Author: Amanda Chambers

Why Your Service Company Needs To Use Storage

Posted on February 28, 2014 by - Parking, Storage

If you’re any kind of service company that has a fleet of vehicles or other equipment, then you know how hard it can be to manage and maintain your entire fleet, especially with local parking restrictions. If your place of business doesn’t have enough space to park your vehicles, where are you going to turn?

In this article we’ll show how using storage centers might just be your best option. At Gateway Storage we’re here to serve you. Just a short drive off I95, and you’ll be at our storage facility, which makes it very accessible even during the work week.

How will using storage help my business?

As a contractor or business owner with a fleet of vehicles you’ve experienced firsthand the difficulties of managing your vehicles or equipment. Especially, in Springfield and the surrounding areas, where parking restrictions can be a nightmare. By utilizing storage for your business you can reduce the amount of time you spend worrying and increase the time you spend running your business.

Local Parking Restrictions

Parking restrictions in Springfield and the surrounding areas make parking anything more than a single vehicle very difficult. If your place of business doesn’t allow for parking of service vehicles, then you might be out of luck and risk paying hefty fines time and time again.

We offer contractor yards that can grow in size depending upon how many vehicles are in your fleet. You’ll have 24/7 access to your Springfield car storage yard so you can access your vehicles and equipment if any emergencies arise.

By taking the time to invest in storage you may actually end up saving yourself money, by avoiding the countless parking tickets and fines.

Protecting Your Assets

Aside from parking tickets you may be concerned about the safety of your vehicles and equipment. If you’re simply parking your vehicles on the street there’s an increased chance of break-in or having your vehicles damaged. You may even be afraid to take a break from work, if you don’t feel safe leaving your fleet unguarded.

Investing in Springfield car storage can take care of this problem for you. By parking your fleet in our safe storage facilities you can ensure everything will be safe and protected. You’ll be able to access any equipment you need at a moments notice, while keeping your business assets safe.

I hope this article has been valuable and you have a better idea of how using storage can benefit your service company.

We serve our residents and military personnel from Woodbridge, Alexandria, Springfield and all across Northern Virginia. Give us a call today at (703) 339-0009, so we can talk about your needs!

Top RV Accessories For 2014

Posted on February 28, 2014 by - Lifestyle, Parking

As an RV owner you know how fun shopping for accessories can actually be. At times, it can even be as fun as buying the RV itself. That being said there are a few must-have accessories that you’ll want to have in your arsenal before you your beauty out on the road, during the spring. As you pull your beautiful RV out of our Woodbridge car storage facility right off of I95, you’ll want to ensure you have everything to make your trip the best ever.

In this article we’re going to take a look at some of the most popular RV accessories, that people are buying this year. You don’t want to miss out!

1. An awning for privacy, protection and shade

If your RV doesn’t already have an awning you’ll want to ensure you have one installed. An awning is hands down, one of the best choices you can make when it comes to RV accessories. By having an awning for shade, it will greatly improve your quality of life, no matter where you’re camping at.

2. A rearview trailer level

A trailer level is a cheap accessory that will greatly improve your quality of life, and takes a lot of the guesswork and worry out of leveling your trailer. You’ll be able to discern if your fifth wheel trailer is level on every side, all without a spotter.

3. A longer extension cord

Your RV may already have a 25-foot extension cord, and you may think this is good enough. However, what if there’s a circumstance where you need to plug into your campground’s power source and your just a little too far away. A longer extension cord will greatly come in handy. A longer cord will come in handy when you need it the most. Even if you just end up using it once, you’ll be glad you took the time to pick up a longer cord.

4. Crock Pot

A crockpot can be a delicious addition to your RV trips. Most meals on the road are cooked from the grille, stove or microwave. However, if you really want to cook up some home cooked meals you may want to look into a 12-volt crock pot. That way you can cook up come amazing meals, without having to stay back at the RV all day.

5. An extra sewer hose

An extra sewer hose will definitely come in handy in a time of need. There are many ways your current sewer hose can become damaged and you’ll want to ensure you’re not out of luck when this happens. Pick one up from your local RV supply outlet.

6. Child gates

These gates are for more than keeping your children at bay. You can use them to corral any pets you may have, or even use them to block off your campground from opposing campers’ nosey pets. Among a bunch of other uses.

