Posts Tagged 'storage solution'

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Tips & Tricks: How To Organise Your Garage

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

Garages can fast become an area of your home where items just get thrown into simply because there’s no other place for them or they haven’t been organised properly. Sifting through these can be a real time investment purely because you may find bits and pieces that you forgot you even had! Here are some top storage solutions to keep your garage organised and stop it from becoming cluttered.

First of all you should divide your items into different sections depending on what you decide to keep, store or throw away which will help reduce the amount of items that you have to find a new home for and act as an incentive to clear out the junk.

Adding open or closed shelving to your garage will clear away many items such as small paint tins that get cluttered on the ground into a safer area. Which type of shelving you go for depends on what need to get out of the space as open shelves make it easier to find items and much easier to grab the ones you need. Closed shelving or cabinets may give your garage a cleaner look but can restrict lighting; you’ll also have to remember where you’ve stored items to make it work. Placing a label on the door listing the contents inside will make it easier for you to find what you’re looking for.

Bins are a useful garage storage solution for certain things such as sports equipment because footballs, rugby balls and cricket bats can be kept together without a great deal of effort. Small bins can group similar small items but avoid getting too many large bins for your garage as it will be easy to throw items in without organising them and will just build up with clutter.

For all those items that you don’t want to throw away but aren’t being used at the moment you can place these into self storage. To find out how you can benefit from self storage visit us in any of our stores or our Quote and Reserve online page to get started.

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Did You Know You Can Store Files In The Cloud?

Thursday, September 2nd, 2010

Did you know you can store computer files online without them taking up space on your computer? When you store items online it’s called ‘Cloud Storage’ or ‘The Cloud’ and can often act as a cheaper alternative to buying additional hard drives for your computer.

What makes cloud storage so useful is if you’re connected to the internet, you can access your files. It doesn’t matter what your location is or what computer you’re using. There are different forms of cloud storage; private clouds, public and hybrid which make it easy to store documents for you and share with others if they’re too large to fit in an email.

Unfortunately Big Yellow can’t store your physical items in our ‘Cloud’ yet but you can store your household items in our self storage rooms 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. If you’re interested to find out how you can benefit from our self storage facilities, visit our Quote and reserve online page to get started.

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At Home’s ‘Save Space’ Series: The Best Zones To Save Space Around The Kitchen

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

We’ve teamed up with our friends at home magazine to give you top advice on personal storage solutions. Stay tuned as we’ll be bringing you more ideas to save space and declutter for all areas of your home……

Welcome to the second installment of at home’s ‘Get Some Space in Your Life’ series with some great advice from leading personal storage experts at Big Yellow Self Storage.

at home have already looked at space saving tips for your living room and we’re going to continue to bring you personal storage solutions about how to declutter in all areas of your home, including the bedroom, garden and ideas to maximise space to make working at home more successful. Planning the perfect space in the kitchen is like creating the perfect menu. You can create space by throwing out products that are out of date or no longer in use and keep the best ingredients to maintain the great look.

Three space saving tips for your kitchen

Organising Kitchen Cupboards
Kitchen cupboards can be a main area of frustration as jars can easily clutter and build up with every shopping trip. There are some easy ways to organise the clutter that spice jars, canned goods and other items create before they quickly multiply.

Transferring spices from there original packaging into small sized jars and labeling them by hand can free up a large amount of space and make them stackable. Keeping canned items in one cupboard area and assigning one shelf for each type can keep them organised and easy to reach. Any other space you create can be used to store pasta or boxes of food.

Clearing the Clutter Under the Sink
The area underneath your kitchen sink can quickly become cluttered and make it hard to find anything you need. Overtime the area is piled full of items such as cleaning products or washing detergent and every time you to try to pull a product out, five others fall out with it. Sorting under the sink can make it much easier to find items and have a completely de-cluttered area.

Get rid of any products that you don’t need, if it’s so old that you can’t even read the label or no longer use then don’t hesitate to throw them away. If you haven’t used a particular item in a while, then chances are you’re not going to use it again anytime soon. Hanging on to these products will just collect more clutter and take up more free space that could be used. For the items you decide to keep, sort them out by category to make them easy to find out them all later.

Organising Kitchen Drawers
Drawers are the messiest place in any kitchen with items simply getting chucked in. The answer to stop all your drawers from becoming overly cluttered is by making space for one drawer that can store a mixture of items. This can store scissors, various utensils, stamps and any other items that end up jumbled together. A single drawer used for these items can make the whole kitchen feel de-cluttered.

Dividing the drawer into different sections and assigning an item to each one will create space and make things easier to find. It’s also a great excuse to throw away any old, broken or unused items.

