Thursday, September 2nd, 2010
Did you know you can store computer files online without them taking up space on your computer? When you store items online it’s called ‘Cloud Storage’ or ‘The Cloud’ and can often act as a cheaper alternative to buying additional hard drives for your computer.
What makes cloud storage so useful is if you’re connected to the internet, you can access your files. It doesn’t matter what your location is or what computer you’re using. There are different forms of cloud storage; private clouds, public and hybrid which make it easy to store documents for you and share with others if they’re too large to fit in an email.
Unfortunately Big Yellow can’t store your physical items in our ‘Cloud’ yet but you can store your household items in our self storage rooms for a little as a week, month, year or as long as you want. We only ask for seven days notice when you want to leave. If you’re interested to find out how you can benefit from our self storage facilities, visit our Quote and reserve online page to get started.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!
Tags: armadillo self storage, big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, byss, cloud storage, de-clutter, declutter, personal storage, self storage, self storage blog, storage solution
Posted in Did you know? | Comments
Friday, July 23rd, 2010
Did you know that Blu-Ray discs can hold up to 50GB of data, which is around five or six times the amount a standard DVD can hold? They are a high definition storage alternative to DVDs and they get there name from the colour of the blue laser that reads the discs inside of a player.
Having a large amount of storage space is essential for high definition discs as the quality of film takes up to ten times the amount of space that a standard definition disc requires. The 50GB capacity is for a dual-layer disc which is made up of two layers, a single layered disc can store 25GB of data which is enough storage space for at least two hours of high-definition video.
The increased storage capacity allows Blu-Ray discs to provide a much sharper and clearer picture than DVDs, as well as improved sound quality. Blu-Ray discs also have many more special features than DVDs, as a result of the extra space.
The physical structure of a Blu-Ray disc means that it is even more susceptible to scratching than a standard DVD. To resolve the problem, manufacturers decided to add a hard protective coating on each disc meaning that scratches won’t make your favorite films unwatchable.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!
Tags: big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, blu ray, Did you know?, dvd, personal storage, self storage, self storage blog
Posted in Did you know? | Comments
Monday, June 14th, 2010
Did you know that there are many more creative ways to store your books, other than on a standard shelving system? If you tend to stack them, you lose floor space to the growing number of books in the lounge or office. And nine times out of ten, most of them haven’t even been read yet – they’re just being saved for future use.
There is brilliance in the madness of Console Book Shelves – a design concept of Stanislav Katz, which features a reclining seat within the shelves! The Salkim book hanger suspends your books in groups with metal wire to give the illusion of a lightweight mesh, with square frames hooking together to give the impression of light instead of one big block.
Using the same concept, you can buy ‘The Invisible Book Shelf’ from Amazon, made by Umbra, which turns your books into a floating piece to showcase your books with a really slick wall mount.
The ApartmentTherapy blog also features homes in which books are stored in the ceiling rafters, and even in the pull out drawers to form a staircase!
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!
Tags: big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, book storage, boxes, byss, de-clutter, declutter, personal storage, self storage, self storage blog
Posted in Did you know? | Comments
Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010
Did you know that the digital storage unit of choice at the moment – the USB drive – has a hotly contested past? Software companies Trek Technology and IBM began selling the first USB flash drives commercially in 2000. Trek, from Singapore, sold a model under the brand name ThumbDrive and IBM marketed the first such drives in North America under the name DiskOnKey.
IBM’s USB flash drive became available in December 2000, and had a storage capacity of 8MB – more than five times the capacity of the then-common floppy disks.
In 2002, Netac Technology, a consumer electronics company, which claims to have invented the USB flash drive in the late 1990s, was granted a Chinese patent for the device. But while Netac Technology has since brought lawsuits against PNY Technologies, Lenovo, Sony and Acer, most companies that manufacture USB flash drives do so without regard for its patents.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!
Tags: big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, byss, de-clutter, declutter, personal storage, self storage, self storage blog, storage, storage solution, UK storage
Posted in Did you know? | Comments
Wednesday, May 19th, 2010
Did you know that the magpie – like all crows – does not have a musical voice and instead uses shiny objects stored in its nest to attract a mate? As with so many aspects of evolution – its reputation for stealing things is actually a feature of selection within its species.
Magpies collect and display objects with reflective surfaces in an attempt to find a partner, as the bird with the most objects of highest quality gets the strongest mate.
The birds will reputedly steal jewellery, silver and metals, earning them the name ‘The Thieving Magpie’. Rossini wrote an opera of this name (La Gazza Ladra). It concerns a French servant-girl who is accused of theft. She is tried, found guilty and executed. Later, the true culprit is revealed: a magpie. In remorse, the town organises an annual ‘Mass of the Magpies’ to pray for her soul. The title The Thieving Magpie was later used by progressive rock band Marillion for one of their albums.
We don’t condone stealing at Big Yellow Self Storage. If you’d like to store your valuables for safe keeping we provide 24 hour digital CCTV and every self storage room has its own alarm for you own peace of mind. We also have coded electronic gates, perimeter security fencing, smoke detectors and fire alarms to protect your things. All corridors are well lit, and all floors have an emergency phone just in case you need us. Visit our Quote and reserve online page to find out how you can benefit from self storage.
Do you think our friend the magpie has a bad reputation? Or is it a symbol of something else? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!
Tags: big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, boxes, business storage, clutter, collectibles, crows, de-clutter, declutter, fine wine storage, furniture storage, magpie, music storage, personal storage, secure storage, self storage, self storage blog, storage, storage solution, student storage, UK storage, wine storage
Posted in Did you know? | Comments
Monday, May 17th, 2010
Did you know that the most creative – and often efficient – use of innovative self storage strategy can actually be found in airports all around the world? From bras filled with snakes to primates stored in trouser pockets, some people try sneaking plainly ridiculous things through customs using methods that are quite frankly bizarre.
