Right now, you probably have hundreds, if not thousands of dollars’ worth of products in your home or business. From food and medicine to hazardous household materials and more, you have invested a great deal of money in these items.
Because you do not want any of these products to go to waste, you want to ensure that everything is properly stored. This will not only ensure that the items will last as long as possible — in the case of hazardous materials — it can also help to keep others safe.
To make sure everything is stored safely and correctly, consider the following tips.
Hazardous Materials
Chances are good your home or business has a number of hazardous chemicals sitting around; these include antifreeze, gasoline, oven cleaners, turpentine and liquid drain openers. The labels of each product should advise you on proper storage techniques. For instance, anything flammable like gas should be in a cool, dry place away from sunlight, and chemicals that contain acid should be stored separately from each other. Having dedicated shelving areas in a garage or garden shed is a good idea, and be sure everything is up high enough so that curious kids cannot access them.
If you store anything inside a special container built for hazardous materials, it is important to check it regularly for leakage, replacing the o-rings and other seals as necessary. Keep in mind that o-rings are not created equally; in the case of chemical exposure, fluorocarbon o-rings are your best bet, as they can withstand harsh chemicals without breaking down.
Medication
Most medicines do best when they are stored at room temperature — anywhere from 68 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit — in a dark, dry and cool place. As IWPharmacy notes, in many cases, this means the bathroom medicine cabinet is not an ideal location, since these rooms often get warm and steamy from people using the shower. Storing medicines up high in a kitchen pantry is a good idea, or on a bookcase in your bedroom. This advice holds true for pretty much any type of medication that does not specifically belong in the refrigerator — anything from over-the-counter pain relievers to antibiotics, antacids and prescription drugs will do well in a cool and dry place.
Film
Yes, many people are using their smartphones now for taking photos, but if you have a regular camera that you also like to use on occasion, it is wise to know how to properly store the film. According to film photographer Johnny Martyr, while many people will tell you to keep your unused film in the fridge, this is not the case. Film will do quite well stored in a box inside a kitchen cabinet. This eliminates the need to warm up film once it’s taken out of the chilly fridge prior to using it, and you don’t have to worry about condensation issues. Consumer-grade, black-and-white and low-ISO films can survive at room temperature for years without any noticeable change in quality.
Cold Food Storage
If you have ever wondered how long ground beef keeps in the freezer, or if the turkey deli meat you bought several days ago is still good to eat, FoodSafety.gov is a very handy resource. It features a chart, which you can download as a PDF and print out if you’d like, of a wide variety of foods and how long they keep in the fridge and freezer. Ground beef will last for one to two days in the fridge and three to four months in the freezer, and the turkey, once opened, should be eaten in three to five days.
Proper Storage Is Vital to Health, Safety and Your Budget
By taking the time to be sure everything in your home or business is stored correctly, you will have the peace of mind that your family and employees will remain safe. In addition, by regularly maintaining the storage equipment, you can also rest assured that you won’t be throwing away your products due to leaks or spoilage.
