MODERN STORAGE®
Home/Episodes/🐜🕷️ Creepy Crawlers: How to Keep Your Storage Unit Pest-Free 🕷️🐜 | Modern Storage® Unpacked

October 1, 2025

🐜🕷️ Creepy Crawlers: How to Keep Your Storage Unit Pest-Free 🕷️🐜 | Modern Storage® Unpacked

Episode Summary

Modern Storage® tackles one of the less glamorous realities of self storage: pests. This episode covers practical strategies for keeping your storage unit free of insects, rodents, and other unwanted visitors, with advice on storing seasonal items safely and protecting your belongings year-round.

Key Takeaways

1

How to prevent pest infestations in your storage unit before they start

2

Best practices for storing seasonal items to avoid attracting insects and rodents

3

Year-round maintenance habits that keep your storage unit clean and protected

Episode Notes

Pests in storage units are a more widespread problem than most renters realize, and Modern Storage® and Kaylee bring the topic into full focus in this episode of Modern Storage® Unpacked. From common household insects like ants and spiders to rodents looking for a warm, undisturbed space, storage units can become targets for infestations when items are packed incorrectly or left unchecked for extended periods. The hosts break down exactly why this happens and what renters can do to stay ahead of it. One of the core discussions in this episode centers on how the way you pack your unit directly impacts your risk of attracting pests. Cardboard boxes, for example, are a known attractant for cockroaches and silverfish because they provide both shelter and moisture. Modern Storage® and Kaylee likely recommend switching to hard plastic bins with tight-fitting lids as a simple but highly effective upgrade. Wrapping items in plastic sheeting, avoiding food or organic materials in units, and elevating belongings off the floor on pallets or shelving also come into play as foundational pest prevention strategies. Seasonal storage is another major theme in this episode. Many renters use self storage specifically to house holiday decorations, seasonal clothing, sports equipment, and outdoor furniture. These categories of items carry unique risks because they often go untouched for months at a time, giving pests the undisturbed environment they need to settle in. The hosts likely walk through best practices for storing each of these item types, including how to clean and seal items before putting them into storage and what materials attract pests most readily. Beyond individual renter behavior, the episode also likely addresses the role the storage facility itself plays in pest prevention. A well-maintained facility with regular pest control treatments, sealed unit doors, clean common areas, and climate-controlled options offers renters a significant layer of protection that a poorly managed property simply cannot. Modern Storage® probably encourage listeners to ask facility managers about their pest control protocols before signing a lease, treating it as an important factor in the facility selection process alongside price, location, and security. The episode also covers what to do if you suspect a pest problem already exists in your unit. Acting quickly, notifying facility management, removing and inspecting affected items, and using appropriate deterrents like cedar blocks, peppermint oil, or commercial pest repellents are likely part of the conversation. Knowing the warning signs of an infestation, such as droppings, chewed packaging, or shed insect skins, helps renters catch problems early before significant damage occurs to their belongings. With a lighthearted Halloween-themed angle woven into the episode, Modern Storage® and Kaylee manage to make a practical and somewhat unglamorous topic genuinely engaging. The humor keeps the tone accessible while the underlying advice is solidly useful for anyone currently renting a storage unit or considering one. Whether you are storing furniture during a move, keeping business inventory off-site, or just managing household overflow, this episode delivers real value for protecting what you store.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about the topics covered in this episode.

What is the best way to keep bugs out of a storage unit?

The most effective approach is to store everything in hard-sided plastic bins with tight-fitting lids rather than cardboard boxes, which attract insects and trap moisture. Before putting anything into the unit, clean all items thoroughly and make sure nothing with food residue or organic material is included. Keeping items off the floor on pallets or shelving also reduces contact with crawling insects and improves airflow.

Can rodents get into a climate-controlled storage unit?

Yes, climate-controlled units are not automatically rodent-proof. Mice and rats can enter through very small gaps around door seals, utility penetrations, or shared walls between units. Facility operators should inspect and seal these entry points regularly, and renters should still use sealed containers and avoid storing anything that could attract rodents, including food, birdseed, or pet supplies.

How should I store seasonal decorations to prevent pest damage?

Pack seasonal decorations in sealed plastic bins rather than their original cardboard packaging, which deteriorates and becomes a nesting material for pests. Fabric items like wreaths or stuffed decorations should be placed in sealed bags before going into the bins. Inspect everything before it goes back into storage at the end of each season to catch any existing pest activity before it spreads.

What steps should a storage facility take to prevent pest infestations across its units?