Custom officials at Melbourne Airport in 2005 became suspicious when they heard ‘flipping noises’ coming from underneath a woman’s skirt. Suspecting something fishy was occurring, they lifted it up to discover that she was wearing an apron of plastic water-filled bags containing 51 live tropical fish. Another smuggler tried to enter New Mexico with 16 packages of cheese stashed in his truck tires. However, he was busted by a border control X-ray machine and his truck confiscated as he’d failed to declare the extra goods.
Most bizarrely though, a man tried to pass through Los Angeles airport with two pygmy slow loris monkeys stored in pockets on his trousers. The man, Robert Cusack, 49, was travelling from Thailand and had previously drawn attention to himself after four rare birds of paradise escaped from his suitcase and flew over the heads of officials.
We don’t store living plants or animals at Big Yellow Self Storage but you can use our self storage for anything else you’d like for as little as a week, month, year or as long as you want. We only ask for seven days notice when you want to leave. Visit our Quote and reserve online page to get started.
What do you think of the sneaky tactics above? Got any stories you’ve heard about recently. Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!
Tags: big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, business storage, de-clutter, declutter, furniture storage, personal storage, self storage, self storage blog, storage, storage solution, student storage, UK storage
Posted in Did you know? | Comments
Friday, May 14th, 2010
Did you know that Microsoft has confirmed that it will be introducing USB storage to its Xbox 360 gaming system? The technology giant has released a mandatory update to its flagship gaming console and with it added support for USB storage devices of 1-16GB capacity.
This means that people will be able to plug in flash drives to expand the memory of their Xbox 360 console. Not only this, but it means that game saves, Xbox LIVE gamer profiles, or Arcade game downloads will now be portable.
SanDisk have been quick to jump on the new feature, and will be selling a pre-configured Xbox 360 8GB USB flash drive that comes with a 1-month LIVE Gold membership in the US and the UK from this month.
You can also use our self storage facilities to store your console collections, storage devices or anything else you’d like for a little as a week, month, year or as long as you want. We only ask for seven days notice when you want to leave. Visit our Quote and reserve online page to get started.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!
Tags: Big Yellow Self Storage, personal storage, self storage, storage, storage solution
Posted in Did you know? | Comments
Friday, April 30th, 2010
Did you know that the North Sea could provide Britain with a natural resource worth as much as £10 billion a year if the Government exploits it as a store for carbon dioxide (CO2), according to The Times?
Britain has more storage space for waste CO2 than all of the other northern European countries combined, with the exception of Norway, according to research that suggests carbon capture and storage could be one of the boom industries of the next 20 years.
At the British Science Festival in Guildford in September, it was announced that the existence of suitable rock formations beneath the British seas – mainly in the North Sea – means that Britain could make as much as £5 billion a year from selling licenses to store CO2 to countries such as Germany, Denmark and Poland.
While technology for removing CO2 from fossil fuel-fired power stations already exists, it’s currently very expensive, adding about a third to electricity bills. The cost, however, is forecast to plummet over the next two decades, creating a new market for storing this waste CO2 safely that Britain is ideally placed to benefit from.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!
Tags: Big Yellow Self Storage, energy efficient, personal storage, self storage, storage
Posted in Did you know? | Comments
Thursday, April 15th, 2010
Did you know that there are many different types of energy – from the type that comes from plugs in the wall to power your electrical items, to the kind being stored in a battery? Solar energy comes from the sun and is not only absorbed by plants and crops to help them grow, but collected here on earth for heating, lighting and other human needs.
A means of collecting the solar energy and a way to generate it are needed to make sure we can access the sun’s energy. This means that the energy can be converted into another form of energy such as electricity and heat. Storing the energy makes it last longer, as the sun does not shine for 24 hours a day – and in some cases not at all!
Solar energy is very well suited for heating purposes and more people are integrating systems into their homes in an attempt to be more environmentally friendly. This heat energy can be stored in a liquid like water or a packed bed. A packed bed is a container in which small objects like stones can be placed. The stones are able to store solar energy. Heat energy can also be stored in phase-changer or heat-of-fusion units which use chemicals to alter solid to liquid at certain temperatures. Later the liquid can return to its solid form and the energy can be used.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!
Tags: big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, boxes, business storage, clutter, de-clutter, declutter, furniture storage, personal storage, self storage, self storage blog, solar energy, storage, storage solution, student storage, UK storage, wine storage
Posted in Did you know? | Comments
Wednesday, April 7th, 2010
Did you know that most hamsters inhabit semi-desert areas where they live in burrows consisting of multiple tunnels and chambers – the most important of which store food and bedding for the animals to sleep in. Hamsters are nocturnal, so they sleep during the hot days and move around in the evening when it’s cooler. As such, conserving energy is vital.
Most species of hamsters have expandable cheek pouches in which they can carry food and bedding back to their burrow to store. In fact, the word ‘hamster’ comes from the German word ‘hamstern’ which means ‘to hoard’.
A hoard of nuts buried by a rodent 17 million years ago is the oldest food larder so far discovered in the fossil record. A team from the University of Bonn in Germany found a burrow containing 1,800 fossilised nuts when digging at an open-cast mine near Garzweiler. Back then, hamsters were predominately found in the wild, and though they’re mainly now kept as pets, this proves that behaviour hasn’t changed much since then.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!
Tags: big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, boxes, business storage, clutter, collectibles, de-clutter, declutter, furniture storage, hamsters, personal storage, self storage, self storage blog, storage, storage solution, student storage, UK storage, wine storage
Posted in Did you know? | Comments
