Help! Latex tail storage in a teeny apartment?

[Koral]

Sooo, my latex Fish Butt will be here by Saturday - but I'm more thinking it will be here Monday. Regardless, I need your help. I rummaged around a little bit, but I must be blind. If after reading this, you know a place to re-direct me with ALL my answers - by all means!

I just moved into a tiny apartment that I share with two other ladies, and one has a cat (uuuuugh *grumbles* she claims the cat doesn't crawl all over the place but I woke to all the clean dishes fallen on the floor after a huge clatter in the midst of the night). My space is little more than half of a small bedroom (maybe 7x7?) and a closet that is about 5 feet wide, MAYBE 2 feet deep, and around 7 feet tall. I have one dresser but it's not a very big dresser (ie I can't stash even a monofin inside one of the drawers), and a nightstand at the end of the table (where I could potentially stash a monofin but it would hang over the edge quite a bit but be off the floor). Then there's the huge porch going unused but to the DEEP with that! There is also under my bed (where I have been keeping empty boxes for when I move out but I can move them to my car).

Okay, you know my layout. Now for the questions.


Where do you think should I stash my tail?
Can I fold my tail safely? If so, what do I use between the latex to keep it from sticking to itself/latex won't stick to the separator?
Should I just leave my tail flat, and stash it under the bed? Can I use above inquired separator to keep the tail clean, and just wedge the tail within a long collapsed bbetween two collapsed boxes? (just covering the main body, wrapping the fluke in a blanket+protectant stuff.)


I know at least to brush some baby powder over my tail between storings to help prevent some stickage, but I want to be extra safe as my roommates think that debris all over the floor and under the beds is "clean." (They don't even have a working vaccuum.) If I can fold my tail, I will try to invest in a portfolio bag next month to better store it somewhere.

[Winged Mermaid]

There's a bit about it in this sticky thread (http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?3108-%E2%98%86-Tail-Care-and-Maintenace-The-Official-Thread-%E2%98%86). But basically the best way is to store it flat if possible. This way you avoid any stress on the fabric that could create weak spots, wrinkles, ect. NEVER store anything on top of your tail. Doing so can create impressions in the fabric/latex, and warping the monofin pockets so it can be painful or even excruciating for your feet to swim in it. Dusting with talc or baby powder for longer storage periods is good. Besides that you can use a length of fabric- I use a towel- to put in between layers. I usually do it as so: lay fluke down, lay end of towel down over top, fold tail and place it over top the towel, fold towl over and place over top of the tail, fold tail over one last time so the top of the tail is on the top of the towel. Each layer straiten the towel to make sure it will cover everything so the latex doesn't touch itself. This is especially important in heat.

Just throwing this in there- people with neoprin tails should keep in mind that folding the tail (even gently on top of itself) can lead to permanent creases and wrinkles in the tail, so it is best to store it completely flat. (Just another reason not to use neoprin IMO.)

If I were you I'd go with under the bed.

Congrats on your Fish Butt! You'll have to let us know how it works out for you (*cough*review*cough* ;D).

[Blondie]

Hey! I have the same problem. My closet is too small for my tail so I'm pretty forced to fold it even though that's not preferred. The best thing I figured out to do is to take an old bed sheet and wrap your tail up in that. Then gently fold it so that it's not "pressed down". I stick it up on my shelf on my closet. Fits perfectly. And when I have unfolded it it looks perfectly fine. It might need a minute or two to relax but other than that, I've had no problems.

[Koral]

Iona; Yeah, I saw your thread involving warped footpockets, thus why I figured I should avoid trapping the monofin portion between boxes (upon reading that your mertailor tail was shipped in a compressed box). On a side note, it is an Oceanika. I'm glad to know bed sheets or towels with talc powder works as protectant, thank you so much. :) But would it still be okay to use the boxes on the body section (not the fin) with the whole tail wrapped up in a sheet to keep it flat, unfolded, covered in sheet, and well protected from the (ugh) cat here? And is baby powder essentially talc powder? I had gotten baby powder from the tail care thread.

iblondie; Thank you, I think I will use an old bed sheet! I'm scared to fold it over, it would be my luck to ruin it with cracks and whatnot. So, under the bed it is, after I thoroughly clean under the bed and prep it for tail storing.

Again thanks so much guys. I had checked that sticky thread out during class well before I made my topic, but it didn't quite answer my questions as you ladies have. Maybe I just needed it better explained. Whatever the case, thanks so much, I feel a little more confident in how I'll store it.

If anyone else wants to add input, I'm all ears!

[MerEmma]

Is there a way you could hang it flat from the ceiling? I don't know...if you can't put holes in the ceiling, would duct tape work? xD I'm not very crafty. Like, duct tape the string to the ceiling, let it hang down, and slide it into the strings?

[Mermaid Saphira]

I don't have anywhere else to keep my spandex tail and bubble's spandex tail so I keep them on the shelf in a really big plastic bag that out monofins came in. We never let our cats in our room, they have a tendancy to do some naughty things :/ ...Good luck finding a storage spot and can't wait to see your tail :)

[Koral]

I'm not sure about hanging it upside down, my mersister warned me that if I hang the tail, the body section would stretch.

[Mermaid Saphira]

I'm not sure about hanging it upside down, my mersister warned me that if I hang the tail, the body section would stretch.
That happened to me when i was drying it from rinising, yuo do not want to try and hang it :p

[Mermaid Lei Loni]

My only suggestion is to store it under the bed at my house. :) Alternatively, you could hang it from the wall? If it's hung by the monofin, I don't think it will cause much damage, but I'm not 100% sure. But under my bed is always an option. :)

[MerEmma]

I'm not sure if I understood you or if you understood me. :P So, just to clarify... http://i49.tinypic.com/303i6xj.jpg

This would be looking up at it from below...it would be laying flat, but still hanging. I think. I haven't tried it, but this was my plan for storing one during college... =P If you understood me, sorry for my misunderstanding. xD

[Koral]

Oooh I get what you mean now, Emma! I wonder if that's possible! I don't have any wallspace long enough, still. But I do like the idea.

[MerEmma]

Okay. Let me know if it works out all right? I've been planning this way to store it myself for when I get into college and such. :P Good luck!

[Koral]

I'll let you know if I use the method. Turns out I am moving into the other bedroom by myself, if the student cooperates. So I will have more room for my things. :)

[MerEmma]

That's much better. xD