Pest Control – Storage Boxes & Plastic Tubs

In line with our other articles: Pest Control – Smells and Pest Control – Cleaning we bring you a third installment of Pest Control suggestions. This time with storage boxes including, but not limited to, cardboard boxes, plastic totes and specialty storage containers.

Where your box comes from matters:

While it might be cost effective to collect up boxes from your local grocery store. This is not a good idea, here’s why: Boxes that once contained food smell like food. No matter how ‘clean’ you think the box is, there is a very high probability that pests will smell remnants of food and investigate. We don’t want that, so just opt out. Get yourself clean, non-food containing boxes, even if you have to spend a little bit of money. In the long run your things will be better off.

Clothing:

While it might seem like a convenient and quick thing to store your clothing in a trash bag, it’s not the best idea. For long term storage we recommend plastic tubs, wardrobe boxes, or specialty clothing boxes. Over time plastic bags can breed mold, or become the perfect home for unwanted pests. Wardrobe boxes are an excellent idea for coats and dresses or items that require special care. Additionally, you can store clothes in plastic totes with cedar blocks to help prevent the musty stored smell and deter any pests that make it past the exterior barrier. Specialty boxes are made to help clothing maintain their shape, and prevent creases that are difficult to get out.

Two things to remember when storing clothes: Make sure they are dry and make sure they are clean.

Breakables:

When storing breakable items, be sure to use packing: soft fabric, tissue paper or bubble wrap are great. Make sure you pick the right type of box or plastic tub for your breakables. Take into account the items and how they will be handled. Is this for long-term storage, or short-term while you relocate. If you have a bunch of glasses, it might be a good idea to get a specialty box with extra built in support to help prevent collapsing. If you are using a standard box be sure to test the weight and reinforce any seams that might need it with additional tape. Plastic totes are great for breakables as they don’t smash as easily, but it is also very important to remember to label breakables with ‘Fragile’ and place them on sturdy items when stacking, always on top to prevent breakage.

Paper, Photos or Other Items that shouldn’t get wet:

Packing away our important papers items can be a bit more difficult. Storing old taxes, contracts or photos is best done in specialty plastic containers, such as airtight plastic tubs. Another option for storing your paper items are photo boxes. While you can use cardboard to store these items there is a higher risk that moisture might damage them. For long term storage it is suggested that you get plastic tubs as they are better at keeping out moisture. Additionally, you can pack your papers in an airtight container. Plastic containers come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They are easier to stack and also help in the organization of your unit. Be sure to label your boxes and sort your papers and things so that they are either hanging (like in a file storage container) or lying flat so as not to warp.