Self Storage Blog » furniture storage

Moving House Doesn’t Need to be Stressful

Big Yellow Blogger — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 09:00:45 +0000

Moving to a new home can be a very exciting time but it can also be very stressful. Here are some top tips to take the stress out of moving home.

The first thing to do around your home in the months and weeks leading up to your move is decide what you don’t want to take with you. As the fewer items you have to take, the easier the move will become.

Every other night, take 15-20 minutes going around areas of your home sorting through your belongings that you want to take with you. Not only will this reduce the amount of items but it will make your home more organised.

It’s always good to pack items that you don’t use regularly in advance of your move, as this will allow you to take your time. Start in one room packing up the items that you won’t need until you’ve moved into your new home. When packing, make sure you seal that boxes and you clearly label the contents and which room they belong in.

Once you’ve packed your boxes with items that you won’t need, it’s great to get them out of the way. This will help clear space around your home and keep it organised. You could use one of our self storage rooms to hold your belongings so you don’t have to worry about moving everything in one day.

If you want to find out how you can take the stress out of moving by using self storage, visit www.bigyellow.com to get started.

Create a Minimalist Home

Big Yellow Blogger — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 07:49:29 +0000

Becoming a minimalist at home can help you to reduce stress as there is much less clutter, mess and your home will be much easier to clean. Becoming a minimalist isn’t about giving up the things that you need, it’s about keeping only the essentials in your home to live comfortably.

It can help you save space, time and money because you won’t be spending on unnecessary items. Here are some top tips to help you become a minimalist at home.

The main element of becoming a minimalist is removing all of the items that you don’t need around your home. You will need to be ruthless and let go of the items that will cause clutter and mess. Start with your wardrobe as many people allow clothing to pile up in their closets and it can get even worse if nothing is done about it.

Your furniture in each room should serve a specific purpose and if you have any items that you don’t use, remove them. The less furniture you have the better! This doesn’t mean you need to be less comfortable, just make use of the furniture you have.

Go around the rooms in your house and check your belongings and ask yourself whether you could live without the items you find. If you say yes, then you can get rid of them or move them into one of our storage rooms if you can’t bring yourself to get rid of them permanently. Anything you find placed on floors other than furniture should be removed as you shouldn’t store anything on the floors of your home.

We often allow things to take up space in our cabinets and drawers but you should get rid of anything you don’t need. Make use of the space created by keeping items out of sight from around your home that you want to keep.

To have a minimalist home, everything will need to have its own place all of the time. If you’re not sure where something belongs then give it a home and make sure it returns here when you clean.

To find out how you can benefit from self storage to create a minimalist home, visit our Quote and Reserve Online page to get started.

Tips & Tricks: De-Cluttering Your Home

Big Yellow Blogger — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 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.

New Eco-Friendly Store in Camberley

Big Yellow Blogger — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 09:30:53 +0000

We’re very proud to announce that we’ve opened a brand new state of the art store in Camberley, Surrey on 24th January 2011. The new store maintains the high standards of energy-efficiency set by our other stores and is bordered by landscaping and a pedestrian cycle lane.

As well as creating several permanent new jobs in the Surrey Heath area, the new store features a number of eco-friendly elements. The additions include solar panels and energy efficient lighting, which are set to be rolled out across other stores as part of our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint in the future.

The area has been regenerated thanks to the bio-diverse landscaping and work to make sure that the local cycle lane continues around its perimeter. The store has been rated ‘A’ for Energy Performance with just 3% of the store requiring heating and cooling. Meaning that our customers are guaranteed the best in eco-friendly storage!

To book and reserve online at our Camberley store visit us at: http://www.bigyellow.co.uk/store/Camberley-self-storage/

Reception opening hours

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

New Year, New Home

Big Yellow Blogger — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 10:00:03 +0000

The New Year brings many resolutions such as starting a diet, finding a new job, decorating the home or deciding to move. Although you don’t have to move to create a new home for yourself as rearranging furniture and decorating can give your living space a fresh feel, if you have decided to move house then it’s important to make sure you’re not under-prepared.

If you’re moving or thinking of giving the home a makeover in the New Year you can find inspiration from magazines, websites and our blog to create a fresh look. If you find something you like then you can clip out the articles from magazines or print them off and keep a file of ideas to use for future reference.

Painting and decorating a room can dramatically change its appearance, but so can doing something different with your existing furniture. Go through your home looking at items of furniture and accessories that you love. List the items you no longer like because you could free up space by selling, donating or storing them. This will allow you do more with the furniture that remains.

Moving day can be an exciting but daunting task. The key to making the move smoother is organisation. The more you do in advance of the move, the easier it will become. Before you move you will need to declutter your house thoroughly and think ahead. Some items of furniture or accessories may not be suitable for the style or fit in certain areas of your new house.

When packing make sure items from different rooms aren’t boxed together and are clearly labelled on both sides. Ensure you protect breakables by packing them in bubble wrap and labelling the box as ‘Fragile’. For smaller items you can keep them in the drawers of wardrobes and cabinets to make sure they stay in one place.

For all of your moving or storage needs, including storage boxes and bubble wrap visit us in store or order online at our online box shop.

Christmas Without The Clutter

Big Yellow Blogger — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 10:46:19 +0000

During the Christmas period your home can go from a humble abode to looking like a tip in a matter of days. The main cause of this is adding seasonal decorations to your home which can increase your home’s clutter. In the run-up to Christmas we’ll be providing solutions so you can celebrate Christmas without the clutter, suggesting gift ideas for around the home that will provide great storage solutions and give you reason to celebrate without the mess.

