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Organize and Maximize Your Outdoor Time

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Self-storage can help make your camping more organized.

With spring on our doorsteps, thoughts of camping trips are on many minds. Maximize the time you spend camping and lessen the work that goes into the set up with a few organization and storage tips from some long-time camping pros at our storage office.

Making yourself a couple of pre packed containers will help get out the door quickly for those spurs of the moment camping trips driven by great weather or a little extra time off.  Your first container will be non-perishable food, label it as such so there is no guessing what’s inside. The second container will have toiletries. And if you are tenting consider a third container.

Container one: non-perishable food. Think about quick and easy meals, dry soup mix, cereal in small, sealed containers, graham crackers and chocolate bars ready for smores night, trail mix, granola or protein bars, jerky, freeze dried meals, instant coffee, drink powders or shelf stable milk products.

Container two: Biodegradable toilet paper, Hand sanitizer, biodegradable shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste, quick drying towel, feminine products, a first-aid kit, or first-aid supplies.

If you are tenting consider a third container that has kitchen equipment like a can opener, tin foil, cutting board, knives, paper towel, weatherproof matches, or a BBQ lighter, cookware, travel mugs, utensils, a sharp knife, biodegradable dish soap, water bottles, trash bags, a dish towel and pot scrubber. This could mean doing a double up purchase, so you are not stealing from the kitchen.

Pro tip: If you are glamping or renting a condo somewhere have a kit on hand that contains, favorite spices, gravy mixes, cutting board, knives, dish cloth and tea towel, rope, corn holders, salt, pepper, and sugar because not every short-term rental comes with these items.

Happy Trails…

….. oh yes, now you don’t have to unpack these contains in colder months. Now, let’s consider where and when you are keeping all this summer camping gear during the cold months.

A 5 by 10 storage unit will hold a person’s camping gear.  Take some time and wipe down your tent, tarps, storage containers, and small equipment. If you found un-used items, its now time to think if they can come off your list for next summer.  Things like oars, water skis and life jackets can stand up in a corner of your storage unit in a laundry basket to keep them together. Pull out all batteries from lamps or other equipment to avoid damage from corrosion that can happen when these items sit.

Keep your heavy items at the bottom of your unit, putting the lighter containers or boxes on top to maximize your space.

A hint to help keep all your items dry over the winter months is to keep all those little silica packets that you find coming in nearly everything you purchase. Also to avoid musty smells consider hanging your tent and sleeping bags instead of storing them in their stuff sacks.

A little organization and storage wisdom will help get you get quickly on your way to your next adventure.

*Remember, if life takes you on the road long term, we have offices in Lacombe and Medicine Hat

Should You Store It?

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Can you store it?

Should you store it?

Whether your storage is in a basement, an attic, a garage or a storage unit don’t fill it with things you don’t really want or need. While we’re not going to tackle cleaning out your storage here (a topic for another day), ask yourself these questions before packing things away.

1) Do you need it? This sounds like a simple enough question, but how each of us answers this is highly individual. If you are making an effort to cut back on clutter, try to get real about what “need” means. Defining what is important to you is the first step to efficient storage.

2) Does it work? Don’t let your storage space become the place where broken things go to die! Stop telling yourself, “I’ll fix it one of these days”. If you don’t care enough about the item in question to get it fixed right away, it’s probably not worth keeping.

Broken Pocket Watch

Broken Watch

3) Is it clean? Storing clothing and other textile items without having them cleaned first can spell trouble. Moths and other critters are attracted to the dirt on textiles. And body oils will cause fabric to break down over time. Your best defense is to put only clean items into storage. Tools and outdoor equipment, including patio furniture, should also be cleaned before storing to avoid deterioration. If you find you need cleaners though, just head over to Uptown Laundry.

4) Is it yours? It’s amazing how much stuff we can accumulate from others. If you are storing the item in question for a relative or child, consider setting a limit and giving the item back rather than continuing to let it take up valuable storage space.

5) Are you saving it for family? When you save things for family like children or grandchildren, making decisions about what to keep can be a challenge. Often a small amount of carefully chosen and properly stored items can be far more meaningful (and welcome) than an attic’s worth of stuff. Tuck a note about where each piece came from or why it is important to help pass along the stories to the next generation.

6) Will it create a problem if stored? Perishables like food, pet food, plants and potting soils shouldn’t be put into storage as they can create problems by attracting bugs, mice and other pests. Ammunition, chemicals, fertilizers, fireworks and fuels also shouldn’t be stored as they will deteriorate, become unstable and create a fire hazard. These you can find in our Q&A page.

