Seasonal and second-home storage for Tahoe and Truckee owners

A second home at Lake Tahoe, Incline Village, Truckee or the Carson Valley is used in bursts. Some owners arrive for ski weekends, some for the summer on the lake, and some rent the place out part of the year and need it emptied between guests. Between those bursts there are furnishings with nowhere to go: patio sets that cannot sit under snow, seasonal bedding, kayaks, ski gear and the extra beds from a guest wing. O'Brien's Moving & Storage keeps those goods in the Sparks warehouse, a short drive down the mountain, and brings them back when the season turns.

At a glance

• Wooden vaults 7 ft x 7 ft x 5 ft, from $40 per month
• A Sparks warehouse a drive down the mountain from the lake
• Short or long term, so storage can follow your seasons
• About 2 to 3 weeks notice to deliver back to the cabin

What owners store between seasons

Outdoor furniture is the first thing: chairs, tables, umbrellas and cushions that weather badly on a deck through a Sierra winter. Next is anything bulky and seasonal, such as paddle boards, bikes, skis, snowshoes and sleds. Then comes the indoor material that only makes sense in one season: heavy bedding, holiday decorations and rugs. Owners who list a home for short-term rental often store personal furnishings in a vault, leaving only what guests use.

A second home also changes hands more often than a primary one. When a cabin is sold, inherited or refurnished, the contents need a holding place while the new plan comes together. That holding place can be a vault in Sparks, close enough to reach in a day and far enough from the snow line to stay out of the weather's way.

• Patio and deck furniture, cushions and umbrellas
• Skis, snowboards, paddle boards and bikes
• Seasonal bedding, rugs and holiday decorations
• Rental-home furnishings between guests or seasons

How the service works from the lake side

Our crews work in Incline Village, Stateline, Zephyr Cove, South Lake Tahoe, Tahoe City, Kings Beach and Truckee. The crew packs and wraps what you want stored at the cabin, loads it on the truck, and unloads it into your vaults at 2277 Glendale Ave in Sparks. Vault storage starts at $40 per month, and each vault is 7 ft x 7 ft x 5 ft. Your estimator counts the vaults at a free in-home visit, with 10 free heavy-duty boxes to start packing.

Look at the towns we serve on the Lake Tahoe and Truckee page. Owners in Incline Village can see local details on storage for Incline Village households, and Truckee owners on storage for Truckee households.

Planning the return trip

Mountain roads and weather set the calendar for a Tahoe delivery, so plan the return earlier than you think. Stored goods generally ship on about 2 to 3 weeks notice. Call the office on 775-359-6683 with your target date and the crew and truck get booked. Winter weather on the passes can change a day, and the NWS and your own judgment come first on any storm day.

Owners who open the cabin each Memorial Day often schedule the return in early May, which leaves time to clean before the first guests. Owners who rent for winter go the other way and schedule in late fall. Either way, the same vault holds the same goods until you ask for them.

Short term and long term

Some owners keep a single vault for the off-season and take it back each spring. Others use storage for a full year while a cabin is being renovated or sold. Vault storage covers both. If your plans are in flux, read about long-term household storage and the long-term storage tips guide.