Spring time is finally here, and you won't be needing your heavy winter coat anymore. This means it's time to put it in storage until the end of the year. Your winter clothes aren't the only things you could be storing, though. Spring cleaning is the perfect opportunity for you to de-clutter your home and give yourself some more space by storing little-used items. Once you decide what to store, it's easy to pack them up and move them to a storage space. Just follow these tips to make sure your items stay safe!

Clean Before You Pack

Your items could be sitting in these boxes for a while, so make sure they are clean and dry. If you're using plastic containers for storage, wipe out the inside with a rag to make sure it's free of food particles or mysteriously sticky areas. You don’t want to attract bugs or rodents by accident.

Watch out For Fragile Items

When you're storing china, glass figurines, or anything else that can easily break, package them very carefully. Wrap them up tightly in bubble wrap or surround them with poly foam before placing them into the box. Make sure you write "Fragile" in nice big letters on the outside of the box as well. After all, you don't want to shatter your grandmother's china because you forgot it was in there!

Oil Metal Items

If you're storing metal items like tools or bikes, there is a risk that they'll rust if left alone. You can prevent this by wiping them down with a few drops of oil before you pack them away. That way, when you go to pick them up again, they'll be ready to use immediately!

Label Everything

Sure, it's easier to just throw everything into unmarked boxes, but it's well worth taking the time to note what's inside each box. If something comes up and you need to locate one of these stored items in a hurry, you don't want to spend half a day opening all the boxes. Mark everything clearly and store like items together for easy retrieval.

With these tips, you can clear out space in your house and know when you need those items, they'll be there waiting for you. Spring de-cluttering? Mission accomplished!