A self-storage unit can provide the convenient solution for storing all kinds of things such as furniture, books and cloths.

But before you start boxing up all of your possessions, you should learn about certain things you should never pack in a storage unit. With some items, it’s about keeping out rodents and bugs, and with others, it’s about ensuring that your possessions (and those of people in units near yours) are kept out of harm’s way.

The team at Browns Mini Storage has compiled a quick list of things you should never put in a storage unit.

Perishable Food
Perishable food like meat, fish, poultry, eggs and raw fruits and vegetables should never be packed away among your other belongings. Not only is this unhygienic, but it is a complete waste (so much for that delicious roast dinner). On the flip side, non-perishable items like canned food, dried fruit, spreads, some condiments and seasonings are fine to store away so long as they are packed appropriately in air-tight containers – this is especially true for any grains like rice

Explosives and Combustibles
Like corrosives, explosives and combustibles must stay out of your self-storage unit to reduce the possibility of accidental damage to your property or someone else’s. These items include obvious explosives like fireworks, but also household combustibles like aerosol cans.

Cash or Currency
If you have some cash to stash or a bevvy of gold bullion bars, a storage unit is not the ideal location to store them. Keeping monetary items in a bank, a safe, or a safe deposit box is a much more secure option for storing money.

Ammunition & Firearms
Firearms and ammunition may or may not be allowed in your storage unit – check the fine print of your contract. If allowed, you should strongly consider storing any firearms and ammunition at a local gun shop or shooting range.

Living Things
Storage units are not hospitable for living things, which is to say that people, animals (including pets), and plants don’t belong in storage units. It should go without saying, shouldn’t it? Living organisms need fresh air and sunshine. The small, dark conditions of a storage unit are neither safe nor healthy for living things.

Electronics
Electronic equipment, such as a TV, may be damaged if kept in a storage unit for a lengthy time period. Electronics don’t always do well in extreme temperatures, and storage units can be cold in winter and hot in the summer. If you do store electronics in your storage unit, be sure to remove any batteries first, and take precautions to protect your equipment from humidity. Climate-controlled storage units are great options if you’re looking to store electronics, as they keep your unit at a constant temperature and humidity level.

Garbage
Garbage and trash items definitely belong in a dump and not in a storage unit. Not only will garbage cause your unit to stink, it’ll also bring about pests and potentially ruin other items in your unit, particularly organic materials like furniture and clothing.

Anything Illegal
This includes stolen items and any item that is illegal to possess or use. It’s also a bad idea to conduct illegal activities in a storage unit. So ignore those TV crime shows that depict people using storage units for illegal surgeries, smuggling, or selling stolen goods. Storage units can be seized by the police just like any house, car, or other property.

Are you looking for an easy storage solution for your household items? Brown Mini Storage offers affordable indoor and outdoor storage units in Crestview, Florida. Self-storage is beneficial to those that have closets bursting at the seams with clothes, holiday items, boxes, etc.

Household Items for Mini Storage

Furniture
Whether you are needing to store a few pieces of furniture to make more room in your home, or are wanting to protect your outdoor furniture from the elements this summer.

Appliances
Are you renovating your kitchen or laundry room and need a safe and secure place to hold your items? Our storage units will protect the your items from excess heat, humidity or water, preventing possibly rust or mold buildup. It is important to open the appliance doors while in storage.

Collectibles
Our storage units are ideal for collectibles such as books, comics, stamps, etc.

Clothing
Closet space is sometimes limited and keeping winter or fall items securely stored for the next year’s use is extremely important. It is recommended to pack your clothing items into plastic storage bins over cardboard boxes; add a dryer sheet or two to each container.

Additional items that call for a storage unit include photos, important documents and electronics. If you’re looking for mini storage units in Crestview, contact us today.

Here’s a some great quick tips from Brown’s Mini Storage on how best to ensure your cherished belongings remain in the the best condition and safely store. We offer free advice and free estimates on the amount and type of storage you may require.

