Storing your Belongings while on the Road

[apackof2]

I just listed my house Monday (WOOHOO) with the intent of fulltiming when its sold

I have been checking into storage units as I am not at a place where I want to get rid of everything I can't fit in my rig.

I felt that certain items, such as furniture, bedding, clothes, electronic, photos should be in climate control units for long term storage to prevent climate change damage

HOWEVER

As storage units are quite pricy for their size (I am finding out),I am begiining to consider that climate control is not required even for long term storage, a year or longer

Long story to get to my questions

For those of you fulltiming with household belongings in storage, did you go with climate control or not?

If not, how long have your belonging been stored, and has there been any climate related damage to you belongings that you are aware of?

I am sure that where you store certainly would factor into climate control, southern areas being much more humid for example.

I plan on storing in central Michigan

Thanks!

[apackof2]

I just listed my house Monday (WOOHOO) with the intent of fulltiming when its sold

I have been checking into storage units as I am not at a place where I want to get rid of everything I can't fit in my rig.

I felt that certain items, such as furniture, bedding, clothes, electronic, photos should be in climate control units for long term storage to prevent climate change damage

HOWEVER

As storage units are quite pricy for their size (I am finding out),I am begiining to consider that climate control is not required even for long term storage, a year or longer

Long story to get to my questions

For those of you fulltiming with household belongings in storage, did you go with climate control or not?

If not, how long have your belonging been stored, and has there been any climate related damage to you belongings that you are aware of?

I am sure that where you store certainly would factor into climate control, southern areas being much more humid for example.

I plan on storing in central Michigan

Thanks!

[apackof2]

me

[rebelsbeach]

I have everything that's not in the coach stored in eastern Virginia in a NON climate controlled unit...I kept most everything off the floor with pallets in case of flooding rains and put the mattress/box springs in bags...The temps in eastern VA aren't really ever freezing for any length of time so it wasn't an concern of mine, nor was I afraid of doing harm to anything due to temp change.
If you're storing art work and such, you might consider the climate controlled...

[Savannah]

Joanie, we are fulltimers and what few, very few, things we have stored are at our daughters in her basement. That being said sit down and figure the cost of storage versus replacement when you decide to "settle" down again. I think you'll find it's cheaper in the long run to replace. I do realize there some things that can't be replaced like pictures but from our years traveling in the military I can tell you appliances and overstuffed (couches, chairs) furniture don't like storage of any kind.

[Dreamweaver]

Joanie when we sold our house in August of '06 ,we rented two 10X10 non climate controled storage units.When we are in the area,we go through it decide on some of the stuff we really don't need and get rid of more stuff.Right now we are down to one 5X5 unit which I expect to be empty in the next month.Next week I am going through my cloths again and get rid of about half of what I have left.If you do rent a storage unit one of the best purchases you can make will be a box of moth balls sprinkled throughout your stuff.It will keep mice and bugs out.
John

[apackof2]

Thanks for your replies.

Food for thought here!

[Wallaby Dan]

Hi there, Here in Tucson Az we had to get climate controlled storage as the temps and lack of humidity will cause things to un-glue and ..melt. Its bad when your candle melts and it hasn't been lit yet!! Also when we were in Maine, things will freeze in a heartbeat, and things will sweat and rot. I lost two photo albums due to rot in Maine. Wasn't a leak but the cold and then thaw does it somehow. Same here in the heat. Glue just un-glues with the heat.
Good luck and happy trails down the black Ribbon, Capt.

[apackof2]

Wow, you had two extremes to deal with, very hot dry air and very cold frezzing weather.

Luckily I don't have those extremes in Michigan. However there are just some things that will have to go in climate-controlled like photos, painting and paper. They just don't do well for the long haul.

Hopefully those are the items I can "farm" out to family & friends


QUOTE]Originally posted by Capt. Dan:
Hi there, Here in Tucson Az we had to get climate controlled storage as the temps and lack of humidity will cause things to un-glue and ..melt. Its bad when your candle melts and it hasn't been lit yet!! Also when we were in Maine, things will freeze in a heartbeat, and things will sweat and rot. I lost two photo albums due to rot in Maine. Wasn't a leak but the cold and then thaw does it somehow. Same here in the heat. Glue just un-glues with the heat.
Good luck and happy trails down the black Ribbon, Capt.[/QUOTE]

[Wallaby Dan]

Hi again, Just a idea, We have been copying all the photo's to the computer by the scanner on the printer. We are giving the photo albums to daughter and we will have them on a disc and in the computer. Saves space and weight a 'win, win' solution. Good luck. Capt

[Barbara S.]

The company I work for, Uncle Bob's Self Storage (wwww.unclebobs.com) has locations all along the East coast and over 70 stores in Texas. They have "Dri-Guard" units which are both climate controlled and humidity controlled. They are excellent for long-term storage. Anyone with storage questions is welcome to contact me.

[IronRick]

Hi,

I am a few months away from hitting the road and the way I handled this was.

1. Last year I sold my Condo and rented a place with a one year lease which then switched into a month to month lease.

2. I started sorting through my personal belongings and have it down to a dozen pvc containers. Gave photo books to my son as well as a few prized pictures I had.

3. Last week I gave my living room furniture to charity, it was in very good condition.

4. I just purchased a Verizon USB720 Modem for my Mac and it is also PC compatible. The speed is as fast as my Cable Modem.

5. Just need to load the coach this summer and I am off. Last step is calling the charity to pick up the bedroom set which is also like new. No looking back and if the urge ever came back to move into a stick built home I will buy new furniture then.

Why wait and store for 5 years then sell / give away? Dive in Head First.

[apackof2]

Everyone has great ideas, thanks for the input!

[Dreamweaver]