Minimalist Ideas for 2022 New Year’s Resolutions: Self Storage Can Help

Minimalism is nothing new. It’s been around for a while but didn’t become mainstream until the 20th century. It’s not for everyone, but there are people who crave the simplicity of this type of life and like the idea of “less is more.” Here at Trusted, we have compiled our minimalist ideas for 2022.

One thing to keep in mind is that the minimalist lifestyle means different things to different people. It’s about more than getting rid of “things.”  “Minimalism is the intentional choice to live with less,” Stephanie Seferian, the host of The Sustainable Minimalists podcast, explains. “For example, while I keep my home and life clutter-free, I apply minimalism to my social calendar too as I find joy in doing less. The result is more free time to do the things I truly love with the people I love being around.”

In theory, getting rid of things that you don’t need and never use along with committing to fewer social obligations sounds great. Oftentimes, though, that is easier said than done, especially if you have a family.  As with anything, it’s all about balance, and you have to find yours. 

In any case, whether you’re all in with the minimalistic approach or you just want to simplify your lifestyle a bit, here are a few New Year’s resolutions (or maybe we should call them goals) to get you started. 

Minimalist Ideas for 2022 New Year’s Resolutions

Keep your resolutions simple and achievable. You can make big lifestyle changes with small, actionable goals.

Person writing in journal.

 

Lease a Self Storage Unit

Before you begin using these resolutions, the one action that will help no matter how you approach the New Year is leasing a self storage unit. At Trusted Self Storage, we have a variety of shapes and sizes of self storage units that will be the perfect fit for your decluttering needs. There are no rules. You don’t have to dispose of even one item before you give yourself time to think about what you need in your life and what you don’t. Take your time and revisit your items when you’ve made a decision. As long as your belongings are in a convenient, secure self storage unit, you have no worries and you can focus on a less complicated life.

Be Mindful With Decluttering

Minimalism is not about having a race to see who can get rid of the most stuff, and it’s not about lowering your standards or mindlessly discarding things because you’re on a decluttering high. The best thing for you to do is approach decluttering mindfully. Think about what you truly don’t use and what you might need in the future. Give some thought to whom you’re donating your belongings. Contrary to the Kon-Mari method, everything in your life doesn’t have to spark joy to be useful. 

Be Intentional With Your Purchases

How do you become an intentional shopper?

When you’re considering a purchase, ask yourself the following questions

  • How long do you have to work to pay for this item?
  • Instead of instant gratification, can you possibly wait until it’s on sale?
  • If this item isn’t on sale, would you still pay the full price?

If you do this regularly, you’ll find that there are some things you’ll stop buying for good.

Understand Your Spending Habits

A good way to get to know your spending habits is with a no-spend challenge. You can do it for a month, a week, or even just a weekend. If you want to take a deep dive into your spending, try it for a year. This challenge, of course, does not include necessities like food and utilities. We’re talking about travel, clothing, dining out, shoes, and the like. For detailed challenge rules, read 10 Tips to Crush Your Challenge and Save More Money.

Declutter Your Workspace

Nothing makes it harder to begin a task than looking at your workspace and feeling overwhelmed with documents, useless supplies, and dirty coffee cups. Clean and reorganize your desk and then move on to the rest of your workspace. A fresh start will not only declutter your space but your mind, and you’ll be recharged, effective, and efficient.

Make Self-Care a Priority

The New Year is a new beginning and an opportune time to prioritize your mental and physical health. If you don’t take care of yourself, no one else is going to do it for you. You can’t move forward if you’re feeling fatigued or depressed. Incorporate a self-care routine into your daily activities. Start a regular exercise routine, even if it’s only taking a walk during your lunch break. If you have a hobby that you love, schedule it into your week. Don’t worry if one of your resolutions is to be more intentional with your spending. Self-care is a spending priority. You have to do the things that make you feel happy, and you have to love yourself before you can love others. Go and enjoy that spa day!

Takeaway

Minimalism isn’t solely about getting rid of everything in your life that doesn’t make you do happy dances. My washer and dryer don’t make me want to tap dance, but I certainly don’t want to find a stream and beat my clothes over rocks. Equally boring is my toaster, but I like toast on occasion. If I discarded everything in my home that doesn’t spark joy, the first thing to go would be my husband’s golf clubs. Well, they do make him happy, so I guess they can stay. What I’m getting at is that even the most committed minimalist should take a minute to think about how their life will be affected if they get rid of the wrong items. It’s not a race, it’s a journey.

