Top Tips for Packing and Moving

Moving house can be a stressful time for anyone involved, and packing up your entire life possessions is a long and hectic process. If you have given yourself a good amount of time to pack everything together, it shouldn’t be such a bad job. We’ve put together our top tips for packing and moving that are sure to help you get on the go.

Prepare

Put aside some extra time to organise your belongings before you even begin to pack. This will allow you to have a really good clear out, getting rid of any bits and pieces you’ve decided you no longer want or need. Removing anything you don’t want to take to your new home means there will be a lot less to take with you on moving day, and therefore making unpacking much easier! You could even sell on any items you don’t wish to keep, meaning you could make some money in the process.

Create an ‘Essentials Box’

When the day finally comes, you don’t want to be caught out with no tea and coffee making facilities! We advise creating a box of essentials, clearly labelled ‘DO NOT PACK’. This can include everything you might need on the day, such as a kettle, some cups, tea and coffee, toilet roll and headache pills. If you’re in need of certain things on the day and can’t remember where you’ve packed them, an already stressful moving day can turn into an even bigger nightmare, so help yourself out in advance! 

Don’t Over-pack

Over-packing is easily done, as we try and get our packing over and done with and squeeze as much stuff as possible into one little box. It’s important this isn’t what you do, as over-packing can make it difficult to pick up and move the boxes to your new home. Instead, try putting a sensible amount of items into separate boxes. You could even label them by room to make it easier when unpacking. However, boxes that are too empty can become crushed in the moving process, so see what works best!

Label Everything
Taking the time to label everything you’re taking with you, whether this be boxes, bin liners or crates- make sure they are all labelled. It’s a good idea to label the top and sides of any boxes, to ensure when they are uploaded it’s obvious where they need to be taken. Boxes can be stacked in any position within a moving van or in the boot of your car, so to save time and confusion, and to ensure everyone is on the same page, overly labelled possessions is the best road to go down.

Take a Break!

Ensuring you take breaks regularly is an important part of both packing and moving. When moving day comes around, don’t put yourself under unnecessary pressure to get everything ready within a small time slot, and once you’ve reached your destination don’t feel the need to unpack everything on your first day there. As long as you have your essentials box at hand, and you’ve been able to make up the beds, everything else will follow in due course as each new day comes.

At Beehive Self Storage, we stock a variety of packing materials including boxes, bubble wrap and packing tape to help ensure your move is as smooth as possible! If you’d like to find our more information about our packing materials, get in touch with a member of the Beehive team today by giving us a call on 08456 436 100 or by making an enquiry via our website!

What Self-Storage is Best for You?

If you have a cluttered home or office and need space you just don’t have, self-storage could be the answer for you. There are multiple options available for self-storage, whether you’re looking for business storage or domestic and here at Beehive, we can help you decide what is best for you.

Domestic Storage

Every house has some mess and disorder, but if your home is getting out of control, you may need the help from a self-storage. You can choose whether you want to store a few personal possessions to the contents of your whole house, decluttering your home as you go. Perhaps you are having building work or decorating done to your home and are unsure where to keep your belongings? Domestic self-storage could be your answer.

With domestic self-storage from Beehive, there are multiple sizes from 25 square foot right up to 175 square foot, so you are able to choose exactly how much space you want or need. We also offer loading bays, large corridors and handling equipment completely free of charge, giving you a stress free experience going to and from your storage space.

The best thing about having your own domestic self-storage unit is that you have free of charge access as frequently as suits you. No appointment is necessary, and only you hold the key.

Business Storage

If you’re a business owner and find that you have a lot of stock creating a mess in your premises, or you have important paperwork that seems to be filling up your office more than it should be, perhaps a business self-storage unit is the secure and flexible answer for you.

At Beehive, self-storage is not just for large businesses or cluttered homes. If you’re a start-up business and simply don’t have the spare space, you can find storage units suited to you, starting at only 12 square foot. If you’re a larger industrial business with more items to store, our space range up to 5000 square foot.

If you find your business’ stock intake increases and decreases over time, you are able to increase or reduce your storage unit’s space at any point- free of charge. Like domestic self-storage, you are able to access your units free of charge and has frequently as you deem necessary, perfect for any busy business owner.

If you’re still unsure of what self-storage unit to go for, or if you have any further questions, please get in touch with a member of the Beehive Self Storage team here- we’d love to help!

Top Tips for Ultimate Wardrobe Organisation

Having a wardrobe that is a confusing and chaotic mess of a mountain of clothes can often mean you can’t find things when you need them. Ensuring you have a spotless, tidy and well-organised wardrobe means you’ll be able to make the most out of all your purchases whilst keeping a clear bedroom and mind, too! Here’s our top tips on how to achieve and maintain an organised wardrobe.

