Tag Archive for: tips

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!

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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Backyard Challenge

This year, with the kids nearly moved out of the house we decided to make the place our own, but still entice them back to gather in the evenings.
What to do with a big plain fenced back yard with a standard contractor built deck??deck
The deck is a basic 12’ x 12’ layout which sits as high as our fence line, and has minimal amount of slats for the fencing leaving it looking very open. Our first idea was to make it a little more private and make an inviting sitting area. We put a lighter colored panel over the slatted part of the deck siding. The biggest thing we noticed right away was how much less wind we felt sitting out there. The lighter color in the panel has kept the deck from looking too dark, or getting too hot.

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