Tag Archive for: Storage

Storing Your Crafts Away in Small Spaces

An 11’ X 30’ office space is not a lot of room for two business desks and a craft room. So we have to make the most of our space for those times when I want to get out the crafts. I needed ways to store a lot of the craft items that I only use a few times a year, but have them accessible at a moment’s notice.
Ribbon StorageOne thing I seem to always have tucked into different places are rolls of ribbon. Here’s how I organize the ribbon. My first choice is taking a wall mount paper towel holder and removing the wooden rung that would go inside the roll. Now you can slide on all your ribbon casings and hang them in plain view ready to use. The second way is to use a shoe box and some doweling. Cut your doweling to the length of the shoe box. Slide one end into a hole you have cut on either end to hold the dowel in place. Next, add your ribbons and then push the dowel through the second hole. To keep things really stashed away you can use the lid and cut small slits in the top for the ribbon to run through. I prefer to keep the box open so I have a better idea of when I am getting close to the end of the roll. If this storage box is going to stay out in plain sight you can make it look less like a shoe box by covering the outside with a nice bright wrapping paper.
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Holiday Storage Hacks

It’s that time of year again when we are faced with the task of taking down the Christmas decorations. If you dealt with a tangle of lights and tinsel garland when you put up the Christmas tree read on and save yourself from this holiday headache next year.
Retail stores offer all kinds of Christmas storage devices that work wonderfully, but these also come with a hefty price. At the Storage Group we have dedicated some of our blogs to repurposing other items to get the same effect without the expense. Here are some of my decoration storage hacks.Wide Drawer Sterlite storage
An ornament storage chest is great for keeping your holiday gear organized. These specialized chests start at $105. For $18 you get the same level of organization from a wide drawer plastic organizer like those made by Sterlite. I have used this plastic drawer system for Christmas decorations for years. It’s light weight and its three drawers allow me to organize what goes on the tree first to last by drawer.

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20 Ways to Organize Your Craft Space

20 Ways to Organize Your Craft Space

Got a messy craft area at home that you can never seem to keep organized and tidy?
Check out this video and get some innovative, crafty storage solutions!

Our Little Elf on a Shelf

We are thrilled to begin a new adventure this year! You can see what our elf, Bernie, is up to by liking us on Facebook (Drayton Valley Storage Center).elf and business cards
This past December I wanted to find a way to incorporate a fun aspect of reaching people with Lacombe Storage Center’s Facebook page. I have learned that not all social media posts from a business need to be about business. People enjoy pictures, humorous posts and community updates. in their news feeds too! Elf on the shelf was the idea I kept coming back to. To me, Elf brings to mind, the young hearted side of the holidays. Elf is smiling and always catches my eye. In order to start this, I had to get our Social Media Coordinator to back me up as she would be the one posting this for us on a daily basis.

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Things You Should Know When Shopping for Self Storage

Moving, downsizing, de-cluttering, or expanding your business? A storage unit can provide solutions to many life changing events. Here’s what to watch for when looking for self storage.
Watch For Hidden Costs.

  • Is the price reasonable after any “move-in promotional discounts” have expired?
  • Are there any hidden add-on deposits or fees such as security deposits, accessing the unit outside normal business hours, multiple daily visits, or move in/out charges?
  • What happens if you miss a payment?What happens if you cause damage to your unit? (E.g. furniture scraping walls.)

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Heated Storage: Do I Need It?

Many people are under the assumption that they need heated storage. The truth is, there aren’t many items that need to be placed in a heated unit. Here at Medicine Hat Storage, we’ve decided to prevent the guessing of “should it or shouldn’t it” by compiling a list of items that need heated storage below.thermometer
  • Wood (oak, cherry wood or other expensive woods that shouldn’t be in damp or dry areas)
  • Family heirlooms or antiques
  • TV/Computer Screens (follow our link for more information: Televisions and Storage )
  • Leather furniture
  • Musical instruments (cold temperatures can change the tuning of the instruments)
  • Paintings and other expensive art

Do you see something that’s not on the list and you’re still concerned? Give us a call, we’ll help you find the appropriate storage for your needs!

Televisions and Storage

Can I store my TV? A burning question for all of us technology lovers, we don’t want to get it home and it doesn’t work. In order to clear up this confusion, we’ve contacted the major electronics companies regarding storage for their LED, LCD, and Plasma television screens.

Fuzzy TVNote: These are the ranges of the brands if you’d like a specific model information please contact them directly as it may vary. It is greatly recommended from all companies to acclimate your television after taking it out of storage. This means letting the television warm up to room temperature for 24 hours before plugging it in and using it.

  • Samsung Canada: After speaking to a rep at Samsung he noted that their LED, LCD, Plasma and Smart TV screens should be stored between 10°C and 40°C.
  • Sony: The representative at Sony recommended a temperature of 0°C to 40°C for the storage of their TVs. Read more

10 Things to Ask Yourself Before Storing Your Stuff

Whether your storage area is in a basement, an attic, a backyard shed or a rented storage unit it might be filled with things you do not really want or need. While we’re not going to tackle cleaning out your storage here (a topic for another day), the first step is to stop yourself from hoarding. So the next time you want to store something ask yourself these 10 questions.
1. Do you need it? This sounds like a simple enough question, but how each of us answers is highly individual. If you are making an effort to cut back on clutter, try to get real about what “need” means. Whether you decide to take a strictly minimalist approach or keep a more fluid list of items needed for living defining what is important to you is the first step to preventing clutter.

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A Boxy Love Story: Part III

coffeepotWhen we last left Porsche Boxer she had met Lou Stubbing and transferred Lacey Lonely to a new unit. What will happen next?
“Ugh! Why won’t this day just end?” Lacey exclaimed. Her day had started off badly, she woke up late, her coffee grounds fell into the pot and on top of it all her box just broke. Today was just not her day.brokenbox
Lou couldn’t help but notice the beautiful woman, whom he had seen many times around the lot before, and the box of things strewn all over the lot.
“Hi, would you like some help?” Lou said kindly.”Help would be great,” said Lacey grateful “my name is Lacey, Lacey Lonely.””Lou Stubbing,” he said “it’s very nice to meet you.”
 
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The Security of Your Self Storage Lock

Don’t Let Your Last Line of Defence Be Your Cheapest!lastdefense
When you are storing goods at a self-storage facility the facility operator will have a security program in place that includes fences, controlled access gates, light and cameras. These security measures aren’t cheap, but they can only do so much to stop a thief. To truly stop a thief you need a secure lock.
steelpadlock

Least Security


The most frequent lock used is the basic hardened steel padlock found at the big box and hardware stores. These locks are the least secure and easily broken with a bolt cutter. To keep costs down on these mass produced locks the manufacturer only produces a small number of key combinations. What this means is that the person buying the same lock right after you could have the exact same key. These locks are also easy to pick even for amateurs. This means that theft can go undetected until you re-enter your storage unit weeks or months later. This type of lock belongs on the yard shed, not on your self-storage unit.

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