1. Do you wear it? Have you gone more than a year without wearing some clothing items in your wardrobe? If you have, it’s time to say an overdue goodbye. As much as you think you may want to wear them one day, it’s best to get rid. Using the space for something you’ll definitely wear is better than letting unnecessary items clutter your closet.

2. Retire Items If you have clothes that you love but are tired of wearing, pack them away into your attic for a few months. Not only will it save space in your wardrobe, but you’ll love them again when you remember you have them. The same can also be done with seasonal wear; when it gets to summer, pack away all your winter clothes until the season comes back around.

3. Sell or Donate If you have clothes that are in a good condition but you no longer want to wear, you could make some extra money by selling them on. There are multiple websites you can use as a platform for selling, including eBay and Depop. Alternatively, you could do a great deed and donate your old clothes to a charity shop.

4. Categorise It may take some time, but categorising your clothing items into sections can make everything easier to find. Place all items in their relevant sections (tops, skirts, trousers, dresses). You’ll be surprised at the difference it makes when it comes to picking your outfits- not to mention keeping everything extremely organised!

5. Use a Self-Storage Unit
If you have a lot of clothes that, although you don’t often wear, you just can’t get rid of, perhaps a small, domestic self- storage unit could be the answer to your unorganised wardrobe woes. Beehive Self-Storage have a huge range of multiple sized units available at a great price!

Organising your wardrobe can be a hefty task, but it needn’t be if you follow our top tips. If you’d like more information on domestic self-storage units, we’d love to help. Please get in touch with a member of our team via our website, here.

5 Clever Uses for Self Storage Units

Storage units can be for more than just housing junk. You can make clever use of the additional space they offer and to prove it we’ve come up with five ways! 

1. Document & Valuables Storage

If you have important documents or valuables that need to be kept safe, a storage unit is the best way. The security on the premise means your items will be well protected, so you don’t have to worry about them whatsoever. Then, when you are ready, you can pick them up at a later date. For storing documents and precious items, why not try one of our mini storage lockers?

2. Rotating Stock

If you own a physical store or an online shop, you can use a storage unit to rotate your stock. You could put seasonal items in a storage unit until it’s time for those items to sell. Or if you have an online shop but don’t have space in your home to store all your products, keep some in the storage unit. It will keep your house free and make it easier to manage your stock when it’s in a separate space. It also protects your items, so they don’t get damaged before they are sold.

3. Storing Hobby Equipment

If you don’t have space at home, you can keep your hobby equipment in a storage unit. This is particularly useful for people who don’t have enough space on their property, or their hobby is quite seasonal, like skiing, which means the equipment isn’t needed all year round. If your hobby is quite creative, then you could also store your creations, such as big pieces or art. With a storage unit, you can keep your pieces in the best possible condition, which you can’t necessarily do at home.

4. Hide Gifts

If you live with people who like to search for their presents ahead of time, using a storage unit could be the best solution. They’ll never be able to discover their gift while you’re not looking, which means it can stay a surprise. This would be an excellent idea for hiding Christmas presents or big gestures, like a proposal for example. There are only so many places in the house you can hide a ring box, and you definitely wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise ahead of time!

5. When You’re Redecorating

When you’re redecorating your home, you could cover everything to keep your items from getting ruined, but that isn’t a fool-proof solution. Putting your belongings in a storage unit, however, will give you more space to work in, and you won’t have to worry about getting any of your furniture messy, which could be expensive to fix!

We hope this has given you some ideas about how you can use a storage unit. If you’d like to find out more about our self-storage units, please get in touch.

How to Declutter: Tips for a Tidy Home

Excessive clutter in any home can be a nightmare, leaving you feeling frustrated, unproductive and causing stress in every aspect of your life. Finding a place to start is often the hardest part, but by devoting some time to declutter your home, you’ll reap the rewards that include less stress, more organization and overall, a tidy place to live.

Take a look at these five simple tips to help you on the path to decluttering your living space and enjoying a stress free, mess free life. 

Tip 1: Create a “Starting Zone”

Start with clearing one area in your home. This can be anywhere, be it your computer desk, kitchen table or living room side. Wherever you decide to start, stick to the rule that nothing can be placed there unless it’s being used. Once you’ve decluttered your starting zone, keep it that way, and slowly begin to expand throughout your home.

Tip 2: Make Time for a Decluttering Weekend

Maybe not the most thrilling weekend choice, but taking time to schedule in a weekend of decluttering can really make a difference in your progress. Get your partner, family or friends involved too and get more done. Make sure you have boxes at the ready for those items you’re not sure about.

Tip 3: Take Items to a Self-Storage

It’s inevitable that there will be numerous items in your home that, although you don’t have any use or space for them, you just can’t throw away. Self-Storage units are a great way to keep those items safely tucked away, without creating clutter within your home. If you’re interested in a domestic Beehive Self-Storage unit, get in touch on 08456436100.

