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Packing and Storing Frames and Mirrors
If you are preparing to place artwork or mirrors in a storage unit near Santa Cruz, CA, it is important to pack your items carefully. In order to pack your picture frames, you will need brown packing paper, mirror boxes, a roll of packing tape, and a marker. When you are packing your mirrors or picture frames, you can start by folding your packing paper around your item. With the paper carefully folded, you can tape your frame securely. For a look at how to store frames and mirrors, watch this video.
A company offering portable storage units will be able to provide you with handy tips on how to pack, move, and store your belongings. With services from a top-rated storage rental company, you can ensure that your personal items are fully secured when they are not in use.
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Top Ways to Streamline the Moving Process
No matter what distance you’re traveling during your move, there are a few tricks you can use to make the process easier. First, give yourself more time to plan your move than you think you’ll need. Next, explore your storage options in Capitola, CA, deal with unnecessary clutter, and stock up on packing and moving supplies.
Reserving a Self-Storage Rental
A disorganized move is stressful and inefficient. An effective way to keep your family organized is to rent a temporary storage unit, especially if you’re a military family. Military families move often, and they don’t necessarily take all of their belongings with them each time they move. If you or your spouse is headed for an overseas deployment, start checking out the rates for self-storage. Talking to a storage rental company is also a smart idea if you’re a college student. You might not want to move all of the contents of your dorm room back home each summer. Rent a storage unit near your campus to streamline your move when the new school year starts.
Dealing with Clutter
The day of the move is the wrong time to deal with clutter. As soon as you decide to move, start sorting through your possessions. Get rid of items that you can discard, recycle, sell, or give away. Inevitably, there will be some items with sentimental value that you might not need any longer. If you can’t decide what to do with these items, you can put them into storage, and deal with them after you’ve settled into your new home.
Stocking up on Moving Supplies
It’s a waste of time to run out to the store for packing supplies in the middle of your move. Stock up on more supplies than you think you’ll need. Get plenty of:
- Boxes of all sizes
- Tape
- Scissors
- Markers
- Packing peanuts
Delegating Tasks
Your move will go smoothly if you delegate tasks to each family member. For example, adults and older children can wrap and pack the breakable items. Younger kids can help by packing their own clothes and stuffed animals into plastic bins. When everyone pitches in, the move will go faster than you think.
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JD Mini Storage’s Security Measures
The beauty of a storage unit in Capitola, CA is that you can use it to store just about anything you want. From seasonal decorations that would otherwise clutter up your living space to valuable family heirlooms that you don’t have room for but don’t want to lose, you can keep your belongings safe until you want to come back to them. At JD Mini Storage , we want the best for our customers. That means that we do our best to keep our premises safe and your belongings protected. Read on and take a look at JD Mini Storage’s security measures.
The point of using a storage unit is to keep your belongings safe when you don’t have room for them in your house or apartment. When you rent a unit from JD Mini Storage, you will get a personal access code that lets you get through the gate. Without the access code, you can’t pass through the gate, and this does a good job of keeping potential thieves and vandals away from your unit. You can also count on the presence of at least one manager onsite at every hour of the day for further protection.
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Perfect Packing to Prevent Pests
Packing up your belongings the right way helps keep them safe during the move, and it’s also useful when it comes to pest prevention. You don’t want to return to the storage unit in Capitola, CA to find bugs in your boxes, so you need to know what to do and what to look for. Wash your clothes before you pack them, whether you’re moving them to a storage unit or to a new home. Pack using only the best packing materials so you can close bugs out, and inspect your belongings before you put them away. If you want to pack to prevent pests, read ahead.
Wash Your Clothes
Certain types of pests like to feed on fabric, which makes your clothing a target for their meals. You might already have small bugs like moths and silverfish in your clothing as it hangs in your closet, but an infestation can occur if you pack them away with your garments. Wash all of your clothing in hot water before you pack, so you can kill the bugs and avoid an infestation while your belongings wait in your storage unit.
Use the Right Materials
Sometimes people end up dealing with pest problems because they failed to use the right packing materials. As cheap and convenient as it might be to take empty boxes from a department or grocery store, there are a few problems with this tactic. First, the boxes might not be sturdy enough, and your belongings could break if they bottom out. Secondly, they might contain bugs that you didn’t notice. You don’t want to return to your storage unit to find pests waiting, so use clean boxes that are designed for moving.