Most of these accessories aren’t necessarily the funnest, but they’re absolutely crucial, and will make your life much easier if you find yourself in a situation where you’ll need to use one of the above.

We believe it’s better to be prepared than have to scramble for a situation you’re not prepared for. After all this time in Woodbridge car storage you’ll want to make sure you’re prepared and can start driving your RV in style and with confidence knowing you’ll be prepared, no matter what comes up.

We cater to residents and military personnel from Woodbridge, Alexandria, Springfield and all across Northern Virginia. Let’s discuss your situation–give us a call today at (703) 339-0009!

5 Ways to Tell If Car Storage Is Right For You

Posted on January 30, 2014 by - Parking, Storage

You may be thinking that  car storage is a waste of time, is too much work, or you might not even know what car storage is! If you’ve been thinking about car storage for while now and are afraid to take the plunge, take a look at our five top reasons below and see if any of them hit home.

1. You have several “junk” cars

You may love the idea of spending your weekends fixing up your “junk” cars, however in reality your projects have been untouched for months, if not years.

Depending on your county you may have even received a ticket for having a “junk” car. After all you may perceive your car as an antique, while another person may see it as a pile of junk.

After all, if you do feel inspired to fix up your car once and for all, you can always take it out of storage. In the meantime you’ll know it’s safe and avoid further citations.

2. You are always getting parking tickets for your fleet of vehicles

If you own more than one car then you know how hard parking can actually be. It’s a careful art to park all your vehicles, legally, so you don’t receive a fine or ticket.

Granted, you may have some cars that simply don’t work, or don’t have enough space outside your home to park all your vehicles. Most likely, you probably only drive one or two vehicles on a regular basis anyways.

Save yourself the hassle of constantly finding parking and take a car or two to storage. That way you’ll be able to breathe easy and know you’re never going to get cited for parking illegally again.

3. You are constantly stressing about whether or not your cars are safe

If you have multiple cars, then you may spend your nights worrying if all your vehicles are safe or not when they’re parked outside your home. If you can’t fit your vehicles into your garage then there’s a good chance you’re going to have to park on the street. Depending where you live, this might not be the most comfortable option for you.

Do yourself a favor and store your vehicles in a safe Northern Virginia car parking facility, you’ll save yourself several sleepless nights.

4. You own a commercial vehicle

Frankly, if you own a commercial vehicle for work purposes, you’re going to have trouble parking it anywhere. You may have a few commercial vehicles for seasonal work and are looking for an easy place to store them during the “off-season”.

Most people don’t know, but Alexandria car storage facilities can store commercial vehicles, just as they would any other vehicle.

5. You don’t have room for all your vehicles

Sometimes you just have too many vehicles, whether they’re “junk” cars, show cars, or inoperable vehicles, you just need more space. You don’t want to park them on the street and you certainly don’t want to sell them.

The easiest option for you to consider would be Gateway Storage Center’s car parking. You get to keep all your vehicles, and still have access to them whenever you’d like.

If any of the above reasons resonated with you, then do yourself a favor and look into Springfield car parking today.

We serve residents and military personnel from Woodbridge, Alexandria, Springfield and all across Northern Virginia. Let’s discuss your situation–give us a call today!

Why You Should Consider Storing Your Junk Car

Posted on January 30, 2014 by - Parking, Storage

To some people, their “junk” cars are their pride and joy. They’re weekend projects that someday are going to be transformed into beautiful masterpieces. However, your neighbors or people passing by your home may not feel the same way. When you look at your car you see its potential, when they look at it they see a pile of junk.

You might not think this is an issue. However, according to local regulations you can be fined or ticketed if your car poses a threat to community safety.

Storing your “junk” car can be done safely and easily, if you’ve had a single thought about storing your “junk” car do yourself a favor and take a look at our top reasons for using Gateway Storage Center’s car storage below.

You’ve Been Receiving Tickets Or Fines

If you’ve received any tickets or fines for you inoperable or “junk vehicle”, then car storage can definitely be your best option. That way you’ll make your neighbors and the authorities happy, all while saving yourself money. The price you’ll pay for storage every month can actually be cheaper than the tickets you’ve been receiving.