• Use good quality storage boxes
• Fill boxes to capacity, so your goods aren’t damaged
• Pack heavy items into smaller boxes for easy transportation
• Remember to label your boxes so you don’t lose your goods!
• Write a list of your boxes and stored items, and keep it safe!
• Protect your fragile goods with bubble wrap
• Clean your garden equipment before storing it
• To maximize space stack similar sized boxes together

For further information and more hints please continue reading below or give our friendly and experienced staff a call on (850) 642-1111.

Spring cleaning is almost in full affect and you might be wondering how to store items in your storage unit efficiently. Here’s a small list that might help you get started:

• Pads, sheets and blankets are a great way to protect fragile items.
• Instead of cardboard boxes, use plastic containers so you can see the items inside.
• Label boxes or containers on all sides and the top; or print a list of all items and tape it on the outside of the box.
• Boxes should be stored with the heavier boxes and items on the bottom.
• To save space, take apart items like your table, bed frame or bookcases.
• When storing appliances such as a microwave or a refrigerator, leave the doors slightly open to avoid mildew.
• Instead of folding clothing items, use wardrobe boxes so items can remain hanging.
• Finally, create a list of all items you put into storage.

Our mini storage units come in 5×5, 10×10 and 10×30, so give us a call today to check for availability!

• Wood chairs and tables should be pulled in from outside and placed in storage. Replace any pieces that have become weathered and use an all-weather stain to prepare them for next year.
• Allow your canoe or kayak to breathe and avoid placing a cover over top of it in the storage unit.
• Replace or fix used gardening tools. A large barrel is an easy way to store your shovels, picks, and other gardening tools.
• Close the pool and move bottles of chemicals to storage to free up shelves in the garage. By adding a label and moving these chemicals to a storage unit, you can utilize the space for necessary winter tools.
• When storing beach equipment leave the sugar-white sand at the beach! Before adding your beach items to your storage unit, be sure to shake any loose sand out – add an extra step by rinsing off items (beach chairs, coolers, etc.)
• Use shelves to keep boxes of clothing off the ground and keep your storage unit organized.
• Place a few Damp Rid containers around your unit to keep moisture from building up.
• Wardrobe boxes will store articles of clothing that should not be folded in boxes. To avoid deep wrinkles, fold clothing loosely.
• Fiberglass holds in moisture even after it has sat out for a few days, so store the boat, kayak, or canoe with Damp Rid or similar products surrounding the water toys.
• Use a shelf to store pool chemicals so you can keep them in single layers. If stacked, containers can crack and spill.
• Make every piece of the grill spotless as to not entice rodents. We aim to keep our storage facilities clear of pests, you can help by leaving the food at home and cleaning off equipment that is used to cook.
• Remove chlorine from inflatables with common kitchen vinegar, then leave out to dry.

Our team of experts will help you find the best storage unit for your needs. Whether you’re looking for a place to store seasonal items from your garage, or larger items such as your boats, jet-skis or RVs, give us a call today!

While many associate winter with endless cups of hot cocoa and thick blankets, there are some things that many forget to consider. Depending on where you live, winter can cause strife for your furniture. All it takes is a day of rain or hail followed by a night of cold windchills and you’re left with a thoroughly ruined piece of furniture.

Many outdoor furniture is advertised as waterproof, but due to Florida’s temperamental weather, there are various factors that need to be taken into consideration. While placing a tarp or covering on top of a piece of furniture may seem like it will protect from any rain, doing so could lead to mildew due to humidity. Freezing rains can cause even your metal or plastic furnishings to produce wear and tear in the form of rust or cracking.

Whether you are needing to store a few pieces of furniture to make room for holiday decorations in your home, or are wanting to protect your summertime outdoor furniture from the elements this winter, give us a call today at Brown’s Outdoor Storage! We are conveniently located off Highway 85 just south of Interstate 10. Swing on by for a tour of our facilities.

At Brown’s Mini Storage, we value each and every customer. Whether you’re simply giving us a ring to get more information, or have trusted us and our storage units with your belongings, we appreciate you taking us into consideration. Customer satisfaction is of the utmost importance to everyone here at Brown’s Mini Storage. It is our mission to be able to offer something that a lot of competitor storage companies fail to offer their customers. We are happy to be able to offer long-term and short-term storage solutions for your convenience.