Self Storage: A Cozy Home for Your Holiday Decorations

Yes, I know that you haven’t even gotten through the chaos of Christmas yet, but it’s never too early to think about where you’re going to keep those items safe until next year. You may be able to find a New Year’s special price on the perfect-sized storage unit for your needs. With month-to-month leasing, you won’t have to make a long-term commitment, and your treasures will be safe and protected.

As a matter of fact, we’ve gathered some tips and tricks to help you store your decorations and keep them in perfect condition for years to come. 

Give Your Holiday Decorations a Cozy Home

Before you start packing your decorations into either the very expensive storage containers from Target or Wayfair or the leftover egg cartons and disposable coffee cups from your garbage, you need to think about where you’re going to store these items. If you’re anything like me, you have enough decorations to transform the entire neighborhood into a Christmas wonderland. You need a solution, and you need it before the Christmas ornaments find a cold and dreary home in your garage, and your cars are stuck out in the driveway all year. 

What you need is a self-storage unit, preferably a convenient, secure, climate-controlled storage unit. Here at Trusted Self Storage, these units are available in a variety of sizes that are suitable for large or small Christmas trees and all of your other seasonal items. You can add pegboards to the walls for hanging your wreaths and garlands and shelving for plastic ornament boxes (or leftover egg cartons) and Christmas linens. With climate-controlled storage, you won’t find a pool of hardened wax that used to be a candle or a moldy piece of fabric that was once a treasured heirloom. 

Girls protecting packed items with bubblewrap.

 

Tips to Prepare Your Decorations for Their Temporary Home

Take Pictures 

Did you ever begin your Christmas decorating, suddenly realizing that you can’t remember which decorations you used on the mantel or which centerpiece you used on the dining room table? As you age, this will happen. Before you remove those decorations for storage, take pictures for future reference. Mobile devices make it so easy to take photos. Add a few selfies before you store them; memories of the bags under your eyes are precious.

Don’t Break the Ornaments

In many families, Christmas ornaments are irreplaceable treasures. They represent life events, travel, and tradition. Many were created with little hands out of construction paper, glue, and glitter. Some are given as special gifts. Fortunately, you can find endless options in boxes and containers made specifically to protect fragile ornaments. They’re available at Wayfair, Home Depot, and At Home, just to name a few. Remember to leave the hangers on the ornaments, so that you don’t have to make a trip to the store in the middle of next year’s decorating.

Keep Your Christmas Tree for a Lifetime

Even though artificial trees are quite durable, storing your tree in its original box is not the best idea. With each passing year, the box will deteriorate, making it prone to insect (and deranged squirrel) infestation, and the tree will not look as nice if it has to be jammed into the box and reshaped every year. There are several different tree storage container options that will protect your tree and keep it in great shape. Climate-controlled storage is perfect for keeping your tree in pristine condition. This is especially important if you have a frosted or flocked tree; they don’t do well in extreme temperatures. Actually, they make a mess at any temperature.

Maintain your Wreaths and Garlands

As with all your other Christmas paraphernalia, there are numerous options for wreath and garland storage. Look for sturdy containers that will preserve the shape of these items and protect any decorative bows and ornaments. They can also be hung from hooks on a pegboard in your storage unit. For extra protection, you can use bags specifically for wreaths and garlands or you can save money by using lightweight dry cleaning bags.

Keep Your Christmas Lights Untangled

Clark Griswold should not be your “go-to” example for Christmas light storage. Think “organization.”  The first thing you need to do is to dispose of any lights that are damaged or not working properly. Then, you need to avoid the tangled mess of previous years by wrapping your lights around storage reels, which can be found at the above-mentioned retail stores. When you’re finished organizing the lights, place them in a large plastic storage bin along with the necessary extension cords. Don’t forget to take pictures as a guide to next year’s light design.

Keep Your Christmas Linens Crisp and New Looking 

Be sure that your Christmas table linens, bed linens, and towels are clean prior to storage.  Stains can oxidize over time and be impossible to remove, so don’t be lazy and store them with wine and gravy stains. Don’t wrap linens in tissue, newsprint, or cardboard as these materials can release gasses that will turn your fabric yellow. Plastic can also damage the fabric, and hangars can cause creases that are hard to iron out. If you have the space, you can store these items on an extra shelf in your linen closet. A better option is a suitcase that you no longer use. Fill it with linens and keep it in a climate-controlled environment to prevent damage.

