Make the Most of Your Garage Sale Whether it’s at Your Home or Your Self Storage Facility

Have you ever heard of Aaron LaPedis? Aaron’s mother left the seven-year old to tend her garage sale while she made lunch. The sale was moving along nicely, and merchandise was beginning to run low. A very industrious little Aaron decided to take advantage of the brisk sales. He grabbed everything that he could carry from the living room — lamps, end tables, and other small decor — and sold them.

His mother, of course, was shocked to find her furniture missing, but she probably wasn’t upset for too long. Aaron eventually turned this into a profitable enterprise by flipping items that he purchased at other garage sales. You can read all about Aaron’s rise to garage sale fame in his book, “The Garage Sale Millionaire.”

If you’re looking for a way to turn your unused stuff into cash, think about having a garage sale at home or participating in a sale at a facility where you have belongings stored. A garage sale can seem a bit overwhelming, but the following tips will help you to organize, price, and advertise your items. Do it right and you can end up with an orderly home and/or self storage unit, as well as some big bucks.

The following tips can work whether you’re participating in a self storage facility or residential garage sale.

Make the Most of Your Garage Sale

Get Organized

Clean

Diligently search your home room by room for items you don’t use or wear regularly. Don’t forget the garage, basement, attic, and shed. If you have a self-storage unit, make time to sort through those items as well. You’ll be surprised to find lots of things that you haven’t used in years (or maybe decades.

Sort

The next step is to sort your items into the ever-present, basic three categories: Keep, Sell, and Discard. Your goal is to sort and organize; get rid of the junk and find a permanent home for the keepers.

Set the Date

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings are typically the most opportune times to hold your sale. That doesn’t mean you can’t think outside the box and consider a different time. There are dozens of Saturday morning garage sales, but how many do you see scheduled for a Tuesday morning? If you time your sale during early morning or late afternoon commuting hours, you will attract commuters, car-pooling parents, and anyone else looking to score a deal.

Stock up on Supplies

Buy basic pricing stickers and blank labels at your local office supply store or the dollar store. If you’re on a tight budget, pick up some masking tape and a permanent marker. Remember, if you’re participating in a self-storage garage sale, you can pick up what you need in the office.

It’s ideal to buy or borrow some stable, inexpensive shelving to display one-of-a-kind and breakable items.

Use a card table or any small table and chairs so that you have a designated place to comfortably cash people out. Another thing to consider is Venmo, a digital app that makes paying and getting paid easy and secure. If you want to use Venmo or any other digital payment app, make a note to advertise it.

Price the Merchandise

Price it Right

Don’t attach sentimental value to your item, and overprice it in the process. If you’re not sure how to price an item you can ask a friend for an objective opinion, or check current value by doing an online search. A good rule of thumb is to sell items at one quarter to one third of their original value. Most people aren’t looking to spend a great deal of money at a garage sale, so try not to price anything over $100. You’re better off selling big ticket items online. Toward the end of the sale, consider posting a “half off” sign. The goal is to get rid of your stuff!

Price Visibly

Don’t make a buyer search for a tiny sticker. Use large enough tags so that potential customers can easily see a price tag. Another option is to use colored stickers and a chart that specifies cost by color. If you do this, hang several large charts in different areas to make them convenient.

Bundle Items

Offering DVDs at 4 for $5, will get more attention than pricing them at $1 each. You can also bundle things like small kitchen gadgets, tools, or holiday decorations. Get creative.

Don’t Overprice and Expect to Haggle

Buyers will walk away from overpriced items. Garage sale shoppers like to snag a deal, but they won’t haggle over unrealistic prices. You’ll lose a sale.

Advertise

Spread the Word

Use fliers in your neighborhood and online ads. Craigslist, Nextdoor, and Close5 are good ones. Forums like GarageSaleHunter.com and Yard Sale Search are forums directed specifically to garage sale regulars, and don’t forget about garage sales groups on Facebook. As mentioned previously, if you plan on using a digital payment app like Venmo, be sure to include that information in your ad. Allowing people to pay this way is easier for them and for you.

