Storing Your Valuables: Questions To Ask For New Customers

 

Storing valuables and other possessions can be a little nerve wracking. Objects we care about enough to store are also often things we would rather to keep a personal eye on. Space is a valuable commodity, though, and sometimes storing valuables and other possessions can’t be avoided. This is especially true during a move, as uncooperative possession dates, pre-move renovations, and downsizing can all necessitate storing items for a later date. That’s why as full service Creston movers we have our own storage facilities for clients who require them. You need to find the right storage facility for your needs, somewhere your valuables will be safe and sound until you find the space for them again. As a result, it’s very important that first time customers know what questions to ask when storing possessions to avoid an unpleasant surprise down the road.

One of the more anxiety inducing aspects of storing your valuables is the fear of theft. If your items are in storage for a long period of time without ongoing inventory, theft can go unnoticed. That is why it is important to ask if the storage unit you are considering is secure. In doing so, consider the number of entry points to the wider storage complex as well as how secure the individual space is, as it’s difficult to steal anything from a room you can’t get to. As a result, a storage facility with fewer points of entry is often a more secure choice.

Another part of theft prevention that is the responsibility of the storage facility is monitoring the storage units. You should always ask how much the facility is monitored and what kinds of precautions they take to keep your possessions safe. These precautions could include technological monitoring, such as with motion sensors or cameras. There should also be staff monitoring the facility. Some storage facilities are monitored 24/7 to make sure there is no opening for opportunistic thieves to access your unit after everyone goes home, which is obviously desirable. Even if you are taking these anti-theft precautions when choosing a unit, you should still try to have a full inventory of what went into the unit and what comes out when you are done with it.

Finally, you should ask about the features of the storage space itself. Is it climate controlled? For some possessions intense heat or cold can be problematic, so depending on what you are storing this may be a large or a small concern. Humidity can also be an issue, especially if you are storing paper items like books and magazines. It is also a good idea to check storage spaces for signs of water damage, as a leaky unit and a long period of time unchecked tends to add up to mold and rust.  A storage facility with the right climate can preserve your items better.

We hope this information helps you to store your items safely and securely!

Nelson Moving and Storage Company Tips on at Home Storage

Our Nelson moving company is not just the Kootenay BC region’s most reliable local and long distance relocation company, we are also sought out by residents and businesses for our Nelson storage service. In particular, our offering of safe, secure, and affordable storage provides households with the peace of mind needed when they are moving to a new home with less square footage (and thus excess personal “inventory”) or if they simply need a temporary holding place for possessions when in the middle of a large scale relocation. However, we of course recognize that there are many items that serve your day to day home life by being kept within immediate reach even if they are not used day to day. In an effort to provide or readers with some easy-to-follow advice on the moving and storage process we thought we’d launch our new blog with a few pointers on home storage.

5 Easy to Follow Home Storage Solutions

1. Store It Where You Use It

This tip certainly seems like common sense but all too often people keep their household excess stored in one spot within the home. When they need to retrieve something they end up unearthing boxes and piles of possessions to get to the one thing they actually need – which is ALWAYS at the bottom of it all! Instead of following this inefficient method, start fresh by storing the items within close proximity to where they will actually be used. Keep portable kitchen appliances near the kitchen, keep all linens near the bedroom, keep outdoor recreational equipment near the point of exit (garage, etc…) and so forth.

2. Books, Magazines, & Periodicals

First of all, take a proper accounting of your bookshelf and be honest with yourself as to what you will ever read again, and then donate the ones you won’t (about 50%) to your local public library. Second, come to terms with the fact that scrapbooking is not just for teenage girls and fans of Martha Stewart. You’ve likely hoarded a stack of magazines/periodicals because each contained one article or series of photos you cannot live without (yet you can). Cut these articles/images out and create a scrapbook that can continue to grow with subsequent magazine purchases yet pale in comparison to the periodical pile that has formed in the bedroom, attic, and/or bathroom.

3. Vacuum Sealing Your Seasonal Clothing

Visit your nearest house & home retailer and hunt down a vacuum sealing kit for your seasonal clothes and linens. This is one of the most closet space saving solutions around and it’s actually kind of fun watching a vacuum suck the buoyant life out of your parkas and quilts.

4. Display, Don’t Hide, Your Collectibles

We all collect some sort of personal treasure that makes us happy. Be it souvenirs from one’s travels, antiques, curio, or vintage decor (etc…) we have a collection yet all too often these items have been relegated to the dark corners of the home, stored in boxes for safe keeping yet not fulfilling their destiny to be admired, all the while consuming storage space. Be proud of your collections and display them somewhere within the home that “ties the room together” (or whatever). Most items can be displayed on walls and tall shelving units thus negating the need to take up storage space on the floors of closets, basements, and attics.

5. Above Ground Attack on Children’s Toys

Stepping and tripping on toys is an activity that every household with children counted into its census can relate to. Toys need to be stored not just for cleanliness but for personal safety as well. Store your kids’ toys above ground for optimal efficiency. Buy or build a tall shelving unit so as to not take up width in their room (thus maintaining a more spacious environment) and store toys in a top to bottom hierarchy leaving only the educational playthings within their short reach. By keeping the fun stuff out of arm’s length they depend upon you to take them down, which you will happily do when they’ve first returned the one that they were playing with previously. Another option for storing your children’s toys out of sight (but conveniently located) when their room can contain no more is to use decorative steamer trunks to serve as inconspicuous toy chests that can be placed in the living room and tucked into hallway corners. Just keep a lock on the trunks and follow the same play & put back program mentioned above.

We hope these easy-to-follow home storage ideas contribute to your household space saving solutions. If you are still in need of local Nelson storage service please feel free to contact Kootenai Moving anytime.