Pet-Proof Your Home: Temporarily Store Items During Training or Adjustments

Pet-Proof Your Home with Temporary Self-Storage

Bringing home a new pet is a time filled with excitement, inevitable accidents, and lots of curious snooping. Whether you’re adjusting to a new puppy or kitten, you’ll need to temporarily rearrange your space to safeguard fragile and hazardous items until your pet is properly trained. Find out how to make your home more welcoming, protect your belongings, and use self-storage to your advantage during this adjustment period.

Make Space Feel Like Home

New pets want nothing more than to feel safe, comfortable, and loved. A few small changes can help your pet settle in without making every loose object their new chew toy:

• Choose washable, practical furniture: Look for couches and chairs with removable, machine-washable covers to keep pet hair and odors under control. Materials like canvas, denim, and faux leather are the easiest to clean and least likely to absorb stains.
• Take advantage of vertical space: Pets need room to move and explore. Especially for cats, adding verticality with floating shelves or cat trees expands their territory without shrinking your square footage. These perches provide a safe space for cats to relax and observe their domain. At the same time, they help prevent unwanted climbing on surfaces with fragile items.
• Invest in smart, dual-purpose furniture and pet supplies: A folding feeding station or storage ottoman that doubles as a cozy pet bed reduces clutter while giving your pet exactly what they need.
• Designate a clear pet zone: Whether it’s a corner of the living room or a nook in the kitchen, assigning one area as your pet’s home base helps them learn boundaries and makes cleanup more manageable. Keep their bedding, toys, and food in this space so it feels familiar and consistent.
• Stick to a cleaning schedule: Between fur, tracked-in mud, and the occasional accident, regular cleaning must be a top priority. Sweep daily, vacuum weekly, and wash pet bedding frequently to reduce allergens and lingering odors.
• Use pet-friendly decor and materials: Not all rugs, upholstery, or plants are suitable for a pet-friendly home. Scratch-resistant floor coverings, sturdy fabrics, and non-toxic plants hold up better, last longer, and are safer for pets.
• Create places for mental stimulation: Pets tend to act up when they’re bored. Puzzle feeders, treat-dispensing toys, and interactive play stations give them ways to stay busy and protect your belongings.
• Manage environmental stress: Certain sounds and smells can make your pet uncomfortable. Sound-absorbing rugs and curtains help reduce outside noise, which is beneficial for pets still acclimating to their new environment. Calming diffusers or familiar-scented bedding can help, too.

Protect Valuables and Hide Hazards

Pets don’t mean to get into trouble, but when sharp claws or wagging tails get involved, even the most innocent moment can end in a broken vase or spilled planter. These steps can spare you from headaches and safeguard your home:

• Move fragile items out of reach: Place anything delicate or valuable behind closed cabinet doors or on the highest shelf. Even items that seem secure on a tabletop can become an accident waiting to happen when a pet jumps, bumps, or climbs unexpectedly.
• Eliminate access to harmful substances: Cleaning products, essential oils, human medications, and certain foods like chocolate or grapes can be toxic to pets. Store these in latched drawers or sealed cabinets. Make sure your trash cans have lids and are too heavy or secure for a pet to tip over.
• Tuck away electronics: Exposed cords and chargers are tempting to chew. Use cable management sleeves or run cords behind heavy furniture to keep them out of reach. You can also use a bitter spray designed to deter chewing.
• Limit access to shoes, socks, and laundry: These items look like toys to your pet, which is why they’re also among the most commonly swallowed foreign objects. Use lidded hampers and close closet doors to keep laundry and clothing out of reach.
• Set up physical barriers: Safety gates and closed doors help separate pets from unsafe zones, such as the kitchen while cooking or the garage during maintenance tasks. These barriers may be temporary—your pet simply needs time to learn boundaries.
• Rent a short-term self-storage unit: If your pet is still in training or adjusting to your home, this is a good time to store a few belongings. Rugs, sentimental keepsakes, decorative vases, or unstable furniture can all be packed away for a month or two. Short-term storage gives you the flexibility to protect your possessions without forcing you to give anything up permanently.

Using Short-Term Storage as a Safe Zone

When your pet’s learning curve puts your home’s contents at risk, a small self-storage unit is the answer you’re looking for. Instead of wrapping your grandmother’s vase in bubble wrap and hoping it survives on a high shelf, move it to a secure, indoor unit where no clumsy paws or wet noses can find it.

Indoor climate-controlled storage provides a clean, stable environment for delicate items like rugs and upholstered chairs. Look for facilities that offer drive-up access, extended daily hours, and month-to-month leases. These features make it easy to drop off or retrieve items as needed without committing to a long-term contract.

Why Pouch Self Storage Makes Sense for Pet Owners

Pouch Self Storage has helped Southern California residents organize their lives since 1979, and we know how to support pet owners during times of transition. With nine locations across the Anaheim area, we offer convenience and security close to home.

Each of our facilities is monitored with advanced video surveillance and electronic gate systems. Our units come in multiple sizes, and some locations include indoor, drive-up, and climate-controlled storage. We make transferring items into your unit easy with our free moving truck program. Then, our 24-hour self-service kiosks and POUCH App put control in your hands.

Whether you’re stashing away velvet furniture to protect it from muddy paws or simply want to store training supplies, our flexible rental terms are designed to meet your needs. Reserve a unit today and give yourself space to create a home that works for both you and your pet.