A Checklist for Storing Tools, Equipment, and Garden Furniture in Your Garage this Winter

A Checklist for Storing Tools, Equipment, and Garden Furniture in Your Garage this Winter

It was wet, windy and cooler than normal, but all that doesn’t really matter now. The summer of 2017 is coming to a close here in Markham and that means it’s time to put away all the outdoor summer stuff for the winter.

One of the main problems that homeowners face when storing the patio furniture, tools, and sports equipment is finding space in the garage for it all. While everything had its place when you took it out last spring, you’ve probably filled those areas with other ‘stuff’ during the summer and now, well, who knows how you’ll get everything back into the garage.

The Winter Storage Checklist for Your Garage

Fear not. We’ve been in the garage door business for longer than most and we’ve seen our fair share of winter storage triumphs and disasters.

Without further ado, here’s our checklist for storing and protecting everything in your garage over the winter.

1. Prepare the Garage

Before you put anything in the garage, it’ll help to do as much preparation as you can to accommodate all your things. In a nutshell, that means cleaning, organizing and planning the space.

Obviously, having enough storage space and different types of storage is key and our recent ‘garage storage ideas’ post can help. As you clean and organize, keep in mind the different sizes and types of things you’ll need to make room for, including stacks of patio chairs, the ride-on mower, hand tools, and baseballs.

2. Prepare What You Want to Store

Preparing everything for storage helps to protect and preserve it through the winter. Here are some quick pointers for preparing the different sorts of things you’ll be storing.

3. Tools & Equipment

Now’s a good time to clean off all of summer’s dirt and oil from things like garden tools, power equipment, and hand tools. And you can sharpen the blades on mowers and cutters.

For gas-powered equipment, be sure to disconnect spark plug wires and batteries. Drain any remaining fuel or add a preservative to it to protect the tank and fuel lines. If you need to store equipment on the garage floor, make sure you have a cloth or cover to protect them.

4. Garden Furniture

Give everything a good cleaning to reduce the chance of corrosion over the winter. Stack everything you can to minimize its footprint in the garage. Cover everything after storage to protect it from dust and damage. Remember to store patio umbrellas in a way that won’t damage the fabric.

5. Sports Equipment

This is where storage options will come in handy, particularly things like bins that let you see what’s inside. There’s nothing more frustrating than searching through endless boxes to find the frisbee. Like everything else, make sure your equipment is clean before you put it away. Deflate anything that’s inflatable, from beach toys to soccer balls.

6. Check Your Garage Doors

With all your stuff tucked away inside, the security of the garage is that much more important. In addition to making sure your opener and locks are all in good working order, you can also take the opportunity to do a bit of garage door maintenance to avoid any problems through the winter. Perhaps most importantly, don’t store anything against or near the garage door. Not only could it affect the operation of the door, but it could become damaged or even damage the door itself.

Whatever you do to properly prepare and store all your things for the winter in your garage will pay off when you bring it all out again in the spring.





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