Don’t Let Your Candles Become Misshapen Globs of Wax

Wrap candles in old socks or cellophane to prevent scratching and color transfer.  Do not use plastic wrap or wax paper as these can stick to your candles. After you finish wrapping, store them in a box or crate, even your ornament storage boxes will work. Be sure that they are in a climate-controlled area self storage unit.  Unless, of course, you like misshapen globs of wax.

Organize 

It goes without saying that you should store your boxes strategically and with labels. Not only should each label show a detailed content list, but they should be numbered and stored in the order in which you want to open them. 

Takeaway

Storing your decorations the right way is tedious and time-consuming; but, when next year rolls around, you’ll be happy to find everything organized and in perfect condition, just as if Martha Steward and Marie Kondo worked together. Then, you can start the process over again. Merry Christmas!

Do You Have a Favorite Type of Christmas Tree? – Use Self Storage Either Way

Does your family enjoy having a live Christmas tree in spite of the work? You drive to the tree lot, bundled in your Christmas sweaters, spend hours picking the best tree, tie it to the car and bring it home. Before you set it up, everyone has hot cocoa and watches Christmas movies. The next day you spend hours setting up the tree and decorating.  

Or, are you more of an artificial tree family who likes to drive to the big box store (still bundled in your Christmas sweaters); pick your tree from the endless array of shapes, sizes, and colors; shove the box into the minivan, drive home singing carols, open the box, stand up the tree, decorate it, and then have hot cocoa and watch Christmas movies. The stories have identical endings, but one involves a bit more work.

Before you decide exactly what type of tree is for you, let’s take a dive into a little bit of Christmas tree background.

Family sitting in front of Christmas tree.

 

Christmas Tree History

Christians began the tradition of bringing live evergreens into their homes to decorate in the 16th century. This custom wasn’t recorded in the U.S. until the 1830s when German settlers in Pennsylvania decorated trees in their homes for the holidays. Decorated Christmas trees are still a well-loved tradition, and play a very special role in the holiday season.

Fun fact:  The first artificial Christmas tree in the U. S. was made in the 1930s by Addis Brush, a company that was in the business of making toilet brushes. The first fake trees were actually huge green toilet brushes!

Now that you know this reality, every time you clean your toilet, you’ll think of Christmas!

Live Christmas Tree Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Support a Farmer: When you purchase a live tree, you support a U.S. farmer. According to the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA), there are over 15,000 tree farms located in all 50 states, employing over 100,000 people.
  • Help the Environment: The NCTA states that a live tree grows approximately seven years before being large enough to cut down. That’s seven years of preserving green space, scrubbing the air of carbon dioxide, and providing homes for wildlife. When a tree is cut, one to three seedlings are planted in its place.
  • Make Memories: Whether you take your family to a Christmas tree farm or the local tree lot, you’re making memories, relieving stress, and having fun. Santa may be there for the kiddos, and you can take advantage of other holiday festivities that are frequently available at the tree farm or lot.

Cons

  • Allergic Reactions: Live trees can cause allergic reactions for some people: itchy watery eyes, sinus congestion, sneezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. If a live tree is the only option that will make you happy, you can reduce the allergens by shaking out as much debris as possible before taking it into the house. If you don’t mind extra work, you can hose down the tree and let it dry overnight before bringing it to the house.
  • Fire Hazard: If you don’t keep your tree thoroughly watered, it can become a fire hazard. Keep it away from the fireplace, candles, and heating vents. Ensure that your holiday lights have no exposed wires or faulty bulbs.
  • Live Trees Mean Extra Effort: They don’t come pre-lit or packed into a convenient cardboard box. They’re more difficult to set up than an artificial tree, and they occasionally have empty spaces that need to be camouflaged and oddly shaped limbs that need to be trimmed. As they age, they drop needles all over the floor and they eventually have to be discarded, although this usually involves only getting it to the curb for trash pickup.

