29 Sep How to Prepare Camping Gear for Your Storage Unit
Summer is officially over, so you may have been thinking about organizing your camping and/or outdoor gear oiled in your garage or basement. It may be an ideal time to rent a Kamloops storage unit. When you do, prepare your items for storage so your camping equipment remains in good shape for next sprint and summer.
While Valleyview Storage, a Kamloops storage facility, has state-of-the-art climate-controls that moderate humidity and extreme temperatures, if you bring damp items into storage, even climate controls won’t help. If, on the other hand, you dry your items before you move them to your storage unit, climate controls will ensure they remain dry, and don’t become damaged by mold, mildew, heat or cold.
Steps for Preparing Camping Gear for Your Storage Unit
Regardless of what you’re storing, following the steps below will help prevent damage to belongings you bring into your storage unit.
Clean then Dry
Clean dirt or soil from tents and tarps. Check the manufacturer’s care instructions. Some tents can be washed by hand. Clean boots and outerwear.
Thoroughly dry your gear. Drying is the most important preparation step. Here are just a few pointers:
- Set up your tent in the yard on a sunny day and let it air dry in the sun’s heat
If you don’t have a yard, pitch the tent indoors for a day, or over some chairs or ther objects to keep it off the floor. If you live in an apartment that has a parkade, you could ask the apartment manager if you can pitch the tent in a guest parking spot for a few hours. Some apartment parkades have several unused guest spots. - Dry-clean or hang sleeping bags to dry
- Dry outerwear
Dry jackets and other outerwear in a clothes dryer if the product-care label recommends, or dry clean or hang to dry. - Air out and dry hiking boots and other hiking footwear
Pack, Roll, or Fold
Pack smaller items into boxes. Roll or fold tents and tarps rather than stuffing them into stuff sacks. Rolling and folding causes less stress to fabrics.
What Kind of Camping Gear is Allowed in Your Storage Unit?
Any camping equipment can be brought to storage provided it is not combustible under pressure or highly flammable. That means, you can’t store camping stove fuels or other flammable liquids or gases.
Camping gear most commonly stored, includes:
- Tents, poles, stakes
- Tarps
- Sleeping bags
- Air mattresses and sleeping pads
- Camping chairs
- Hammocks
- Packs
- Rain gear
- Hiking boots
- Camping tools (shovels, axes)
- Camping stoves (emptied of fuel)
Most, if not all, Kamloops storage companies, including Valleyview Mini Storage, do not allow customers to store flammable or combustible liquids, gases, or perishable goods.
Don’t Have a Storage Unit? Our Kamloops Storage Facility has 45+ Sizes
If you don’t have storage yet, check out our storage units page to view our sizes available, or contact us for help. If you’re not sure what size to choose, read “How to Estimate the Right Size Storage Unit”. Valleyview Mini Storage is conveniently located off of East Trans Canada Highway in Valleyview Shopping Centre. Security, climate-controls, convenience and competitive pricing make us the #1 choice for residential storage in Kamloops.