Category: Storage

How Self-Storage Can Help When You’re Re-Doing Your Garage

Posted on January 27, 2015 by Amanda Chambers - Lifestyle, Storage

Photo Credit: dno1967b

When it comes time to re-do your garage you know you’re already going to have a lot on your plate. Your garage becomes a place for extra storage throughout the years, and eventually reaches a point where it’s a disorganized disaster. Various odds and ends start to accumulate, and soon your garage that used to be used for parking is now simply an extra storage space.

But, the time has finally come and you’re ready to take charge of your garage and expand it into a useful extra space. In this post we’re going to explore how self-storage can be incredibly useful when you’re re-doing your garage.

Breaking Down The Process

The process of re-doing you garage is a lot of work, especially if you’re starting with a cluttered and overstuffed garage. However, one of the best ways to beat overwhelm is by having a plan of attack. Below you’ll find a series of steps that will help to guide you through the process.

1. Determine What Is Clutter And What Isn’t

The first step is to take a look at your clutter and separate the goods you don’t use from the ones you’re going to use in the future. During this phase using an Alexandria self-storage unit can be very helpful. For instance, if you have goods you know you won’t be using in your new space, but you can’t bear parting with them, then storing them away in self-storage will help to resolve this struggle.

Also, if you need to re-do your garage very quickly, you can simply move the items from your garage into an Alexandria storage unit. Sure, you’ll have to go through all of the items later, but it will speed up the garage remodel process initially.

2. Make A Plan Of Attack

Once you have the space cleared you’ll want to plan out the remodel process. You’d hate to be halfway through the project only to realize you’re missing a key element, all because you forgot to plan. Another important element to look into is electrical and utilities.

Of course, this depends on how much you’re transforming the room from its original state. But, botching the utilities or not taking note of your electrical load will become a headache for years to come.

3. Store Goods You Want To Keep And Re-Decorate

The final phase, which can be the most fun part of the process, is all about decorating and finishing the space. You can either pull furniture from other areas of your house, hit the thrift stores, or visit a furniture outlet to find exactly what you’re looking for.

Also, if you’re already storing older furniture in a storage unit for this very purpose, then by all means visit the storage unit and put the furniture to use!

Redecorating your garage doesn’t have to be a difficult process. We hope this article has helped to simplify the process for you as much as possible. We love to work with our customers and clients across the Alexandria, Woodbridge, and Springfield counties, as well as most of Northern Virginia.

3 Most Common Mistakes People Make When Storing Furniture

Posted on January 27, 2015 by Amanda Chambers - Storage

Photo Credit: seesix

You may think storing furniture is an easy process, however a lot of people make simple mistakes that end up ruining their furniture in the long-run. Even though you might think you can just drop your couch off at your storage unit and come back to get it in a few months, you run the risk of actually damaging your precious furniture. It’s easy for couches to become mildewy and moldy if not stored properly.

We’re going to examine some of the most common mistakes people make when they’re trying to store their furniture in their Springfield self storage unit.

Biggest Threats To Your Furniture

Although storage units will keep your goods safe it’s still necessary to take a few precautions in order to protect your furniture.

One of the biggest threats you’ll come across is moisture. In more humid climates this is going to be the largest problem you’ll face as excessive moisture leads to mold and mildew.

Another common problem you’ll face is overpacking your storage unit. When it’s filled to the brim you run the risk of damaging your furniture and any fragile goods the moment you move something in or out of your unit.

1. Damaging Your Mattress

Of course you could place your mattress in your storage unit without any added coverings, but you run the risk of bugs, dust and humidity.

One of the easiest ways to keep your mattress in good condition is to use a mattress storage bag. These bags are specifically made to keep your mattress in tip-top shape. Also, make sure you store your mattress vertically so you don’t damage the springs.

2. Forgetting To Take Extra Care With Wood Furniture

In order to keep your wooden furniture in good condition it can be beneficial to rub the outside with oil to keep the moisture in.

It’s also a good idea to use covers to prevent the wood from getting scratched or damaged when you’re moving your furniture into your Springfield storage unit.

3. Overstuffing Your Storage Unit

Stuffing your self storage unit to the max might help you get the most value for your money, but you may end up damaging your goods in the process.

A great way to conserve space is to break down and disassemble all of your furniture before moving it into your storage unit. This will allow you to stack everything much easier, and avoid damaging anything important.