Artificial Tree Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Artificial Trees Mean Less Work: You don’t have to water them, many are pre-lit, and you don’t have to worry about dried-up needles in your carpet. 
  • Less Expensive: In the long run, artificial trees are less expensive because they are typically kept long enough to pay for themselves. In fact, with proper care, they can last a lifetime. The cost for live trees has been increasing steadily, and the number of registered tree farms has decreased in some states.
  • Match Your Style: If you want a tree that’s tailored to your taste, with accessories to match, an artificial tree is for you. They are available in a broad range of types and sizes and have garlands, wreaths, door swags, and many other attractive add-ons to match.
  • Easily Packed Away in Self Storage: An artificial tree can be easily packed up at the end of the season and placed in your safe, secure storage unit. For more information read Self Storage: How to Enjoy Packing Up Your Christmas Decorations. 

Cons

    • Artificial Trees are Unhealthy: Artificial trees are made with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, aluminum, and steel. PVC contains harmful chemicals like lead, arsenic, and phthalates. It’s nearly impossible to know which chemicals your tree contains because of minimal oversight.
    • Not Really Good for the Environment: People have the misconception that chopping down a live tree is bad for the environment, but artificial trees leave a huge carbon footprint. They’re produced in factories; travel by ship, plane, and truck to retail stores; and they’re packed in cardboard boxes. One artificial tree adds about 100 pounds of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. 
    • Can Be a Fire Hazard: Over time, an artificial tree that has become dusty can be a fire hazard. Even though manufacturers spray artificial trees with fire retardants, they can still ignite.
    • Imported: According to the U.S. Commerce Department, 85% of artificial trees are imported from China. 

Conclusion

Artificial trees are less expensive over time than live trees, and they require much less effort. However, they do contain harmful chemicals, and they don’t evoke the sweet memories of that search for the perfect tree and the joy that it brings on Christmas day.

How to Keep Your Bike in Top Condition in Self Storage

Biking or cycling is a fun and healthy hobby to enjoy during the warmer weather. It’s great exercise and it gets you outdoors to enjoy the beauty and serenity of nature. If you live in and around the city, biking can be a practical and money-saving way to get you to your favorite hot spots. On the other hand, for those who truly enjoy taking part in a sport, biking is more than transportation or exercise. It’s a passion. 

According to Statista, the number of cyclists/bike riders in the U.S. in 2017 was 47.5 million. As reported by the world economic forum, in America and globally, the COVID-19 pandemic suspended a number of public transport services, getting some citizens on their bikes. The end of 202o saw $6.9 billion spent on bicycles and accessories, and Q1 reports show that the trend is continuing, with Americans expected to spend $3.2 billion by year’s end.

Whatever the reason, many Americans are enjoying the trend. While you may be enjoying your bike during the warmer months, cold weather is right around the corner. It’s time to think about storage options to keep your bike free from damage or deterioration. The most practical and affordable method of keeping your bike safe and protected during the winter weather is a secure, affordable self storage facility.

 

Protect Your Bike in a Self Storage Unit

When you’re storing your bike for an extended period, look for a convenient, affordable self storage facility that has the amenities you need. Look for climate-controlled storage, a wide range of unit sizes, and plenty of security features. To get you started in the right direction read, How to Choose the Right Self Storage Facility for Your Needs as well as the following tips and suggestions.

Check the Bike Frame

Check your bike frame for cracks, and be sure that the frame is not bent. Look at the welded areas where the metal connects and examine the bottom bracket. These areas absorb the most stress when you’re biking and should be carefully checked. You wouldn’t want your bike to come apart while you’re enjoying a ride.

Clean Prior to Storing

Prior to storing your bike for an extended time, give it a thorough cleaning. Leftover dirt and grime will cause your bike frame to rust. Wipe down the frame, gears, and any other accessories on your bike. 

Remember to clean out any bags and empty and clean water bottles. You don’t want to attract pests with leftover munchies. You’ll be glad your bike is clean and ready to ride when the warm weather returns.

Inflate the Tires

Another important step that you don’t want to miss is properly inflating your tires. If possible, use a bike rack or hook to keep your tires above ground. Tires can deflate over time. If you leave the bicycle on the ground for an extended period, you may find flat spots if the tires have not been inflated during storage. The weight of the bike can warp or distort the rims and rubber of the tires. 

If you can’t use a bike rack, another good way to store your bicycle is by flipping it upside down. That way, the weight is on the handlebars and seat instead of the tires and rims.

