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.

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.

Moving House with Self Storage

Albert Einstein once said “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”. Now we are aware that the topic of self storage or moving house is not the most poetic, but Einstein’s thoughts make some sense and also when the statement is reversed. Moving house can be an extremely stressful time. Whether you’re just starting to sell your house or you’re deep into the process of moving, it’s a well known fact that moving house can be demanding and sometimes even traumatic. At Beehive Self Storage, we try to keep the easy balance that customers may be looking for when they are moving home.

Some customers use our storage facilities in order to declutter their homes to make their house look more appealing to viewers.  At Beehive Self Storage, we have smaller locker units which are useful for storing a few boxes that contain ‘bits and bobs’ which may be cluttering up your home.

 Some customers also use our storage facilities as a middle ground between their old home and their new home. Storing at Beehive Self Storage allows customers the opportunity to move out any items in their previous home, without the worry of then having to rush them in to their new home. This way, moving home can be a gradual and easy process without the pressures that come with the final moving day.

Whether you’re storing a few items of precious china or the dresser which holds the precious china, we have the facilities for you. With our units ranging from 10 sq ft to 175 sq ft, nothing is too small or big to store. You are welcome to visit the storage facilities at any time during opening hours without needing to book an appointment. We don’t charge entrance fees which means that you can visit us as little or as often as you like. At Beehive Self Storage we offer complete flexibility, we don’t see the point of making you pay for space that you are not utilising and if you need to transfer from your larger unit to a smaller unit while you gradually move into your house, we are more than happy for you to do this. Our aim at Beehive Self Storage is to make your stay with us as stress-free and as calm as possible whilst you’re moving. 

Your friend's cousin's mate, who's called Dave...

As you may be aware there are many different types of storage. We’ve decided to give our blog readers a brief overview of all of the possible storage options available out there.

·         Container storage

This type of storage is usually in metal shipping containers. Often your storage unit/container is based in a secure outside compound so customers can drive beside their container and access their goods. Some companies may also deliver these containers to a customer’s business or home, where they can be filled and left on site or removed and stored by the storage company.

Advantages: A cheaper option of self storage.

Disadvantages: Due to their outside location and lack of insulation, these containers can suffer from frequent temperature fluctuations leading to the risk of damp throughout the year. Additionally, you may be charged considerable access fees to enter your container. Security is not as comprehensive as indoor, purpose built storage facilities.

Peter Griffin

·         Wooden Crate Storage

Usually this kind of storage is used by removal companies for storing clients’ furniture between moves or on a long term basis. The removal company will fill your crate with your belongings and take it to their warehouse where crates are usually stored above or next to each other.

Advantages: Another relatively cheaper option of storage; the crate may also be packed for you.

Disadvantages: You are most likely allowed quite restricted access to your crate, if access is even allowed at all. If you wish to access your crate or finish storing in your crate there is usually a hefty fee (usually around £50) for this as they have to move other crates to access yours. They are also usually in rural areas with restricted public access.

Petr Kratochvil

·         Lock-up Garage/Barn Storage

You’ve mentioned to your friends and family that you are looking into self storage for some extra space. Your friend’s cousin’s has a mate called Dave. Would you know it, he's got an empty barn which he says is available for you to store your belongings in.

Advantages:  It’s considerably cheaper than any other storage option.

Disadvantages: The barn has holes in the roof and it has flooded a couple of times. Plus, the ‘comprehensive’ security is a cockrel that sometimes cries when someone walks past. There’s no access fees but you need a sturdy 4x4, heavy duty wellingtons and a pretty powerful torch to get to your goods. When you finally get to them you soon discover you could wring water out of your precious childhood books and you need to buy a brand new sofa because it has grown a new life form on the arm rests.

Petr Kratochvil

·         Beehive Self Storage

We offer individual, private units in a secure, purpose built facility. The units are insulated in such a way to prevent steep temperature fluctuations that ensure they stay clean and dry without the risk of damp. Access is unlimited throughout our opening hours and there are no access fees or hidden charges.

Advantages:  

• Our units are clean, dry and secure. 
• Modern purpose built storage facilities.
• Well lit with automatic lighting - no need for a torch when you come and visit!
• We have professional, friendly and experienced staff to help you find a solution for your requirements. 
• We offer unlimited and free access to your unit. 
• There are no hidden charges – you only pay for the storage space you require. 
• There is  plenty of free parking at each of our sites
• Convenient loading bays, sack trucks and trolleys ensure your visit to your unit is as pleasant and straightforward as possible. 
• We offer competitive ‘New for Old’ insurance so if anything should happen to your goods you won’t have to pay to replace them. 
• We also offer the flexibility of moving to larger or smaller units if your storage needs change.
• Ideal for clients who want peace of mind that their valued belongings are clean, dry and safe whilst offering a personal service with a friendly smile. 

Disadvantages: We don’t offer 24/7 access and this is to ensure our security is never compromised, but do you really need to access your unit at 3am on a Sunday morning?

You can find our much, much more about Beehive Self Storage by clicking here

So what has love got to do with it?

Valentine’s Day is just a couple of days away – is it really one of the most romantic days of the year?

 

Each year in Britain we spend around £503,000,000 on cards, chocolates, flowers and other valentine’s gifts. Wow. That’s a massive amount of money – and for what? What is the ‘Bah – humbug’ equivalent for love?

  

Don’t get me wrong, I like a bit of romance as much as the next person, but seriously, are we getting this out of proportion? Let’s put things into perspective:

Some believe that that February 14^th was the day that the birds would choose their mates, whilst the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

 Regardless of the historical origins, the modern day interpretation is that Valentine’s Day is the day you would affirm your love for your chosen one, or if you if you are still searching for ‘the one’, you would anonymously send declarations of love and admiration. 

 

So what are you hoping for on Valentine’s Day? Are you hoping for a mysterious black velveteen box concealing a carat or two’s worth of bling? Maybe you are hoping to be whisked off for a weekend of romance in Paris, Venice or New York? Others will no doubt be happy with less flamboyant gestures, such as a bunch of handpicked flowers, a handmade card, or a cosy dinner for two.

 

Surely though, we should show people how much we care every day, rather than on just one certain day? I love getting home from work on any day of the year to find the vacuuming done, the dishwasher empty and the fire roaring. The very fact that my loved one has thought about me through the day, and made an effort to help keep our home clean, tidy and warm means a lot to me.

 

The only thing that would make it better would be the clutter disappearing. By clutter I mean the tools, the odd glove, random chargers, work boots, golf clubs, old newspapers and magazines, a tape measure, a remote control, a lone AA battery and that box of things. You know the things I mean don’t you? How on earth is that bit of metal, the old spring, half a set of Allen keys and a 2 Peseta piece ever going to be useful again? Pesetas haven’t been legal tender for 12 years... But my loved one has his clutter.

 
Maybe I should suggest that he takes out a storage unit? He could store the ‘stuff’ in a unit and free up drawers and cupboards in the house, which would mean the world to me.

Think about it: The price storage units start from is pretty much the cost of a bunch of flowers and far more reasonable than the cost of a table for the both of us at Chez Expensive (with prices expressly hiked up for this one night of the year).

Maybe I should get him a storage unit as a Valentines present?

www.beehiveselfstorage.co.uk