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Top Tips: Recycling your old appliances & electronics

Big Yellow Blogger — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 10:21:15 +0000

What do you do when you’ve got to get rid of your white goods when they need changing? Get the council round to take them away? Take them to a landfill site? Are old mobile phones cluttering up your drawers? It’s always a bit of a headache to get rid of electronics or potentially environmentally damaging appliances. So why not give them a second chance at life by reading Big Yellow Storage’s top tips and tricks for recycling unwanted appliances:

1. Freecycle. Freecycle.org is a website that allows people to give their unwanted appliances, electronics and furniture to others within their surrounding community. When you have something you want to get rid of why not post it up on Freecycle.org, it is a free service so you won’t get money for your old fridge, but you will receive a clear conscience knowing you’ve done your little bit for the environment and your old appliance has gone to a new home.

2. Donate to an organisation. We’re always looking for ways to help those less fortunate then ourselves, so why not consider donating your unwanted appliances or electronics to a charity such as The British Heart Foundation or Oxfam. This way you are lending a helping hand to a worthwhile cause and getting rid of your unwanted item in an environmentally friendly way. Everyone wins.

3. Have a delivery service take it away. Companies such as Argos, Tesco and Currys offer to take away your old appliance when delivering your new one and dispose of it in an environmentally friendly way. Some organisations offer this as a complimentary service but others charge a small fee. If your reason for not recycling comes from having too busy a schedule then this could be the perfect option for you!

4. Use a recycling specialist company. There are certain companies that have dedicated themselves to recycling certain appliances. Envirofone, Mazuma and Mopay are services that offer cash for old, unwanted mobile phones. In the same vein, The Furniture Reuse Network lists the addresses of re-use charities in your local area. Donate a PC assigns computer hardware to charities and educational establishments in need of parts. And finally The Royal Mail has a scheme entitled Simply Drop in which they offer money in exchange for your old MP3s, mobile phones and digital cameras. All that remains is which one to pick.

5. Selling items on eBay. What better way to recycle your old appliance and make some extra money than to advertise your product on a site such as eBay. While waiting for responses your appliances can be placed in self storage outlets to avoid cluttering up your home. Visit us at www.bigyellow.co.uk to find out more about our self storage services.

Re-cycle your old appliance

Image courtesy of Rich Anderson

Big Yellow boxes up some help!

Big Yellow Blogger — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 12:28:08 +0000

Big Yellow Self Storage Ilford uses their space to help people in need again.

On August 3rd a fire ripped through a flat in Ilford. One of the occupants was hospitalized with spinal injuries following a dramatic leap from the window to safety. The fire was finally put out with the help of 30 fire fighters.

Having seen the dramatic pictures in last week’s Recorder, Assistant manager Charlotte Mier felt compelled to offer as much help as possible and despite having already used up the store’s charity budget arranged a free storage room and boxes.

After the blaze, the partner of the woman, understood to still be in hospital this week recovering from spinal injuries, said: “Fortunately, we are both alive, which is most important, but I would like to give out my personal thank you to the community for all their assistance”.

This is the second family that the store has helped this year due to fires.

Big Yellow Self Storage Bike Challenge

Big Yellow Blogger — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:01:06 +0000

On the 19th of August at 7am four of our staff members will be taking on an amazing feat for charity. The Big Yellow Fellows (Mike FitzGerald (the team leader), Richard Shubrook, Paul Holmes and Luke McLaughlin) will, along with badminton coach Stephanie Cartwright, be riding 191 miles visting 34 Big Yellow Self Storage stores within the M25. All this is in aid of national charity Get The Kids Going!

Get Kids Going! works to enable disabled young people to get involved in all kinds of sports, anything from powerlifting to tennis. They’re currently preparing for the London paralympic games in 2012.

The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Jane Emmerson, loves the idea. “It’s absolutely fantastic to see what the Big Yellow Fellow boys are doing – they are certainly putting themselves to the test! We receive no funding from the Government or the Lottery and rely solely on donations from public so the money that Mike and the team raise will directly boost GB medal hopes at next year’s Paralympics helping to buy much needed equipment and sports grants.”

The Big Yellow Fellows endurance cycle is one of six Olympic events they’ll be recreating this year. This is all part of the Gold Challenge. This initiative challenges the public to take part in Olympic and Paralympic events to raise money for sports charities and promote sports among young people.

Good luck to everyone on the Big Yellow Fellows team!

If you’d like to get involved in the cause then you can visit their donation page. All contributions, no matter how small, will be greatly appreciated. (If they reach £1000 then Mike will be having a leg wax. Just a little extra incentive for you there).

Did You Know that keeping a clean house can reduce your allergy symptoms?

Big Yellow Blogger — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 17:43:49 +0000

Did you know that you can control and even reduce your allergy symptoms just by having a clean house? There are an estimated 5.1 million people in the UK that suffer from asthma which is most commonly triggered by an allergy to the house dust mite which reside in the buildup of dust in your home.

