Our Smallest Storage Solution: Mini-Store

Most people when they are looking to store items are looking for units which can accommodate for furniture and larger household items. However, what about the people who are just looking to store a few boxes?

Well, that’s where our mini-store lockers come in handy. You can fit 12 small packing boxes into one of our Mini-Store lockers, with a bit of space for some other smaller bits and bobs.

Picture this, you’re decorating your lounge and need somewhere to put the boxes filled with small items. You put them in another room, but they keep getting in the way, you keep tripping over them, and they keep falling over. This is where our Mini-Store lockers come in handy – for just £6 a week, you can put these boxes in to a mini store locker. This way, the boxes are out of the way, in a safe, secure place. And if you’re looking to only store the boxes for a few days or weeks, we can offer a 7-day contract on our Mini-Store lockers, which means that you are not obligated to pay for our usual four-week period. 

Another issue that you  may have is that you have some items which are sentimental and precious to you. They may be hidden away, so that they can’t be broken or taken, or you may just be continuously worried about the safety of these items.  Here at Beehive Self Storage, we pride ourselves with having high quality facilities which are temperature controlled and completely safe and secure. A Mini-Store locker may well be the perfect solution for you, allowing you to store smaller items in the same quality and with the same security of our larger units.  

At the end of the day, at Beehive Self Storage our aim is to make sure that you have complete peace of mind when storing your goods. Whether you’re looking to store a few boxes for a couple of weeks or something sentimental to you for a longer period of time, we’re here to make your life easier. 

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

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

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

May has arrived.

Finally, May is here! The showers have begun, just as you’ve finished cutting the grass it reappears at the same height, the trees are beginning to sprout green in familiar places and we’ve even spotted a few of our favourite bumblebees around the Beehive. 

Summer is on it's way and so is wedding season. Yes, the season of big hats, dad dancing, drunk uncles and indecent grooms being tied to lampposts is looming.

Currently, the average period in which couples spend planning their wedding is more than twelve months. Furthermore, many brides are choosing a DIY approach to their wedding such as making their own centrepieces, place names, favours or even their own dress. Your spare room will most likely turn into an Aladdin’s Cave of wedding merchandise; filled to the brim with invitations, envelopes, lace tape, fairy lights, mason jars and giant cocktail glass centrepieces. The spare room is now officially renamed the ‘Wedding Room’. Your fiancé then decides to invite his parents to stay for the weekend just weeks before the big day, in your ‘Wedding Room’…enter Bridezilla.

Unsurprisingly, many brides face a bit of a dilemma in where they should store all of their wedding collectables. Particularly, some brides may ask, where should I store my wedding dress? For example, your husband-to-be rooting through the spare room wardrobe only to find the one thing he should never discover – your wedding dress. 

We have a solution. Rather than using your spare room to store all of your goods, perhaps a private, clean and dry storage unit could solve the problem? You also control who has access to your unit as only you have a key, so you can have peace of mind knowing that no nosey grooms will stumble upon your dress. We also stock wardrobe boxes and white acid free tissue paper to protect your dress. Additionally, our facilities are ideal for those who are purchasing their own wine or beer for their evening reception as our insulated buildings maintain a steady temperature with minimal temperature fluctuations. It is suggested that you shouldn’t store your wine in sunlight or at a temperature higher than 21˚C as this can cause the wine to age more quickly than usual so particularly in the summer months avoid storing your wine at home. 

Self storage can also work very well for couples who ask their guests to them buy gifts. Gifts can start being delivered to your home up to a month before the wedding so ensure they are safe and dry in a storage unit. We also offer unlimited and free access to our storage facilities within our office hours so you can keep the gifts in the unit whilst you are away on honeymoon and collect them when you are ready and slowly integrate them into your home.

Finally, perhaps one thing to avoid is storing the groom himself in the storage unit. After buying the contents of an abandoned storage unit for just $20 at auction in 1999, a Californian woman discovered that amongst her newly acquired wedding pictures and champagne glasses lay the body of a groom. The bride was later charged with murder. Obviously, we don’t suggest storing the body of your future husband in our or any storage units!