Lastly, make sure you cover all of your furniture with linens, as this will protect them better than using plastic sheeting.

Feel free to get in touch with our storage team with any questions regarding safe furniture storage. We love serving our customers across the Alexandria, Woodbridge, and Springfield counties, as well as most of Northern Virginia.

5 Common Decluttering Mistakes to Avoid

Posted on December 5, 2014 by Amanda Chambers - Lifestyle, Storage

If your home is cluttered it can be very stressful. You’re not alone! Most people usually have at least one room in their home that’s a little out of control. Living with clutter can be like living with a huge elephant in the room. Most people realize it’s there, but don’t want to talk about it or do anything about it.

However, once you’ve finally started the process there are some things you’ll want to avoid.

1. Don’t Do Everything At Once

If you’ve finally decided to take the plunge and start the decluttering process it’s important you don’t overwhelm yourself and try to do everything at once. If you pile too much on your plate, then you may feel like giving up.

It’s easier to pick a small area of your room and then go from there. You’ll be able to see your results very quickly, which will help to create momentum to keep you going.

2. Don’t Forget To Plan

If you don’t have a plan of what to do with your goods as you’re going through the decluttering process it can be easy to simply move your mess from one room, or one corner to another.

You need to have a plan with what you’re going to do with your clutter. Some people will move their items into a Springfield self-storage unit, while others may opt to have a garage sale and donate the rest to charity.

Whatever you choose, just make sure to plan before you begin moving stuff around.

3. Don’t Go At It Alone

Like we mentioned earlier, decluttering can be an overwhelming process. It’s much easier if you can recruit friends and family to help make the process fun. You can even turn the decluttering process into an event and make it a good time for everyone involved.

4. Don’t Get Emotionally Attached To Your Goods

It’s very easy to get emotionally attached to your goods. It seems that most of us are addicted to our devices, or our clothing, or something we own. However, if you can break this emotional bond you’ll be better for it.

Often, you can get caught up in going through sentimental goods when you’re in the middle of the decluttering process. This can slow down the entire process and bring it to a standstill. If you have too just save your old pictures and other items for another time.

5. Remember, It Doesn’t Have To Be Perfect

A lot of times it’s easy to think that you’re organizing wrong, or that everything needs to be perfectly arranged in the boxes. However, it’s more important that everything gets put away and dealt with, rather than being organized perfectly.

I hope you’ve found these tips useful and are on your way towards finally decluttering your home. If you need to store any of your goods temporarily or for an extended period of time we hope you consider Gateway Storage, we serve our customers across the Alexandria, Woodbridge, and Springfield counties, as well as most of Northern Virginia.

How To Store Precious Keepsakes In Your Storage Unit

Posted on December 5, 2014 by Amanda Chambers - Lifestyle, Storage

Photo Credit: Jametiks

Sometimes you may have a few precious goods that you need to part with and store away, yet you’re afraid they may get ruined or lost. This is a common problem with a lot of our clients. Perhaps, you just inherited a bunch of beautiful furniture, yet you don’t have any room in your home to use it or store it effectively. You can utilize one of our storage units to keep this furniture and other keepsakes safe, until you’re ready to use them.

In this post we’re going to cover a few ideas that may help with keeping these items safe and preventing them from getting lost. Especially, if you end up using your storage unit for other items besides your family keepsakes.

1. Set A Dedicated Space

If you’re using your Woodbridge self storage unit for other items besides your family and personal keepsakes, then you’re going to want to set aside a space for these goods to “live”. If you’re constantly moving items in and out you’d hate for some of your precious items to accidentally get moved out and lost in the shuffle.

In can be helpful to label this space and even set up a protective barrier if possible, for the smaller goods. You’d be surprised at how far effective labeling can go.

2. Always Ensure Their Safety

You’ll need to make sure that your keepsakes are packed and protected effectively. When you’re transporting them, or even in storage accidents do happen and you’d hate for them to get damaged.

Make sure they’re boxed up and have enough padding. When you’re choosing the space in your Woodbridge storage unit make sure that regular foot traffic won’t be disturbing the items.

3. Check Back Often

If your storage unit is going to be used by more people than just yourself, you’ll want to check back on a regular basis. This will ensure that you can keep track of your goods, just in case they get moved around, or accidentally taken out of the unit. Luckily, our location right off I-95 makes it easy to swing by on a regular basis and check in on your keepsakes and precious goods.

