Practically speaking, there are some things you just don’t want to hold on to. Whether you rent or own your home, you probably recognize how useful a storage unit can be for keeping your life clutter-free. A secure storage unit is a great place to stash things that you don’t need all-year round, or even things you only need once a year. But think again if you are considering storing any of the following items long term.
Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drugs
They may not rot, disintegrate or discolor, but that does not mean that drugs do not expire. At best, expired drugs are less effective. At worst they are dangerous. If you don’t think you will need a drug for the next two years, you need to dispose of it properly. Call your pharmacist and ask about how to get rid of unwanted prescriptions.
Photo Albums
They might seem like the perfect way to remember your life or your loved ones, but old photo albums have some serious storage problems. There are just so many ways they can fail and spoil your pictures! Some old photo albums may contain acids or other materials that degrade over time. Other albums can become sticky, threatening to ruin your pictures if you ever try to remove them. The best answer is digitization. Get those photos scanned; print your albums when you need them. Then get your most important pictures professionally framed– those can be stored.
Sneakers
As any shoe enthusiast will tell you, one of the hardest things about being a collector of classic athletic wear is that the stuff just wasn’t built to last. Sneakers are manufactured to look good and perform well for a few months of heavy wear. The light-weight glues, soles and poly-fabrics degrade quickly over the years. Unless your collection is intended to be a museum, don’t bother storing old-school sneakers.
Bad Memories
Some people have a difficult time throwing away things that used to have emotional significance. Sentimental objects from previous relationships or endeavors that went sour are a waste of space. Instead of keeping junk from a bad marriage, why not clear out your unit to make room for a jet-ski or a motorbike instead? Good seasonal equipment is a much better use of storage space than bad memories.
Informational Credit:
The information for this article is credited to Iron Gate Storage who have storage units at the Pearson Airport.
