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.

Milk on a houseplant’s leaves – who knew?

The daffodils and crocuses are starting to peek from beneath the ground and there have been a few glimpses of sunshine across the South West these last few weeks. It’s staying light longer in the afternoons so it’s reassuring to know that Spring is on the way.

Are you a ‘Spring Cleaner’? Some people love an opportunity to give their home a really good ‘bottoming’ as my Grandmother used to call it, whilst for others it’s a case of doing what needs doing.

According to Wikipedia, the origins of Spring Cleaning may date back to Iranian Norouz which is the Persian New Year, falling on the first day of Spring. Iranians continue the practice of khooneh tekouni which translates literally into ‘shaking the house’. Whether you love or hate housework, nothing is more valuable than tips and hints passed down from generation to generation, or shared amongst friends so the Beehive girls have compiled a list of some of our favorites to share with you:

 

1.       Nothing is more frustrating than a smear when cleaning windows. To locate the smear more easily simply wipe horizontally when cleaning the outside of a window, but vertically when cleaning the inside and that way you will be able to tell at a glance whether the smear is inside or outside!

2.       If you mix 20 drops of lavender oil (or lemongrass oil) in 100ml of water and use from a spray bottle, it’s a great way to wipe grime from window frames and it leaves the house smelling fresh. As an added bonus, lemongrass and lavender are also known for their fly repellent properties!

3.       Limescale can easily be removed from shower heads – just remove the showerhead and leave in a bowl of white vinegar overnight.

4.     WD-40 is great for removing sticky marks or adhesive residue left by labels on items such as plastic.

5.      Brass and copper has a real shine if rubbed with a cotton wool ball that has been dipped in ketchup and then buffed with a soft cloth.

6.       Stained toilet bowl? Leave fizzy cola in the bowl overnight and then flush for a gleaming loo!

7.       Diluted or neat lemon juice can be used to remove stains (or rust) on plastic.

8.      Eliminate water marks from wooden surfaces with a small amount of mayonnaise or toothpaste on a damp cloth – test a small area first!

9.      Rubbing the leaves of houseplants with a small of amount of milk on a soft cloth will make sure that they shine for weeks!

10.   Glass bottles and vases can become grimy in the bottom with use and are often difficult to clean. Place uncooked rice in those hard to reach receptacles with a water and vinegar solution. Leave to soak for 10 minutes and then (with your hand firmly over the opening) shake heartily, finish by giving them a rinse with cold water.

We really hope that some of these ideas are useful to you and we’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestion if you have any you’d like to share.

Milk on a houseplant’s leaves – who knew?

Photographs courtesy of Petr Kratochvil