Spring Cleaning: Storage Edition — Refresh Your Unit and Your Home

Spring in southeast South Dakota means two things: mud season and the urge to clean everything. But most people focus on their house and forget about their storage unit. Here’s how to do a proper spring cleaning of both — your home AND your storage unit — and come out the other side organized for the year ahead.

Why Spring Is the Time

After a South Dakota winter, everything needs attention. Your home has been sealed tight for five months. Your storage unit has been sitting through temperature swings, freeze-thaw cycles, and the mice have had all winter to explore.

Spring is when you: - Rotate winter gear into storage and pull summer gear out - Discover what survived winter and what didn’t - Reassess what you’re keeping and what needs to go - Get your seasonal calendar back on track

Part 1: Spring Cleaning Your Storage Unit

Step 1: Inspect

Before moving anything, walk through your unit and check for:

• Mouse activity — droppings, chew marks, shredded material, nesting. If you find signs, deal with it immediately.
• Moisture damage — water stains on boxes, musty smell, visible mold or mildew
• Shifted or collapsed stacks — heavy items on light boxes create crush damage over time
• Temperature damage — cracked plastic containers, warped wood items, separated glue joints

Document any damage with photos before touching anything — especially if you have storage insurance.

Step 2: Pull Everything Out

Yes, everything. On a warm, dry spring day, pull it all out of the unit. This accomplishes three things: 1. You can see and assess everything you own 2. The unit can air out and be cleaned 3. You’re forced to make decisions about every item

If pulling everything out isn’t feasible, work in sections — front to back, one zone at a time.

Step 3: Clean the Unit

With the unit empty or partially empty: - Sweep the floor — dirt, debris, mouse droppings - Check walls and ceiling for leaks or moisture intrusion - Wipe down shelving if you have any - Refresh or replace desiccant (DampRid, silica gel packs) - Set new mouse deterrents — fresh peppermint oil cotton balls, dryer sheets, or mothballs

Step 4: Sort and Decide

As you reload, sort everything into categories:

Keep in storage: Items with purpose that you’ll use in the coming months — summer gear, holiday decorations, furniture you’re keeping, business inventory.

Take home: Items you need for the season ahead — summer clothes, camping gear, outdoor furniture, gardening tools.

Sell or donate: Be honest. If you haven’t touched it in two years and it’s not sentimental, let it go. Post on Facebook Marketplace, take it to a Yankton thrift store, or donate to local churches in Tyndall, Springfield, or Freeman.

Trash: Damaged items, broken things you’ll “definitely fix someday” (you won’t), and anything that’s deteriorated beyond use.

Step 5: Reload Smart

Don’t just throw everything back in. This is your chance to reset the organization: - Winter gear goes to the back — you won’t need it until November - Summer gear near the front — easy access for the season - Frequently accessed items at arm height on shelves - Label everything — refresh faded labels, add new ones - Update your inventory list

Part 2: Spring Cleaning Your Home (The Storage Connection)

Spring cleaning at home generates overflow. Here’s what typically needs to move from your house to a storage unit:

Winter Gear Rotation

• Heavy coats, boots, snow pants — vacuum-seal bags and store
• Snow removal equipment — shovels, ice melt, small snowblower
• Winter sports gear — ice fishing equipment, snowshoes, cross-country skis
• Space heaters — clean, inspect cord, store
• Winter bedding — heavy quilts, flannel sheets, extra blankets

The Closet Purge

Spring is when you finally deal with the clothes that don’t fit, the styles you’ll never wear again, and the mystery items you forgot you owned.

• Donate what’s in good condition — Goodwill, Salvation Army, local shelters
• Store off-season items you’ll want when winter returns
• Vacuum-seal anything going to storage — saves space and prevents moisture damage

The Garage Reset

South Dakota garages are multi-purpose spaces: workshop, storage room, mudroom, and occasionally a place to park a car. Spring is when you reclaim it.

• Move seasonal items to storage — winter gear out, but don’t let summer gear pile up in the garage either
• Organize what stays — pegboards for tools, shelving for bins, hooks for bikes and equipment
• Sweep, mop, and possibly seal the floor — winter salt and mud take a toll
• Assess what can go to a storage unit — if your garage can’t fit a vehicle, it’s time for overflow storage

The Basement Check

Southeast SD basements are prone to spring moisture. Check: - Sump pump — test it before you need it - Stored items — anything on the floor that shouldn’t be, move it to shelves or a storage unit - Dehumidifier — clean and start running it - Items that are better off in a dry storage unit than in a potentially damp basement

The Spring Cleaning Calendar

Week 1: Storage unit - Inspect, clean, sort, reorganize - Swap winter gear in, summer gear out

Week 2: Bedrooms and closets - Seasonal clothing rotation - Closet purge — donate, store, or trash - Deep clean under beds, in closets, behind furniture

Week 3: Kitchen, living areas, bathrooms - Declutter countertops, cabinets, drawers - Deep clean appliances (oven, fridge, dishwasher) - Move overflow to storage if needed

Week 4: Garage, basement, exterior - Garage reorganization - Basement moisture check - Exterior spring prep — outdoor furniture out, winter items in

What to Look for After a South Dakota Winter

Winter is hard on stored items. During your spring inspection, specifically check:

In Your Storage Unit

• Wood furniture — cracks from dry cold air
• Electronics — test before relying on them for the season
• Fabric items — mold, mildew, musty odors
• Metal items — rust and corrosion from condensation cycles
• Plastic items — brittleness and cracking from extreme cold

At Home

• Window seals and caulking — winter contraction creates gaps
• Roof and gutters — ice damage, loose shingles, clogged gutters
• Foundation — cracks from freeze-thaw cycles
• HVAC system — change filters, schedule a tune-up before summer

The Annual Reset

Think of spring cleaning as your annual reset — the one time per year you deliberately examine everything you own and decide if it’s still serving you.

The average American household has 300,000 items. Most of them don’t need to be in your living space. The ones that have purpose but not daily purpose belong in organized storage.

Spring cleaning isn’t just about scrubbing floors. It’s about creating a system that keeps your home functional and your belongings accessible all year.

Make This Spring the One That Sticks

Stop doing the same chaotic spring cleaning every year. Set up a storage system that works — organized, properly sized, and convenient to your home.

Lock N’ Leave It Storage in Tyndall, Springfield, and Freeman is ready for your spring reset. Whether you need a small unit for seasonal rotation or a larger space for a serious declutter, we’ve got month-to-month options that fit. Contact us to get started — and make this the last spring cleaning that feels overwhelming.