Friday, March 5th, 2010
As you will have seen on TV, the BBC’s Sport Relief campaign is well underway, and we here at Big Yellow Self Storage have been getting involved too by giving England rugby legend Lawrence Dallaglio and his friends a home for their bikes before their awe-inspiring 2,888km cycle ride across Europe to raise £1m for Sport Relief and the Dallaglio Foundation. We crammed 200+ bikes into our Twickenham store before Dallaglio and his team set off on their epic challenge which will see them cycling through all of the Six Nations countries, taking in each of the international rugby stadia along the way. The ride will end with team Dallaglio arriving in Murrayfield in time to watch England and Scotland fight it out for the Calcutta Cup on 13 March. See below for a picture of Lawrence at our Twickenham branch.
The aim is to raise £1m which will be split equally between Sport Relief and the Dallaglio Foundation, whose beneficiaries include Cancer Research, DebRA, Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, Help for Heroes and the RPA Benevolent Fund. Along the way, Lawrence will be joined by sports stars past and present, including Ashes heroes Andrew Flintoff and Michael Vaughan, Rugby World Cup winner Josh Lewsey and ex-England footballers Lee Dixon and Less Ferdinand. To keep track of the team’s progress and to make a donation click here.
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Tags: big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, boxes, business storage, Dallaglio, de-clutter, declutter, fine wine storage, furniture storage, lawrence, personal storage, self storage, self storage blog, Self Stroage, sport relief, storage, storage solution, student storage, twickenham, UK storage, wine storage
Posted in News | Comments
Thursday, March 4th, 2010
Estimating how much space you will need for your storage items can be simple if you know what you want to store. First up, make a list of the items you want to store (this is also useful for helping to remember what’s in there, though it can often be fun to go back and have your very own treasure hunt!).
Next, group the items according to how you will organise them. Start by identifying items that will be packed in boxes and stacked, then prioritise boxed items you will want to access most frequently (they’ll go closer to the front of the room).
Divide by fragility or weight, as heavier, sturdier items should be stored on the bottom of stacked items with fragile items on top. Then consider awkwardly-sized items that won’t stack well, including how often you will need to use them, and how heavy they are.
Finally, take note of how these items will be packed and organised. Boxes and containers should be of uniform size, and should be stacked no more than a few boxes high (depending on the type of box you use).
You’ll then be able to estimate how much size you’ll take up, whether you want to keep some extra space for more items in the future – or simply pack things in and leave them till you move.
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Tags: big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, boxes, business storage, clutter, de-clutter, declutter, fine wine storage, furniture storage, personal storage, self storage, self storage blog, Self Stroage, storage, storage solution, student storage, UK storage, wine storage
Posted in Tips and Tricks | Comments
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010
We’ve all had a special magazine or newspaper that we are tempted to keep for the future. It might be for reference or an historical event that we want to share with the future generations in the family. Sometimes these are valuable, but most often they won’t be worth much in monetary value. It’s the fact that “we were there” or how this event has touched our life that makes the edition important to us.
But how do you properly store those newspapers? Ask yourself some questions:
- Are these magazines and newspapers worth hanging on to, or can they be recycled to clear the clutter?
- Do you want to be able to go back and read the magazines and newspapers from time to time or are you happy to put them away and letting them sleep in a cool, dark place?
- Are your newspapers and magazines valuable or more sentimental?
- Do you want to keep them in pristine condition for 40 years or 400 years?
The biggest problem when storing paper keepsakes are pests! Here’s our top tips to ward them off:
1. Find a closet or drawer in a dry area.
2. Store and stack papers tight together, folded in half (as they are delivered).
3. Use a pest trap nearby, but not touching the papers.
4. Monitor your papers occasionally, checking for both pests and mold. Papers stored in this manner can stay in excellent condition for years.
Want more protection? Use the same basic methods as above, but purchase acid free folders to keep the papers in. Still store in that same dark, dry area and monitor for pests.
At Big Yellow Self Storage we offer clean pest free self storage, so you never need to worry about little nasties ruining your paper based keepsakes. Visit our “What is self storage page?” to find out how you can benefit from one of our self storage rooms.
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Tags: big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, boxes, business storage, clutter, collectibles, de-clutter, declutter, energy efficient, fine wine storage, furniture storage, magazines, paper, personal storage, recycle, reduce, reuse, self storage, self storage blog, Self Stroage, storage, storage solution, student storage, UK storage, wine storage
Posted in Tips and Tricks | Comments
Friday, February 19th, 2010
The word “lager” is German and means “storage”, which refers to the lager (storage) fermentation process. The fermentation of both ales and lager is processed at a similar temperature for 7-14 days. After that time the ale, depending on the type, is ready for bottling. With lagers, this is only the start. After the main fermentation the beer is pumped into lager tanks with temperatures 10°C lower than room temperature. It is then left to mature and ferment for around 6-10 weeks to create the lager we all know and love! The longest lager fermentation process is for that of Budějovický Budvar brewery’s ‘Bud Super Strong’, the super-premium member of the Budvar family which takes 200 days to mature.