Look Before You Leave
Knowing how to identify a pest problem gives you a leg up when packing to prevent one. Inspect everything before you put it away, especially your bedding. Look for blood spots in your sheets, blankets, pillowcases, and the seams of your mattress. If you find any, you might have bed bugs. Call a pest control professional and wash all of your bedding in hot water.
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Do’s and Dont’s for Packing Your Belongings
There are many tips, tricks, do’s, and don’ts when it comes to packing belongings into a storage unit . For example, overpacked and mislabeled boxes can present dangers in your Santa Cruz, CA storage unit. You can prevent difficulties by following the dos and don’ts listed below.
Do Plan a Layout
Planning an efficient layout is one of the most important steps when packing your storage unit. This layout will help you create pathways throughout the unit, so you can easily access all of your furniture and moving boxes. Draw up a simple plan of the unit and use painter’s tape to section off pathways and different areas of the physical unit.
Don’t Overpack Boxes
It may seem easy to overpack moving boxes, especially when they will be sitting in a storage unit. However, overpacked and heavy boxes can present several dangers and difficulties during storage and moving. Heavy boxes stacked on each other can create an unstable tower that might fall and injure you or damage your items. Always be aware of how heavy your boxes are so you can ensure their stability while they are in storage.
Do Label Boxes
Proper labeling will keep you more organized and allow for easy access to your items in the unit. Separate your boxes by the rooms they belong to and categorize each set of boxes with a different color. For example, label your boxes of dishware and kitchen products with a blue marker and blue tape. This color-coding system will keep your unit organized and more efficient when unloading boxes.
Don’t Use Subpar Supplies
When you use old moving boxes, trash bags, or used containers to hold your items, then you risk the containers ripping and damaging your belongings inside. If you use newspaper to protect your breakables, then the newspaper will likely stain the items and make them difficult to clean. Choose new packing supplies from your moving company or storage facility, so you can rest assured that your belongings are protected.
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Easy Tricks for an Efficient Move
Moving to a new house can be a stressful experience, but there are many tips and tricks that can keep your move as stress-free and efficient as possible. Packing boxes early on, labeling, and using temporary storage in Capitola, CA are going to be essential steps to an easy move. Watch the attached video for some helpful tips.
The first step to an easy move is to start packing nonessentials right away. Use temporary storage for these items—such as holiday decorations, artwork, and heirloom dishware—so they will be out of the way and packed well ahead of the move. Take the time to label every box as it is packed. Use a color-coded labeling system to keep track of which room each box belongs to. A few days before the move date, pack a box of essentials that you will need in the days after moving.
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Natural Remedies to Prevent Pests in Your Storage Unit
A bug infestation can cause significant damage to the items that you move into your storage unit near Santa Cruz. This video will provide you with some simple tips that will allow you to naturally prevent bugs in your storage unit. Nontoxic materials, such as baking soda and silica gel, can remove moisture from your storage unit and prevent bugs from infiltrating your space.
A top-rated storage rental in your local area will take all the steps that are needed to prevent bug infestations and other pest problems. To make sure that you are renting a clean unit that is pest-free, consider taking a tour of the facility before you reserve your storage unit rental.
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Kids Moving Out? Consider Downsizing Your Space
When your kids grow up and head off to college , you and your spouse may be left with empty bedrooms and a house that suddenly feels too large. One great way to take control of your space is to consider downsizing into a smaller home. A storage unit in Capitola will provide you with the space that you need to store your belongings once you have downsized into a smaller property.
A storage rental company can provide you with several options when you downsize. During the moving process, renting temporary storage is a great way to keep your belongings secure and out of the way while you transition into your new home. Your kids may also appreciate having access to a student storage unit, which will allow them to store their items during summer vacation and other school breaks. Your storage unit team will work with you to help you find the right solution for your future move.
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Useful Tips for Sharing a Storage Unit with a Roommate
Money tends to be scarce when you’re in college, as well as after you graduate. This is why it’s a good idea to save money wherever you can. If you want to save money on a storage unit in Santa Cruz, CA, consider sharing one with your roommate. As long as you follow a few simple steps , you should be able to successfully store your things and save money while doing so. Keep reading if you’d like to pick up a couple of useful tips for sharing a storage unit with a roommate.
