It's summertime! Which can also mean, clutter-time!
If your kids are home for the summer, your spouse is on vacation, you have family visiting for an extended period of time, or you’re just enjoying the season, it probably seems like you have more “stuff” than you know what to do with. Why not buy that trampoline at Costco? Or those extra deck chairs because your back yard is your own personal oasis? And really, why not! You only live once.
But, if you’re like us, you also like to have an organized home, even in the summer, and this might mean doing a little summer cleaning. How will you survive a summer of water toys, grass clippings and gear?
Simple - commit to getting organized this summer so that when the fall rolls around, you’re not scrambling.
Summer Organization Ideas & Tips
Here are 5 ideas for summer organization:
- If you haven’t used equipment or gear in the last month, you probably won’t in the next month: That snowblower in the middle of your garage, your winter tires, even your inside exercise bicycle, are not going to regain their utility in the next month (or even the next months). These are easy, bulky items to put into self-storage to help you regain some real estate for your summer equipment that you’re probably using a lot.
- Create “zones”: It’s not easy to convince your kids to put everything back in a completely orderly fashion, so compromise a little bit and require that toys end up in at least one room, instead of three, or pool gear always gets dried in a specific area on the porch before it comes back inside to avoid mildew. It’s the small victories that count!
- Always keep the instructions:If you’re buying big items, like a trampoline, or a hockey net, and they can be disassembled, it helps to keep the instruction manual (and extra screws) if you need to take them back apart and put them together again next year. Also, we shamelessly encourage our customers to buy those fun items – they do take up a lot of space, but they create lasting family memories and make your home a “hub” for you and your kids. Plus, they are easy to get into and out of a storage unit every year, especially when you’re on a no-commitment, flexible month-to-month contract with Storage Solutions!
- Set Calendar Reminders for Bulk Item Pick-Up Day: It is the worst feeling when you miss these wonderful days that most municipal waste collectors run. How else are you really going to dispose of that huge couch? But, in the summer, the weeks zoom by, so it’s best to set the reminders now rather than have regrets later.
- Keep a Bucket: Ok, not just a bucket, but an organized bucket! You put sunscreen into one Ziplock, bug sprays into another, swim goggles into a third, etc. You can grab the bag and go when you’re heading outside and when you get back, dump it back into the bucket. This can also look really nice if you invest in a galvanized tub or basket. In the winter, you can use this same container for mitts, gloves and hats.
Get Organized with Summer Storage
These are just a few of our own favourite personal ideas to keep you organized and sane this summer. We hope you find them helpful!
Oh, and if you have a cottage, self-storage can also help you keep organized over the summer. We have many customers who use their storage unit as their offsite drop off in between the house and the cottage. Pretty cool idea – neither place gets cluttered, but you still have your equipment at the ready.
Have questions about renting a storage unit at our Milton self-storage facility, Woodstock self-storage facility, Ayr self-storage facility or our New Hamburg storage facility? Call or send us a text at 905-854-1008. You can also email us at info@storagesolutionsontario.com.
BTW, we have online tours of our storage rental facilities and units for rent posted on YouTube. Check them out!
If you’re ready to rent, you can rent a storage unit anytime 24/7 online through our website. You can also call, text or email us too…and make sure you follow us on Instagram and Facebook for helpful advice and a good laugh!
Enjoy the summer!
Your friend in self-storage,
Storage Solutions
