Storing in Cooler Temperatures

Winter is quickly approaching, are you ready? Here are 5 ways to help you when storing in cooler temperatures.

1. Understand what you are storing. Give each item a quick inspection. Make note of any fragile items and take the necessary steps to protect those areas on whatever you are storing. Also note the condition of the items being stored at the time to make sure they are being properly stored to prevent further damage to your valuables.
2.  There some household items to avoid storing in a freezing environment. Most house paints will be no good if the temperature drops below 30 degrees. LCD screens of any kind should not stay in a freezing environment or they will be damaged.
3.  Be careful storing canned food items and sodas in storage over the winter months as it is not uncommon that some cans will burst open and spill everywhere. Cans that have burst open previously can be a major health hazard if consumed. Inspect all cans when ready for use. A trick that works great for storing cans of various foods and liquids is using an unplugged refrigerator. It can actually insulate those items from freezing temperatures.
4. Do you have fragile memorabilia such as baseball cards, old photos? Are you wondering how to safely store them in the cold? Plastic sleeves for cards of all types, even photos are a great way to protect them in the cold. They can prevent scratches, scuffs, tears, and folds to happen which will preserve the life of them! However, plastic sleeves are not recommended in an excessively hot environment because those sleeves can melt and stick to the cards and photos causing damage to occur when removed. Don’t forget to remove them before the summer.
5. To prevent oxidation, polish metal furnishings made from brass, silver or nickel. Wrap the items in plastic sheeting or shrink wrap to protect them from uncontrollable climate conditions. Keep precious metals like gold and silver out of the cold air and store in plastic to help preserve them.

Don’t let winter’s weather sneak up on you before you’re done winterizing everything!

Tim Glasow

About the Author: Tim is an SEO Strategist at Storage Asset Management in York, PA. He is a self-storage industry specialist who has written about everything from storage advice and helpful resources to industry trends. In his free time, Tim enjoys sampling craft beer and exploring the local music scene.