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Should You Store Jewelry and Other Valuables in Self Storage?

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Do not store valuables in self storage

Self-storage is great for household items and non-perishable business stock and equipment, but resist the
temptation to store valuables like jewelry in your unit. Self-storage isn’t a substitute for a vault or safety
deposit box. While self-storage facilities do have security, no security system is completely impervious to
professional thieves. Further your insurance and that of the self-storage operator may not cover valuable
jewelry left in a self-storage unit.

Also consider that jewelry and other collectables often require a special environment to help maintain
their condition. Jewelry, for example, is delicate and needs to be stored where the temperature does not
fluctuate. Temperature fluctuations can cause jewelry to become brittle and warp.

Self storage facilities are also not impervious to things like fires, flooding and tornadoes that can damage
irreplaceable valuables. Safety deposit boxes, however, are designed to withstand these natural disasters.
For these reasons, you are better off keeping jewelry and other collectables in a fire proof safe or safety
deposit box.

Keep valuables in a bank box not a storage unit

At the very least store your jewelry in a secure location that is climate-controlled and can
provide protection against theft, pests, moisture, and other environmental hazards.
Pro Tip for storing jewelry: pack your jewelry in its original boxes or other soft containers to protect
them from scratches so these valuable retain their value for years to come.

If you are interested in other self storage tips and activities, give us a follow on LinkedIn

Costume Storage

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Storing a costume

Costume Storage

Once the costume party or that cosplay event is over how do you store your costume? The $100 costumes you can just hang up or put in a box, others are a work of art that cost thousands of dollars. If you have put time and money into this specialty wear, consider storing it so it will continue to look great and last for years to come.

Get the most out of your costumes with these care and storage tips:

  • Never store a dirty costume. Whether you danced the night away or roamed the halls of a convention center cosplay event the oils from your skin have been absorbed by your costume. These oils will break down material. Follow the costume’s cleaning instructions. No instructions? Then, hand washing or using a professional cleaning service is best. Some costumes can be laundered in a washing machine, but only on the gentle/delicate cycle with a gentle laundry soap and a small amount of liquid fabric softener. Always hang dry a costume. The heat from a dryer will damage delicate fabrics. It’s important that the costume be completely dry before storing it away. Mold and mildew can destroy a costume in a few weeks and also make it unsafe to wear.

    Washing by hand

    Handwash

 

  • Consider storing the costume in the original package. If you don’t have this package, avoid storing costumes in plastic bags or bins. Certain kinds of plastic have acids that can ruin fabrics. Many manufacturers now make acid-free plastic containers. Wedding dress boxes and acid free garment bags are an example of this. You can purchase acid-free containers through stores like Amazon and some big-box stores like Walmart.
Costume additions

Elaborate Costumes

  • Accessories such as masks, hats, boots, purses and props will require proper support so they don’t lose shape. Again, the original packaging can be helpful in storing these items. You can also fill the hollows of these items with acid free paper to help them keep shape and limit deterioration.
  • Once you have taken proper care of the costume you can consider placing it in storage if you do not have a safe space for it.

If you have an amazing costume that you have taken the time and money to put together it’s worth storing properly so your next costumed event has great memories like the one you just went to.

Preparing Belongings For Storage

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Before you pack your belongings into storage, you need to get them ready. From cleaning to taking inventory, here’s how to best prepare.

Purge

If you haven’t used something in a while or no longer want an item don’t waste money storing it. Sell it or donate it to someone who will make better use of the item.

Clean everything that’s going into storage

Before you put things into storage make sure they are clean. Why is this important? If you store something while it’s dirty, it’s only going to be worse for wear when you unpack it two, four, or twelve months later. Over time things that are stored dirty can acquire a musty smell, and stains can damage fabrics. A thorough cleaning will ensure that items don’t deteriorate while in storage.

