Top Tips for Organizing Your Storage Space

It's an inevitability, that the day will come when the item you need the most is in a box, beneath a box, in a wardrobe...at the back of your storage unit. Organizing your belongings within your storage unit is an important step to help you locate items within your unit but also ensure you are using your storage space efficiently, therefore, potentially saving you money. 

Take a look at these 5 simple steps to ensure your storage unit is organised for the weeks, months and years you may be storing your belongings.

Step 1: It's all about size.

Assemble a list of the items that you need to store, have you anything particularly large or of an awkward size? Do all of your items need to be stored together? It may be beneficial to have two smaller units, one for furniture and one for boxes and items you may access regularly. Speak to the team at your storage facility, they are experienced and well trained and know what sizes and what options suit your specific requirements. 

Step 2: Perfect Planning.

Consider what items you will need to access frequently, every so often or you will not need during your stay and pack them respectively. It may be worth investigating what racking options your storage facility can offer you, should you require shelving for boxes etc. 

Store larger and bulky items at the back of the unit and dismantle any flat-pack furniture you may have. To maximize space, you can store sofas on their side. To protect sofas and mattresses from dust and any damage whilst in transit, cover with plastic furniture sheets. 

Step 3: And Perfect Packing.

If you require packing boxes, use double walled boxes that are strong and sturdy, they can also be reused. Pack books and heavy items in small boxes to ensure you can lift them when required. Medium boxes suit everyday household items and utilise large boxes for curtains, duvets and clothing. 

Stick to your plan and pack items in boxes related to how often you will need to access them. For those are meticulous, you can create a box inventory with details of what each box contains. You can colour code, number code or simply write on each box it's contents. Wrap valuable and fragile items in bubble wrap or packing paper to keep them safe whilst moving. 

Pack your moving van in the opposite way to your storage unit, you then can pack your storage unit from the van rather than unloading everything out of the van at the facility to then pack into your unit. 

Step 4: Moving In.

Once again, stick to your plan and arrange the items as you have decided. As items are being moved in, double check the labels and/or inventory to your plan.

Large, bulky items should be arranged at the back and sides. Place heavier boxes on the floor and you can then easily stack lighter items and boxes on top. 

You can create an aisle in your unit if you have available space which can help access all areas of the unit. 

Step 5: Maximise and Maintain

Make the most of void space inside wardrobes, draws and even your fridge. Once again, label the doors to itemize what is inside. 

Maintain the organisation of your unit by keeping your inventory within the unit. Alternatively, draw a diagram to easily find your way around your unit. 

We hope these steps help you towards organising your unit! 

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. 

Keep Calm...It's Only A Blog Post!

Wednesday the 18^th of June will also be known as International Panic Day this year. We have all been there – your son returns home from University in his VW camper full to the roof and grunts that he must leave it ‘wherever’ in your house so he can still take his camper to Glastonbury Festival this year, just as your perfectionist mother-in-law comes to stay for a week.  That panicky feeling starts at the bottom of your stomach.  You begin to think of a solution to this problem and decide that self storage might be worth investigating. You speak with an advisor at Beehive Self Storage and that very same day your son is on his way to one of our branches to unload his belongings into a unit. You even persuade him to move some of those bits of clutter you’ve been meaning to sort out for a while. His belongings are kept safe and dry, plus out of the house, until the end of the summer until he heads back to University for another year.

Although this may seem like a humorous and trivial situation, we like to think that we are quite experienced in helping customers who are going through quite possibly the most stressful time of their lives. Whether it is a house move collapsing or the death of a loved one, we are here to ensure that your time at Beehive Self Storage is as easy and trouble free as possible. We aim to relieve at least some of the panic that you may be experiencing to make things simply easier for you. Whether you need long or short term storage space, from 10 sq ft to 175 sq ft, we offer a personal, friendly and confidential service whatever the situation.

International Panic Day also raises awareness of Panic Disorder which is a debilitating disorder for many sufferers. For more information please visit: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/panic-disorder/index.shtml

The Chamber of Secrets

Individuals from all walks of life use self storage, from normal families to the world’s most famous celebrities; many people are intrigued by the mystery of what is behind each door. Obviously we like to keep our customers' storage confidential here at Beehive Self Storage, so we have decided to share some of the strangest things found in storage units from around the world:

Rare Cars

In 2009, at a storage garage in the UK a Bugatti 57S was found by the nephew of a reclusive doctor. The car was one of just seventeen made and later sold at auction in Paris for £6 million. Also stored in the UK, was a copy of the famous K.I.T.T, the famous Knight Rider car.