Use Signs

Use 15 to 20 large, brightly colored signs. They should be at least 3 feet square. Keep them simple with large arrows pointing in the direction of the sale. They should be easy to see when driving and simple enough for a first grader to read.

The Big Day

Organize Your Checkout Area

There will be people who won’t use a digital payment app. Be sure to have plenty of small bills and coins on hand to make change. It’s possible that you could lose a sale over not having change readily available. Have enough plastic grocery bags and moving supply wrapping paper for fragile items. These details show your customers that you’re organized and ready to sell.

Make it Look Like a Store

Group items together: kitchen items in one area, tools in another, and clothing and accessories easy to sort through and hanging on racks. If you do have any big ticket or specialty items, place them near the street so that people know you’re selling more than mismatched dishes and outdated CDs. Reorganize throughout the day to keep things looking fresh.

Go for Appeal and Ease

Before you try to sell things, make sure they are clean and free of dust. Be sure that your shopping area doesn’t look disheveled. Borrow or rent tables so shoppers don’t have to crouch down to look at your items. If something needs batteries, insert them so that the buyer knows the items will work. Keep extension cords handy for small appliances, Christmas lights, and electronics. Place a mirror near the clothing and accessories. Making your customers feel comfortable will increase sales.

Make it a Party

Take a lesson from retail stores. They play music to encourage customers to stay longer and spend more. Make people feel welcome with bottled water, soda, lemonade, and don’t forget the cookies. Get your shoppers in a “buying” mood.

Stay Safe

If you’re taking part in a self storage garage sale, you won’t have to be as concerned about safety. In any situation, most shoppers are good people looking for a good deal. Nevertheless, you need to be practical and aware of what is going on around you. If you’re having a sale at home, keep your doors locked during the event. Don’t let anyone in your house use the bathroom, and don’t leave your cash or your young children unattended.

Wrap Up

It’s time to put these tips into action. Organization is the key so that you’re ready to go when the first customer pulls up to the curb. If you remain calm, happy, and vigilant, you’ll have a successful sale and be ready to do a victory dance at the end of the day. Remember, any left over items can go into your self-storage unit for your next sale!

Why It’s a Good Idea to Keep Your Work Tools in Self Storage

Do you own a few tools for your DIY projects and household chores, or are you a general contractor with an extensive collection of construction tools? Either way, it’s important that these tools are stored properly to prevent damage. Storing tools, especially power tools, in your garage or basement is not the best option. They’ll be subject to damage from temperature changes and being knocked to the floor from their shelving or pegboards.

More importantly, if you have young children, they seem to gravitate to the most dangerous items in your home. If they discover these curious looking implements, they’ll be immediately attracted to them. Unquestionably, tools are dangerous in the wrong hands. You need a solution for these costly items, and you need it yesterday. As noted above, your solution is not your garage or basement, nor is it a shed in the backyard. It’s a safe, secure self storage unit. Here at Trusted Self Storage, we can offer you everything from a 5 x 5 unit to a warehouse-sized space.

Below are some tips for storing your tools to keep them organized and in prime condition.

The Right Way to Store Power and Hand Tools in Self Storage

Choose the Right Storage Unit

Before you do anything, give some thought to choosing the right storage facility to suit your needs. If you’re going to use your tools regularly, a convenient location is important. You also need to check that it is safe and secure and the right fit for your budget.

To best protect your tools, they should be stored in a climate-controlled storage unit. Climate-controlled storage keeps a unit’s indoor temperature between 55° and 85° F, and maintains a humidity level of 55%. As a comparison, the average air conditioned home stays between 35%-45% humidity. Think of climate control as an air-conditioner, humidifier, and dehumidifier combination to sustain the proper temperature and humidity levels for specific types of items.