7) Is it irreplaceable? One-of-a-kind items, collectables, jewelry, family photos, and documents like birth certificates and passports should be kept in a safety deposit box or a safe in your home. While storage companies take every precaution to keep things safe and secure break-ins and violent weather can still impact these facilities. If you do need someone to talk to about antiques, Drayton Valley has a new antiques shop for you to check out.

The Mona Lisa

Mona Lisa

Feeling Overwhelmed While You Work At Home?

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Feeling overwhelmed while you work at home? Getting organized can help you take back some control and get clear on what work tasks should take priority. Not all of us have Marie Kondo’s instinct for organization, so where should you start?

  • First, find a separate space in you home for your home office. If you have no space choose a corner in the living room or take over the dining room. If you are considering making a work space in your bedroom, I recommend getting a room divider of some sort to separate the work area from the sleep area. Seeing your place of work while you are trying to wind down and trying to sleep is not good for you psychologically.

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Seller’s Remorse

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Kids, grandma is moving in. It will be so great to have her living here.
Jill speaking to husband – John: What are we going to do with all of mom’s belongings? It won’t fit in the house and she has so much.
John speaking to Mother-in-law – Ethel: Why don’t we have a garage sale before you move. Jill and I can help, and of course Cathy and Cindy being teenagers can also help. This will teach them how to negotiate. Read more

Wrapping, Joyful Or Not

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With Christmas so close, the wrapping paper starts coming out. Who does the work making these boxes with ribbons and bows look so beautiful? We asked our management team who gets wrapping detail at their home.  Read more

The Truth about Your New Year’s Resolution to Get Organized

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It’s hard to keep our New Year’s resolutions. In fact, now that it’s the end of January those New Year’s resolutions may already be in the review mirror. Was one of those resolutions to get organized and stay organized? There’s a lot we pack into each year, and for that reason a nebulous goal of “getting organized and staying organized” may be hard to achieve. Don’t give up! Here are some smaller goals that are easy to achieve that will help you reach that ultimate goal of being organized. Read more

Organizing Your Self Storage Unit

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The trailer is packed and you’ve signed your lease for your new storage unit. Now comes the fun part; Unloading. How do you pack your unit so you are able to find everything when the need arises? Here are 5 tips for organizing your storage unit to make this chore stress free come moving day.

  1. Labels. Always label your boxes – if you’re putting a variety of items in them try to add a description. This will help you organize your unit into sections. Use a brightly colored label & stack your boxes or totes with the label facing the front, so that you will be able to find things quickly in your unit.
  2. Regularly Used Items in Front. Pack the items that you will be using most towards the front of your unit. This will prevent you from having to move any extras away so you can reach them when the time comes. This includes items like seasonal wear, sports equipment, Christmas décor etc.
  3. Leave an aisle. One of the most common mistakes when storing is not leaving any room to get to the items in the back of your unit. The last thing you want to do is come to grab a box and have to move all your items out to get to it. Leave an aisle down the middle of the unit so that you’re able to reach most, if not all boxes and items.
  4. Take Pictures. When all of your items are loaded into your storage unit, take a few pictures so that you know what is in the unit and where to find it. This will save you time when you get to your unit and is especially important if you are storing long term.
  5. Draw a Map. Even if you’ve taken pictures it’s good to draw a map of where your belongings are, especially the important items that you do not use often. This will make your visit shorter if you know where these are packed away. This may include family photo albums, jewelry, tax files etc.

Using these 5 tips will not only save you time when you visit your storage unit but it will also reduce the mess you would have to make when searching through boxes to find a specific item. Have you stored before? Let us know your organizing tips in the comments below!
— Kayla Akerstrom

Organizing? Don’t Forget the Essential First Step

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“Both terms get bandied about when talking about tidying up your home, but organizing and clutter clearing are two very different things. Clearing clutter is actually removing items from your space, while organizing is putting what’s left in order. Here’s why you need to do both to have a space that feels good and functions efficiently, plus tips on which stage comes first and what to remember at each stage in the process.”

 

Organizing Your Garage

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This could be the year you take back your garage and use it for a work shop or even to park your own car!
Garage spaces large and small, often become the dumping ground for anything removed from the house and yard. These can be items that you are not willing to part with, or perhaps seasonal things you are only going to use once a year. Read more

How To Pack Portable Storage Containers

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moms portable storage
A portable storage unit provides you with the ability to pack your belongings yourself at your own pace. However, you will be responsible for how your things are packed. This means you’ll want to take every precaution to ensure that your boxes, furniture, and appliances are safely loaded. Here are a few tips to help you to load your storage container in the most effective and secure way possible.

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