Collections can be exciting and fun and, in moderation, displays of collected items can provide a nice decor for your home. However, collections can easily get out of hand and could end up making your house look like a charity shop. If this is the case, it might be time to consider putting some of your stuff away. Storing your collectibles is an important part of organising your collection and keeping it safe. We have compiled some tips and tricks for the best way to store your memorabilia.
Depending on what you collect, you may be able to incorporate collectibles with your decor by displaying items on walls or shelves. To avoid exhibiting the entire collection at once, put some items into storage and then rotate them every few months to ensure your walls don’t look too cluttered.
For items which are not being displayed it is important to store them correctly so they do not get damaged by water, mould, temperature extremes and insects. Buy archival quality containers for items which are extremely old or valuable. There are special containers for pretty much everything from old stamps and maps to vintage books. For photos and albums, ensure you put archival quality paper between photographs to prevent them from sticking together and seal them in an airtight plastic bag to prevent any moisture getting in.
For fragile ornaments and mementos use the same-size boxes for easy stacking. Wrap each item separately with clean paper (top tip: do not use newspaper as the print can transfer). Pack items firmly next to each other, but not too tightly. Reinforce the bottom and top of the boxes with extra tape. Fill empty spots in the box with packing chips. Mark boxes as fragile and label all boxes and containers for easy reference. We sell a wide range of boxes and packing supplies in store and online, go to Boxes Etc to find out more.
Before packing anything away, create an inventory for all of your stuff so you know what is in each container and box. Whether your collection is purely sentimental or very valuable, you may want to consider keeping it protected in a secure environment.
At Big Yellow Self Storage we provide 24 hour digital CCTV and every self storage room has its own alarm for your own peace of mind. We also have coded electronic gates, perimeter security fencing, smoke detectors and fire alarms to protect your belongings. Visit our Quote and reserve online page to find out how you can benefit from self storage.
Making use of the space under your bed is a great storage solution, it’s also an area which is often forgotten about. The area can be used for items that aren’t used regularly such as out of season clothes, shoes and bedding. Whether you have drawers or a raised bed, a little creativity and a few simple storage solutions can transform an empty area into an indispensible storage space.
One of the best storage solutions for underneath the bed is vacuum storage bags as they come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
They can be filled with sweaters, clothes and any other soft items, then by using a vacuum cleaner you can easily suck the air from the bags which reduces them to a compact storable size. The deflated bags can then stored underneath the bed and even stacked together to maximise the space you have available.
There are always more traditional storage containers such as clear plastic bins that can be used to store bulk items. They come in different sizes depending on the space you have available to use and can easily slide from beneath your bed.
For all of your storage needs including storage boxes and vacuum storage bags visit us in store or order online at our online box shop.
Making tough decisions about what clothes to keep can be the hardest part of de-cluttering your wardrobe and many people are afraid that they might throw out something they’ll want in the future. As a result wardrobes can become your own personal indoor storage sheds which house all the old, off season and mismatched things you can’t bear to throw away. Indecision is what causes clutter to build-up and often leads people to hoarding clothes that they would no longer wear, but keep just in case.
Keeping all your clothing may seems to be the easiest option but if you can replace the thought of “I’ll get into this someday” with, “I’ll get new things when I lose weight” as an extra incentive and you’ll be on the right path.
Here’s some top tips on how to tackle the mountain in your wardrobe:
1. Start at the top of your wardrobe, pick a shelf and take out all of the items. Be hard on yourself because if you haven’t worn an item of clothing in over a year, it’s unlikely that you ever will in the future. If other items don’t fit you can give them away, donate to charity or keep in a self storage room.
2. When your wardrobe is empty, clean the shelves, walls and the floor to freshen up the area before you put sorted clothes back in. Once you have done that, start organising your clothes by everyday items, colour and by the length. If there are items that you wear more frequently than others you can place them in an area where it’s easily accessible for you.
3. For every new item of clothing that you add to your wardrobe, be sure to remove an old item so it won’t take up valuable space. It will also ensure that your wardrobe doesn’t get re-cluttered and stays manageable.