I hope you’ve found this post useful and have a better idea of how you can keep your family heirlooms and keepsakes safe and in good condition, even while in storage. If you’re looking for a storage facility to store these precious goods we hope you consider Gateway Storage, we serve our clients across the Alexandria, Woodbridge, and Springfield counties, as well as most of Northern Virginia.

How To Store Fragile Items Without Worry

Posted on December 5, 2014 by Amanda Chambers - Storage

Photo Credit: 5lab

When you’re moving items from your home into a storage unit the last thing you want to hear is the crash of your most fragile items. You may think it’s easier to simply carry fragile items by hand, but mistakes do happen.

Overall, the best way to take care of your fragile items is to simply spend a little extra effort making sure they’re secure. In this post we’re going to dive into what you can do to ensure your fragile items make it through the move.

Go For Sturdy Boxes

If you’re trying to move with old boxes maybe it’s time to upgrade your moving supplies. Old boxes can have holes, tears, and even water damage. When you use old boxes they have a greater chance of tearing, which can lead to accidents with your fragile goods.

When you’re looking to upgrade your moving boxes you’ll want to choose boxes that are are thick, study and have a thick base. This can be reinforced cardboard, plastic or even wood. You’ll just want to make sure they hold their shape.

Use Packing Peanuts And Other Padding

Most fragile items tend to be strangely shaped as well. This mean you’ll need to fill this empty space with something. This is where the power of packing peanuts comes in.

Packing peanuts can serve a wide variety of roles. They not only fill the empty space and gaps in your box, but they also add that extra much needed cushion.

Some people even add old clothing to their boxes of fragile goods in order to help absorb shock. Anything to cushion the blows that could potentially occur, just make sure they’re clean!

Consider Adding Extra Crushed Paper

Crushed paper can add another layer of extra storage to your boxes. If you’re transporting any glass or kitchenware you can stuff the crushed paper into the inside of any bowels or cups. This will help prevent them from shifting around during transportation and arranging the boxes.

Overall, when packing fragile items just make sure they’re sturdy, safe and can handle any accidental drops. This will help keep them safe when you’re moving them to your Alexandria storage unit, and when storing them inside.

By taking the necessary precautions we mentioned above you’ll be able to keep your fragile items intact. If you have any questions regarding self storage feel free to get in touch. We serve our customers across the Alexandria, Woodbridge, and Springfield counties, as well as most of Northern Virginia.

How To Get The Most Out Of Storing Your Children’s Toys

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Amanda Chambers - Storage

Photo Credit: stevendepolo

Face it, most children these days have an almost endless amount of toys. Whether you’re trying to store their toys in an orderly manner in you home, or store the extras in your storage unit this article may have a little something for you.

No longer do your children’s toys have to be scattered about the house, causing you unwanted stress. With our easy storage recommendations you’ll forget your children’s toys were ever a problem in the first place.

1. Sort Through What You’ve Got

It can be very beneficial to do an initial sort to take note of what toys are worthy of keeping, need fixing, or could be thrown away or donated. It doesn’t make sense to hold on to toys that are broken, or aren’t being played with anymore.

It can be helpful to have a regular time every couple of months where you can go through your children’s toys. This will help to stop them from piling up.

Once everything has been stored you can categorize the items you currently have and store them in specific sections.

2. Make It Fun For Your Children

If you’re smart you’ll want to get your children involved. This will help to save time on your end and can ever be fun for them, and teach them basic principles of organization.

You can encourage your kids to get rid of anything that’s broken or has any missing pieces. If they have toys they don’t like to play with any more you could consider donating them to charity, giving them away to a family member, or putting them into storage if you’re planning on growing your family in the future.

3. Set Up An Easy Storage System

Now that you’ve gotten rid of toys you don’t need, have them categorized and know where they’re going to go, it’s time to develop a system that works for you and your children. Remember, the easier the system is to implement the more effective it will be in the long run.

Make sure you get the whole family involved and you children’s toys and room will be organized all year around.

4. Consider Storing Your Seasonal Toys

Sometimes your children may have a bunch of toys that are seasonal or maybe you want to store your some toys away that your children have grown out of. If you don’t have any extra space in your home it could be very beneficial to consider using an Alexandria self storage unit to hold the toys until you need them again.

I hope you’ve found this article valuable and can see just how beneficial it can be to take charge of your children’s toys. If you’re looking for the number one Alexandria self storage solution we hope that you consider Gateway Storage. We love serving our customers across Alexandria, Woodbridge, and Springfield counties, as well as most of Northern Virginia.

