Keep Your Items In Storage Safe From Water And Mold

We live in a day and age where companies release new and improved, better things all of the time. So needless to say, consumers will purchase these upgraded things to keep up with the trends. We also have a tendency to harbor mementos and souvenirs of our past. A good percentage of people will still have their tassel from their high school graduation, photos from that camping trip when they were six years old, or a teddy bear that was given to them by someone they do not even remember. People can be pack rats, some more than others.

So what happens to all of this stuff when you can no longer find enough storage space in your house to put them in? What will happen to the couch that you are replacing with the new sectional coming this very afternoon? Some people would have a yard sale to free up their load or give them away to charities or friends and family members that might want their stuff. Others will want to keep their belongings because they might need it for future use or because they do not want to part with their things. They will have to rent out a storage unit and put all of their belongings there.

Renting out a storage unit can be inexpensive, but it depends on the size of the unit you rent out. Some companies will have special promotional deals where the first month or the first few months are offered at a low price as long as you sign a contract that you will use the unit for a specified amount of time. These units are great for storing all of your belongings that you can not fit anywhere else in your home, but you also have to be weary about certain threats your belongings might face.

Water and mold damage will perhaps be your two biggest concerns in this situation. Since a storage unit is most likely sitting on the concrete ground, it offers little protection from the weather and the rain that the clouds might bring in. The storage unit is enclosed and does not have very much airflow so any moisture that is left trapped in there might turn into mold. Safeguarding your belongings means you will have to invest in some goods to protect it from water, mold, and even rodents and insects that might find its way in there.

Do not put anything in cardboard boxes. Cardboard is an organic material, which mold loves, and it offers little to no protection should there be water coming in from a hole in the roof or underneath the door. Instead, invest in some airtight plastic bins that you can put all of your items in, and stack them on top of cinder blocks. Cinder blocks are relatively cheap and can be purchased at your local hardware store. The cinder blocks will elevate the plastic bins so that water cannot reach them. All of your big items, such as your sofa, mattress, or dresser, need to be placed inside a big plastic bag and closed tightly. Buy some ties to tie the ends or double knot them to keep all the moisture and water out. Placing those big items atop cinder blocks is recommended as well.

To keep rodents and insects out, you will want to buy mousetraps and insect spray. Line the entrance with mousetraps and spray the perimeter with insect spray. Roach motels work well, too.