Use Climate-Controlled Storage for These Items [infographic]

At Hillsdale Mini Storage, we get many requests for our climate-controlled storage space, and we also get people asking us whether they really need one of these units or if standard storage would suffice. The short answer is to consider climate-controlled storage for anything you wouldn’t leave in your garage, basement, or attic space that experiences significant temperature changes and/or higher humidity levels. Here are a few items that we suggest you spend a bit more to store in our climate-controlled storage for best results and the protection of your belongings.

• Appliances- While you might not routinely store appliances, if you do have a backup one you want to save for an emergency, many of the electronic and mechanical parts can become damaged in extreme temperatures. They can also become moldy, making cleanup a real chore.
• Electronics- It doesn’t matter if you have an old model or a newer model; most electronics will not fair well in humidity or temperature fluctuations. One item that has a real problem with extreme temperatures is plasma TVs. Humidity can do the same thing to your electronics as pouring a glass of water over them.
• Important Documents- Humidity can cause documents to discolor and fade, and even dissolve completely in extreme situations. If you must store them in a standard storage unit, be sure you have a digital or certified copy in another location.
• Photos- Temperature fluctuations and humidity can cause photos to stick together permanently. If you must store them in standard storage, be sure to place them in albums where the photos are not facing each other.
• Clothing- Mold and mildew are killers of clothing. In a pinch, you can store them in cardboard and then put them into plastic storage bins for extra protection, but climate-controlled storage is the best option.
• Musical Instruments- All types – strings, brass, woodwind, and percussion can be adversely affected by humidity and temperature extremes. Unless you plan to use your guitar as wall décor and never play it again, don’t even think about standard storage!
• Wine- People use wine cellars for a reason – heat kills wine. Enough said?
• Collectibles- There are several types of collectibles that won’t fair well in standard storage and could be rendered valueless. If you want to protect the value of your coins, stamps, comics, and other collectibles, give them a happy home in climate-controlled storage.
• Furniture- Both wood and leather furniture don’t take kindly to humidity or temperature fluctuations.
• Artwork- Whether you have a cherished finger-painting your child did, a collectible piece of artwork, or anything in between, if it matters to you for sentimental or financial reasons, you don’t want to put it in standard storage. Fine artwork prefers 50% humidity and temperatures between 70 and 75 degrees.