If you live in southwestern Ontario, chances are you’re not a stranger to snow. When the weather starts to shift from warm to cold it is time to consider storing those items you won’t be using for the next several months.
Increase the longevity of your items by storing them properly in an outdoor shed or storage unit. We have created a list of possible items that need storing as well as recommendations on how to store them.
Storing Summer Clothing Over Winter
Clothing is often bulky and takes up a lot of valuable closet space. A solution is to put them in outdoor storage. We recommend investing in large vacuum sealed bags and Rubbermaid bins.
Make sure the clothes are well laundered before putting them into the bags to prevent bad smells or stains. Fold them as best you can and place them into the bag. Attach your vacuum and remove the air to prevent moisture and mold. Place the bags into a Rubbermaid bin for added protection and to increase your storage by stacking them on top of one another.
Winterizing Landscaping Equipment
Swap the chores of cutting the grass for snow shoveling. You also won’t be doing any outdoor gardening, unless you have a green house, so it’s important to store your equipment and tools appropriately. Remember, that you do not want to store any liquid in outdoor storage, including gas. Empty those fuel tanks on your equipment including lawnmowers, weed whackers, chainsaws, etc.
When storing your lawnmower, you’ll want to perform a few tasks to ensure it’s ready to go next spring.
- Remove the spark plugs
- Drain the fuel tank when prepping your mower for winter. Especially if you plan to keep it in outdoor storage. Otherwise the gas will break down and will give you problems starting your equipment come spring, potentially causing damage.
- Clean your mower thoroughly. Removing grass clippings will not only keep the floor of your storage unit clean, it’ll remove any rust causing trapped moisture.
Before storing away your gardening equipment it is important to clean them thoroughly to prevent rusting. Also consider applying protective coating to surfaces, sanding wooden handles and sharpening metal edges. A great storage solution is to place a skid/pallet in your storage unit and use S-Hooks to hang all your tools.
Storing Outdoor Furniture
The key to winterizing patio furniture is a thorough cleaning.
- Use hot water, soap and a sponge to clean Aluminum, vinyl and plastic furniture.
- Never use soap on wicker and wood. Use water and oil soap followed by furniture-grade paste wax after drying.
- Keep your metal furniture out of the snow in the winter. If your furniture is beginning to rust, remove as much of the rust as possible by scrubbing with a wire brush, then apply a coat of paste wax. Another option is to use a silicone sealant spray on metal pieces.
- Using upholstery cleaner, scrub your canvas furniture.
Once everything is cleaned dry and prepped it is time to decide where to put it all. You’d want to preferably keep it out of the elements, but if that’s not an option we suggest binding up your furniture in a tarp.
Winter Storage For Outdoor Recreational Gear
This includes sporting equipment, bikes, skateboards and pool equipment.
Storing your sporting equipment during the winter varies from company to company. We suggest making sure everything is thoroughly dried and checking the manufacturers recommendations.
Keep all outdoor recreational gear clean and dry to prevent moisture build-up. We also suggest adding packets of dehumidifying materials that will help absorb any existing moisture.
Winterizing Your Barbecue
To prep your grill for the off-season there are a few tasks you should complete.
- Remove grease and food scraps. To get tough spots blast your grill on high for 15 minutes. Let it cool and scrape with a soft metal brush or crumpled aluminum foil.
- Shut off the gas at the tank, and unfasten the burner. Take the gas tubes off the lines, and lift out the entire burner unit. Reference the owner’s manual for help doing this correctly.
- Coat clean burners and metal parts with cooking oil to repel moisture and prevent rust.
- Wrap the burner unit in a plastic bag to discourage spiders and insects from taking up residence in the tubes.
- Leave the propane tank outside in an upright position away from potential heat sources.
If you are looking for winter storage solutions the Move Out Bin can help. You can store all your spring and summer clothing and equipment on your property, or at our storage location.
What’s our process?
To get started with your storage solution, give us a call at 519-566-3332. Our team of expert technicians will:
- Deliver your storage container, giving you the time you need to pack
- Pick up the container and transport it to your new location or store it at our facility until you are ready for its delivery
- We will pick up the empty container when you are done
The Move Out Bin offers their valued Windsor-Essex commercial/retail customers simplified moving and storage, guaranteed!