You Don’t Think You’re Going To Finish Your Project Anytime Soon

You may love the idea of finally restoring your car to its pristine state. However, this someday is so far into the future that your “junk” car may not be fully restored anytime soon. After all, you have a job, a life, and a family to maintain.

Sometimes, it can be a good idea to store your car at a car parking facility until you finally have time in your schedule to finish the restoration. This can even reduce your mental workload as well, because you won’t have to see your unfinished vehicle every single day.

You’re Worried About The Safety Of Your Vehicle

If you have a “junk” vehicle, that is actually a classic car and just needs some love. Then you may be worried about keeping your vehicle safe. Instead of staying up at night worrying, it can be much easier to take your car to a Prince William County car storage facility. That way you’ll ensure it’s safety, no matter where you are.

If you have an inoperable, or “junk” car, then  car parking can be an incredible option that can save you stress, worry and even a little money.

We cater to residents and military personnel from Woodbridge, Alexandria, Springfield and all across Northern Virginia. Let’s discuss your situation–give us a call today!

Trouble With Parking? Consider Storage Instead

Posted on January 30, 2014 by - Parking, Storage

Let’s face it, parking can be tough. If you own more than one vehicle, or have a large family with multiple vehicles then you know how difficult it can be to park all of your vehicles in a safe manner.

After all, satisfying all of the parking regulations can be tough.

Who knows, you may even end up paying more in fines, than you would if you considered another option. What is that other option, you ask?

Northern Virginia car storage.

Why is it so hard to park multiple cars?

When you have multiple vehicles on your hands, trying to stay within the arm of the law can have you pulling out your hair.

First, you may have a few “junk” cars, that happen to be weekend projects for you. The issue with this is that your project may be seen as a pile of junk, according to your neighbor or a passerby. It is even possible that you can obtain a citation from the city.

Second, you may own more than one car and not have enough parking. There’s a good chance that some of these cars can be show cars, cars that don’t work anymore, or even cars that you simply don’t drive anymore.

Inoperative cars, if they haven’t been certified as safe, can be given a ticket, if they’re parked outside of your garage or on the street.

Even if your cars work perfectly, you may simply have no place to park them. This could lead to parking them in non-designated zones, such as your grass, or side of the house. It might sound tempting, but it can also lead to a ticket.

As you can see, finding the proper place to park multiple cars can be a complete hassle.

How can Gateway Storage Center’s car storage ease my situation?

Using a proper car parking facility will allow you to sleep easy, knowing your car or cars are safe and protected. After all, the cost of storage might actually be cheaper than the tickets you’re going to rack up parking them in illegal ways.

By having a car in storage you’ll always know where it is. Plus, is you really want to drive that car, or work on it, you can simply take the car out of storage. Think of it as having an extra garage.

As an added bonus, you can even store your “junk” cars, that you aren’t ready to get rid of yet, or are still trying to revive from the dead.

All in all, Gateway Storage Center’s car storage is your best bet, if you want to save yourself the hassle and stress of always having to find extra parking.

We serve our residents and military personnel from Woodbridge, Alexandria, Springfield and all across Northern Virginia. Let’s discuss your situation–give us a call today!

Happy Holidays from Gateway Storage!

Posted on December 25, 2013 by - Lifestyle

Here’s wishing you a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year! We want to say thank you to our loyal customers, and thanks to the men and women in uniform who continue to serve this great nation and keep us safe each and every day. We are humbly grateful for the sacrifices you and your families make so we can have an enjoyable holiday season.

If after the holidays you find yourself in need of extra storage for all those wonderful gifts you’ve accumulated, give us a call to learn about our affordable self-storage and container storage solutions. We offer flexible terms and affordable rates, providing you with excellent service and the best value. Our container storage solutions are great for personal and household items, either temporarily or long-term, so you can get back your garage. Going on a nice warm vacation to escape the cold and looking for a place to keep your car safe while you’re gone? We provide car storage services to keep your ride safe and secure. Our affordable rates keep more dollars in your pocket so you can enjoy an extra margarita while lounging on the beach, with the peace of mind that nothing will happen to your car while you’re away. Can’t beat that!

Again, have a wonderful time with friends and family. Happy Holidays!

