Saying goodbye to summer can be sad. Fall is nice, but it's hard to let go of summer vacation, beach trips, swimming, and sipping lemonade in the sun. Letting go of summer gear can be tough for many people as well. We think that if we keep the gear out we'll be ready for those warm, sunny days that sometimes crop up into early October. While that may be true, keeping out summer gear while simultaneously pulling out fall things can create a real mess. Plus, there are some summer items that simply aren't worth storing until next year. Keep reading for some tips on what to keep, what to repurpose and what to store.
Scuba gear, high quality snorkeling equipment, swim fins. It goes without saying that if you've invested in expensive, high quality gear it's definitely worth storing until next year. Make sure that you give your gear a good fresh water rinse and spray your vest valve lock with silicone spray before storing. You'll always need to keep your gear in a sealed container because bugs will destroy the silicone if given half a chance.
Gear that is damaged or missing pieces. Any damaged gear should be discarded at the end of summer. There is no point in keeping something that you are just going to have to replace before you hit the water next summer. We sometimes convince ourselves that the missing piece is around somewhere and we'll find it once we stop looking. That may be true, but even if you locate the missing piece there was probably a reason it went missing in the first place. It might be damaged in some way that prevents it from fitting and staying in place as it should.
Pool noodles. Pool noodles are fairly inexpensive to purchase and they can be difficult to store because of their length and lack of flexibility. Pool noodles can be handy helpers around the garage if they are repurposed and they will be fairly inexpensive to replace next summer if you decide you just have one to take to the pool. Pool noodles make great bumpers. Cut one up and tack it to the wall of your garage so you don't have to worry about banging your car door on the side. If you use a bike rack and are worried about the pedals scratching your car you can tuck pool noodles in for protection. Pool noodles make great packing material as well. Just cut them to size and then slit them open and slide items inside.
Boogie boards, kick boards. Size and quality matter in this case. If you have sturdy, well made boards and room to store them by all means keep them until next year. If you bought your boards at the dollar store and they are cracking or worse, shedding styrofoam it's time to let them go. A leaking board should never go back in water, whether it's a pool, lake or the ocean. A small board can always be duct taped and repurposed as a garden kneeler or stadium seat cushion.
Sprinkler attachments. Check all attachments to make sure they are still in good working order. If you want to keep them until next year, clean them well to prevent rust and store in a container that will keep the spiders out. You don't want a nasty surprise next summer when you go to hook them up again.
For the items that you decide to store for future use, you need Stockpile. Stockpile small business inventory solution works great at home too! Stockpile makes it easy to keep track of where items are stored, even if they are out of sight. Plus, Stockpile is mobile compatible so you can check your inventory, anytime from anywhere. Don't rebuy items that you already own. Don't find out that something is missing on your way out the door to the pool or the lake. With Stockpile small business inventory solution you'll always know what you have, and what you need. Try Stockpile today!