Before You Organize, Prepare Your Tools for Storage

Step 1: Check the manufacturer’s instructions – The best way to care for your tools and protect them from damage is to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Step 2: Clean your tools – The first step to preparing your tools for self storage is cleaning them. Use a soft cloth and some oil to remove any stubborn dirt. Be sure not to use soap and water, as this can cause rust.
Step 3: Use original cases – When storing your tools, store them in the cases they originally came in. These cases will have cushioning and padding to protect your tools..
Step 4: Check for damage – Discard any tools that are damaged beyond repair. This will help to keep your tool collection organized and prevent it from taking up unnecessary space.
Step 5: Power tools need extra prep – Humidity and dust can damage your power tool engines. Wipe down your tools and parts with oil to remove dirt and grime. If possible, pack these tools in their original boxes. Use protective casing over sharp edges and saws and fill any gaps in your boxes with bubble wrap or other appropriate cushioning material.

Organize for Convenience

Organize small tools in like sizes and place them in plastic bins, and place them on shelves rather than on the floor. Don’t forget to label the bins.
Another option for small tools that are used frequently is a pegboard. Home Depot has lots of good ideas for tool storage and organization.
A pegboard also works well for long-handled tools. Tie the handles together and hang them from sturdy pegboard hooks.
A mobile workbench is a great idea for your large tools. You can find the plans for the one pictured above at The Spruce. It includes hanging storage for power tools and ample space for storing large tools. Build in sufficient storage so that the top remains a clear work surface.
Keep an inventory list of all of your tools. If you have a large number of tools in bins and boxes, make a simple map of the locations of the tools in your self storage unit. Hang it on a clipboard in your unit so that you can easily locate whatever you need.

In Summary

Keeping your tools in self storage not only frees up space in your garage or basement, but keeps them from curious little hands. It sounds like a lot of effort; but, in reality, isn’t it worth a few hours to keep your tools from getting lost and your children safe? Eventually, you may be able to lease a unit with electricity and set up a work area for yourself. But, that’s a conversation for another day.

Benefits of Climate-Controlled Self Storage

If you collect valuable antiques and own an envious wine collection, or just want to store upholstered furniture, photographs and electronics, you need climate-controlled self storage.

The consistent temperatures of a climate-controlled storage unit will protect your belongings from damage and deterioration.

High temperature and humidity levels can warp, crack or split wood or leather furniture. High humidity levels can create moisture in electronics, books and textiles, and this moisture leads to damaging mold and mildew. Fluctuating temperatures can permanently damage electronics, medical or pharmaceutical supplies and retail inventory.

What is Climate-Controlled Storage?

Climate-controlled storage is an additional option offered by many self-storage facilities. These units maintain a consistent temperature no matter what the season. While these options may be more expensive, they can offer peace of mind when storing certain valuables.

Climate-control keeps a unit’s indoor temperature between 55° F and 85° F and maintains a humidity level of 55%. As a comparison, the average air-conditioned home stays between 35% and 45% humidity. Think of climate control as an air-conditioner, humidifier, and dehumidifier combination to maintain the proper temperature and humidity levels for specific types of items.

Be aware that there is a difference between temperature control and climate control. Some facilities offer temperature control, which only manages the temperature. Climate control manages temperature and humidity to control moisture levels.

Climate-controlled self storage can be a lifesaver If you’re storing in an area that has extreme heat and humidity during the summer months, extreme cold during the winter, or combinations of these conditions throughout the year. To maintain your possessions in ultimate condition, climate-controlled storage is your best bet.

Ask yourself the following questions to determine whether climate-controlled storage is a good fit for you.

Question 1. Does the temperature where you’ll be storing your belongings drop below 32° F or rise above 90° F?

Question 2. Is the facility located in a climate that is subject to high humidity?

Question 3. Do any of your possessions have high monetary or sentimental value?

Question 4. Are you storing for a lengthy period of time?

Question 5. Will you be making frequent visits to your unit, in which case you’ll want comfortable conditions?

If you answered yes to three or more of these questions, you need climate-controlled storage to protect what is important to you.

What Should be Stored in Climate-Controlled Storage?

You may have inherited an antique table from a close relative. You don’t want to use it because it doesn’t blend with your contemporary look, but you certainly don’t want to dispose of it. So, you decide to store it. Against the advice of the storage facility manager, you decide to use storage that is NOT climate controlled because it is less expensive.

