The Fall Swap: What Goes Into Storage Before a Saginaw Winter

Every garage in this part of Michigan performs the same trade twice a year. In October the mower, the patio furniture, the grill, and the summer gear go somewhere else, and the snowblower, the shovels, and the roof rake take their place.

The trade only works if there is somewhere else. For most households the garage is already full, the basement is either damp or occupied, and the shed was never big enough. Here is how to do the fall swap properly, including the part about lawn equipment that facilities care about and most people do not know.

What actually needs to go

Start with what is taking space you need for winter, not with what you feel like sorting.

• Patio and deck furniture, cushions, and umbrellas
• The grill, along with covers and accessories
• Lawn and garden equipment, hoses, sprinklers, and yard tools
• Bicycles, kayaks, paddleboards, camping gear, and summer recreation equipment
• Above-ground pool equipment and pool furniture
• Screens, if you swap them for storm windows
• Warm-weather clothing, if closet space is the binding constraint

Holiday decorations are the seasonal category people forget in the other direction. They come out in November and go back in January, so a unit that holds them year-round removes a genuine annoyance from two months of the year.

Lawn equipment: the part that matters

This is the section worth reading before you load anything, because it determines whether the equipment is accepted at all.

Fuel and flammable liquids are prohibited in storage units, and that includes fuel still sitting in a machine. Mowers, trimmers, edgers, blowers, tillers, generators, and pressure washers all need the fuel tank drained and the carburetor run dry before the equipment goes into a unit. A closed fuel tank still vents vapor, and in an enclosed building that is a fire-safety problem rather than a technicality.

The rest of the prep is straightforward and makes spring easier.

• Run the engine until it stops on its own, which empties the carburetor as well as the tank.
• Drain the oil, or change it, and dispose of the old oil at a collection site rather than storing it.
• Disconnect and remove the battery on anything that has one, and keep it somewhere it will not freeze.
• Clean the deck and undercarriage. Caked grass clippings hold moisture against metal all winter.
• Sharpen or remove the blade now, while you are already thinking about it.
• Wipe metal surfaces with a light oil and store hand tools with the working ends off the concrete.

IMPORTANT: Gas cans, propane tanks, spare oil, paint, solvents, and lighter fluid do not go in the unit at all. Keep those at home in a ventilated space or dispose of them.

Prepping furniture and fabric

Patio furniture that goes into storage dirty comes out worse than it went in, and cushions are the usual casualty.

Wash and completely dry all cushions before storing, and give them a full day if there is any doubt. Fabric that goes in even slightly damp will mildew over five months. Store cushions loose in breathable bags rather than compressed or sealed in plastic.

Clean furniture frames and dry them. Wicker and rattan should go into a climate-controlled space, since both crack when they dry out through a cold winter. Aluminum and steel frames tolerate less protected space once dry, though steel will pick up surface rust in a damp environment.

Deep clean the grill, empty the grease trap, and disconnect the propane tank. The tank stays home. It cannot go in the unit.

Loading a unit you will reopen in spring

The difference between a unit that works and a unit you dread opening is about twenty minutes of thought while you load it.

Put the things you will want first nearest the door. That is usually the snow gear if you are storing any, and the holiday decorations, which you will want in six weeks. Summer furniture goes to the back, since you will not touch it until May.

Leave an aisle down the center so you can reach the back without unloading the front. This is the most commonly skipped step and the one people regret.

Stack heavy and rigid items low, lighter items high, and keep fabric off the floor. Use rigid totes rather than cardboard, which softens as it absorbs moisture and collapses when stacked.

Label the ends of totes rather than the lids, because stacked totes hide their lids. Photograph the loaded unit when you finish, and keep the photo where you will find it in April.

Why September and October rather than November

The practical argument is that the swap gets done once. If you wait until the first real snow, you are moving patio furniture in the cold, in the dark, and often around a vehicle that no longer fits in the garage.

The other argument is inventory. Units fill through the autumn as everyone in the area performs the same trade in the same six weeks. Reserving before the rush is the difference between choosing a size and taking whatever is available.

Seasonal storage at Gratiot Storage in Saginaw

Gratiot Storage is an indoor facility on Gratiot Road in Saginaw, serving Saginaw Township, Freeland, Thomas Township, and the surrounding area. Units are interior, reached through the building rather than from the lot, with climate-controlled space available.

If you are working out how much space a season's worth of equipment and furniture takes, describe what you have and the team can size it with you. Reserve online or call to check current availability before the fall rush.