You can even maximise your wardrobe space by keeping your out of season items elsewhere and rotating them. We have wardrobe boxes that help to make storing clothes easy. To find out how you can benefit from storing your clothing in our self storage rooms at any of our stores, visit our Quote and Reserve Online page to get started.
Recently our Big Yellow Self Storage Finchley North store made a special donation to the nearby Tetherdown School for their summer fete. We were able to donate 120 extra large boxes so that they could construct an assault course in the school, affectionately called the ‘Big Yella Maze’.
Proving popular with parents, teachers and especially the children £1 was all you need to traverse the maze which raised a magnificent £450 for the school!
A brilliant stop motion video showing the constructing of the maze and those trying to make their way through was lovingly out together to share with you. Let us know what you think in the comments section.
Our Reading store has come to the aid of the Pottinger family after they were left devastated when a runaway lorry crashed into their house. The chaos started when a lorry rolled down the road hitting a lamp post and a car along the way before crashing into their home leaving a trail of destruction.
The damage to the house has meant the family will have to move out for up to 3 months into temporary accommodation. To help move the family’s belongings, our staff have been to see the family to donate boxes and help them pack up their items. Daniel Robinson from our Reading branch was quoted in the local newspaper, “We are a local business and are always looking for ways to help our community.
“After having read the article [in the Reading Post newspaper] we really felt for this family and wanted to be of assistance, so provided them with a supply of free boxes to help get them sorted.”
The Pottinger family home has been severely damaged as it was shunted backwards with the kitchen partly moved through the wall into the living room, the downstairs toilet has been crushed and the flooring at the back of the living room has come away from the wall.
It is thought the driver of the 18-tonne lorry left the handbrake off or knocked it as he got out of the vehicle to visit nearby offices. Luckily no-one was in the house at the time as the only person inside had left minutes before truck hit.
Sarah Bishton, spokeswoman for Reading Borough Council, said: “We are putting the family in alternative, suitable accommodation while the necessary work takes place to make the property safe and secure.”
We’re happy to announce that we have opened our new High Wycombe branch. The new store boasts some innovative eco conscious features to protect and enhance the local environment while providing great self storage facilities for our customers.
We’ve installed a Green roof and timber cladding on the outside of the building that backs onto the River Wye. Already, Mallard ducks have decided to make a home in our new back garden ecosystem.
The Green roof adds extra insulation to the top floor storage area and acts as protection from seasonal fluctuations in temperature and reduces heat reflection back into the atmosphere, which would have been reflected by 100% if it were metal. These contributions of green space ‘help reduce the urban heat island effect’ where some large urban areas may have average temperatures 1 degree centigrade above the surrounding countryside.
By retaining rainfall through the Green roof we can slow down the accumulation of water at ground level, further contributing to the cooling effects from evaporation and vastly reduce the risk of local flooding.
The river bank area around the store has been selectively cleared to give a variety of other plant species an opportunity to thrive and enhance bio-diversity in wildlife and habitat. Nesting boxes have been added to some mature trees and wood piles have been prepared to aid wildlife find habitat in the future.
We’ve also created a front façade to our store with a landscaped area featuring a row of Silver Birch saplings, a variety of shrubs and extensive lawn providing a natural buffer between the busy road an our reception parking area.
Now you have seen the Best Online Resources and Added Inspiration when it comes to redecorating your home, we thought we would let you know the key steps for actually doing it!
Redecorating your home, or even just one room, is exciting. If you’ve just moved, you’ve got a totally blank canvas to build your dream décor, and if you’re giving a long-term home a lick of paint, it’s just as much as a fresh start.
There is a tendency to get slightly overwhelmed by the task at hand, but there are a few key steps you can take during the preparation stage to prevent this from happening.
First, plan, plan and plan some more. It sounds dull, but it will truly save time and money in the long run. This also helps you to think about what you really want to do, make the decisions about colour and style – then ensure that you buy all of the materials you’ll need throughout the project.
As part of this stage, work out your budget. Are you just going to paint walls or the ceiling and skirting boards as well? Do you need to make any structural changes? Do you need to hire in help – or are you just going to change the carpet? You’ll only be able to work these things out if you know your budget from the start. Be realistic, as planning a dream bedroom you can’t afford to buy will only become a stressful weight on your shoulders.
