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. 

Storage Ideas for Small Businesses

Running a small business is stressful enough, without storage becoming an issue. We have some handy storage ideas for small businesses, whether you work in an office, from home or you spend most of your time driving! 

Storage Ideas for Offices

Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, an office doesn’t have to be full of filing cabinets – as most paperwork can be stored safely online. However, if you work in an office you will know how cluttered things can get, especially during busy times! From computer cables, books and post, to coffee machines, printers or even fridges and microwaves, a small office can soon feel rather claustrophobic.

Here are a few ideas to keep the office as a pleasant, spacious place for everyone to work:

·         Invest in tall shelving units to make the most of your wall space. Building storage space upwards, rather than outwards, is a fantastic way to create more storage without losing valuable space.

·         Some desks include built-in drawers and shelves – this is ideal if for storing small items which otherwise would be taking up space around computers.

·         Encourage colleagues to tidy up regularly, and lead by example. Dedicate a few minutes each week to clearing away your paperwork, throwing rubbish in the bin, and taking things home that do not need to be at the office.

Storage Ideas for Online Businesses

If you run your business online, the chances are you will have the flexibility to work from home, in a coffee shop, or even on the beach, as long as there is WiFi! However, if you are selling physical products, storage might become an issue.

If you are not able to dedicate a room in your house to storing your products, you might want to consider a self-storage unit. Here at Beehive Self Storage, we give small businesses the flexibility to store for as little or as long as you need, and we will also handle deliveries on your behalf. 

Storage Ideas for Contractors

Not all businesses operate from an office or a brick-and-mortar store, which can present a dilemma when it comes to storage. If you are a plumber, for example, you are going to own a lot of tools and materials for the different jobs you carry out. The tools it takes to unclog a toilet will vary from fixing a hot water tank, so different tools will be needed throughout the week.

While most equipment can travel around in a van with you and be transferred indoors overnight, it may not be a convenient solution for bigger tools or materials. In this case, a self-storage container is ideal, because not only is it easily accessible throughout the day, but it offers round-the-clock security for your peace of mind.

For more storage tips and ideas for small businesses, take a look at our self-storage options for businesses. Or give us a call – we’d be more than happy to help! 

10 Top Tips to Take the Stress out of Moving House

When it comes to moving house, careful packing is integral for a smooth move. To ensure the process is stress-free, we have 10 top tips to help you when packing. 

1.       Start packing early

It’s essential you start packing as soon as you can – this will help ease your stress levels as the moving date approaches. You don’t need to have rooms emptied months in advance, but putting away odd items you’re not going to use again is a good way to get the ball rolling.

2.       Stockpile packing material

It’s always a nightmare when you have stuff to pack but nowhere to put it all! It’s wise to create a stockpile of boxes and bubble wrap to make sure you have more than enough when the time comes. If you don’t have much yet, fear not, at Beehive Self Storage we sell all the packing materials you need.

3.       Pack the least important rooms first

When you’re starting to make serious headway and entire rooms are being stored away in cardboard boxes, begin with the rooms that aren’t used as much.

 4.       Declutter while you pack

When you’re clearing away you might come across some old belongings you didn’t know you still had. You need to take some time to carefully consider whether you need certain items or not; don’t be too hasty but remember to be realistic about what you need in your new home.

5.       Fill small boxes with heavy items

It’s far easy to carry one or two heavier items in a smaller container. The lighter items can go in a bigger box, which means the box will hold a lot more objects but will still be manageable.

6.       Big items go first

To make the most of packing space, pack bigger items first, then fill in gaps with smaller objects. However, try not to fill the box too tightly, otherwise you won’t be able to get anything out later.

7.       Heavier boxes on the bottom

When filling your vehicle remember to put heavier boxes on the bottom. It can be deceptive when the heavy objects are in smaller boxes but they’ll hold up fine at the bottom of the pile.

 8.       Label your boxes

Be specific with your labels; write on the sides and mention which room they belong in, to whom they belong to and the contents of the box itself. That way there’s a lot less confusion when unpacking.

9.       Move your furniture in first

It’s quite easy for the boxes to pile up in one room and then it becomes impossible to get the furniture in. If you put the large fixtures and furniture in first, you can negotiate the room’s layout easier and the boxes can fit around everything else.