Lubricate the Chains and Cables

Chains and cables accumulate a lot of dust and grime. To stop rust and keep your bike looking great, clean and lubricate the chains and cables. This will prevent corrosion on these sensitive components.

Remove Batteries

Any batteries should be removed prior to storing your bike. Remove batteries from backlights, headlights, and flashers. If you’re unable to remove batteries, make sure they’re fully charged before you put your bike in storage.

When It’s Time to Retrieve Your Bike From Storage

When you’re ready to take your bike out of storage, it can be tempting to get right on and take it for a spin. 

No matter where you’ve been storing your bike, it’s bound to be a little dusty. Rinse it with a hose and then lightly clean it with warm soapy water and a soft brush. Be sure to thoroughly dry it. If you find any rusty spots, use WD-40 to clean them as well as possible. You’ll probably have to replace those pieces sooner or later.

Pump some air into the tires to make sure they are properly inflated and that no holes have developed. Look at the brakes and press the brake levers to be sure the pads are making contact with the rims.

Your bike may have dried out a bit while in storage. Lubricate all of the moving parts, and rub down the seat, pedals, and handlebars.

Wrapup

Don’t ruin your bike with improper storage methods. Take the time to maintain it properly and store it away from the elements. Safe, affordable self storage is the perfect solution to keep your bike in the best possible condition so that you can enjoy it for many years to come.

Self Storage for College Students – Keep it Safe

Every summer you move all of your college student’s furniture, books, clothes, and whatever junk they’ve accumulated to your garage, attic, basement, or spare bedroom. As exciting as it is for parents to have their kids home for the summer, the job of moving them is not fun. It’s tiring and time-consuming, and it would be nice to find a solution. 

You could build a home addition; but, given the cost of education, that’s probably not your best option. Nevertheless, there actually is a great solution; a self storage unit. A safe, secure, affordable storage unit will save time, space, and your mental health. 

 

Find the Right Self Storage Facility to Keep Your Students as Safe as Their Possessions

As shocking as this might sound, college students don’t always have the best judgment, and caution isn’t a priority. In their defense, they are super busy trying to fit some studying into their active social schedule. They just don’t have time to worry about safety and security – until something is lost or stolen. In that case, there’s a slight chance they may show some concern – and then, again, maybe not. It’s probably a good idea if you “help” them choose a storage facility.

You’ll be far more conscious of the security features and amenities of the facility than your student will. Find a safe, secure facility, not far from campus. You never know when he will decide to drive to his unit at 3:00 a.m. because he needs a book that hasn’t been opened in two months. Or she wants to wear the cute outfit that is in storage because she didn’t want her roommate to “borrow” it. A safe facility is a must.

College student with box of items.

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Following are some important features to look for when you’re searching for a self storage facility. 

Look for Layers of Security

  • A facility in a safe, convenient location
  • A clean and well-maintained facility
  • Well lit property
  • Perimeter fencing
  • Gates equipped with electronic access 
  • Twenty-four-hour video surveillance
  • An indoor unit with keypad access
  • On-site and/or resident managers
  • A disc or cylinder lock that is resistant to tampering
  • Do Not share gate access codes with friends

 

Be thoughtful when choosing a storage facility, and don’t worry. There are numerous safe, clean, and secure storage facilities with plenty of amenities. You won’t have trouble finding a good one. 

 

If you’re still not convinced that self storage is your best option, here are a few reasons that might sway your decision.

Why College Students Need Self Storage

  • Space: This is a big one. Dorm rooms are cramped. Self storage is a perfect solution for extra books and off-season clothing, as well as any other strange things your student may have accumulated. We prefer not to mention them.
  • Flexibility: Most self storage facilities offer flexible month-to-month leasing. You’ll be able to rent on your schedule without the hassle of a long-term commitment. 
  • Travel or Study Abroad: The opportunity to travel or study in a foreign country is incredible, but what do you do with all of your stuff while you’re away? Self storage comes to the rescue again. You can find a unit with enough or as little space as you need to accommodate all of the dorm room furniture and belongings.
  • Security: As we’ve already mentioned, college-age students can be careless. Any items that they don’t use regularly will be far more secure in a safely locked storage unit than in their dorm, apartment, or the trunk of their car. And, as far as summer, storing furniture and valuables at a storage facility provides a level of safety not found in a locked apartment that is abandoned until school starts again. 
  • Savings: The cost and inconvenience of moving your stuff to and from home between semesters and over the summer for four – to who knows how many – years will far exceed the cost of storage.
  • Fun: Instead of spending that extra time packing up and moving stuff back and forth every summer, have some quality family time. Spend a few days doing something together because your college kid will be too busy to spend much time with you for the remainder of the summer. 

