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2015 Fall Home Improvement and Garden LINCOLN DAILY NEWS.COM SEPT. 29, 2015 Page 25
buster, but according to Roger
Bruns in Lincoln, the self-
storage units he has can be
quite affordable depending
on the size needed. The units
at Brun’s are available in five
sizes ranging from a six by 10
foot unit, all the way up to a 10
by 24 foot unit. Prices range
from $30 a month to $85 a
month.
Consider if you have a nice
patio set - a glass top table,
four nice chairs, maybe an
umbrella, a good gas grill, an
inflatable pool, and a couple
of bicycles. Add up what it
would cost to replace all those
items if they were damaged by
weather, and you may find that
a monthly payment even as
high as $85 for the very largest
unit is affordable in the long-
run.
Note: Bruns’ did state that he
tries very hard to avoid having
flammable items placed in his
units, so take the LP tank off of
the grill before you store it.
He said there is a contract to
sign, but units are rented on a
month-to-month basis, and the
rent is paid monthly, so you
have the option to take a unit
and keep it only as long as you
need it and empty it out at any
time.
One hazard to consider with
self-storage is, there is no
insurance on your items
through the self-storage
business. But, check with your
insurance provider. You may
be able to have coverage for
your stored items through your
homeowner’s policy.
If a storage unit or a portable
shed is not an option for you
at this time, there are other,
less sophisticated ways to
protect your outdoor items
during the winter. Tarpaulins’
are available at local farm
supply stores such as Big R
in Lincoln. Stack your items
together and cover them with
the ‘tarp’, and then weight it
down with bricks or blocks.
Get a long piece of cord or
rope and tie the tarp around
the stack about half way
down to help keep the wind
from getting into it. Another
option is rolled plastic. This
can be purchased in a variety
of thicknesses and sizes at
locations such as Wal-Mart,
and can be used in the same
manner as the tarp.
And finally, check out what is
offered at the local hardware
and building supply stores.
Today there are a lot of options
for portable storage such
as heavy duty trunks or tall
cabinets made of heavy plastic.
Units like these can be used
outdoors, or if you do have a
garage, inside also.
Regardless of how you protect
your items through the winter
months, remember that you
are doing so to protect your
investments. While storage
options can add up to more
dollars spent, which could
impact a tight budget, you’ve
worked hard to get what
you have, and investing in
protecting it will mean that you
are able to extend the life of
your assets.
STORY BY
Nila Smith