Energy efficient advancements have been made with the Cylindric-conical tanks (CCTs) used to store lager during the process of combined beer fermentation and maturation. The storage CCTs have evolved to ensure cooling and heating insulation can save up to 40% of energy consumed over previous years.
We don’t ferment lager here at Big Yellow Self Storage. However, we are extremely energy conscious throughout our operations. You can also use our self storage facilities to store anything you 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.
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Tags: beer, big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, boxes, business storage, clutter, collectibles, declutter, energy efficient, fine wine storage, furniture storage, lager, personal storage, self storage, self storage blog, Self Stroage, storage, student storage, UK storage, wine storage
Posted in Did you know? | Comments
Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
Parcels4Troops organise small ‘home comfort’ parcels for soldiers to be sent out to them in the field. The scheme was set up a few years ago by ex-RCT (Royal Corps of Transport) Corporal Alasdair Sutherland to help a couple of his work colleagues who were in the Territorial Army and deployed in Iraq. The parcels were received extremely well and the word spread, resulting in many more parcels being sent out to the unit.
We’ve offered Parcels4Troops unlimited use of 100 square feet of self storage at our Edinburgh branch to help the donation drive. If you’re in the area, then donations from the following categories would be greatly appreciated:
Small packets of sweets (no chocolate or toffee – not very good in the heat)
Glucose sweets
Anti-bacterial hand gel
Packets of dried noodles
Cup-a-soups
Sachets of drinking chocolate
Chewing gum
Breakfast oat bars
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Moist wipes
If you’d like to get involved, you can drop off donations for troops during opening hours. Visit Big Yellow Edinburgh online for details. Alternatively contact Parcel4Troops via their website to find out how you can help.
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Tags: big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, boxes, business storage, clutter, de-clutter, declutter, edinburgh, edinburgh self storage, fine wine storage, furniture storage, music storage, parcels4troops, personal storage, self storage, self storage blog, Self Stroage, storage, storage solution, student storage, UK storage, wine storage
Posted in Charities, News | Comments
Monday, February 15th, 2010
We cherish the three Rs here at Big Yellow Self Storage. Yes, that’s Reduce, Reuse & Recycle! We’ve built this ethos into the way we operate our facilities. In fact, we’re investing over £1 million in renewable energy technologies at Barking, Balham, Fulham and Kennington, as well as working with a full time environmental manager to increase the pace of change within the company.
This investment forms a key part of a detailed study into the actual buildings themselves, to quantify the energy, waste usage and benefits of these new technologies. We’re also looking at which improvements can be introduced to existing and new stores alike.
One of the most innovative steps we’ve taken is to use products that are more sustainable. As well as selecting materials responsibly with low embodied energy, easy reuse and from sustainable sources. We’re trying to encourage and improve bio diversity by replacing previously lost habitats with green walls/green roofs as well as reintroducing landscaping.
To help you on the way to reaching your green goals, we’re offering one lucky Big Yellow Self Storage fan a chance to win a brand new Eco HD TV. This Eco Panel TV will save you money off your electricity bill, saving you up to 45% of your TV’s energy consumption, compared to a conventional LCD TV, and on top of that, it looks fantastic!
To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize, head over to the Big Yellow Self Storage Facebook Page and answer our question:
What’s the Big Yellow Self Storage strap line?
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Tags: big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, boxes, business storage, clutter, de-clutter, declutter, eco, fine wine storage, furniture storage, hd, lcd, music storage, personal storage, prizes, self storage, self storage blog, Self Stroage, storage, storage solution, student storage, tv, UK storage, water storage, win, wine storage
Posted in Features, News | Comments
Thursday, February 11th, 2010
As part of Big Yellow Self Storage’s ongoing CSR efforts, we’ve been working with the HR and Operations team to raise awareness of the social and environmental impacts of our business. After our company policy was distributed to all stores in 2008 and presented during the annual 2009 Spring Conference, all employee inductions now include an introduction to our CSR objectives.
One of the interactive aspects of this policy is the recent Employee Work Travel project, which took the shape of an Intranet-based survey in Autumn 2008. It covered a variety of questions to help build a profile of the distance people travelled to and from work, how much business travel was carried out during working hours and the different modes of transport use.
Employee response came back at a very impressive 85%, indicating that prior education had been successful, as well as an existing level of interest and concern for the environment.
The estimated total carbon footprint of employee travel has been increasing year on year due to the development of new stores, as well a growing employee numbers. In 2007, 191 employees produced 422 tonnes of CO2, whereas in 2009, 230 produced 524 tonnes.