In order to illuminate these, use allergy proof covers on cushions and bed linen or replace all carpets and rugs with wooden floorings. A simple and less expensive solution is to clean using a damp or static-charge cloth so that dust is not just stirred but removed completely-doing this regularly will minimise the opportunity for dust to gather in your home. Do away with large unwanted furniture and air rooms when cleaning to reduce the humidity of the room preventing damp and mold growth by decreasing the number of pollutants in the air.

Visit www.bigyellow.co.uk to find out more about how self storage can help reduce your allergy symptoms.

Stay Motivated While De-Cluttering

Big Yellow Blogger — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 08:39:55 +0000

Just like cleaning the bathroom – isn’t there always something else that’s more important to do rather than de-cluttering? As you squeeze another t-shirt into your already stuffed drawers, why not take the plunge and seriously deal with your personal storage?

Keep yourself entertained – Turn on your favourite tracks, switch on the radio and get busy with clearing up. Tackle the floor and surfaces first, then open up some cupboards and do a proper review. Starting with clothes in the bedroom should be easy… Just remember the six-month rule! You can keep special items with real, sentimental value in self storage units, see www.bigyellow.co.uk/personal.

Grab a regular cuppa – After the initial blitz, make yourself a cup of tea. Looking around with fresh eyes can often make all the difference. Personal storage at Big Yellow is ideal for all those things that you simply can’t bring yourself to throw away. Like your Mum’s old china? If you’re not using it for tea and cake, donate it to Charity or put it in storage for your own children.

Get your friends involved – to help and to donate to. Everyone knows that ‘Many hands make light work’. You’ll find that the things stored and cluttering up your rooms may be real treasures to someone else, and you can have a good catch up at the same time.

Change rooms regularly – by switching from room to room you can keep busy and cover the whole house. The home office can be the most difficult job. Visit www.bigyellow.co.uk as we can help with personal and business storage needs.

De-cluttering isn’t easy, but if you can keep your precious items safe in Big Yellow storage, there is real satisfaction and positivity created in having clean lines and empty surfaces in the home.

Image via shino 誌野 on Flickr

Armadillo charity helped in the Great Britain Rugby League All Stars Tournament

Big Yellow Blogger — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 09:43:44 +0000

John from Armadillo Self Storage in Hull recently attended in a rugby league tournament, which was held in memory of Tim Sage, popular Rugby League player for Hull KR, and amateur teams Beverley and Eureka.

Tim tragically died from cancer just before Christmas, leaving a wife who had just had her 12 week scan for her baby, now their beautiful daughter Hannah. The event aimed to raise money for the “Saggy” trust, and Armadillo’s own charity, Life for a Kid.

The tournament was held at Hull Rugby Union Club, and four teams participated, which involved all of Tim’s previous clubs and the Great Britain All-Stars, including Great Britain international players such as Paul Newlove, Andy Gregory, Gary Divorty and Anthony Sullivan.

The turnout for the tournament exceeded everyone’s expectations, with at least 1,500 people attending and queues for entry still forming two hours after the tournament had commenced.
With the Armadillo logo emblazoned on their now infamous shirts, the international players were more than happy to pose for photos with John and listen to the reasons why they had this unique addition to their kits.

In all, the tournament was an incredible success, however it is too early to tell the exact amount that was raised for the charities. The day was a fantastic way of seeing Armadillo’s charity work in action, and it is safe to say that the publicity raised for Life for a Kid, has been invaluable.

Armadillio are proud to support Life for a Kid, all from a chance meeting with founder Dean Hoggard, who was enquiring about the cost of storage space. To find out more about ‘Life for a Kid’ please visit their website at www.lifeforakid.com.

Tips and Tricks: Keeping Your Garage Clear of Clutter

Big Yellow Blogger — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 09:34:39 +0000

The garage is the go-to place for clutter in the average modern household. So much so that many people can hardly squeeze out of their cars due to the mountains of unwanted garden furniture and outgrown toys rest in the garage safe from the cold.

The garage can be a great place to store items but it has become a regular dumping ground to the average household and it is essential that space is made to enable vehicles to be stored in their rightful spaces instead.

With the help of Big Yellow Self Storage, you can sort through items in your garage and keep those that may not be needed at present, but will be used at some point, away from a space you are likely to access on a daily basis. Once you have cleared your garage of those items that are no longer needed, you can begin to arrange and organise the space so that you and your motor can fit in as well!

Use plastic crates and bins for large items which should be grouped according to type. This kind of storage is ideal for sports equipment as it provides protection as well as giving you easy access to what is inside.

If you don’t already have some, install shelving units in your garage. Either purpose build or DIY shelving works if you consider the following things: the size and the weight of what it is you’re storing. Remember smaller items can be placed within baskets and then onto shelves to reduce the space they take up. Also consider the amount of floor space you will need to access the car once it is in place.

Install cabinets and peg boards to house dangerous objects securely or use ceiling storage (pre-made or large S hooks) to keep heavy items out of the way. Again, carefully consider the weight of what you’re storing to ensure that it is safe, secure and unlikely to fall onto the vehicle you’re planning to protect in your garage.