Self Storage Tips

Posted on December 16, 2013 by - Storage

Self Storage, or sometimes called Container Storage, is an easy solution for overflow items from your home or business. Many of our customers approach us with the same question regarding self storage: “What can I store?” And the follow-up question usually is “What is the best way to store my items?” We’re sharing the answers to both of those questions with you. Here are our Self Storage tips:

What Can I Store?

Let’s start first with what you cannot store: anything that is flammable, combustible, hazardous, or toxic cannot be stored. This is for the safety of you and your belongings, our staff, and our facility. No fireworks, weapons, ammunition, or explosives either. As a rule of thumb, you cannot store items that are considered “inherently dangerous”.

Now that those items are out of the way, you can store books, furniture, medical supplies/equipment, construction equipment, non-perishable food, lawn and garden equipment.

What is the Best Way to Store My Items?

When storing items in boxes, make sure to add newspaper or bubble wrap to fill the empty space. This helps keep items secure and also prevents collapsing when stacked.

For lawn and garden equipment, drain fluids to prevent corrosive damage. Use trashcans for rakes, shovels, and hoes.

Breakdown tables and store large items (such as sofas and tables) on end to save space. Treat wooden surfaces and use protective covering for storage.

When storing business files, clearly label boxes and create aisles for easy access to file boxes.

 

Winter Storm Can’t Stop Our Excellent Parking Service

Posted on December 9, 2013 by - Parking, Storage

Oh the weather outside is frightful. More like terrifying. Schools might be shutdown and the Government might be on a delay, but Gateway Storage center is still providing excellent storage and parking services. Though the Winter Storm may give us a few inches of snow, and it might take some time to clear your neighborhood roads out, here at Gateway Storage we are on top of snow removal so our customers don’t miss a step. We know how much you depend on us for truck parking, car storage, and container storage. We won’t let a Winter Storm get in the way of you doing business, which is why we provide snow removal services to ensure you can safely get to your trucks and cars and get going.

Gateway Storage Center provides parking and storage solutions for Springfield, Woodbridge, Alexandria, and all across Northern Virginia. We offer flexible terms and affordable rates, providing you with the custom solutions you need at the best value. Our facility is conveniently located off of I-95 in Lorton, VA. Our facility features 24-hour gate access, extra-wide aisle ways, excellent lighting, and of course snow removal during those nasty winter storms.

Give us a call today and learn more about our parking and storage services!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted on November 27, 2013 by - Lifestyle

tgivingOne of our favorite holidays (if not the most favorite) is Thanksgiving. Food, family, football…what more could you ask for? We here at Gateway Storage Center have so much to be thankful for: our football teams are doing well (and fingers crossed will continue to do well). But mainly we’re thankful for our amazing customers. We love seeing you guys come and go through our gates, setting off on a new RV adventure trip or going for a relaxing cruise on the water. Some of our customers even stop in and show us their big catch from an early morning fishing trip. Whatever you do with the items we keep safe and secure in between use, we hope you have a great time doing it.

And remember, as you’re starting to think about Christmas presents, especially with Black Friday around the corner, should you finally breakdown and get your honey that sleek new car she’s been hinting at and you need a place to store the old van until your son is old enough to get it as a hand-me-down, Gateway Storage Center is the best value for car storage across Northern Virginia. We offer affordable prices and flexible terms so you get exactly what you want at the right price.

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us here at Gateway Storage Center. Hope you have a great one!

Veterans Day: Thank You to All Who Have Served

Posted on November 11, 2013 by - Uncategorized

Gateway Storage Center would like to extend our deepest and sincerest thanks and blessings to all the brave men and women who have served our country throughout the years, and for their families who supported them. We cannot show our appreciation enough for all the sacrifices you have made to give us all the liberties and freedoms we hold dear.

Being up the street from Quantico & Fort Belvoir and down the road from our nation’s capital and the surrounding military installations, we see first-hand the wonderful service of our Armed Forces. Often they come by our facility for our car storage or container storage services before being deployed overseas. We say thank you then and are saying thank you now for all that you do.

To all the veterans and those currently on Active Duty, thank you for your service and your sacrifice. We wish you all the best and hope you enjoy a wonderful holiday weekend with your families.

Happy Veterans Day!