As this forms one of largest contributions to Big Yellow Self Storage’s overall carbon footprint, this was an area we wanted tackle in earnest. Once the findings from the employee feedback have been reviewed in more detail by the CSR Committee, the company will be able to develop new strategies to achieve this.
This could include making greener travel easier or more appealing by installing showers or secure cycle racks in more stores, encouraging the use of public transport. Additionally, steps like providing employees with water bottles could vastly reduce this carbon output, as purchasing bottled water en route is one of the biggest contributors to unnecessary waste.
Travel plans are already implemented where traffic congestion in inner city or urban environments are an issue and transport plans can offer information on modes of transport other than the car. But now Big Yellow Self Storage wants to broaden the scope of this to produce a reduction of carbon output for employee work travel for 2010.
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Tags: big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, boxes, business storage, byss, clutter, collectibles, containers, de-clutter, declutter, fine wine storage, furniture storage, music storage, personal storage, self storage, self storage blog, Self Stroage, storage, storage solution, storage uk, student storage, UK storage, wine storage
Posted in Features | Comments
Thursday, February 4th, 2010
United Haitians in the United Kingdom (UHUK) is seeking out donations of shoes, candles, tents, electrical lanterns, sleeping bags, tablets for clean drinking water, school and medical supplies to send to the many affected Haitian areas. We’ve set up donation drop off points at several Big Yellow Self Storage locations to support the donation drive. All donations from the above categories will be gratefully received at the locations below:
Big Yellow Self Storage Donation Drop Off Points:
North London: Big Yellow Self Storage Finchley East
South West London: Big Yellow Self Storage Hounslow
South East London: Big Yellow Self Storage Kennington
Reading: Big Yellow Self Storage Reading
Birmingham: Big Yellow Self Storage Birmingham
If you’d like to make a monetary contribution you can do so through the UHUK website. All donations received will go directly to UHUK’s Earthquake Relief fund. Financial donations can be done securely online via their PayPal account.
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Tags: appeal, big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, boxes, business storage, de-clutter, declutter, donate, earth, fine wine storage, furniture storage, haiti, News, personal storage, quake, self storage, self storage blog, Self Stroage, storage, storage solution, student storage, wine storage
Posted in Charities, News | Comments
Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010
Whether you’re a hoarder, just a collector of gorgeous and vintage clothes or buy more than you should, keeping your clothes and collectables in tip top condition is key to having an extensive wardrobe.
General wear and tear and poor storage can damage clothing and shorten the lifespan of your favourite frock. Here’s some top tips on storing your clothes and keeping them in mint condition:
- Before you pack anything away, make sure it’s dust free and clean
- Don’t cram too much into a box as fabrics need to breathe. Make sure the boxes aren’t packed too tightly
- Refold items regularly to prevent dust settling
- Self storage facilities offer the perfect temperature and darkness
- Don’t store fabrics against wood and bear in mind that certain fabrics need specific care i.e. use muslin or acid free tissue between delicate fabrics for added protection
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Tags: big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, boxes, business storage, clothing, clutter, de-clutter, declutter, fabrics, fine wine storage, furniture storage, packing fabrics, personal storage, safely, self storage, self storage blog, Self Stroage, storage, storage solution, storing clothes, student storage, UK storage, vintage, wardrobe, wine storage
Posted in Tips and Tricks | Comments
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
The New Year inspires many of us, with resolutions ranging from losing weight to cutting down on liquid merriment. Your home could also benefit from some of this post-Hogmanay energy, so why not actually sort out the mess that is your spare room, or finally put away those dusty vinyls that haven’t been played in years? To help you out, there are plenty of online resources where you can find great advice on creative storage solutions for every facet of your home. See our cream of the crop below.
Unclutterer is blog about getting organised. It offers impartial advice on removing clutter and streamlining your home. There’s even a forum where you can discuss your storage needs with other members who will be only too happy to answer your queries – no topic too strange!
Swiss-Miss is a design blog that provides innovative design ideas and news. Not all are home related, but its interesting stuff and well worth adding to your RSS feed for cutting edge design and storage ideas
Storage Solutions is an independent blog written by a storage obsessive! She posts at least once a month and always has some interesting ideas about niche storage topics like storing your Christmas presents
Kitchn as the name suggests is a Kitchen blog offering advice to the budding domestic goddess, or god for that matter. Much of the posts are related to cookery, but storage in the kitchen is also covered on a regular basis. So if you want to know about the future of spice racks, have a read!
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Tags: big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, bloggers, boxes, business storage, clutter, de-clutter, declutter, declutter bloggers, declutter tips, decluttering, fine wine storage, furniture storage, how to declutter, music storage, personal storage, self storage, self storage blog, storage, student storage, UK storage, wine storage
Posted in Features | Comments