Storing Utensils
Utensils such as spatulas, ladles and whisks can be a major cause of clutter in the kitchen as they can get left on the counter or mixed up in a drawer. When items are mixed together, sharp objects can cause injury if you’re in a hurry and don’t look carefully when reaching inside. Keeping utensils organised and tidy is a great way to avoid accidents and make cooking a lot smoother. Storing these large utensils in a wide pot that matches the design of your kitchen will keep them organised and easy to reach.

Invest in a drawer that has different components for each type of silverware including forks, knives and spoons. This will keep your entire set of cutlery from becoming mixed with each other and make them easily accessible.

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Tips & Tricks: Maximise The Space In Your Bathroom

Friday, August 20th, 2010

We tend to spend a lot of time decorating our bathrooms but more often than not toiletries begin to take over and outgrow their storage spaces with extra clutter. You can make great use of all the areas of your bathroom to help store items in the most efficient way regardless of the size. A great way to start clearing the clutter and maximising the space is by throwing away any items that have expired or products that you no longer use.

Shelves are a versatile storage solution that match any décor and can be added to a blank wall space which will give you the opportunity to find a place for items in your bathroom. Corner shelves are very useful to maximise the space in the corner of your bathroom and be purchased ready-made from household retailers.

Wicker baskets are practical, provide simple storage solutions and can aid in the décor of your bathroom. They’re portable and can be placed on open spaces around your room, although you don’t want to cover every available space with a basket. With these you’ll be able to store a variety of different large or small items as they come in many different shapes and sizes.

Adding a storage cabinet that goes above your toilet is a great way to make use of the dead space that is often left empty. It will give you lots of extra space to store items such as soap, toilet tissue and hand towels.

The back of the door is an area which many don’t realise is a great storage space. You can purchase hangers which clip on to the top of the door or even paint the door with magnetic paint. This space can be used to hang towels and store other items while maintaining the attractive look of the door.

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Win A Playstation 3 With The New Toy Story Game

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

We’re giving you the chance to win a Playstation 3 console bundle with the new Toy Story 3 video game. It’s a great combination for any video game addict or for anyone who just wants to relive the story from the new film.

You can play as Woody, Buzz or Jessie to become the Sheriff of Toyland Town and explore the entire Toy Story universe as you play in the sandbox. Go to ‘infinity and beyond’ while recreating the events of Toy Story 3 with all the new characters and adventures! Click below to enter our competition.

To get your hands on this fantastic prize all you have to do is head over to the Competition Tab on Big Yellow’s Facebook page and answer this question:

What is the name of the sheriff in Toy Story?
a. Woody
b. Andy
c. Rex

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How To Make The Most Of Your Garden Space This Summer

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

The summer is a great time to enjoy your garden, the weather is good and your flowers are blooming. At this time of year there can be a lot of maintenance that needs to be done and you might decide to spruce up the design.

The sites below will provide you with lots of tips and tricks to keep your garden in great condition, regardless of what the size is.

Royal Horticultural Society – a charity founded in 1804 that is dedicated to promoting gardening and horticulture. They’re famous for flower shows which are open to the public but their website offers advice for a novice to the experienced gardener. The site is frequently updated with seasonal tips and handy help along with an online community which features a forum for expert advice.

Gardeners World is the online version of the monthly magazine which is in partnership with the BBC television programme of the same name. It’s a popular programme and has become an established online source offering seasonal advice, practical projects and blog posts which are updated regularly by gardening experts.

Garden Advice has excellent tips on everything from building decking to lawn care. The site has many projects for town, city and country gardens that will inspire you to create a fantastic area.

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Tips & Tricks: How To Make Space For Your Tools

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

You can be creative with tool storage and build your own cabinets but there are also many simple storage ideas that will help you keep your tools in good condition and ready when you need them.

A toolbox is a great solution for the all round handyman that only occasionally tries his hand at DIY. There’s a range of different sizes and they are portable which makes it easier to take all your tools with you as they always stay in one location.

If you have the space, a storage rack can keep your tools organised and make it very easy to find what you need effortlessly. To create one of these, all you need is a board which is fitted to a clear wall. Attach various hooks, baskets and mount bars to it to hold your tools in place. With all of the tools hanging in front of you, finding the right piece of equipment only takes seconds.

Alternatively use a cabinet to keep your tools out of sight when not in use. They can also add to your overall storage area in your garage or home as these can give you added depth without clutter being on display. Additional space can be made by installing hooks or bars on the inside of the cabinet doors.

If you have a lot of tools that seem to be taking over, you might want to consider a storage shed. A dedicated home for all of your tools with built in storage racks and cabinets can help ease tensions at home.