 

Takeaway

College expenses and inconveniences increase with every passing year. Why not give yourself and your student some relief when it comes to the burden of yearly packing and moving. You’ve been your child’s housekeeper, chef, chauffeur, bank, and loving parent for a long time. Do you have to be their mover and packer, too? No, you don’t. Sit back, relax, and check your self storage options.

How Your Restaurant Can Benefit from Self Storage

It’s been a long, difficult year for restaurant owners. The pandemic and the post-pandemic environment have created unexpected challenges, and many proprietors have had to permanently close their businesses. Lengthy forced lockdowns, followed by the inability to attract employees, have added to their problems. The good news is that they were able to solve some of their issues by leasing safe, affordable self storage.

Restarauanteurs were able to protect their valuables by storing items that were particularly vulnerable to break-ins and deterioration. Secure, climate-controlled units are up to the task of protecting everything from wine and liquor to kitchen and office equipment. 

Fortunately, restaurants are reopening and business is brisk. People are happy to return to the normality of spending time in their favorite bars and eateries. No one, of course, is happier than the restaurant owners themselves. They can return to the business of providing for themselves and their families and serving happy customers. Self storage, nevertheless, is still a much-needed solution for owners who have little on-site storage space.  

 

Self Storage: A Restaurant Owner’s Solution

If you own a restaurant and haven’t yet considered the benefits of self-storage, you should consider leasing a unit. There are so many great facilities available that you may want to read How to Choose the Right Self Storage Facility for Your Needs. This article provides some tips and tricks on finding the right self storage facility for your restaurant business. 

In the meantime, here are a few suggestions as to how your business can benefit from self storage.

 

Seasonal Furniture

If your restaurant features an outside space, you probably use it only for certain months. Being located in an area with severe winters, or uncomfortably hot, humid summers, you may benefit from storing that outdoor furniture for part of the year. You’ll get more years and more use out of furniture that’s protected from temperature extremes.

Holiday Decorations

Restaurants celebrate the holidays the same way that homeowners do – with lots of decorations. Lights, garlands, Christmas trees, and other items seem to accumulate over the years. If you cater to weddings or other large events, you’re faced with an even larger volume of decorations. When these items are not being used, it’s convenient to be able to store them away from spaces already overcrowded with restaurant supplies. 

Supplies and Equipment

Speaking of restaurant supplies, most restaurants have an overflow of dishes, flatware, linens,  and serving pieces that they don’t use every day. Breakable items are damaged and lost every day, so you need a sizable backup of these items. Being able to purchase in bulk when prices are low is an advantage to any restaurant owner. Self storage gives you a place to stash these things until they’re needed.

Food storage for restaurants.

Wine and Liquor

For most alcoholic beverages, including beer and various liquors, it’s crucial that the storage area be kept at an ideal temperature. When searching for a place to store your wine, look for a reputable, secure, climate-controlled facility with an appropriately sized space for the number of bottles you’re storing. If the unit is suitable for wine, your other alcoholic beverages should be safe. Spend some time discussing options with your self storage professional. 

Spices, Canned Goods

Typically, self-storage facilities prohibit food storage. If you do make an arrangement to store certain items used in food prep, the best way to protect all of these items is with climate-controlled storage. You can save money by purchasing these products in bulk. When you’re packing these items for storage, be sure to use plastic crates and bins and keep them on restaurant-quality shelving above the floor. 

Catering Services

If your business provides outside catering, you’ll probably want to store those supplies separately. Leasing a separate self storage unit for chafing dishes, steam table pans, crocks, and transport supplies is your best option. These items require considerable space, and you don’t want the confusion of storing them with your restaurant supplies and equipment.

Vehicle Storage

A catering service requires trucks or vans for transport. If you don’t have parking space at your restaurant or elsewhere, most self storage facilities offer either outdoor or enclosed parking. You can get details from your self storage facility manager.

