Beat the Heat

It's hot, hot, hot in Northwest Arkansas so exercise caution when you are accessing your self storage unit! Most units have insulated ceilings and that does help to keep the heat down a bit but inside your unit the airflow will be restricted and temperatures can rise pretty high.

• Arrive early in the morning and finish before 11:00 am to beat the worst of the heat. Figure out if your unit gets morning or afternoon shade. If the sun is beating down on your entrance during the first part of the day, you might actually do better working in your unit in the evening.
• Bring plenty of water. . . and keep drinking it. It doesn't have to be ice cold to be effective. Don't slug down lots of sugary or caffeine filled beverages (including so called "sports drinks.") When you are fighting dehydration and heat you need clean, clear water.
• Take frequent breaks. If you are inside the unit for very long, step out to get fresh air occassionally. Even a light breeze will cool you down.
• Wear light colored, cotton clothing. These will absorb less heat from the sun.

Most of all, exercise good common sense. Don't push yourself too much in this sort of heat. Stay cool out there!

Pest Control

Even if the storage facility takes measures to control pests, you want to be sure that your unit and possessions are free of rodents and insects. These critters can ruin the contents of a storage unit faster than can be imagined.

The first step to insuring that you don't encounter problems of this sort is to never store food in a storage unit! Don't keep food in a boat or RV that is in storage either. You can be guaranteed that bugs and mice are looking for things to eat and will find a way to get it if it's in your unit

Next, keep your unit clean and tidy. Sweep the floor once in awhile so there is little or no nesting material or debris that might otherwise interest pests. Sweeping will help break up cobwebs and chase off other bugs considering taking up residence. If items in the unit are stacked neatly, it's easier to spot a problem while it's still small.

Last but not least, place packets of mouse poison and roach traps in your unit or RV. I'm not one to use a lot of pesticides and poisons, but this is the best way to limit damage; especially if you are storing things for more than a couple of months. Remember to change the bug traps out after they expire. These don't stay potent forever.

Storing Mattresses

One thing you discover after being around a lot of self storage units is that almost everyone has a mattress stashed in their unit. It seems to be a standard that if you rent a self storage unit you are required to put a mattress in it. Before you follow the leaders in this area though you need to take a careful look at that mattress and ask yourself:

"Is this really something that I will use at some point again in the future?"
"Will I really want to sleep on this thing again?"
"Would I want any of my friends or family to sleep on this mattress?"

If you answer "no" to any of the above questions then you just need to throw that mattress away! Of course I'd be happy to rent a unit to you and store it for the next 5 years, but chances are it's going to end up in a landfill before it ever gets used again. Just pay the money and take it to the dump. You'll be ahead in the long run.

If you answered "yes" to any of the above mattress questions then the next step is to consider how you are going to store your mattress.

The first and most important step is to get a mattress bag. If you are tempted to skip this step then you might as well procede as if you answered no to all of the questions and throw the mattress away! If you store a mattress in a self storage unit without a mattress bag, it will collect more dust than you ever thought possible and be ruined for future use. Any dampness from the concrete floor will be absorbed by the mattress. It's also an easy target for any vermine. So, buy a mattress bag or save one from a new mattress. Slip it over the mattress and tape it up with packing tape. If the bag rips in transport, tape that opening up as well. You can buy these bags at your storage facility or a moving/packing supplier and they run around $5.00 or less depending on the size.

The next step is to consider pest control. Most storage unit doors open to the great out of doors and it is possible that critters could get in through the cracks and crannies around your unit. A tray of rodent pellets should keep the mice and rats away. Some roach traps or feeders would be a good idea although they are less likely to make it through a well sealed mattress bag. Remember that these need to be replaced periodically. If spiders are a problem, the best solution we've found is to set off a spider bomb in the unit although this would permeate any items that are not sealed in plastic.

The final step is to check your unit occassionally. This is the best way to make sure that your mattress and other valuables are in good condition and not deteriorating while in storage. These same tips of course apply to a matching box springs! Good luck with your mattress and all your storage needs!