Create a folder or box to keep all of your paint pots and wallpaper samples, interior magazine pages and plans in – this will help you to keep everything organised and easy to find when you come to put everything into action.
Finally, plan your time and most importantly – don’t under estimate how long each task can take. Remember that clearing a room, packing it up and storing it away can take a day at least. Put specific times in your diary to work on the project, and allow yourself a break. All work and no play makes for a very stressful environment, when redecorating should be a fun thing to do.
While redecorating your home, extra storage space can be invaluable whether you require a small closet or you need to find enough space to fill the entire contents of a room. We offer self storage while you’re redecorating for as little as a week, month, year or as long as you like. We only ask for seven days notice when you want to leave.
To find out how you can benefit from self storage, visit our Quote and reserve online page to get started.
Ask those about to move house what they are most apprehensive about and you can bet their answers are going to be the same: removals day! Removals day can be one of the most stressful aspects of the moving process if you’re under-prepared. The combination of packing the car, talking to your removals men, handling the kids and getting some sort of order going once you’ve arrived at your new house can all get way too much!
However, with proper preparation removals day doesn’t have to be a struggle. In fact, it can be quite pleasurable when everything’s prepared in advance, and you enjoy the excitement of knowing you’ll soon be starting a brand new life with your family.
Why not follow these handy tips for a stress-free moving day that’ll get you on the road to your new house quietly and efficiently?
Many hands make light work: There are so many tasks to do on removals day that you can’t possibly do them all yourself. Invite friends and family round (bribe them with snacks if necessary!) and ask them to chip in – not only will you feel supported and not alone but you’ll also have the added benefit of extra help should anything go wrong. Handymen are very helpful, as there are invariably a range of fiddly jobs that need doing on removals day.
Pack in advance: You really don’t want to be packing on removals day, except any last minute items that you simply need to throw into a bag, such as toiletries. If you continue packing on the last day you’ll confuse yourself as to what you’ve packed, what you haven’t packed, and what you may have accidentally left behind. Pack in advance and colour code the boxes, so your removals men can simply walk in and carry out everything, knowing precisely what needs to go where when you arrive at the new property.
Pack a survival kit: Once you get to your new house you’re likely to be exhausted. You’ll most likely want a brew, a snack and a place to sleep for the night. That’s why it’s important to pack a survival kit which contains everything you need for the first few days in your new house. This should include a kettle, cups, snacks, takeaway menus, alarm clocks, bedding, toiletries, cutlery and everything that’ll make your life that little bit easier. Maybe some champagne to celebrate too!
Arrange for pets to stay with relatives: Most pets cope very poorly with change, particularly cats, and can get very stressed out with the hustle and bustle of moving day. Although you can incorporate them into the day’s events – by locking them in an empty room with plenty of fresh water and food and putting them in the car last – it can be easier to leave them to relax at a friend or relatives for the day. That way you know they’re safe, and don’t have to worry about them escaping through an open door.
reallymoving.com offers free quotes for a range of moving related services such as removals, conveyancing and energy performance certificates, along with detailed advice and information to help your entire house move go as smoothly as possible.
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!
As you prepare to move house, there’s inevitably going to be a lot of clothing, possessions and gadgets that you don’t need any more. While the most important things that you can’t quite part with – or simply don’t quite need to be a part of your new home immediately – can go into self storage, the sites below will help you get rid of the things you no longer want and make some money in the process!
eBay - the original and biggest auction site, sell anything here from cars to computers on your own terms.
Gumtree – started in March 2000 as a local London classified ads and community site, it is designed to connect people who are either planning to move, or had just arrived in the city, and needed help getting started with accommodation, employment and meeting new people. Now a much more comprehensive offering, it covers 60 countries and allows you to find or advertise everything from a nanny for your kids to a bargain for the living room.
Amazon – Amazon.co.uk includes a feature in which you can enter your own goods into its seller’s marketplace. This means that you can add your books, clothes or toys to its main directory, and while buyers are scrolling through the products, they can choose your item if the price is right.
Big Yellow Self Storage provides secure do it yourself storage rooms for domestic and business customers for as long or as short a period as required. We provide space that’s easy to arrange, secure – and affordable.
