrics, particularly woolens, to ward off the moths. There is a product available at the Lowes, called DampRID mold and mildew protector that is safe for fabrics and I would probaby hit my upholstered items with it as a precaution.

Good luck, and as my papa used to say, "Come Home Safe"

Answer 4

Make sure to pick up Damp-Rid or an equivalent substitute. Put the container into a large Tupperware bowl because of the amount of time you will be gone. Because there is always air leakage between units, it will not take care of all of the moisture, but it will help.

Sealing all of your boxes well with tape and putting each one in a Trash Bag will also prevent too much moisture from entering your stuff.