 

Conclusion

Evaluate your business to determine whether or not self storage is a good solution for you. Most facilities offer month-to-month leasing, so you won’t have to worry about a long-term commitment. Another advantage is that self storage is scalable. If your business grows you can lease a larger unit. If you have to downsize, no problem. It’s that simple.  If it looks like your restaurant can benefit from self storage, find a facility that is a good fit for your needs and discuss your options with the manager. Having secure, affordable self storage will solve your space problem and make your life a little bit less complicated. 

Why You Don’t Stash Fireworks in Your Self Storage Unit

After a dismal and taxing 2020, Independence Day 2021 is going to be a momentous celebration for the USA!  Parades, picnics, and all kinds of special events will be in full force. It’s a given that people will be making memories and commemorating the joy of America’s freedoms with fireworks and sparklers. While you’re enjoying the festivities, please take safety precautions – not only with using but with storing your fireworks.

 

Family watching fireworks on 4th of July.

 

Please Don’t Store Your Fireworks in Your Storage Unit

When it’s time to pack up and store the patriotic decorations, sparklers, and fireworks for next year, be cautious. Please don’t stash your extra fireworks in your self storage unit. 

For starters, it’s against policy to store fireworks or any other type of explosive at most self storage facilities. The possibility of an explosion is too risky, not only to your personal valuables but to the possessions of other tenants. It also creates a serious hazard to any of the staff or visitors to the facility. It’s not worth risking serious injury or damage by storing fireworks or any other flammable materials in your unit.

If you’re curious, here is a complete list of items that you are not permitted to put in self storage:

  • Plants
  • Firearms and munitions
  • Food and pet food
  • Flammables, explosives, radioactive materials
  • Lead paint, asbestos, urea-formaldehyde, petroleum products, or methane
  • Medical waste
  • Stolen goods
  • Cash (not covered by insurance)

Your fireworks are considered explosives. If you have leftover fireworks that you need to store, check the following tips.

 

Tips for Storing Fireworks

These tips are not guaranteed, but they can help keep you and your family safe.

 

Tip 1: Depending on where you live, it may not be legal to store fireworks. You should check your city or county ordinances to verify that storing leftover fireworks is permitted.

Tip 2: High temperatures do not set fireworks off. It’s okay to store them in a hot, dry environment; it’s only the heat from a match or lighter that sets them off.

Tip 3: Keep those unused fireworks in a secure place away from your home and family. The best place is a locked shed that is far away from the house. And, don’t store them near ignitable, flammable materials like oil, gasoline, water heaters, or any kind of naked flames.

Tip 4: Don’t store them in cardboard boxes. Not only will these add fuel to the fire if there is a catastrophe, but cardboard will not protect fireworks from water. The best solution is a metal storage container. Be careful not to overpack the box and crush the lower layers, ruining the fireworks for later use. 

Tip 5: Do not tell your children where the fireworks are stored, and be sure that pets can’t get at them.

Tip 6: Keep a fire extinguisher near the fireworks storage area.

Tip 7: If fireworks get wet, they should be completely soaked and discarded. Fireworks cannot be dried out and used safely because they become unstable.

Tip 8: When fireworks have been stored in a manner that keeps them dry, the chemicals do not deteriorate or become unstable or dangerous. If no moisture gets into the packaging, fireworks can last 50 years and perform as if they were new. 

 

The main thing to remember is the safety of you and your family. Follow the above tips, and you shouldn’t have any problems.

 

Fun Fourth of July Facts

Now that we have the serious stuff out of the way, here is a bit of fourth of July trivia from The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

 

  • July 4, 1776: Thomas Jefferson noted in his “Weather Memorandum Book” that the weather was cloudy, the temperature 76ºF.
  • August 2, 1776:  Most people signed the Declaration of Independence. Only two men signed on July 4, 1776—John Hancock and Charles Thompson. 
  • July 4, 1826: Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson—signers of the Declaration of Independence who each later became president—died on the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the declaration.
  • July 4, 1884: The Statue of Liberty was formally presented to the United States by the people of France.
  • July 4, 1911: It was a hot Fourth of July in New England. All-time state records were set in Nashua, New Hampshire (106°F), and Vernon, Vermont (105°F).
  • July 4, 1938: Four of July became a national holiday.

 

Have a joyful holiday, complete with fun times and treasured memories. But, be careful with those fireworks!

 

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