I need a home for my stuff.

December 27, 2008 7:49 AM

Self-storage solution for linens, toys, etc.?

So we've got a bunch of Rubbermaid totes full of various kinds of stuff - toys, pillows, linens, books/magazines, etc. - and we really want to store them somewhere other than our smallish house. We've got a shed, but it's not waterproof or bug-resistant, so I'm icky about putting these things out there.

Aside from getting rid of stuff or getting a bigger house - both of which are things we're working on long-term, but a lot of the stuff is gonna be hand-me-downs from older kiddos to a new baby, so we need to keep it - is there a good off-site storage solution that's good for this kind of thing? Is there a shed that I can buy that's sufficiently ick-resistant that you'd be willing to store linens in? What about those rental self-storage places - would you store linens in one of those?

posted by jbickers to home & garden (8 comments total)

I would wrap everything tightly in garbage bags, maybe even double bag it, and then seal it up in the rubbermaids. Be sure everything is clean and dry and they should be fine to store in your shed. Maybe even put the rubbermaids in another big garbage bag before you shed them.
posted by pearlybob at 7:57 AM on December 27, 2008

They make these giant ziplocs now for that sort of storage. I would get some of those, put them in the Rubbermaids, and use your shed. I say this as someone who had some Rubbermaid bins in storage for about 4-5 years and pulled out clothing in near-usable shape. I hadn't bagged the clothes inside at all. (You'll end up wanting to rewash them anyway.)

The books were fine. Maybe a little musty. Bag 'em up and this would likely not be an issue.

Trash the magazines. There is no need to store magazines. If you're not going to them now, you won't go to them later. Clip'n'scan any articles you think you might want. If it's not worth scanning, it's not worth keeping.

The toys you may want to keep inside, or consider how they're individually going to hold up in a few years. I've never seen plastic keep well enough that you'd want your next child to use it. Wood will keep fine outside. Stuffed things I'd find a place for in the house.
posted by cobaltnine at 9:36 AM on December 27, 2008

you might want to put some kind of desiccant in with them if you're going to store them for a while, since big swings in temperature may cause moisture to condense inside the bags.
posted by rmd1023 at 9:44 AM on December 27, 2008

There may be technological solutions (eg those vacuum sealer machines) now, but I have twice stored clothes and books in plastic bins for extended times, with poor results each time. Once was a basement (probably about as damp as your shed) and once was a commercial storage place (but not one that advertised "climate controlled storage" or anything like that).

Both times, the clothes and blankets ended up so musty, even after washing them, that I had to get rid of them. The books were musty, but not so bad as to have to get tossed. There were probably things I could have done better (vacuum sealing? desiccant?), but I will never again try to store used clothes and linens unless they have tremendous value -- and in that case they would be worth the cost of climate-controlled storage.

I would agree with those who are suggesting passing these items on to a child that can use them now, rather than storing for the distant future. (Ignore this if we are talking about a couple of months, rather than years.)

And stringent culling may solve your problem easily and cheaply -- there is no need to store magazines, for example; simply sorting through your house may remove enough clutter so as to be able to store the kids' items indoors where they are accessible and will not deteriorate.
posted by Forktine at 10:37 AM on December 27, 2008

Store with silica gel packets which will absorb excess moisture (available at Michael's,floral supply places) and as air tightly as possible as mentioned above.
posted by mumstheword at 11:47 AM on December 27, 2008

have you seen those vaccuum pack things? they might be a little frivolous, but they work. you can achieve a similar effect by putting linens and clothes into trash bags and sitting on them before you tie it off, but it is only temporary and bugs can and will get in. you could always donate them and get a receipt from salvation army, then when you get your rebate go and buy new stuff, too. just a thought.
posted by big open mouth at 12:51 PM on December 27, 2008

I'm struggling to imagine how much linen and clothes you are trying to store that you can't find somewhere in the house for them.

If you are looking for long-term storage I'd expect the cost of a climate controlled storage facility to exceed the cost of buying these items again. Just sell what you have and buy what you need for the new baby as you go.
posted by koahiatamadl at 1:26 PM on December 27, 2008

have you seen those vaccuum pack things?

I have, and have considered them. But are they suitable for the shed - i.e. bugs, moisture, etc.?

I'm struggling to imagine how much linen and clothes you are trying to store that you can't find somewhere in the house for them.

Five people + small closets + a couple of sets of sheets for each bed + kids clothes we are saving for the new baby = TOO MUCH STUFF! NEED TO PUT SOMEWHERE ELSE!

Trash the magazines. There is no need to store magazines.

Should have clarified - stuff with sentimental value, like my Archie comics from when I was a kid that I'm saving for my boys.
posted by jbickers at 8:01 AM on December 28, 2008