Self Storage Blog » declutter

Tips & Tricks: De-Cluttering Your Home

Big Yellow Blogger — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:08:09 +0000

Deciding how to store items in your home is a very important part of de-cluttering and getting organised. The following tips will help you make quick and valuable decisions which will help you organise all areas of your home.

Hallway – Sort through your collection of scarves, hats, coats and other items of clothing that take up space. You can keep the items that are used daily or weekly as any of the excess items can be moved into a nearby cupboard, donated to charity or put in a self storage room.

Living Room – Old books, DVDs and CDs are the usual culprits so lose the bits and pieces and only display your most prized possessions.

Kitchen – The main source of frustration in a kitchen is overstuffed cabinets and drawers filled with duplicate kitchenware, dishes that are used only on special occasions, mismatched containers and appliances that you no longer use. If you can’t bear to part with an item consider relocating it or putting the items in storage.

Closets – It’s time to be strong and clear out those items that haven’t been worn in the last year, no longer fit or are out of style.
Bathrooms – Throw away any items that have expired or those that are no longer in use. Items such as toothbrushes can be kept in holders to save space and keep them clean.

Office – Any paperwork that can be found on a website or email should be recycled. Filing systems can help you minimise the inflow of paperwork and help reduce your existing paperwork piles.

Kids Room – Teaching children the concept of ‘one in, one out’ can stop toys from becoming jumbled and cluttered on the floor.

Garage –When you clear space in your house, boxes of old clothing, sports equipment and extra furnishings usually end up in the garage and will never return inside your home. To create a vast amount of free space you can donate the items or keep them in self storage.

To find out how you can benefit from self storage, visit our Quote and reserve online page to get started.

Big Yellow Self Storage Opens in High Wycombe

Big Yellow Blogger — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 10:59:51 +0000

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.

To book and reserve online at any of our stores visit us at http://www.bigyellow.co.uk/store/High_Wycombe

Reception opening hours

Monday to Friday: 8am – 6pm
Saturday: 9am – 6pm
Sunday: 10am – 2pm

Tips and Tricks: How to Store Your Garden Tools

Big Yellow Blogger — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 09:12:30 +0000

Storing your garden tools properly can add years to the life of your equipment, especially after the summer when there is a risk of rust and wear. Better yet when you are able to use your tools again they will be ready to go straight away. Here are some top tips to help you plan the way you store your garden tools in advance.

Before storing your garden tools make sure you scrub off any dirt or mud by using a stick to knock off the large pieces and a wire brush to remove the dirt that is really stuck on. If it is really covered and you’re finding it hard to get it back to its shiny old self, you may need to soak the tool in a bucket of hot water before attempting again. Make sure you wipe off any excess water with an old rag and let it dry thoroughly to prevent any rusting.

When storing you can treat the wooden areas of your tools by sanding any rough or splintery portions with sandpaper and rubbing in wax which is specially made to extend the usage of your equipment. The metal areas of your tools can be treated with lubricating oil which will protect it from rust and ware.

When putting your tools into a storage unit all shovels, rakes and hoses can be placed together in an empty compost bucket to stop them from falling over and leaning on other products.

For all of your packing needs, including storage boxes visit us in store or online at our online box shop www.bigyellow.co.uk/boxshop.

Feature: The Key Steps for Redecorating Your Home

Big Yellow Blogger — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 10:30:43 +0000

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.

Added Inspiration for Redecorating Your Home

Big Yellow Blogger — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 11:30:10 +0000

Following on from our Redecorating Your Home – The Best Online Resources blog post, we thought we would give you added inspiration while you’re redecorating your house. If you’ve had a clear out and decided to store some belongings while you refresh the house, or even re-do the place entirely, look to the design blogs below to tickle the right side of your brain.

decor8 – Holly Becker, a freelance journalist and design consultant launched decor8 in January 2006 long before design blogs became a trusted and popular source of information on the web. An established site known as a reliable design resource to over 35,000 daily readers, decor8 (a creative play on the word decorate) is dedicated to sharing honest opinions, fresh decorating ideas, beautiful interior spaces, independent art and design, products and services, and articles meant to inspire readers to live a more fulfilling, authentic and creative life.

