Stashing Your Summer Gear

Summer, it’s gone with the blink of an eye. It’s time again to stash your summer gear. Here are a few helpful tips and articles to ensure that your equipment is good as new when you take it out of storage next spring.
Patio Furniture
Winter has many adverse effects on all types of patio furniture so it’s best to store them inside for the season. According to this blog on Sparefoot.com there are steps to take when storing your items for the winter to keep them in like-new condition. https://www.sparefoot.com/self-storage/blog/11925-how-to-store-outdoor-furniture/
Lawn Care Tools
Taking care of garden tools like your shovels and rakes is just as important as your lawn mower. Clean metal garden tools with warm, soapy water then use a wire brush to take off any rust (use a rust inhibitor on these tools for preventative measures). Dry garden tools then put them away in your shed, garage or storage unit to prevent them from getting weathered.
This Old House wrote a step by step process on how to prepare your lawn mower for winter storage making it easy for first timers to store their mower. You can find their article here: https://www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/how-to-store-your-lawn-mower-cold-season
Camping Equipment
The most important thing to remember when putting away all your camping gear is to make sure your items are clean. Crumbs of food are a feast for pests, and mildew smells terrible. When storing your camping gear remember to sweep out your tent and let it dry completely before putting it away. Also check for needed repairs to your tent and camping mattress. Do any repairs that are needed now, so you won’t be surprised next year by a leaky mattress or holes in your tent. Keep your items in sealed totes, preferably ones that will fit in your car for easy travel. Make an inventory list with notes to replace batteries, propane tanks etc.
Let us know what tips you use to keep your items in tip-top shape for Spring in the comments below!
–Kayla Akerstrom