Most Common Storage Unit Mistakes You’ll Want To Avoid

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Amanda Chambers - Storage

Photo Credit: lindsayloveshermac

Sometimes trying to store all of your goods in your storage unit can be quite the feat. Depending on how much you’re moving it can be helpful to hire movers. When you have a lot of pieces up in the air bringing them all together can be quite difficult.

In this post we’re going to explore what storage unit moving mistakes you’ll really want to avoid.

1. Not Knowing How Much Space You’ll Have During Your Move

Before you end up renting a Springfield storage unit you’ll want to double check exactly how much space you’re going to have. Otherwise, you don’t have any dimensions to base your move off of.

It’s also important to know the dimensions of what vehicles you’ll be using for your move. The includes a moving truck, if you’re renting one or are using movers, or your own vehicle.

2. Not Double Checking Whether The Moving Truck Will Fit

Depending on how many goods you have to transport to your Springfield storage unit, you may have to get a larger or small truck. If you’re dealing with a larger truck you’ll need to make sure it’s going to fit through the aisles of the facility.

If you’re trying to get an 18-wheeler through the facility you could be in for a rough time, and you’d hate to learn this on the day of the move as well.

When checking dimensions, make sure that you ask about clearance heights, aisle widths, and if there are any load maximums across the facility.

3. Not Getting Enough Storage Space For Your Goods

It can be difficult to estimate how much space you’re going to need. However, if you’ve taken the time to pack and box everything up it will be much easier to see how much space you’re going to require.

If you really don’t have a great estimate of how much space you need. You can always rent a second unit for overflow goods, or simply hold onto the items that didn’t fit.

Overall, at Gateway Storage we’d love to help you come up with a creative storage solution.

4. Planning Your Move During A Busy Time

Most people end up moving either during the weekend, or right after the work day ends. Even though these times will be the most convenient they can actually end up being a huge hassle.

After all, if you end up visiting the facility when everyone else does, you won’t really be saving yourself any time by choosing a convenient time to move.

We hope this article has been helpful and you have a better understanding of how you can avoid the most common storage unit moving mistakes. If you’re a client or customer in the Alexandria, Woodbridge, Springfield counties, as well as most of Northern Virginia, we’d love to serve you.

How To Effectively Downsize Your Home

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Amanda Chambers - Lifestyle, Storage

Photo Credit: quinn.anya

When the time comes to downsize your home it’s easy to become bombarded with stress. Or maybe you’re one of the strange few who relish in packing and are actually excited about the experience. Whatever side of the spectrum you fall on you’ll want to ensure that you downsize your home in an effective manner.

In this article we’re going to dive into what you’ll want to do in order to make sure you have a graceful downsizing experience.

1. Take Stock Of What You Currently Have

Sometimes this first phase can be the most overwhelming. After all, it’s easy to forget how much stuff we’ve accumulated over the years. During this initial phase you’ll be taking note of your goods and classifying them into certain sections. For instance, some items you’ll want to keep forever, others you’ll want to donate, and others will belong in the trash.

2. Take Measurements Of All Furniture

You’ll want to measure everything you’re considering keeping. Mostly, this applies to furniture, but it can apply to other bulky items as well. You’d hate to arrive at your new home or Woodbridge storage unit and not be able to move the furniture through the door.

3. Know The Measurements Of Where You’re Moving To

This is in line with the previous point. You’ll want to make sure you remember or record the dimensions that you’ll be moving into. That way you’ll be able to compare sizes and make the decision if the piece of furniture is worth holding on to or not.

4. Make Sure To Check Extra Storage Spaces

Most homes have hidden storage spaces. There’s a good chance these spaces will be filled with stuff you stored away long ago, only to be forgotten about. Some common places include in the rafters of your garage and hidden closets.

Make sure you clear these out early and add them to your list of items to classify as keepers or junk.

5. Pack Up Before You Move

When moving day actually comes along you’ll want to pack up your goods into boxes or bins before you try moving anything. If you’re storing your furniture and other household goods in your Woodbridge storage unit, then you’ll be setting yourself up for an easier packing and unpacking experience. Face it, no one wants to bring small items to and from the car time and time again.