When decorating your home make sure you remove everyday items that are being replaced by Christmas decorations. It’s a good idea to place the everyday items in the boxes that usually hold your decorations or place them in storage. That way you know where they are and you can easily put them back when removing the decorations after Christmas.

If you’re keeping presents in the home for friends and family that aren’t coming to visit you could keep them out of the way in storage. It’s a safe and secure option that will allow you to keep areas clear and make extra space available. When it’s time to go and visit them, all you need to do is simply grab the items.

Decorations at Christmas can lose their appeal and clutter up your space if you do too much. More decorations doesn’t necessarily mean your home looks better. If you find that you have many left over after cutting back on the number of decorations you’re using, you could donate them for someone else to make use of.

To find out more information about how you can benefit from self storage during the Christmas period, visit www.bigyellow.co.uk/personal to get started.

Tips & Ticks: Using Self Storage While Studying Abroad

Big Yellow Blogger — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 10:40:28 +0000

Having the chance to study abroad can be a once in a lifetime opportunity as you become immersed in learning about another culture but there is often the issue of what to do with your belongings. Many items you have you will want to keep but not necessarily take with you while travelling. Here are some tips for if you’re thinking of studying abroad and want to avoid the hassle of transporting all your goods with you.

When you’re trying to pack the essential items to take abroad with you it may seem like an impossible task to fit everything into one or two suitcases. Firstly find out what your airline’s baggage limits are as you won’t want to pay an unexpected charge for going over the limit. Secondly, many halls of residence have limited storage facilities, meaning you could be left with a very cluttered room.

While you’re abroad you can also make the most of travelling in the location in which you’re situated. Whether it is Europe or the US, carrying extra baggage with you is going to slow you down.

To find out more information about how you can benefit from self storage and take advantage our 25% student discount while you study abroad, visit www.bigyellow.co.uk/personal to get started.

Theres over 350 Prizes to Win with Big Yellow’s Christmas Advent Calendar

Big Yellow Blogger — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 17:00:03 +0000

Over the next 25 days until Christmas we will be giving you the chance to win prizes everyday on our Advent Calendar! We will be giving away over 356 prizes exclusively to members of our Facebook page with a grand prize of an XBox 360 console and Kinect, which allows your own body to become the controller. The 360 Kinect camera tracks your movement, recognises your voice, scans objects into games, and works with every Xbox 360.

We will also be giving away gift vouchers for iTunes, IKEA, Homebase, Amazon and offering a 25% discount at Big Yellow Self Storage so you’ll be sure to find something to treat yourself! You can even increase your chances of winning by inviting your friends to take part.

To be in with a chance of winning any of these fantastic prizes visit the Advent Calendar tab on the Big Yellow Self Storage Facebook page.

Tips & Tricks: What To Do If You’re Moving Abroad

Big Yellow Blogger — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 15:54:29 +0000

Moving to another country can be extremely exciting but can also be very stressful if you don’t have everything under control – follow these tips and tricks to ensure your move goes smoothly:

To pack your things for shipping, use sturdy boxes and label each side so you know what is in every box, making it easier to unpack in your new home. For a full range of boxes and packing equipment visit our Boxes Etc page or visit your local Big Yellow store.

Keep all the things you will need to access immediately separate such as passports, travel documents and tickets. Shipping can take a few weeks, so ensure you pack enough clothes and necessities in your suitcase so you can access your essentials from the minute you arrive in your new country.

If you are downsizing your home, then you will have to get rid of some of your belongings, or use storage for the things that you don’t want to throw away. Large electrical items such as fridges, washing machines, dishwashers etc may be quite expensive to ship out and it is likely that your new home will already be fitted with these. If you do not want to get rid of these appliances, consider putting them in self storage.

At Big Yellow Self Storage you can be sure your belongings will be safe. Not only do we have 24 hour digital CCTV, but every room has its own alarm for your piece of mind. We have coded electronic gates, perimeter fencing, smoke detectors and fire alarms to protect your belongings. To find out how you could benefit from self storage go to Quote and Reserve Online or visit us in store.

Did You Know England Invented The Concept Of Self Storage?

Big Yellow Blogger — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 11:05:52 +0000

Did you know the British banking industry came up with the idea of self storage? In the 1800’s business men about to go on long journeys asked bankers to protect their valuables for them until they returned. The bankers stored their clients possessions inside the vault, but this space quickly ran out resulting in the bankers finding an alternative storage solution, renting loft space from moving companies instead.

However it wasn’t until the mid 1960’s in Texas that self storage facilities as we know them today were born. The concept was instantly successful and was quickly replicated across the rest of America and Canada.

England was slow to react and didn’t adopt self storage for the general public until the late 1980’s. There were many risks involved for early entrepreneurs who developed the self storage industry in the UK. Land prices were much more expensive in England than the US, due to limited space. It cost in the region of two to three million pounds to set up a self storage business in the UK and there was no proof it would be profitable. The public were slow to take to the idea of self storage, but eventually as British lives changed, the risks paid off for the early developers of self storage and the businesses grew to into the thriving industry we know today.

At Big Yellow Self Storage we know there are lots of ways people could benefit from using our self storage rooms. To find out more visit us in store or go to Quote and Reserve Online today.