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At Home’s ‘Save Space’ Series: The Best Zones To Save Space Around The Home

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

We’ve teamed up with our friends at home magazine to give you top advice on personal storage solutions over the next six weeks. Stay tuned as we’ll be looking at how you can save space and declutter in all areas of your home……

Welcome to the first installment of at home’s ‘Get Some Space in Your Life’ series with some great advice from leading personal storage experts Big Yellow Self Storage. Over the next six weeks, the at home team will be bringing you personal storage solutions about how to declutter in all areas of your home, including the living room, bedroom and garden.

It’s important to remember that keeping a tidy mind means keeping a tidy home. You can create space through natural palettes in design or decluttering style choices throughout your home – decluttering regularly will help you keep it looking brand new.

Four space saving tips for your living room

Tip 1. Newspapers & Magazines
We’ve all had a special 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 these ‘we were there’ moments or how this event has touched our life that makes the edition important to us.

The biggest problem when it comes to storing paper keepsakes are pests! Here’s how to ward off any unwanted visitors and ensure your papers stay in excellent condition for years:

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 make sure it doesn’t touch the papers.

4. Monitor your papers occasionally, checking for both pests and mold.

Alternatively, by putting these into self-storage can put your mind at rest from pesky critters destroying your keepsakes.

Before you decide to store those magazines, you need to ask yourself:

• Are these magazines 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 from time to time or are you happy to put them away and letting them sleep in a cool, dark place?

• Are your magazines valuable or more sentimental?

• Do you want to keep them in pristine condition for 40 years or 400 years?

Tip 2: DVDs
DVDs have a habit of accumulating around the TV and before you know it, they’re all mixed up and in the wrong cases – so when you want to find The Dark Knight, you end up with Legally Blonde. Not ideal. Investing in a DVD rack is a smart way to avoid this potential catastrophe and will also minimise clutter. Another solution is to do away with DVD cases altogether and store your discs in a CD wallet which you can arrange by genre.

Tip 3: Books
The main focus should be to store your books in a way that will give the bindings and covers the support for efficient use of the self-storage space. If there is room left on your bookshelf, make sure to place a bookend or another heavy object against the last book. This will help to hold your books upright, preventing any bowing or bending. You will also need to consider storing them in places where the books won’t be exposed to direct sunlight, moisture, or heat as serious temperature changes can cause major damage to fragile book bindings, pages, and covers.

One final tip to keep in mind is to rotate your books every once in a while by swapping some of the books that are at the ends of the shelf for ones in the middle. By doing this you are avoiding placing any long-term stress on any one book.

Tip 4: Photographs
To store photographs properly, make sure you use the right type of albums. Do not place old photographs (or any photographs for that matter) in albums that are magnetic or of the ‘stick and peel’ variety. Over time, the plastic, cardboard, paper and glue found in such albums will only damage your photos. Instead, invest in albums which are guaranteed and labeled as free of acids. Use a permanent black marker on the back of the photographs to identify the time, occasion and the people or subjects in the photo. Make sure to write with a soft grip, so as to not leave any marks or indentations on the pictures.

If you don’t want to put your photographs in albums or frames, then you can use plastic sleeves or bags which are PVC-free. Another option in place of plastic sleeves or bags is layering each photograph with sheets of acid-free paper or cardboard.

For all of your packing needs and to find out how you can benefit from self storage, visit bigyellow.co.uk to get started.

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Tips & Tricks: De-Cluttering Your Home

Friday, July 30th, 2010

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.

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Big Yellow Self Storage Reading Helps The Pottinger Family After Lorry Smash

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

Our Reading store has come to the aid of the Pottinger family after they were left devastated when a runaway lorry crashed into their house. The chaos started when a lorry rolled down the road hitting a lamp post and a car along the way before crashing into their home leaving a trail of destruction.

The damage to the house has meant the family will have to move out for up to 3 months into temporary accommodation. To help move the family’s belongings, our staff have been to see the family to donate boxes and help them pack up their items. Daniel Robinson from our Reading branch was quoted in the local newspaper, “We are a local business and are always looking for ways to help our community.

“After having read the article [in the Reading Post newspaper] we really felt for this family and wanted to be of assistance, so provided them with a supply of free boxes to help get them sorted.”

The Pottinger family home has been severely damaged as it was shunted backwards with the kitchen partly moved through the wall into the living room, the downstairs toilet has been crushed and the flooring at the back of the living room has come away from the wall.

It is thought the driver of the 18-tonne lorry left the handbrake off or knocked it as he got out of the vehicle to visit nearby offices. Luckily no-one was in the house at the time as the only person inside had left minutes before truck hit.

Sarah Bishton, spokeswoman for Reading Borough Council, said: “We are putting the family in alternative, suitable accommodation while the necessary work takes place to make the property safe and secure.”

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