Pro tips:

  • Wash clothes and linens then store them in plastic bags to prevent mold and mildew.
  • Vacuum out the crevasses and wipe all furnishings then use an appropriate protective spray on leather and fabric upholstery. Wax wood furniture.
  • Wipe the inside and outside of appliances. If applicable, run a final wash cycle with vinegar. If you are storing a washer, make sure all tanks and hoses are drained. For fridges and freezers add a moisture absorbent substance like charcoal to help prevent odors. Check your local appliance stores for any other help or suggestions. 
  • Wipe all sporting goods and kids’ toys including plush toys. Store plush toys in plastic bags.

 

Inventory what you’re storing

While you are cleaning your belongings, write down what’s going to be stored. Why is this important? An inventory will help you determine what size storage unit you need and how to organize that storage unit.

Pro tips:

  • Our storage calculator web page allows you to enter an inventory of your belongings and calculates what size storage unit you need. You can also email this list to yourself right from our storage calculator page.
  • Add a brief description including the item’s brand, serial number, model number, and if there is any damage to your inventory list.
  • Email a copy of your inventory list to your property insurance agent and advise them that you are putting these items into storage. This will help ensure that you have coverage for these possession’s and speed up the claims process should disaster make this necessary.

 

Make sure you get the right size of storage unit

Our easy-to-use storage calculator does the math for you. Once you’ve entered an inventory of your possessions into the calculator the graph on the right side of this web page tells you what size storage unit you need. You can then go ahead and book your storage unit either by clicking on the Rent Now button on our website, or if you need help you can call us and talk to someone in our office.

Pro tip:

  • Right now, we are experiencing high demand for storage units and have a waiting list for many sizes. Renting online allows you to quickly see and rent any size that is available. This is kind of like a gamer’s cheat code for self-storage. If the size you want isn’t available don’t give up. People come and go from self-storage units daily. So, call our office and get on the waitlist right away.
  • Self Storage Calculator

Now you will need to pack your belongings. How you pack an item determines how well it survives a move, storage and then being unpacked.

Head over to our YouTube channel to see us packing up Sues china into the properly made boxes and inserts.

Watch for our next blog — How to pack your belongings like a pro so they are in good condition when you take them out of storage.

Christmas Storage Hacks

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It seems as though Christmas has only just arrived, but here we are thinking of ways to organize your decorations as you put them away.

Of course, our first answer would be to send it to us for safe keeping. But we know not everyone can do that, so we are happy to share some holiday storage hacks we use in our own homes. Read more

7 Essential Steps to De-Winterize Your RV

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Information Courtesy of Western RV

Get ready for another great camping season by de-winterizing your RV. Here are seven essential steps to getting ready for the road.

SEAMS AND SEALANTS

Winter weather can wreak havoc on rubber, plastic and caulking compounds so inspect seams and seals for leaks. Read more

Self-Storage Hacks: Getting the Most for Your Money

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storage-hacks-title
Self-storage can be a plus in our lives, but like any expenditure, you want the most for your money. Here are some clever ways to save on self-storage. Read more

8 Tips on Storing Your Car For The Winter

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Summer is nearing an end and it’s time to look for storage options for your “baby”. Storing your car is a smart decision but if you do not have room in the garage where is it going to go? There are two solutions to this, move the items from the garage to storage or bring your car to storage in one trip! Here are a few things to consider when storing your vehicle. Read more

Pinterest: Thank You For Helping Us Grow!

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We took to Pinterest to see what we could find for an end of the school year gift for a teacher or professor and found one that works for several occasions. Our how to instructions are below, along with the link to the original post.

Items Required:supplies

  • A flower pot, any size
  • Black and yellow acrylic paint
  • A sponge brush
  • Fine tipped paint brush
  • A flexible measuring tape
  • A silver paint pen or Sharpie marker
  • Flowers or a type of plant

Read more

Spring Cleaning

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After winter freshening your house with a deep spring cleaning can feel really good. If you’re ready to go beyond the basic weekly clean, pick and choose from these 14 deep-cleaning tasks, and get ready to enjoy your sparkling clean home.

springcleanh

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