The Million-Dollar Comic Book

After a break in at his home, Nicholas Cage filed a police report that his Action Comic #1 was missing from his home. Over ten years later, it was discovered in an abandoned storage unit and Cage was finally reunited with his prized comic book valued at over a million dollars.

A Treasure Chest

At a storage auction in San Jose, a man paid $1,100 dollars for what he thought was a storage unit full of furniture and boxes. After sorting through his new purchase he found a blue container filled with rare coins plus gold and silver ingots. He made a great return on his investment as his treasure was valued at over half a million dollars.

Michael Jackson’s Unreleased Songs

After purchasing the contents of Michael’s father, Joe Jackson’s storage unit, one lucky buyer found over 250 unreleased songs by the singer some of which were recorded with Tina Turner. As the singer was between contracts when the songs were recorded, no record company had legal claim to the songs which were worth millions of dollars.

Aretha Franklin’s Wardrobe

After a fire in her own home, Franklin apparently began using a storage unit to keep her clothes and hats safe. However, she stopped paying for the unit and her fabulous and famous wardrobe was placed under the hammer for the highest bidder.

As you can see self storage is used for all kinds of items, units have been used as offices, party venues and even used as a home for a woman and her young child for five years. This shows just how imaginative people can be with their own storage and how flexible and adaptable self storage can be for anyone! What is the strangest thing you have ever heard of being placed into storage?

For details of what items are prohibited from storage, speak to one of our advisors at each of our branches or visit our website: www.beehiveselfstorage.co.uk

The Reality of Bereavement

Every storage story is different here at Beehive Self Storage. Each item put into storage is unique and some stories of why people need to store are happier than others. We experience storage stories ranging from new babies, weddings and exotic travel plans, to house moves due to flooding, house moves that have fallen through, relationship breakdowns and of course, family deaths.

Picture courtesy of Anna Langova

As much as we would like to always have people wishing to store goods due to happier reasons unfortunately we do have to regularly help people who require storage due to the loss of a loved one.

Relatives are often left to manage the personal effects of the deceased person, which can be the most emotional and traumatic part of all. Items may have priceless sentimental value to each individual relative and it can be difficult to determine what items to keep and what items to sell or donate, particularly when you may have the pressure of a notice period or selling the property.

It can be an extremely emotional and stressful time for relatives, therefore more and more people are considering using self storage in these circumstances. Usually, customers who have lost a loved one use a storage unit to use as a space to gradually sort and determine what items they would like to keep in their own homes, sell, donate, dispose of or keep in storage on a timescale that suits them.

Picture courtesy of Anne Lowe

At Beehive Self Storage, we don’t have any long term contractual agreements. We simply have a four week minimum term and we ask for just two weeks notice to leave your unit. You can have peace of mind knowing that the priceless possessions you have inherited are safe and secure in our clean and dry individual units. At each of our branches, our experienced and friendly team members are happy to support you to find the storage solution that would suit your requirements from our Mini Stores to our largest units. We also stock a variety of packing materials and furniture covers to help you sort and protect your loved one’s belongings.

Starting today is Dying Matters Awareness Week, which raises awareness of talking and making arrangements for the end of life before it is too late.  So perhaps take time this week to discuss with your loved one’s what belongings they would wish to be kept after they have passed away.

The Dying Matters Coalition is working to encourage people to talk about their wishes towards the end of their lives, including where they want to die and their funeral plans with friends, family and loved ones. Dying Matters

How to make your Mother’s Day

Winter is now behind us and Easter is just on the horizon. Daffodils are in bloom, lambs are in the fields and the days are looking just that little bit sunnier and are slowly getting longer.

March brings us Mothering Sunday, on the 30^th just in case you need a little reminder! 

Although it may not seem like a day to associate with self storage, it is a day devoted to your mother and we are always finding new ways to show the ones we love that we care. It’s usually shown through a beautiful card or a big bunch of Spring flowers, but what about something different this year?

For those of you that already have a storage unit, what better way to show your mother or grandmother that you care by taking a trip down memory lane. Get out those old photos and home videos and reminisce on old times. It can be great fun and gets everyone in the family involved. You could collect your old photos and scan them to make a digital memory or find your old bits of school artwork and get them framed for her.

Alternatively, perhaps a good declutter and tidy might make your mother’s day? You did move out of her house years ago but there are still the odd bits and bobs you left behind that you knew you would come and pick up eventually. You’ve been using her spare bedroom as a storage unit and now it is perhaps time to get a storage unit of your own. Our smaller units, such as a 35 sq ft unit, would easily fit those bits of furniture left in her garage and those boxes of CDs under her spare bed that you just can’t throw away. You may even have a little extra room to put those extra priceless belongings that are still in her attic.

So, we would like to know how will you make your Mother’s Day this year?

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