10.   Storage units

Maybe there are certain rooms you want to focus on decorating and organising before unpacking – a storage unit gives you somewhere to put the extra boxes you aren’t ready to tackle. At Beehive Self Storage we have plenty of units ready to use.

Moving house doesn’t have to be a stressful task if it is approached systematically, and these top tips should help make the process a lot more manageable. If you’re looking for more information to make your packing woes disappear, take a look at our hints and tips on how to store items in our storage units. 

DIY Decorating

Before you start...

When thinking about decorating, it’s important to do your homework and know what you’re getting into before you start. Work out what styles and colour schemes you want. Decide if you are going to use wallpaper or paint and, most importantly,  what preparation needs doing before you start.  If you are not doing the work yourself, make sure you chat with the decorator so they know exactly what you want. They will happily give you some tips and advice, and come up with some great ideas with you. 

Clearing space...

The biggest issue tends to be making space to move around while you are decorating. Covering up all your possessions thoroughly can be a nightmare and that is where a small storage room can come in very handy.

For at little as £6 per week you can put your treasured items in some boxes and move them out of harms way, and even move out your big furniture. Then there will be no risk of paint spillages or other damage to your beloved sofa, or the new bed you have just bought, or that huge vase that granny gave you.

Give Beehive Self Storage a ring and we can help you decide how much space you need to put your items away.  You can store for a little as a week and a room big enough for a sofa as well as your boxes can cost just £14.40 for a week.

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! 

A quick insight into Beehive Self Storage

After first entering the self storage industry over ten years ago, Beehive Self Storage has developed from just one self storage facility to three individual storage facilites with sites across Somerset and Dorset.  We have hundreds of individual, private units in over thirty different sizes.

The first and oldest of our three sites is located in Lopen, just a few minutes away from the A303.  In addition to our Beehive storage facility, Lopen Business Park also provides working space such as factories and offices for many local businesses.  Lopen is ideally located for customers from Chard, Crewkerne, Yeovil and surrounding areads.

Our next site is located in Child Okeford, North Dorset. This rural site offers secure and safe storage in a clean and dry purpose built facilty that you may struggle to find locally in Dorset. The site also has fantastic views of the ancient hill fort of Hambledon Hill.

Our newest site and storage facility is The Beehive Building on Priorswood Road, Taunton. This site was completed in 2013 and is due for further expansion in the future with the addition of another level of storage units. Similar to our Lopen site, The Beehive Building also offers serviced offices to local businesses.

Watch this space – our aim is to continue to grow our Beehive!

Work Hard, Play Hard, Store Easy.

Self storage is often just thought of as a place where individuals store their household items when they are moving house or just need a general sort out and declutter. However, there is an increasing interest for a different type of customer: businesses.

Whether it’s for businesses who just want to store their many archiving boxes or businesses looking for a depot, here at Beehive Self Storage, we may just have the perfect solution for your own organisation.

A 25 sq ft unit can fit around one hundred standard archive boxes. These units cost around £14.00 per week making it the ideal solution for businesses that just do not have the space to store one hundred boxes, and could be using the space in other worthwhile ways.

Other businesses may be looking to use a storage unit as a solution for a depot. Here at Beehive Self Storage, we are proud to offer free, unlimited access to our facilities with no appointments, meaning that goods can be delivered and collected from your unit as many times you need. This means that businesses can store their tools or goods in their unit, and collect them when they are required, whilst keeping them safe and secure.

A storage unit can also be set up as a warehouse for your stock. We are also able to provide the racking needed to set up your unit, so that your business can get back on its feet as soon as possible. Your deliveries can not only be sent to us, but we are happy for you to organise for any of your customers’ orders to be picked up from your unit or our secure reception by a courier.

Whatever you are planning to use your storage unit for, here at Beehive, we understand that operating a business can be stressful and complex at the best of times, therefore we are here to find a solution that is straightforward and simple for your unique needs. We are completely flexible in allowing organisations to change their unit size, depending on the changing demands of your business on a long or short term basis, we can accept or dispatch any of your deliveries, and finally our facilities are purpose built, clean and dry, with 24/7 security and CCTV so you can ensure that your goods are safe and secure when you are away from work.  

So why not speak with a member of our Beehive team to discuss your unique business storage requirements today? Call us on 08456 436 100 or email us at enquiries@beehiveselfstorage.co.uk.