# Storage frustration!



## Creep Cringle (Jun 23, 2009)

I'm really starting to lose it! I have barely any room to store all my props and running out of room to work on them too! I try to make as many things collapse so that it is possible for storage but I'm almost at the point of getting rid of everything. I get excited everytime I get a new project but not only can I not work on it but I have nowhere to put it when I'm done. It's sucking the creative life out of me!!! I have so many more things I would like to do but the lack of storage makes it impossible!!!AARRGGGHH!!! Sorry I needed to vent! Anyone else this frustrated? How do you deal with it? I looked up storage centers but they want way to much for too little space.


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

Oh yeah...a few years ago Creep.
I ended up with a storage unit (10x20)...then another.
I haven't haunted in 3 years and still have the storage units...bad investment!!
I will be emptying them this spring!!!


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## nixie (Sep 17, 2008)

I feel your pain. We maxed out our storage limit last year and have asolutely nowhere to go with this year's builds. One of our large props is still in the front yard, we just don't know what to do with it. We made it part of our Christmas decorations to buy some time, but now it's just rediculous. We have a couple large tombstones that wouldn't fit anywhere else in our back yard, they were ok there over the winter, but now that spring is here, I wan't them put away. My 16 yr old daughter is VERY into the creepy, so she has used her favorite props as part of her bedroom decor. My husband was adding a new bathroom, but the project was put on hold, so I stashed a few props in there. He's ready to get back to work on the bathroom, so now I have to deal with those props... This year, we're building a giant dragon that will be 1/2 the length of our house. We just don't even dare discuss where we will store him. Making him part of our backyard landscaping has been toyed with (the kids have a castle playhouse he might look cool with...) Our neighbors must hate us.


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## The Archivist (May 31, 2009)

Kind of makes me wish that I could rent one of the old K-mart stores that they closed down around here and turn it into one giant storage facility. Actually, I'd like to turn it into a year round haunt with space for a creature prop shop, community center and store with room for four full size haunts; one of which would be open year round and the other three would be worked on during the down time...Wishful thinking.

As for my storage problems, I have you all beat. I live in an apartment. VERY little storage space and so whatever I end up building will be done at my parents house. My father has given me a small space to store stuff but I don't think he really understands the needs of a haunter during build season...


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## stagehand1975 (Feb 22, 2010)

I work with a large 3 attraction haunt. We had plenty of storage space until this winters snow storms collasped a structure that we store alot of walls and props. Since most of this haunt isn't dismantled yet, we didn't lose much. So this year we have will have to do some creative packing. This facility is a childrens camp in the summer.


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## trishaanne (Aug 20, 2005)

LOL...I feel your pain. Hubby bought a shed for all the yard and pool stuff, which I then took over for prop storage so he bought another shed, which I've been told is OFF LIMITS! I filled the garage, the attic, part of the back yard is filled with PVC pipe for the NJ haunters group, chicken wire, and tons of styrofoam. My office/playroom was designed to look like a crypt with the brick scene setters, so I could leave all my good masks out along with my favorite props. Now that the grandkids need the space to play, I had to move some of that stuff. The 6 foot coffin we made is now downstairs in the family room serving as a coffee table and that's where we store all the good masks now. The bathroom has decorations in there year round, and so does the dining room and living room. My Hannibal Lechter and Countess from Gemmy are permanently in the living room. And I haven't even STARTED the stuff for this year! :googly: My plan is to start getting rid of stuff I KNOW I'll never use again, but finding the time to do it is a problem. Then there's always the "I can't get rid of that...I can use it for something" mentality. Good luck! The first step is admitting you have a problem..hehehe. My name is Pattie and I have a storage problem!


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## billman (May 3, 2006)

If you have the room and the neighborhood will allow it, I would just build a shed in the backyard. If you know someone or you're good at carpentry, do that rather than buying a kit. You can save a ton.


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## niblique71 (Dec 2, 2009)

Ummm... I'm almost at my limit too, but after this year I will have a definate problem. I also wonder if my neighbors hate me. I've resorted to hanging stuff from the ceiling of my carport.