Color Code Your Boxes
Sharing a living space has its perks, but it has its drawbacks too. When you live in close quarters and you share your things, it’s easy for belongings to get mixed up. The good news is that it’s also easy to prevent this from happening in your storage space. Before you bring your boxes to the storage rental, it’s a good idea to color-code them. When your stuff is coded by color, you won’t spend too much time wondering whose boxes are whose. Moving boxes tend to look similar, so this can be a helpful trick to use in the storage unit.
Attach Lists of Contents
Even if you can distinguish between your boxes, things tend to get complicated when you’re rummaging through your things together while you’re in the storage unit. You can make sure everything ends up back where it belongs by attaching a list of contents to each of your boxes. Before you close the box back up, make sure that everything on your list of contents has made it back inside.
Get More Roommates Involved
Many college students share storage units in order to save money, and many of these students have multiple roommates. If you’re used to keeping your things with the same couple of people, consider splitting a storage unit between more than two people. This can save everyone money, but you should make sure that it doesn’t get messy having the storage unit in one person’s name. As long as everyone communicates, however, it can be a great idea.
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How Can Small Business Owners Benefit from Having Storage Units?
Owning a small business can be extremely rewarding. If you need a little extra space for your things, a storage unit in Capitola, CA may be just what you’re looking for. A storage unit will make sure your clutter stays to a minimum, and it can be especially convenient if you’re moving to a new location. For a small business owner, a temporary storage unit will likely fit within your budget constraints as well. Please keep reading if you’d like to find out how a small business owner can benefit from having a storage unit.
Keeping Clutter Out
It can be difficult to conduct your daily business when you’re tripping over clutter, which is one reason why a storage unit can be so valuable to small business owners. Whether you’re drowning in paperwork or you have products that have yet to be moved, a temporary storage unit can be the perfect solution. When clutter gets especially bad, it can start to take over your office space, which spells bad news for employees and clients alike. Consider looking into a storage rental to clear up some of the clutter at your workplace.
Moving Your Business
As long as you play your cards right, your small business won’t always be a small business. This means that at some point, you’ll probably have to move to a bigger space. It’s helpful to have a storage unit when you get to this level. Moving can be stressful enough as it is, but a storage unit can be of help. Expanding can be great for your small business, and a storage unit can contain your documents and equipment while you’re in the process.
Freeing Up Your Finances
A storage unit is a great asset, and the best part is that it’s affordable. When you look into a storage unit rental, you can cut costs without cutting convenience. This means you’ll have a little bit of extra financial flexibility to take care of business, which is your main priority as a small business owner. A storage rental might be just what you need to keep business moving.
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Do You Have the Right Packing Supplies?
Once you decide it’s time to move to a new home or rent out a storage unit in Capitola, CA, it’s also time to start thinking about the supplies that you’ll need in order to make the transition. The more carefully you pack your belongings, the more likely they are to stay in the same shape when you reach your new destination. There are a few options people still choose that might be less than favorable, so make sure you’re acquiring the right materials for your move. Keep on reading so you can find out if you have the right packing supplies.
Going to the local grocery store and finding empty boxes can seem like a cheap and easy way to find packing materials for your belongings. While that may indeed be a cheap and easy method, it’s not the best one if you want to keep your items safe throughout the move. If you want to make sure that you use only quality supplies, be sure to purchase boxes that are designed for moving. Wardrobe boxes can be especially helpful when it comes to transporting clothing, and sturdy moving boxes should do the trick for most of your other belongings.
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Graduating Soon? Consider a Storage Unit for College
A storage unit in Santa Cruz can be a lifesaver when it comes to staying organized, which can be especially helpful if you’re going a long distance away for school. This will ensure that you always have a space for the belongings that can’t fit in your dorm, apartment, or house at school, and it can keep your important items protected for as long as you want. Fortunately, you can still access your belongings whenever you need to, so you’ll never be alienated from what’s yours. Read on to find out if you should consider a storage unit for college .
Have a Home Between Homes
When the kids ship off to college, sometimes parents decide it’s time to retire to another area. If your parents decide they want to move once you and your siblings are in college and out of the house, it’s nice to have a storage unit where you can keep your belongings. This way you don’t have to get rid of anything that you don’t have room to take along with you when you make the move to college. This can also be helpful if you are going particularly far away for college and would like to be able to access some of your extra things more easily.
Protect Your Belongings
You can’t take everything with you when you move to college, but you still want to make sure that the belongings that don’t make the cut are taken care of while you’re gone. A storage unit can offer you some peace of mind in this case, as you can rest assured that your belongings will be just the way you left them once you return. As long as you work with a storage rental company that you can trust, your items will be in good hands.