Design*Sponge is a daily website dedicated to home and product design run by Brooklyn-based writer, Grace Bonney. Launched in August of 2004, Design*Sponge was declared a “Martha Stewart Living for the Millennials” by the NYTimes in 2008 and features store and product reviews, city, product, and gift guides, DIY projects, before & after furniture and home makeovers, hometours, recipes, videos and podcasts, and trend forecasting. The site is updated constantly throughout the day (with an average of 6-10 posts a day), and attracts a core group of devoted readers.

Made in England is written by Cookie – a designer, illustrator and occasional adventurer. His goal is to make things visually interesting and generally creative, and the blog is where the best of what he finds is showcased.

Did You Know That There Are Others Ways to Store Your Books?

Big Yellow Blogger — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:06:06 +0000

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!

Big Yellow Self Storage Donations Raise over £1,000 for Cancer Research

Big Yellow Blogger — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 10:00:49 +0000

Earlier this year, 13 of our Big Yellow Self Storage stores across the country took part in a Donation Station Day for Cancer Research. We set up donation drop off points at our stores so friends, families and colleagues could donate bags of much needed items to help stock a Cancer Research shop.

We managed to raise over £1,000 between the stores taking part which included Bristol Central, Liverpool Edge Lane, Poole, Reading, Sheffield Bramall Lane, Edinburgh, Finchley East, Balham, Peterborough, Norwich, Dundee, Stoke and Stockton.

Some of the highlights of the day included 9 bags of donated items from Dundee totalling £243, 16 bags from Stockton totalling £460 and 30 bags from Finchley East totalling £180!

Well done to everyone involved as it was a fantastic achievement to raise so much money on the day for such an amazing cause.

Feature: Redecorating Your Home – The Best Online Resources

Big Yellow Blogger — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 07:30:20 +0000

When it comes to redecorating your home, don’t forget about the dead space that could be used for storage. Look at corners of rooms, nooks and crannies in which shelving or units could be placed. Don’t be constrained by a box mentality though, you can find specially designed units to fit almost any space.

The retailers below will provide you with a source of furniture to suit almost any need – in any colour, size and shape.

Ikea – the Scandinavian company that is now synonymous with good quality basics at low prices. It is a hugely popular destination for model styled décor and accessories, but you can use its products as a base, then personalise them to fit into your home with a bit of creative thinking.

Graham and Green – opened its first shop in Notting Hill in 1974, and since then has expanded from humble beginnings to a delightfully identifiable, British establishment. Today, it has six beautiful shops; four catalogues each year and an online store that shows a vast collection of unique furniture and contemporary home accessories.

Lakeland – ‘the home of creative kitchenware’, sells innovative cookware appliances and utensils that are perfect for any contemporary home – as well as a range of truly brilliant storage ideas.

Tips & Tricks: How To Store Handbags Correctly For Self Storage

Big Yellow Blogger — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 07:30:00 +0000

When your handbag costs as much as a holiday to a tropical island, you need to make sure you store it correctly. If you are the kind of person who throws everything in the bottom of your closet, including your precious Prada purse, then think again. Storing them carefully will prolong the lives of these accessories when using self storage; keeping them in pristine condition and making them last longer.

One of the best ways to store handbags is to put them in plastic boxes which allow air to circulate. Just make sure the boxes are big enough so that you are not folding over the bag handles.

The handbags you use regularly need to be easily accessible, so store them on the top or side shelf in your closet, standing upright in a line. You can organise them however you like – by size, type or colour – just make sure they aren’t crumpled on the floor.

Purses you don’t use so often can be wrapped in cotton pillowcases or cloth storage bags before putting them into self storage. Do not put them in enclosed plastic dry cleaning bags, or boxes without airflow as this will damage the leather.

If storing bags together make sure you cover any brass or mental chains, rings, studs and so on to stop them marking other bags. You can do this with a piece of tissue or cloth. Tuck chain handles inside the bag to prevent the chain from scratching or marking the outside leather. Undo metal fastenings and buckles on straps so that they do not leave an impression.

To help their keep, stuff the bags with tissue paper or any alternative acid-free filling, but do not use old newspapers. Bubble wrap is better than tissue paper for padding out or wrapping bags, as it doesn’t attract moths in the same way as tissue paper.

For all of your packing needs, including bubble wrap, storage boxes, tissue paper or loose fill visit us in store or online at our online box shop www.bigyellow.co.uk/boxshop.

Selling Unwanted Items Online

Big Yellow Blogger — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 08:45:05 +0000

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.