A year later you decide that you want to use this beautiful piece. You go to your storage unit to retrieve it and find that there is mildew on the fabric and that the wood trim has swollen and cracked. Climate-controlled storage would have prevented the damage and maintained the original condition of this piece. You can probably locate a similar item, but you can never replace the monetary and sentimental value.

The following list will give you an idea of the types of items that should be in climate-controlled storage:

Artwork and Craft Supplies

Business Documents

Electronics

Golf Clubs

Household Appliances

Leather and Upholstered Furniture

Metals

Musical Instruments

Photographs

Stamp, Coin, and Comic Book Collections

Wine

Wood and Antique Furniture

Vinyl Record Collections

Climate-controlled storage is slightly more expensive, but damaged or destroyed property can be far more costly. Why take the chance when you have an available solution. Talk to your storage professional for details.

Self Storage Warehousing Solutions

Does your business have requirements that your basement, spare room, or standard size self storage units can’t handle? If you need warehouse-sized space without the warehouse-sized costs, there are self storage facilities available that can accommodate your needs.

Here at Trusted Self Storage, we have the warehouse space you need without the costs of building your own warehouse or renting a space that is larger than necessary. It’s difficult enough to control expenses when you own a business, and you never know when you’ll have to move due to expansion or other unforeseen events.

Three reasons to rent self-storage space instead of commercial warehouse space.

Commercial warehouse space is more expensive than self-storage.

Commercial warehouse space is almost always more expensive per square foot than self-storage. Specialized spaces make sense for some businesses, but whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been in business for years, you need to think about controlling expenses.

Self-storage does not require a long-term contract.

A month-to-month lease gives you the freedom to cancel at any time. You may want to relocate to a more strategic location or a different sized space.

Self-storage is scalable.

Leasing self-storage gives you the flexibility to add on as your business grows, or scale back if you face an unforeseen event, like the 2020 Covid pandemic.

Why is Warehousing Important to Your Business

When you-re choosing warehouse storage, look for a location that makes the most sense for your operations. For example, it should be easily accessible by your suppliers, with a loading dock for receiving and storing product. Another company might warehouse space in a more centralized location so that goods can be more conveniently received, shipped and distributed.

Improved Order Processing

Customers expect excellent service and timely delivery. Any problems in this area are not your customer’s concern: there yours. Warehousing provides the space to enable you to stock product and ship when customers place they’re orders. You don’t need to fulfill orders from your production facility. You can warehouse enough stock for several months, reducing delivery delays. You wouldn’t want to lose a sale because you aren’t able to fill an order.

Extra Storage

Most companies manufacture product based on anticipation of demand. You may have storage at your production site, but that space can quickly become exhausted. A warehouse space is great for storing the extra goods that customers don’t need immediately.

Monitor Seasonal Growth

A warehouse gives you the space to take advantage of consumer trends. You can scale your operations and stock up on inventory for peak Christmas and holiday shopping seasons. With self storage warehouse space, this won’t lead to major cost increases.

Risk Management

If you store your products in your warehouse, you can release them to the market when demand exceeds immediate supply and production. This way you can avoid volatile price fluctuations. For perishable products, cold storage and refrigeration can be used to avoid spoilage. Refrigeration may cost a bit more, but will be worth the savings. Another factor to consider is that your goods are insured against damage or loss due to fire or theft.

Conclusion

As a business owner, self storage warehousing is your solution. It will enable you to control expenses, provide leasing flexibility, and allow you to scale your business based on growth.

Self Storage: Start the New Year with an Organized Kitchen

The Holidays are over, but the clutter is here to stay. The family is busy with school and work, but they still find plenty of time to leave disorder in their wake. If you don’t organize now, you’ll be watching the kids playing in the pool while you daydream about getting the the house organized when school starts again.

Where should you begin? Well, the most used room in every home is the kitchen. It’s the gathering place for friends, family, and messes, and that’s what makes it the best place to begin your organizing project.