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## Doc Doom (Aug 28, 2008)

Two years ago I ran outta room and "stored" a life sized poseable skeleton on my treadmill in the guest bedroom. It's still there. Now it just has cobwebs. Actually looks better.


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

I know your pain, I have so many props I don't know what to do with they're starting to migrate into the closets, the attic, the kids room, our room...not to mention the garage which looks like a meat locker/mortuary. I've decided this year to make two piles, the gotta go, and the have to keep pile. The gotta go pile will be divided into a recycle pile and a donation pile. Anything of recycle value will be re-used right away or be given away. The difficult part is parting with props I've built and have some sort of emotional attachment too!! Does anyone have any suggestions on how to break the bond?! I CAN"T LET THEM GO!!


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## nixie (Sep 17, 2008)

LOL- Trishaanne, you are my hero!


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## Jaybo (Mar 2, 2009)

You have discovered the dreaded Haunter's Curse. It's an affliction that can take over your life and make the neighbors talk. Well, your a haunter...they were probably already talking anyway.

What to do? You've finally built up enough decor and props that you don't HAVE to really keep building anymore, but you just HAVE to have that latest and greatest FCG. You know, the one that's 14ft wide, with 7 degrees of articulation, fading LED eyes, internal fogger, and shoots laser beams from it's finger tips? How can you call yourself a true haunter and NOT have THAT?!?

We have props in the attic, the garage, two storage sheds, my office at work, and an entire fenced in 20ft x 100ft side yard completely full. We were talking about building a third storage building in the the backyard just the other day so that we could work out it! This is one of the reason I build giant monster mud creations and then destroy them every year. No room. I have to rebuild the big guys every year! I could probably figure out a better solution, but to tell the truth..I really like building them. It's like getting to see an old friend for the holidays and learning what's new with them. 

So if you're really in a bind, then donate some props or even sell off a few. Then get to building again to replace them with something new!


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

Hubs put in planks over garage to store stuff there...we have stuff under our front porch...we have all our fencing behind our garage. I have bags of fabric & costumes in closets, armoirs....it kills me to weed stuff out, but I do. At Halloween, I even store stuff in my car's trunks!

We have a huge tent I use if I need to build something and the garage is occupied with (gasp!) CARS.


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## steveshauntedyard (Nov 16, 2008)

I need to clean out the garage to have room to build. My wife has been going to shop a curbies two night a week with the neighbor. All the stuff they bring back keeps filling up the garage and its not leaving as fast as its coming. She has not been doing it for a while but still have a bunch to get sold.


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## trishaanne (Aug 20, 2005)

debbie5....you store CARS in your garage?


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## STOLLOWEEN (Apr 13, 2008)

Same problem here...stuff in our attic, basement and our garage hasn't seen a car parked in it for over ten years because it's filled with props. 

Here would be a cool solution....

I think each of our local geographic locations should have a "Haunters Museum"...you know find an empty building that could be used for a year (like the empty K-mart buildings) and all of our props could be displayed/stored there off season, but it could also be opened up to the public as a "Halloween Museum".....imagine a huge building filled with a thousand displayed props....use the admission price to pay for the building...kill two birds with one stone..we get free unlimited storage and some entrepreneur can make a few bucks from empty real estate....just a thought...don't know how serious I am with this idea but it's fun to think about.


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## HalloweenZombie (Jul 22, 2007)

I think we are all going through the same thing. Find a friend or relative that has some storage space in their basement or garage. The only problem with that is that you can't hold them responsible if something gets broken or water damaged, so choose which props you store at a friend's house very carefully.


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## trentsketch (Jul 27, 2009)

My latest solution that actually worked surprisingly well? Store any strong, stable, waterproof parts outside behind the shed/garage and cover with a tarp. Even when attacked with heavy wind, rain, and snow, my latest giant papier mache creature base is all in one piece.


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## kprimm (Mar 14, 2009)

Every single one of us have this problem.I make everything able to come apart, and i put a whole storage loft in the rafters of the garage.I also have stored in 2 basements and am getting ready to get a new shed to store halloween stuff.I also have stuff all over my basement. Had to have the furnace guy over recently and when he walked downstairs he almost had a heart attack. I reassured him that i wasn't a killer just a haunter.


