Storing your Tailgate Party

So, September has arrived here at The Storage Inn in South Jersey, along with a brand-spanking-new football season – and what fun would football be without tailgating? There’s nothing like meeting up with your friends, firing up the grill, and getting pumped up before kickoff – but this yearly ritual also comes with a fair amount of work attached. The last thing you want, is to be running around scrambling to find your tailgating gear on game day. Here are some tips to help you stay organized, and make your tailgating  adventure a bit easier.

Keep it Clean

Whether you’re putting it away just until next week, or until next season or packing up for the season and placing your vacation stuff into a storage facility until next year, be sure to thoroughly clean all of your gear before you put it into storage – especially anything that might have food residue on it.The smallest amount of food residue can easily attract insects, and rodents. Consider pressure washing your grill at regular intervals throughout the football season, and especially at the end of the season, when you put it into your storage unit.

Tote It

Typical tailgating gear can include everything from team flags, to plastic utensils, table cloths, cups, radios, and more!  This is where plastic tote bins become your best friend. Not only will they hold just about everything that you need, but they’ll also stack nicely in your game day vehicle –  just be sure to distribute the weight evenly so that they’re not too heavy to lift. This also makes for easy placement back into your garage or storage unit after the big game.

Be Safe

Do not store hazardous or flammable materials such as propane tanks, lighter fluid, or any other flammable materials in your garage or self storage unit. Propane tanks should be stored outdoors in an upright position. Other items such as lighter fluid or fire starters should be stored at home in a secure  temperature controlled area.  Also remember to remove batteries from radios, flashlights, etc., while in storage between seasons, to avoid leakage.

Make it Easy

Whether you’re a football-only tailgater, or a year round baseball, soccer, NASCAR kind of crew, part of successful tailgating is having a system that makes it easy.  You will want to be sure that your tailgating items can be easily accessed. If you find that you’re having a hard time doing this at home, you may want to consider a small self storage unit. The ease of driving up, throwing open the door, and loading your vehicle, could make the small monthly investment well worth it! Stop in to your local self-storage facility like The Storage Inn and check it out – We’d be more than happy to help you. Happy Tailgating!