Start By Leasing a Self Storage Unit

Before you get started, consider renting a self storage unit for the items that you don’t use regularly or that you may be replacing but don’t want to discard. It will be a relief to know that you don’t have to decide how to deal with duplicates and seldom used items right away. Stash them in self storage, and wait until you have time to think. For more information on renting the best unit for your needs, check How to Choose the Right Self Storage Facility for Your Needs.

Declutter Your Kitchen

Empty Cabinets and Drawers

Empty every cabinet and drawer in your kitchen, including the pantry. Place everything in front of you on tables, counters or any other space so that you can get a good view of your items. You may find a few surprises that belong in self storage (or the trash).

Discard the Junk

You’ll be surprised at how many broken or incomplete items are lurking in the back of a drawer or cabinet. You might find containers without lids, a broken hand mixer, or pans without handles. It’s time to dump that stuff and clear up some space.

Group Items into Categories

For example, group cake pans, cookie sheets and pie dishes into a “baking” category. Use separate categories for pots and pans, casseroles, serving dishes, and many other items that you keep in your kitchen. You should have a category for large serving trays, beverage dispensers, and other items that you use only when hosting a party. These items can be easily packed and placed in your self storage unit for easy access when you need them.

Say “No” to the Junk Drawer

It’s frustrating to open a drawer and find everything but the citrus zester that you’re looking for. It’s not easy to zest lemons with a screwdriver. Organize the flatware, small implements and linens with drawer separators and small divided baskets. Tools belong in a toolbox – not the kitchen.

Group Duplicates to Donate or Store

Duplicate items can really clutter up a kitchen. You might discover that you have 2 crock pots or 2 large roasting pans. You can give your duplicates to family and friends, or you can put them in self storage, where you’ll have backups for worn or broken items.

Don’t Forget the Pantry

Categorize in the pantry the same way you did for the rest of the kitchen. Separate baking ingredients; canned food; snacks; drink mixes, soft drinks, coffee, and tea; spices, and cleaning supplies. You can find appropriate sized baskets and bins on Amazon or at Target. And don’t forget The Container Store for tons of great pantry organizers.

Start Fresh

It goes without saying that before you refill your cabinets and drawers, they should be thoroughly cleaned and lined with fresh shelving paper. Some of your items may need washing before you put them back in drawers and closets.

Use Countertop Decor That Will Make You Happy

The kitchen is known as the heart of the home, but it can also give you a heart attack if you are constantly cooking and cleaning in a disorganized mess. Give your counter top a facelift that gives you a positive vibe. Use attractive containers to hold cooking utensils, trays to hold frequently used items and green plants. Whether it’s farmhouse, minimalist or traditional, give yourself a happy visual experience.

You’ll Be So Glad to Have that Self Storage Unit

Now it’s time to take that trip to your self storage unit. You’ve worked hard; you can delay decisions about what to do with duplicates, small appliances, and serving platters that you use once a year. And leave some room in that unit for the stuff from your next cleaning project now that you’re an organizational rock star. Look out Marie Kondo!

Self Storage: How to Enjoy Packing Up the Christmas Decorations

Does the title of this blog trigger your interest? Are you eagerly awaiting the happy little secret to enjoying packing up those Christmas decorations? Sorry…I lied. There is nothing that makes this job enjoyable unless you can gather about 50 friends who love you and want to help. The chances of that happening are about the same as your Christmas mess becoming a Netflix episode of “Tidying Up With Marie Kondo.”

Nobody enjoys this task. It’s tedious and lonely because no one wants to help. If you do coerce family members into helping, they suddenly remember a previous engagement or a contagious disease (Covid is perfect for this). Get used to it; it’s not going to change. Ask Alexa to play “the happiest songs for dismantling Christmas decor,” and get to it.

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 new home in your garage and the 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 your other seasonal items. You can add pegboards to the walls for hanging your wreaths and garlands and shelving for plastic ornament boxes 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 the beautiful table cloth that grandma crocheted with her arthritic hands

Tips to Prepare Your Decorations for Their Temporary Home

Take Pictures of Your Decorations

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.

Be Careful with the Christmas 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 in Wayfair, Home Depot, and Target, 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 Looking New

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 cover them with a lightweight dry cleaning bag.