Maintain Easy Access
When you decide to use a storage unit for some of your possessions, you should think about how often you’ll want to get to them in the future. The right college storage unit will allow you to come back whenever you want so that you can have access to your belongings.
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The Benefits of Using Ground Level Storage Units
As convenient as a storage unit in Capitola, CA can be, it helps to have one on the ground floor. Whether you are moving to college for the semester or you’re moving your business to a new location, a storage unit can provide you with the flexibility you need to make the move as comfortable as possible. A ground level storage unit will be easier to access, and you’ll have a much simpler time loading and unloading your belongings when you go to and from your unit. Here are some of the benefits of using ground level storage units.
There’s no reason to do more physical labor than you need to, so it’s a good idea to look for a storage unit that’s on the ground floor. Having a ground level storage unit means you won’t have to worry about bringing heavy items up and down the stairs. This can make life much easier, and it will be particularly beneficial for the handicapped and those who are not especially strong. Lugging a television, couch, or other heavy fixture up or down several flights of stairs can be a taxing venture, but your ground level storage unit will make it easy to store your things.
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How to Keep Your Furniture Safe in Storage
When you are planning on moving or selling your house, you may find yourself in need of a place to safely house your furniture. A storage unit in Capitola will provide you with ample space to store your sofa, table, or other large furnishings when they are not in use. Prior to moving your furnishings into your storage unit rental, you will want to make sure that they are properly covered and ready to remain unused for a certain length of time. Let’s explore some methods that you can use to keep your furniture safe when it is being stored.
Take Apart Wooden Pieces
If your wooden furniture is capable of being disassembled, you will want to take it apart before it heads into the storage unit. A large wooden piece of furniture is more likely to be scratched or dinged if it is fully assembled during moving. Taking off legs, footboards, or headboards will help you maneuver your wooden furniture safely, and will also make it easier to lift.
Clean Upholstered Items
Your upholstered furniture will require a bit of attention and care before it goes to the storage unit. If your upholstered sofas or chairs are not cleaned before they are stored, they will be more likely to develop mold, mildew, and other issues over time. By using an upholstery safe cleaner on the surface of your upholstered furnishing, you can rest assured that it will not deteriorate while it sits in your storage unit.
Wrap All Furniture Carefully
All furniture needs to be carefully wrapped before it is placed in storage. Your storage facility may be able to provide you with special plastic sheeting or fabric that is specifically designed for use on furniture. Any sharp edges or corners should also be contained with plenty of bubble wrap. After your furniture has been covered and wrapped, it will be ready for your big move.
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Keep Your Model Airplane Safe In Storage
If you have a beloved model airplane, you will want to make sure that your model is properly prepared for placement into storage. In this video, you will receive essential information about keeping your model airplane safe when it enters a storage unit in Santa Cruz. Before your airplanes are stored, they should be cleaned and dusted.
After your model airplane has been cleaned, it will be ready for placement into storage. To protect your airplane from pests and water damage, you will want to make sure that it is stored at least six inches off the ground. Your storage rental company may be able to provide you with special shelves that can be used to elevate your airplane.
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Professional Tips for Packing Clothing
As you are getting ready to move into your storage unit, you may want to rely on expert moving tips for packing your boxes. In this video, you will receive professional advice for packing and storing your clothes. After you have obtained cardboard boxes and packing tape, you will be ready to pack your wardrobe. Your storage unit facility in Santa Cruz may also be able to provide you with special wardrobe boxes, which will allow you to hang up your clothes.
Once you have packed up your clothes in the correct manner, you will be ready to start moving. A secure storage unit will provide a climate controlled and low humidity environment that is perfect for storing your clothes.
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Tips for Packing Your Pictures and Mirrors
Whether you are packing for a move or temporary storage , your pictures and mirrors need to be packed in a specific manner. Pictures and mirrors must be kept protected while in a moving truck and in a storage unit near Capitola, CA because they are very fragile. Watch the video for a closer look at how to pack your pictures and mirrors. Here are few tips to get you started:
- Purchase specialized boxes meant to transport pictures and mirrors.
- Place packing paper or bubble wrap at the bottom of the box before you place the picture in. This will ensure more protection.
- Wrap packing paper around your pictures and mirrors to avoid potential ink transference while moving or sitting in the storage unit.
- Tape up the box liberally to keep the moving box from breaking during transport.
- Label the box fragile so everyone will know to handle it with care.
