With the snow moments (it seems) away from falling, now is the time to ensure all of your yard tools, and summer toys are stored for the winter. No matter how trivial, the longevity of your belongings depend on how well you care for them. Even your children's outdoor toys, small or large, are susceptible to damage, if they are not stored properly. Leaving children's plastic play ground equipment outside all winter, means that the sun beats down on it, warming the plastic to temperatures warmer than the air, and could cause the plastic to crack, bend or warp. With the price of these toys being quite large, it simply isn't feasible for most families to simple replace them every year, so the easiest, solution is to store them.

Now, granted, everyone has an idea on how certain items should be stored. Take a lawn mower for example. Some people say that storing it with a full tank of gas is a mistake, because it's more likely to combust, while others argue the opposite. That storing a lawn mower with an empty tank is more likely to combust, because the pressure that can build inside it. Now, who is right and who is wrong? In a situation like this, it more because an idea of personal preference. However, the best advice I've gotten is from a professional in the industry, and he states, the less gas the better, because of the amount of ethanol in today's fuel. As well, he recommends adding fuel stabilizer to the gas. Fuel stabilizer is available at Canadian Tire Stores, and can be put in anything from a Boat to a Weed Whipper.

There really is no time like today to store all of your summer toys, and to make sure that your next summer in Cottage Country is as enjoyable as the last!