Closing Your Cottage for Winter: How to Keep Your Belongings Safe

With fall beginning this month, winter is just a few months away and that means you’re probably in the process of closing your cottage – if you haven’t already. Unfortunately, leaving your cottage unattended for months at a time comes with a certain element of risk, with criminals seeing some cottages as an easy target.

Many cottage owners are already aware of this, and that’s why you’re probably all-too-familiar with the yearly routine that sees you spend a long and tiring weekend of making multiple trips to and from your home or storage unit to secure your most valuable belongings. 

However, did you know that with a portable storage unit you can get it delivered straight to your property, where you can then fill it with the belongings you want to secure. This will save you time on those gruelling multiple trips to and from your home or storage location.

Portable storage units can either be left at your cottage property where they will be completely secure, or taken to your local storage center for complete peace-of-mind.

Portable storage units are secure, weatherproof, and ensure your belongings are protected throughout the winter seasons. Items that can be kept inside include; small boats; personal watercrafts; ATVs and dirt bikes; outdoor furniture; sporting equipment; tools and much more.

The unit can easily be removed from your property in the summer months if you wish to not have it on-site while your cottage is back in use.

Calloway Storage has created a list of five other ways you can ensure your cottage is protected from crime this winter:

1 – Befriend your neighbours

If you have neighbours who live in the area or next to your cottage, it’s possible that you can ask them to keep an eye on your cottage. Simply give them an extra key and a contact number so they can get hold of you in the case of an emergency.

2 – Make sure everything is locked

It may sound obvious, but when you leave your cottage for the winter it’s essential that you make sure that all of your windows and doors are completely locked. Thieves look for quick wins so make sure everything from your shed, your second-storey windows to your propane tanks are fully locked away.

3 – Install an alarm system

As mentioned above, thieves really don’t want to steal from a cottage that will be hard work. Having a strong alarm and CCTV system is usually enough to deter thieves, but even if the worst does happen you’ll at least have the evidence to either stop them in the process – or catch them afterwards.

4 – Limit access to the property

Do you have your own individual road access? Consider putting a gate up that can be put across the road while you’re not there. Anything that makes your cottage look like to much work is generally enough to deter a criminal.

5 – Put up signs

Likewise, putting up signs around your property, such as “no trespassing” or “property is monitored”, is also a good way of deterring criminals and letting them know that you’re not going to make it easy for them to walk off with your belongings.

At Calloway Storage, we specialize in versatile storage solutions. To reserve or rent a portable storage unit for your cottage, contact us today!