Tip 4: Give to Charity

Decluttering your home means you’ll come across multiple unused and unwanted items. Create a “donate” pile and fill a black bag or box to give to your local charity. You’ll be decluttering your space and mind, as well as doing a good deed.

Tip 5: Resist the Urge to Buy

Try to fight the temptation of buying new things that aren’t a necessity. A beautiful, tidy home can quickly lead to a cluttered space again if unnecessary things are repurchased. Resist the urge, save yourself money and continue to relish in your decluttered home.   

For more storage tips for your cluttered home, take a look at our self-storage options for domestic use. Alternatively, give us a call or email - we’d love to help. 

5 Helpful Ways to Organise a Cluttered Cupboard

You might have cupboard spaces that are in great need of organising, but doing so doesn’t have to be a chore. To get you started, we’ve got 5 helpful ways to organise a cluttered cupboard.

1.    Get rid of what you don’t use

It’s very easy for random and unused items to pile up in cupboards. In cases such as these, you need to haul everything out of the space and evaluate what should be kept and what shouldn’t. Weigh up in your mind how much you need each item or how often you’re likely to use it. The objects that don’t seem very important can obviously be disposed of. This exercise should reduce your clutter considerably.

2.      Organise in levels

One good trick you can use is to place your most used items at eye level; that way they’re easier to find and put back after use. Things that you use slightly less can go on the level below, and items that you rarely use can be placed on the highest level. For example, if you’re organising books, your new purchases can go at eye level, books you’ve recently finished can go just below, and any really old copies that you can’t bear to part with can go on the top level.

3.     Organise similar items together

If you have several similar items, you can put them together, which will make them easier to find. The space will come across more organised, aesthetically pleasing and uniform. This should also make it easier to spot any missed placed items.

4.      Bigger items first

It’s easier to add larger items first, then the smaller items can fit around them in whatever space is left. Trying to do it the other way around won’t work well in limited spaces; the small items will always have to be rearranged to make space for anything bigger. It’s also a good idea to pack anything that’s seriously heavy onto the bottom of your cupboard, regardless of how often you use it, so there is no risk of it breaking a shelf.

5.      Leave space for more

You’re probably going to add more items to your cupboard space in the future, which is why we’d recommend not packing everything in too tightly. You don’t want to be short on space because you’ll end up where you started; with more items than you have space. Plus, if you leave some room it will be less hassle to take out and return your belongings to the cupboard. This will help make everyday use a lot easier.

With these helpful ideas, we hope organising your cupboard doesn’t seem too daunting. We appreciate that sometimes there isn’t always space to store everything, which is why you might be interested in one of our domestic or business storage units. To make an enquiry you can call us on 08456436100.

How to Keep Your Valuables Safe at Glastonbury

Festival season is well under way, and we know you might be concerned about how to keep your valuables safe at events like Glastonbury. That’s why we’ve written this post – so you’re well-informed about your options.

Dangers of carrying your valuables

There’s a lot of risk with carrying your valuables with you at Glastonbury. It’s the largest greenfield festival in the world, so you can imagine the masses of people and things on the site. It’s imperative you keep your valuables safe in the midst of all the festival’s activities.  

The danger of not keeping your stuff safe is that you might lose track of them while you’re caught up in the festival fever, they could fall into the mud and because of the music you won’t hear it drop, or it could get stolen if you don’t keep a watchful eye on it. It could even be hours before you realise some of your things have been misplaced, which would make the task of finding them almost impossible. 

Losing one of your belongings during a festival could seriously dampen your mood. On the other hand, you don’t want to be on high alert trying to guard your things either. You need an easy, stress-free solution to keep your valuables safe.

Glastonbury lock-ups

Glastonbury offers property lock-ups onsite – you can find their locations on a festival map, marked by a keyhole logo. You can leave your belongings for as long as you need and they’re open 24 hours with no charge. However, if you have been to Glastonbury before you will know how long these errands can take – who wants to be stood in the queue for a lock-up, when you could be exploring the more exciting parts of Glastonbury? 

The Beehive solution 

Alternatively, you could use one of our Beehive mini storage lockers. They’re an indoor storage solution, which means your belongings will be safe and secure, away from the Glastonbury crowds and rain clouds. Our lockers are stored in Taunton, Somerset, just a short drive from the Glastonbury site. 

If you don’t want to risk losing your precious items in the hustle and bustle of the festival, this is a perfect solution to consider. You can rest assured that your valuables are in a permanent, secure location; you know you won’t have to scour the massive campsite looking for your belongings. You could drop your important items off on your way to the campsite and pick them up on your way home, it’s as easy as that! 

At Beehive Self Storage, we’re all about offering you convenient ways to store your belongings. We know how important your valuables are, which is why we encourage you to keep them safe and secure. You can do that with one of our mini storage lockers. 

To find out more, you can email us at taunton@beehiveselfstorage.co.uk or call us on 01823 323575.