Facilities should have a contracted pest control program that includes regular inspections and preventive treatments, not just reactive responses to complaints. Sealing gaps in roll-up doors, maintaining clean common areas, ensuring proper drainage to eliminate standing water, and monitoring for early signs of infestation across vacant and occupied units are all standard best practices. Operators who treat pest management as a maintenance priority rather than an afterthought protect their reputation and reduce liability exposure.

I store business inventory in a storage unit. How do I protect it from pests?

Business owners storing inventory should use commercial-grade sealed bins or racking systems that keep product off the floor and away from walls. If your inventory includes any perishable components, packaging with food-based inks, or natural fiber materials, those items are higher risk and require extra care with sealing and climate control. Conducting quarterly audits of your unit to check for pest activity is a smart operational habit that prevents small problems from becoming costly inventory losses.

Enjoying the show?

Subscribe and never miss a new episode of Modern Storage® Unpacked™.

Mentioned in this episode

The Modern Storage® facilities and services this conversation covers.

More Episodes

View all →
Self Storage Hot Takes: Keep It or Get Rid of It? 🔥 | Ep. 86 | MODERN STORAGE® Unpacked™

Oct 14, 2026

Self Storage Hot Takes: Keep It or Get Rid of It? 🔥 | Ep. 86 | MODERN STORAGE® Unpacked™

"If you haven't used it in a year, get rid of it." Sounds completely reasonable… until we're talking about the clothes in YOUR closet that still have tags on them. 🔥 In Episode 86 of MODERN STORAGE® Unpacked™, Hannah and Kaylee are taking on self-storage hot takes in a round of agree or disagree — and let's just say they are not always on the same side of the table. From decluttering rules to moving in the summer, they're weighing in on the advice everyone has heard — and finding out exactly where their opinions fall apart. Some takes are easy. Others get surprisingly personal. And at least one of them ends in a full closet defense. 😂 In this episode: Agree or disagree: if you haven't used it in a year, it's time to let it go The clothes we haven't worn in years — and why we're absolutely still keeping them Seasonal items and the very valid "someone might need this someday" argument Moving in the Arkansas summer and the one opinion that finally brings them together ☀️😅 How differently we all think about our stuff — and what that means for storage Whether you're planning a move, clearing out your home, renting a storage unit, or working in the self-storage industry — come ready to pick a side. 👀 Which hot take do you agree with — and which one would you fight to the death over? Drop it in the comments. 👇 🔔 Subscribe to MODERN STORAGE® Unpacked™ for more storage tips, facility tours, industry insights, and the occasional friendly debate! About MODERN STORAGE® Unpacked™ Hosted by Hannah and Kaylee, MODERN STORAGE® Unpacked™ brings you practical storage advice, real-life scenarios, honest opinions, and conversations from inside the self-storage industry. A podcast by Modern Storage® — proudly serving communities across Arkansas with locations in West Little Rock, North Little Rock, Riverdale, Shackleford, Bryant, Bentonville, Springdale, Lowell, Maumelle, and Hot Springs. 🌐 https://www.modernstorage.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modern.storage 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/modernstorage 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@modernstorage 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/modern-storage ▶️ YouTube: @modernstorage #ModernStorageUnpacked #ModernStorage #SelfStorage #Decluttering #MovingTips #StorageTips #HotTakes #ArkansasStorage #ClutterFree #StorageLife #AgreeOrDisagree #MovingDay #SummerMoving #SelfStorageLife #StorageIndustry #ArkansasMoving

Read Episode
Our Storage Facility Got a Little Spooky 👻 | Modern Storage® #Shorts
ShortFacility Management

Oct 10, 2026

Our Storage Facility Got a Little Spooky 👻 | Modern Storage® #Shorts

Modern Storage® gets into the Halloween spirit with a lighthearted short that brings some spooky fun to the self storage world. This episode features a ghost who apparently has great taste in eyewear, making for a playful seasonal moment from the Modern Storage® team. It is a quick, festive break from the usual industry content that shows the personality behind the brand.

Watch Short
Moving in Summer? We Already Know How This Ends 🥵
ShortCustomer Questions

Oct 8, 2026

Moving in Summer? We Already Know How This Ends 🥵

Modern Storage® tackles one of the most universally dreaded moving experiences: relocating in peak summer heat. This episode pulls a clip from Episode 86 of Modern Storage® Unpacked™: Self Storage Hot Takes, where the conversation around summer moving lands with immediate, shared recognition. It is the kind of topic where both sides of the debate are wrong, and everyone already knows it.

Watch Short

Never miss an episode.

Subscribe and get new episodes every week.