As a new mom or dad, hanging onto all of your new baby's things only comes with being proud of the occasion and wanting to cherish every memory. However, by the time your child turns one-year-old, you could easily have a whole house full of items that you just don't want to give away. Self-storage units are an excellent solution for new parents who need extra space for all of that baby-related stuff they want to keep. However, there are a few baby-related items that will need a little extra care and attention for preservation before they get placed in a storage unit, at a location like Northgate Mini Storage, for the long term.

Stuffed Animals and Plush Toys – The first teddy bear at the hospital, baby's first favorite stuffed bunny, that adorable holiday-themed stuffed dog that Santa left under the tree for Baby's first Christmas—all of these are things you probably want to keep. Before putting any stuffed animals or plush toys in storage, make sure they are clean, dry, and sealed in an airtight container. Better yet, if you can invest in a few vacuum-sealing bags, these will keep those toys rightly protected from moths and pests, mold and mildew, and anything else that could be a threat. A plastic storage container will do as well, but it is a good idea to still wrap the plush toys in protective plastic.

Wooden Baby Furniture – From the crib to the rocking chair, your baby most likely had a lot of furniture that has helped you make it through those first few months. Storage is always a good place to keep these items until the next little one comes along, but wooden furniture is usually best kept in a climate-controlled unit. Variations in humidity levels and temperature can cause the wood to try to expand and may lead to damages like cracks in the finish or even breakage.

Battery-Operated Toys – Batteries left inside of those little noisemakers your little one loved so much can actually deteriorate the toy from the inside out of they start to corrode. Batteries commonly corrode when they are exposed to high levels of humidity, which is unavoidable unless you spring for a climate-controlled unit. But batteries can also corrode with age and excess heat as well. Before you tuck away that neat light-up crib mobile or that favorite pull-along toy that plays music, open up the toy and take out the batteries that may still be left inside.