I hope you’ve found this article helpful and are well on your way towards downsizing your home stress-free. If you’re looking for a great facility to store your goods we hope you consider Gateway Storage. We love serving our clients across the Alexandria, Woodbridge, and Springfield counties, as well as most of Northern Virginia.

How To Safely Store Your Tailgating Gear

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Amanda Chambers - Lifestyle, Storage

Photo Credit: James Willamor

If you’ve been tailgating for years, or are new to the process one thing still remains. You’ll want to take good care of your tailgating gear. After all, it’s hard to pass up the pre-game celebration with friends, grilling and good food.

Even though tailgating can be the perfect combination of relaxation and excitement it still does involve a good amount of work to get everything going. Storing and organizing all of your tailgating items can take a serious amount of time and effort.

In this post we’re going to look at what you should do to get the most out of your tailgating gear.

1. Always Clean Everything

No matter how long you’re considering storing your goods it’s important that you thoroughly clean all of your items. Especially, items that may contain food residue from cooking or eating.

All it takes is a few left over crumbs to attract a bunch of bugs or host of other critters. If you’re storing your tailgating equipment for the end of the season make sure you pressure wash anything like grills, or grilling equipment.

2. Consider Using Plastic Bins

Plastic bins make it much easier to keep track of your small items. For instance, it’s easy to lose your utensils, tablecloths, say items, grilling equipment, and other odds and ends. Plastic bins not only hold items effectively, but they are easy to stack and arrange inside your Alexandria self storage unit.

Also, consider using multiple bins, as opposed to filling one unit to the brim. After all, your goal is to make unpacking easy on yourself as well.

3. Ensure Your Storage Is Easy Access

If you’ll need to make frequent trips to your Alexandria self storage unit make sure that you keep the unit organized. The last thing you’d want is to be late to the game simply because you couldn’t find what you needed. It can be helpful to set aside a certain section of your unit specifically for tailgating goods.

Our storage center location right off I-95 makes it easy to pick up whatever you need easily and quickly.

4. Don’t Store Dangerous Materials

Make sure you avoid putting any flammable items into your storage unit. It can be tempting to simply put away any lighters or propane tanks into your unit, but can end up being a big mistake. It’s usually best to store your propane tank outdoors in the upright position.

It can also be helpful to remove batteries from all your devices before you place them into storage too.

If you’re looking for a place to store all of your tailgating gear consider Gateway Storage. We love serving our customers across Alexandria, Woodbridge, and Springfield counties, as well as most of Northern Virginia.

Effectively Store Your Holiday Goods And Decorations

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Amanda Chambers - Lifestyle, Storage

Photo Credit: ginnerobot

Now that the holidays are just around the corner it’s important to start thinking about how you’re going to store your holiday decorations. No matter the holiday, whether it’s Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving or something else entirely you’ll want to take special care when storing your goods.

If you’re overwhelmed about the process of storing all of your holiday decorations consider the steps below as a way to reduce your stress and overwhelm during this busing time of year. In this article we’re going to look at how you can store your holiday goods in an effective manner.

1. Take Note Of Broken Items

When you’re taking down your holiday items make sure you inspect them for any broken elements. Once you’ve packed everything away it’s a good time to buy replacement parts.

Right after the holidays a lot of holiday goods and decorations are on sale, so it’s a good idea to take advantage of the lower prices.

2. Label Your Bins

It’s a very common practice to store your holidays goods and decorations in bins. However, it’s also a good idea to label the bins so you’ll know which ones belong to which holiday.

By developing a simplistic labeling and storage system you’ll be able to get in and out of your Woodbridge storage bin in record time.

3. Always Store Items Out Of The Way

There’s no need to store your holiday goods in a highly trafficked area of your Woodbridge self storage bin. Makes sure you store all of your holiday bins and boxes in an area of your bin that is out of the way, since you’ll usually only need to access your holiday goods a few time of the year.

As a bonus, this will also help to protect fragile items from getting bumped or knocked over.

4. Take Extra Caution With Fragile Items

Fragile items and decorations can be the bane of your packing existence. However, if not taken proper care of you could easily lose these precious items. It’s always worth it to take extra time wrapping these items and placing them neatly into their containers.

When stacking these boxes make sure you place them in an area that won’t be as early disturbed.

I hope these packing tips have been helpful and might save you a little stress throughout the busy holidays. We hope you consider Gateway Storage for all of your holiday storage needs. We serve our clients across the Alexandria, Woodbridge, and Springfield counties, as well as most of Northern Virginia.