Please keep checking this blog for more facts, tips and tricks on storage, and the website at http://www.bigyellow.co.uk/personal to get a free, personalised quote.

Tips and Tricks : Storing Sports Equipment

Big Yellow Blogger — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 11:27:06 +0000

Sports equipment is traditionally one of the most difficult things to store, as it tends to be rigid, and usually takes up a lot of space. For those with smaller sports equipment, just dumping balls, rackets, or a boxing kit into a bin or bucket is unsightly and not good for the equipment either.

In order to make full use of the space and equipment you have available to you, create an area in your garage or basement that can be used as a sports centre. You may even think about investing in a well-built storage system which you can use to store your sports equipment, as well as other clutter.

If you do not wish to splash out on a full storage system, there are alternative ways of storing different types of sports equipment. For example, ball claws are a clever, modern invention that you can attach to your walls, to hold onto footballs and basketballs, or for cricket bats, you could use a bat storage systems that usually rest over fence tops, making use of handy areas you would not usually consider for storage.

The list is endless including racket racks, and weight, rope and matt storage extensions or cages. Using these can help de-clutter your home or garage space as well as protect your expensive sports equipment from unnecessary damage in the long term.

If you need to store large sporting items such as children’s bicycles they have grown out of, goal posts, or even tennis nets you could benefit from investing in a Big Yellow Self Storage room of your own. Other cumbersome equipment such as skis, snowboards, surfboards and even yachting equipment could also benefit from a dedicated storage space.

We offer special deals at the moment for new customers of 50% off the first eight weeks. Do not let sporting clutter take over your life; please visit our website at www.bigyellow.co.uk/personal for further details.

All hands on deck: cleaning with kids

Big Yellow Blogger — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 14:03:20 +0000

Every parent has the same problem with young children getting sick of their toys, or simply growing out of them. The problem is that the house ends covered in toys rendered useless, and simply gathering dust. If this sounds familiar, and you cannot bear to just throw these expensive toys away then Big Yellow Self Storage are here to help.

We offer units in a range of sizes, starting from just ten square foot, so if you plan to have more children you can store these toys for them, instead of shelling out more money in the future. As well as saving you money, this can also help to reduce dust which clutter, such as toys, tends to gather.

Cleaning your home can become quite a chore when you have to do it on your own. Working with other people to clean and organise your home makes the bain of your life suddenly become a more manageable task, and with a few minutes of planning also a great family activity.

While children are on holiday for the summer, getting them to help with fun cleaning games, such as using sock puppets to make dusting fun. You could also incorporate cleaning into play by allocating time to create the sock puppets before the cleaning begins.

Racing is another engaging way to get family members on board. For this you will need to plan and prepare- set a task, establish your expectations and introduce any rewards and forfeits before the game begins so that everyone involved knows the rules and plays by them. A great example of this is to set the task of collecting 5 items from one room each and racing to be the first to put them back in their rightful place. Within 10 minutes the whole room will be clean. You could also incorporate relay style races and team races to vary the games week by week.

Musical cleaning is an excellent way to make chores entertaining and enjoyable. Create a circuit or running order of chores and establish individual starting points for each participant. Begin the music and explain that when the track changes you move on to the next chore.

A combined effort not only allows cleaning to be completed more quickly but it also means that you have combined two of what should be daily tasks into one. Keep checking back to our Big Yellow Blog for more tips and tricks on cleaning and de cluttering during the summer months. For self storage solutions that match all your needs, check out http://www.bigyellow.co.uk/personal.

Sock puppet via Pinprick on flickr

Big Yellow Self Storage staff visit English Institute of Sport, Sheffield

Big Yellow Blogger — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:07:36 +0000

Kirsty from Big Yellow Self Storage together with Trina and Kirstie from our Armadillo Stores watched UK medal hopefuls in action during a tour of the English Institute of Sport (EIS) in Sheffield.

The impressive lottery funded facility is big enough to cater for a wide variety of sports and features state of the art equipment. As well as being a tremendous asset for elite athletes, the Institute works on projects to bring sport into the community.

There were several presentations from the organizers of Team 2012, which gave an insight into the funding operation. The goal is to raise £25 million and £14 million has already been raised. The money raised will help fund equipment for over 1200 athletes across 47 sports.

Our Big Yellow and Armadillo staff were told about two key projects the Institute is promoting: table tennis and boxing. The Institute is funding a table tennis coach from world leaders China. Kirsty from Big Yellow got to see the coach in action and even play a game against medal hopeful Kelly Sibley.

Inside the boxing halls, they saw Natasha Jonas, reigning European champion, together with Luke Campbell and Anthony Ogogo practicing their style and technique. Boxing is a very well funded and popular sport. As part of the outreach project, mobile boxing rings are being used in communities with impressive results.

The day was a fantastic insight into the development of English sporting talent and a great way of seeing the Big Yellow sponsorship of Team 2012 in action. To find out more about our medal hopefuls and work at the Institute please visit their website.