Keep Your Christmas Lights Untangled

Clark Griswold should not be your “go to” example for Christmas light storage or design. 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. 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 gases 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 in your storage unit. Keep in mind that these items should be stored in a climate-controlled environment to maintain their beauty and prevent further damage.

Candles Require Special Care

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

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 like Marie Kondo. Then, you can start the process over again. Happy Holidays!

Have You Heard that Self Storage can be Your Black Friday Helper?

It’s November, and you know what that means. The holiday season is coming in for a landing. With the ease of online shopping, many of us have already begun to stash away Christmas gifts and surprises. And we all know, the earlier you start shopping, the more you buy.

When you think of the excitement on those sweet little faces at 5:00 a.m. on Christmas morning, it’s hard to resist buying everything they want!. Calm down and step away from the credit card. By noon, they’ll be playing with an empty box and sobbing with exhaustion. And you still have to navigate them through the remainder of the day with relatives and friends. Here’s an idea. Make the time leading up to this day of disorder a little bit easier by using self storage.

Give Yourself a Break – Use Self Storage to Stash the Presents

Black Friday is the shopping kickoff, followed by Cyber Monday, and every day and night thereafter until you have to find time to bake cookies, drink wine, and have one of many emotional breakdowns leading up to the big day. After all of that shopping comes the challenge of trying to find hiding places for all of those presents. It’s harder than trying to find a parking space at the mall on Christmas Eve.

You need a plan, or the stashing of gifts will become a logistical nightmare. You’ll forget where you put them; and, if you wrap them prior to hiding, you’ll absolutely forget who they’re meant for. It’s so annoying when you open the freezer and the Lightsaber Academy Interactive Battle Lightsaber falls out and breaks your toe because brain fog caused you to forget you hid it in there. But the most fun you’ll have by far is watching Aunt Karen open Cousin Sydney’s Cards Against Humanity. Cue another breakdown.

Trusted Self Storage is your seasonal helper. Rent a convenient, secure, affordable self storage unit to use as ground zero for gifts. Our small sizes are perfect. You can use inexpensive shelving to keep the gifts off the ground, and you can even add a table to use for wrapping the presents. You don’t have to worry about making a long-term commitment to rent a unit, because we have flexible month-to-month leasing.

Wrap With Friends

Better yet, if you want to save money, rent a slightly larger unit and share with friends. You not only use the space for gifts, but you can set up a wrapping station. Place a folding table with several tape dispensers and scissors in the unit. You can use it individually, or plan a wrapping party, complete with eggnog and snacks. Wrapping paper, gift bags, and ribbon can be supplied by each renter.

Choose The Right Storage Facility

If you’re going to use storage for your gifts, you need to find a facility that is secure and convenient.

Location

At this time of year, you need to think about convenience. You’ll be stopping at the unit frequently, so you’ll need a facility in your neighborhood that is close to the places where you shop and run errands.

Security

Cost is an important factor, but it shouldn’t be your only consideration. Find a reputable company with state-of-the-art security. Look for video surveillance, perimeter fencing, security locks, and electronic keypad access. You’ll also want a friendly, knowledgeable management team that is willing to answer your questions, understand your needs, and show you around the property.

Delivery

As an additional advantage, many self-storage facilities accept deliveries. You can spend a day shopping on the internet and have all of your items shipped to your storage facility: the ultimate in convenience.

Climate Control

If you live in an area that’s subject to extreme temperature fluctuations, opting for a climate-controlled unit will be better for you and your gifts. If you plan to share with friends and spend time wrapping gifts in the unit, you want to be comfortable and you want your gifts to be protected from damage and humidity.

Insurance

One last thought. Don’t forget to check with your insurance agent to verify that your gifts are covered under your homeowners’ or renters’ policy. If your policy does not cover these items, you can purchase insurance from your storage company.

You’ll be surprised at how much less stressful your life will be with a safe, comfortable hiding place for your gifts, especially if you bought one of the kids an electric ride-on car. You won’t have to store it in your neighbor’s living room for two months. Merry Christmas!