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Steps to Take When Downsizing Your Belongings
Whether you are moving to a smaller home, or simply organizing your current home, downsizing your belongings is a necessary step. Downsizing, by utilizing scanning technology and temporary storage in Santa Cruz, CA, can help free up much-needed space around your home. You can also take advantage of this process to better organize your home and place important paperwork in a storage rental . Let’s take a closer look at the steps to take when downsizing.
Begin Planning Immediately
The key to moving or downsizing is to have a clear plan of action. This plan should include a breakdown of every room’s belongings and their level of importance. This breakdown will help you to determine which items can stay, which should be donated, and which should be stored in a storage unit rental.
Consider Digitizing
If there are certain papers, photographs, and other files that you do not want to permanently part with, then consider placing them in self-storage and digitizing them. By scanning your important files—tax records, mortgage information, and business records—you can clear up multiple file cabinets, cluttered stacks of paper, and other random pieces of paper you want to keep. If you have records or photographs you need to keep physical copies of, then place them in a storage unit rental in secure plastic containers.
Give Items Away
When you go through your belongings room by room, make a separate pile for items you wish to donate or give away to family. To truly downsize, consider donating or selling old and unused furniture and appliances. By removing furniture, you will free up a lot of square footage. This will help you to organize better when you choose to move to a smaller home.
Utilize Storage Nearby
There are going to be items that have sentimental meaning, or furniture that has not sold yet, during your downsizing process. No matter the reason, it is crucial that you take advantage of nearby storage rentals. There are different unit sizes to choose from, and you will have easy access to your items whenever you need.
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What Size Storage Unit Do You Need?
Putting some of your belongings into a storage unit can provide you with many benefits. However, to get the most out of your storage rental near Capitola, CA, it’s essential that you select the right unit size for your needs. Choosing one that’s too small can leave you with too little space or an overstuffed unit, and a space that’s too big will be wasted space for which you have to pay. Use these tips to determine the best storage unit size for your needs:
Make a List
The first step in determining the best storage rental size for your belongings is to make a list of everything that you plan to store. Next, take the time to evaluate any areas of your property where you have anything stored. There may be more items that you could benefit from packing away, and it’s best to identify these possessions before you start moving anything into storage. Finally, stop and think ahead. You may have belongings currently in use that you won’t need in a few months, such as sporting gear, seasonal clothing, or holiday décor. Add anything that you may wish to put in storage to your list.
Make a Map
With your list in hand, you can begin to estimate how much space you’ll need to store everything. If you’re planning to store anything large or bulky, such as furniture, athletic equipment, or appliances, take the time to measure these items and create a diagram of their position in your storage unit. Not only will this process help you determine what size rental you need, but it will also allow you to create a plan for storing your belongings in a way that is simple and efficient.
Make a Decision
At this point, you should be able to narrow down your choices for the best unit size for your needs. The following is a list of commonly found storage rental sizes:
- 5×5
- 5×10
- 10×5
- 5×15
- 10×10
- 10×15
- 10×20
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Tips for Arranging Your Storage Space
When it comes to moving your stuff into a storage rental, the way you fill the unit, stack the boxes, and arrange your belongings can significantly affect how much you benefit from the space. The following tips will help you get the most out of your storage rental in Santa Cruz, CA:
Stack Your Boxes
While packing your belongings that you’ll move into storage, it’s vital that you think about storing your items vertically as well as horizontally. Many storage units are at least 8 feet tall, meaning that you can stack your boxes high to maximize what you get out of the space. To do this safely, stack boxes that are of similar size with the heaviest ones toward the floor and the lightweight ones at the top.
Leave a Path
As you move your belongings into the storage unit, keep in mind that you may want to access some of the boxes over time. To make the process of getting to particular items as hassle-free as possible, leave at least one walkway through the middle of your unit. When you fill the space completely, not only will it be more difficult to see where everything is, but you’ll also have to move more boxes to reach what it is that you need.
Label Your Boxes
Among the most important steps that you can take to get the most out of your storage unit is to label your boxes and face them toward the aisle. The path that you make will be of little help if you can’t determine what items are where.
Break Items Down
Do you have some bulky belongings that you need to store? If so, then take a closer look at these items and determine if they can be taken apart. Many types of furniture, exercise equipment, and athletic gear can be at least partially disassembled to make them easier to store. When doing this, be sure to keep all of the related pieces together and bag up bolts and screws as necessary.
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