Friday, October 22nd, 2010
National Declutter Week kicks off this Saturday 23 October until Sunday 31 October and is a great chance for the entire nation to get rid of some rubbish.
With the kids off school for half term and Christmas just around the corner, there has never been a better time to make a start on decluttering. Set aside a day to clear out your home and realise the benefit of a clutter free home.
Big Yellow Self Storage has taken inspiration from National Declutter Week and compiled five top tips for de-cluttering your home from our self storage blog archive:
1. Tackle the task section by section, otherwise it can seem too overwhelming. Ensure you finish each part before you move on to the next
2. Throw out all the bottles, toothbrushes and soaps etc which are old or empty and only keep the essential toiletries on display in your bathroom
3. Keep a basket by the front door for shoes which are worn everyday and put any shoes which are worn less often away in the wardrobe or under the bed
4. Be ruthless when clearing out your wardrobe – if you have not worn an item for over a year, sell it or donate it to charity
5. Install good habits into your children; make them throw out an old toy every time they get something new
As National Declutter Week coincides with half term, it would be a good idea to get the children to help out. Give them each a small task and reward them once they have completed their job, with a treat or a trip out to the park or cinema. Remind your children that they will be getting lots of new toys for Christmas and encourage them to donate toys which they no longer use to charities. You could turn decluttering into a game if you have more than one child, challenging them to see who can find the most toys to give away.
Whilst the children are busy clearing their clutter, use the time to tidy one of the rooms in the house. Label four boxes with a marker: ‘keep’, ‘sell’, ‘donate’ and ‘throw out’. For all the items that you cannot bear to part with, consider using self storage.
Big Yellow Self Storage can help with all your storage needs, whether you would like to rent one of our self storage rooms or just need some extra storage boxes or vacuum storage bags to store your stuff in. Visit us in store or order online at our online box shop.
Tags: armadillo self storage, at home, big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, boxes, clutter, containers, de-clutter, declutter, furniture storage, personal storage, self storage, self storage blog, storage solution
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Thursday, September 30th, 2010
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.
Tags: big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, boxes, business storage, byss, clean, clutter, collectibles, de-clutter, declutter, fine wine storage, furniture storage, personal storage, self storage, self storage blog, Self Stroage, storage, storage solution, student, student storage, tips and tricks, UK storage, wine storage
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Wednesday, September 15th, 2010
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.
Tags: big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, boxes, business storage, byss, clean, clutter, collectibles, de-clutter, declutter, furniture storage, personal storage, self storage, self storage blog, Self Stroage, storage, storage solution, student storage, UK storage, wardrobe, wine storage
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Friday, July 9th, 2010
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
Tags: big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, boxes, byss, clutter, de-clutter, declutter, eco, furniture storage, High Wycombe, personal storage, self storage, self storage blog
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Tuesday, June 8th, 2010
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.
Tags: big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, byss, declutter, furniture storage, personal storage, self storage, self storage blog, storage, storage solution
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Friday, June 4th, 2010
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.
Tags: amazon, auction, big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, boxes, business storage, clutter, collectibles, de-clutter, declutter, ebay, furniture storage, gumtree, online, personal storage, self storage, self storage blog, selling, sites, storage, storage solution, student storage, UK storage
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Wednesday, May 26th, 2010
If you’ve just bought a new house, you might be worried about moving some of your most prized possessions. Not even insurance will restore those broken ornaments, chipped paintings and other valuables, so you may need to find a better alternative in securing them.
One of the options is to use self storage to put your mind at ease and take a lot of the stress out of moving. It’s not only a place to keep valuable items until you find a place for them in your new home, but can also act as a stopgap if you need to carry out building work.
More and more, people are doing their own DIY, particularly with the economic climate as shaky as it is now. It might even be the case that you’re renovating your existing place in preparation to sell. Either way, renting a self storage unit will allow you to place any number of belongings in a safe place, while you carry out the work you need to. Once you are happy with the state of your home, you can then move the safely stored goods to wherever they need to go.
Whether you require a small closet space to store a few things or you need a bigger area to keep the entire inventory of house, an office or business archives – self storage can help. To find out how you can benefit from self storage, visit our Quote and reserve online page to get started.
Tags: big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, byss, collectibles, furniture storage, personal storage, self storage, self storage blog, storage solution
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Monday, May 24th, 2010
Spring is coming to an end, and summer is just around the corner. At this time of year, many people have spent weeks cleaning the house, de-cluttering, storing away stuff for safe keeping – and are feeling that air of change. If you’re planning to sell your home, the sites below will provide advice and gets things moving from your own front room.
Tepilo – Sarah Beeny’s smarter way to buy, sell or let a property. Though some people will always prefer to use an estate agent, for those that like to take control of the sale/rental of a property, this site simplifies and explains the whole process – which is often perceived as something more complicated than it really is.
Globrix - In 2008, Globrix.com launched as a joint venture with News International, the media company behind The Times, The Sun and The News of the World. Since then, Globrix.com has quickly grown to become an award winning property search engine, listing more UK properties to buy or rent than any other property site.
Rightmove – Rightmove.co.uk is the UK’s number one property website, aiming to be the place for UK home movers to find details of all properties available to buy or rent. It’s a more convenient and effective way for people to find their next home, including: up-to-date property information, available for free, accessible 24 hours a day to anyone with web access and far more complete in terms of number of properties and depth of detail.
Tags: big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, boxes, business storage, buying, clutter, collectibles, de-clutter, declutter, fine wine storage, furniture storage, Globrix, letting, lettings, personal storage, renting, rightmove, self storage, self storage blog, selling, storage, storage solution, student storage, tepilo, UK storage, wine storage
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Friday, May 21st, 2010
One of the most precious of childhood toys is the stuffed animal. It holds endless memories, attends countless tea parties and accompanies many kids everywhere they go. As such, when it’s time to put them away, a lot of attention needs to be paid to getting it right – whether it’s a short term or long term option.
First up – do you want to put them on display, or away for safe keeping? If it’s the former, you can use shelves to display the toys, bearing in mind that they’ll accumulate dust – so a boxed self storage room with doors might be a good option. Or, buy an easy to open toy box, though it’s important to consider safety when selecting furniture for a child’s room. Be sure that features such as height and weight are taken into consideration. You could also use a mesh laundry bag to keep toys off of the floor, or put smaller toys into the pockets of a shoe hanger for easy and visible storage.
If they’re being stored away from sight or in a self storage room, you can put unused stuffed animals in plastic bins with secure lids for easy storage in the attic or garage. If you purchase bins of the same size and shape, multiple bins may be stacked more efficiently and take up less space. Wrap antique bears or toys in acid-free tissue paper and store them in archival or acid-free boxes when not on display. Be careful not to over-stuff the boxes as this can matt or crush the fur.
You can find all manner of packing supplies at Big Yellow Self Storage to help keep your items in top condition when storing from plastic boxes to tissue paper. Visit our Box Shop online to view the range.
Have a handy tip to ensure precious keepsakes stand the test of time? Let us know your suggestions in the comments area below.
Tags: big yellow, Big Yellow Self Storage, boxes, business storage, childhood memories, children, clutter, collectibles, de-clutter, declutter, fine wine storage, furniture storage, personal storage, self storage, self storage blog, storage, storage solution, toys, UK storage, wine storage
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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.
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
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