We are proudly offering these solutions because we understand the need for one over the other. Whether you’re downsizing your living situation and are in need of storage for your extra furniture pieces, are wanting to store your summer equipment for the season, or you simply need a place to hold some extra boxes for a little while, we’ve got you covered all the way. Whatever the case may be, just know that you do not need to be tied down with long-term storage contracts if that is not what you are looking for.

Brown’s Mini Storage provides clean, roomy storage and great service where customer satisfaction is always the priority. Our storage facility is constructed of high-quality block, fenced, and well-lit. Your possessions will be secure and safe from the elements for as long or as short of a time period that you store with us. Call us today with any questions you may have!

Fall is right around the corner. Fall is beautiful season for many reasons but it also has it’s disadvantages. Fall is that time of year where the trees will start to lose their leaves, which fall on top of cars, or could even get into gutters and cause them to get clogged. Most importantly is the boats and the RV’s. We want to keep them protected under these circumstances.

Fall can be quite tedious when it comes to boats and RV’s. You will want to keep them covered so that leaves or debris will not get in them or on them. The humidity can cause the leaves to stay wet or even mold if they are not cleaned up or removed quickly. Taking your boat out on the water can become a hassle, as you will have to clean up all the leaves or debris that may have fallen from the surrounding trees in your driveway or backyard. This can be frustrating when you want to be able to grab your boat or RV and just go.

To avoid having to clean up the boats or the RV’s, bring them down to our location so that we can keep them covered for you. You will not have to worry about any leaves getting in the boat or on top of the RV. Additionally, our covered storage options protects your boats and RV’s from the harmful sun, excessive amounts of rain, etc.

Call us today if you have any questions about our services!

Are you needing to clear out a few closets or rooms in your house? Is your garage becoming a little too tight of a fit for your car because of all the extra boxes? These are just a few of the most common reasons our customers rent a self-storage unit.

Store Seasonal Items – If Christmas, Halloween and other holiday decorations are taking up space in your garage or back room, a storage unit is a perfect solution. With a storage unit, you will be able to organize your seasonal items and access them throughout the year. Best of all, you’ll have peace of mind that your items are secure and ready when you need them.

Store Large Furniture Pieces Large pieces of furniture can be stored easily in one of our units as we offer units ranging from 5×5, 10×5 to 10×30. Couches, washer and dryers, bookcases, lamps, etc. can’t all fit into a closet so units are the perfect answer.

Unlimited Access Brown’s Outdoor Storage is a reliable self-storage option for the residents of Crestview and surrounding areas. Our units are secured with an 8-food chain-link fence and lit for 24/7 access.

Located a few minutes away from I-10, Brown’s Outdoor Storage is the perfect for you. Give us a call today for more information on our available units and current specials!

Choosing the right storage unit size for you could seem overwhelming as there are a lot of factors to consider. Your two most important questions are likely: how will everything fit and what exactly fits into our self-storage units at Brown’s Outdoor Storage?

5×5
Our 5×5 storage unit is ideal for bookcases, small furniture and boxes. These units are best for storing decorations for holidays, lawn or gardening equipment or sporting gear. While it is the smallest of our unit, you can definitely pack a lot into them and free up space in your garage or closets at home.

10×10
Have you recently downsized and are looking to storing furniture for a spare room or family room? Our 10×10 units are perfect for this! They will fit a sofa, bookcases, mattresses, nightstands, dressers and more! The summer season is just about over so items such as a jet ski or kayak, will also fit into these units.

10×30
Our 10×30 units are great for storing contents of your garage. Boxes, couches, appliances and more will fit into this unit with some room to spare.

It is important to take into consideration the size of your furniture when choosing a storage unit. By flipping furniture onto its side, you will be able to take advantage of the vertical height of your self-storage unit. If you have any questions about the right storage unit size for you, give us a call at (850) 642-1111. We will be happy to help you choose the best unit size for you!