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## madmomma (Jul 1, 2009)

yeah, I have the same problem and I've only been putting out larger decorations for the past few years. I take my static PVC props apart and store the poles and fittings into my coffin. Wherever the 2 AC units in my attic AREN'T are filled with Halloween and Christmas decorations. Then there's the large Rubbermaid storage container in our side yard and tombstones and lights in our shed. Hoping to have a Halloween storage shed built this year!


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## Dark Star (Nov 6, 2007)

howlin mad jack said:


> I know your pain, I have so many props I don't know what to do with they're starting to migrate into the closets, the attic, the kids room, our room...not to mention the garage which looks like a meat locker/mortuary. I've decided this year to make two piles, the gotta go, and the have to keep pile. The gotta go pile will be divided into a recycle pile and a donation pile. Anything of recycle value will be re-used right away or be given away. The difficult part is parting with props I've built and have some sort of emotional attachment too!! Does anyone have any suggestions on how to break the bond?! I CAN"T LET THEM GO!!


Admitting you have a problem is the first step LOL

Seriously, it is hard to let go when we all tend to hack/revamp stuff all the time. You never know when you could use it for something else.


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

I figure I would look to see if they have help for our addiction. This is what I found: http://www.onlineorganizing.com/ProductsPage.asp?name=Pack_Rats_Handbook_And_Kit


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## madmomma (Jul 1, 2009)

Joisey, I know lots of people who could use this book! I am a "weeder-outer" except when it comes to anything I can use for Halloween. Then I turn into a "curby connoisseur"


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## sharpobject (May 7, 2008)

I'm already resigned to the fact that I'll probably never park in the garage again. I'm always on the lookout for a beat up - extremely cheap - trailer (like a tractor trailer - trailer) to use for storage. Luckily I have a ton of outdoor space.


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## Creep Cringle (Jun 23, 2009)

Not that I'm happy that all of you have the same storage problem but I sure feel better that I'm not the only one pulling my hair out. It sure is nice to have a place like this to come to for support.


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## Erebus (Jul 28, 2009)

I am in the same club as you, and everyone else. I ended up renting a 10x15 storage unit for 50 a month and that was a life saver. But, I still have stuff at the house. The halloween room is full of tombstones, the closet in there is full with half finished projects, attics is full, guest bedroom is starting to collect some stuff (and I am getting yelled at for it), and some stuff at my parents house. I am a little better off than my neighbor though. He has much more props than me, and he is a police officer at the high school so he stores some of his props in random closets at the school, he has some stuff in his storage unit (2 of them), he has some in my storage unit, his garage, his attic, the local skating rink (his friends own it), and 2 trailers that he gets to park at the police station. I would suggest getting a storage unit. I had to look around for a bit for a good price because most places around here were wanting 80 to 90 for the same size that I got. Hope you get it worked out.


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## mandodude (Aug 31, 2008)

My wife finally laid down the law, but luckily she offered an option. My mother law owns and house where she works on her sewing business. There was an empty garage size shed in the back and I have the use of it. It's an hour away, but it is free!


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## Creep Cringle (Jun 23, 2009)

WOW! I would drive an hour away for a free garage too. Lucky you Erebus... Around here that size storage would easily go for $150 if not more. Right now the only solution is to get rid of stuff but I'm finding it very hard to actually do it.


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## Lachoween (Aug 6, 2008)

We all feel your pain. My husband and I have maxed out our space and are finally going to build a shed this spring, the problem I have is worrying about if we are building it big enough. I know no matter how big we build it, it will eventually be outgrown, LOL.


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## The_Caretaker (Mar 6, 2007)

Just remember the axion of the prop builder: Props will be made or accumulate until all available space is filled and then some.


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## HauntCast (Jul 25, 2008)

How about you store everything in your living and bed room and sleep in a tent in the back yard?


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## Creep Cringle (Jun 23, 2009)

There might be some good news soon. Seems a local buissness has some storage space in their basement. Waiting to hear back from the owner. Keeping my fingers crossed.


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## dionicia (Aug 4, 2007)

I thought a garage was a storage unit for props. Why would anyone park a car in such good storage space???

We keep reorganizing the garage, but it still is full to the ceiling. I made some more room in the shed recently, but that filled up quick.


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