I believe that Space Station has the best informed and most knowledgeable staff, they are simply superb
These days it’s difficult to get a cat in a flat with you, let alone swing it when you have moved in some furniture and a few must-have possessions, but some enterprising people have found a novel way to create some room to breathe with self storage space.
For less than the cost of a night down the pub, some people fed up with no room at home are renting extra space at their local self storage centres.
Two Slough Space Station staff earned feathers in their caps for harmlessly catching a bird of prey stuck in the storage centre rafters.
Dave Smedley, area manager, and Ken Nichols, of the maintenance crew, spent four hours patiently tracking the lost kestrel in the self storage facility’s roof space before finally catching the beautiful bird with two fishing nets and returning it to the wild. (more…)
Most people have a room in their home that is stacked up with ‘just in case we need it’ stuff that they can’t bear to throw away.
That wasted space is costing you money because if the room was cleared out and let to a lodger, you could earn up to £4,250 a year rent and pay no tax.
Just think what you could do with an extra £80 a week if you are having a tough time making ends meet in the recession. (more…)
If your garage looks like the local rubbish tip because it’s stuffed full of bikes, garden furniture and other things you think you might need at some time, then now’s the time to think about self storage.
While autumn is with us, the first frost has yet to strike and if you don’t want to spend another winter morning shivering in the dark and freezing cold defrosting your car, start sorting your garage now so you have room to actually park your car inside. (more…)
Self storage was invented in the US and so was the new pastime that’s taking over from car-booting as the nation’s favourite bargain hunt – storage unit treasure hunts.
Storage facilities all over the States are opening up the doors of ‘delinquent’ payers who have failed to keep up with their bills and selling off their treasured and not so treasured possessions to anyone who makes the best bid.
“You go through lots of lockers before you find treasures,” said Pat Wagner, 72, avoiding an answer. (more…)
Chris heads down to his storage unit whenever he’s going through a rough patch, spending time with his prize possession; Derek the dalek who always lifts his spirits. 35-year-old Maria readily admits that her storage unit is her life. Everything she owns is locked away in a three-metre by three metre box. Maria moved into storage as a short term measure, but three years on, she’s still homeless and there’s little chance of her moving into a place of her own. (more…)
The self storage industry is booming in the UK – over the past decade the business model crossed the Atlantic and has quickly developed in to a thriving industry sector with more than 700 units nationwide.
In the US, a staggering 57,000 self storage centres offer an average seven square metres of space per person. In the UK, it’s a more reasonable 0.4 square metres and growing – with France and Germany hot on our heels. (more…)
Everyone knows how tiring moving stuff about in boxes can be – so take a few seconds to relax and find out to let your body take the strain without causing any injuries.
First tip is don’t let the box size lull you in to a false sense of security.
Generally, if the boxes are packed correctly, the smaller the box, the heavier it is.
Just to make sure, always test the weight before you pick up a packed box.
When you have your life packed away in a self storage centre, you really need to know how safe storage really is when the owner’s advertise their facility as ’safe and secure’.
Think of the hoops you have to jump through for your home insurance – fitting mortice locks, window locks and burglar alarms for instance.
Storage centres also have insurance and have to satisfy minimum security standards as well.
Like most things, packing your possessions safely is an art – so here are some tips to make sure you keep your prize possessions in good condition moving house or while in self storage.
Always make sure you have plenty of packaging materials – including boxes of varying sizes.
Pack the heaviest items, like books, in the smallest boxes.
Always use brown packing tape – it’s cheaper and stronger than thinner tapes and does the job properly. Here are some more handy hints: