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Ghost Sighting in Haunted Self Storage Facility

Ghost Sighting in Haunted Self Storage Facility

British Self-Storage facility Famous for being Haunted

As the manager of The Storage Inn Self Storage in Egg Harbor Township New Jersey, I get to hear many stories about the storage industry, but I have never heard of a haunted storage facility, until now…..

I seems that the Armadillo Self Storage facility in Sheffield, England, is one of the 10 most haunted sites in the city according to local newspaper “The Star” and Steel City Ghost Tours, a local tour group. The property at 79 West Bar was originally the site of an old movie theater that was later converted to storage rental space. Witnesses claim to have seen an apparition known as Mr. Porter as well as projector lights. Others claim to have heard the projector equipment running, and feeling its vibrations even though the old projector room is empty.

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The activity was most prevalent during building renovations, including a sighting of Mr. Porter, who is believed to have been a theater attendant in the theater’s glory days.. In that instance, two electricians saw a man walk past where they were working, and into an upstairs restroom. One of the workers followed the man up the stairs to tell him that the area was closed, and to ask him why he was there. When the electrician got to the bathroom, the man had vanished.

 

Armadillo staff also reported seeing flashing white lights coming from the old projector room, even though the room was empty. At one point, an old apprentice of Mr. Porter’s was invited to the building, During his visit  the man asked if the workers were running the old projectors because he could feel the vibrations on the floor. Told the room was empty, he insisted on looking inside. When the group stood outside the door, they could reportedly hear the projector running. When they opened the door, the noise stopped. The room had been completely demolished by a fire  earlier in the week.

There are still reports, from time to time, of Mr. Porter roaming the halls, and the projectors vibrating the floor. It makes me wonder, if many years from now, I might not be seen roaming the grounds of The Storage Inn in Southern New Jersey, in my little yellow golf cart.  Who knows – it could happen.

Storage Inn Tips For Reorganizing Your Storage Stuff

Storage Inn Tips For Reorganizing Your Storage Stuff

Time to organize your storage unit

Today is the day!  You cleared the afternoon schedule, took the key out of the junk drawer, and you’re ready to head to the local self storage facility to finally clean out and reorganize your storage unit. You’ve been meaning to do this for months, but are finally getting around to it today… So you hop in the car, drive to the storage facility, throw open the door, and think “OMG –  I can’t believe that I left it like this!” Boxes torn open and left half empty, sweat shirts hanging from old lamps, and a pile of something that you don’t even recognize shoved in the corner.
How did our storage unit end up like this? At this point you’re saying to yourself “I’m sure I had everything organized when I moved in, and I’m pretty sure I invested in a storage place to AVOID clutter.” Well, it’s time to get back on track, and get organized with a storage plan!  

The Storage Inn of Egg Harbor Township and Ocean City has put together some tried and true planning tips for organizing your storage space. 

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Plan your Work – Work your Plan

The Three Categories of Clutter
Before you begin your work, set up three areas – one for items that you will keep, one for items that you will donate, and one for items that you simply need to throw away. If you’re confined to working within your storage unit or the area immediately outside your unit, you’ll have a space limitation. Instead of pulling all of your belongings out at once, you’ll probably be more successful pulling out a packing box or two at a time and making decisions before moving on.

Repack Smart
As you repack, check to make sure that all of your storage boxes are full. Full boxes stack much more easily than half filled boxes, and are less likely to crush under the weight of the moving boxes above them. Converting your storage solution to plastic tubs can make this process even easier. Label all of the boxes or bins in your storage space clearly, and leave a small area to walk through your unit, if possible, to facilitate access throughout the year. Place the boxes or items that you are most likely to need throughout the year, close to the entrance, or at the top of the stack – planning ahead can really pay off.

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Ask the Pros!
Stop in and visit the staff here at The Storage Inn – We’ve probably dealt with the situation you may be dealing with, and would be happy to help you reach an ideal storage solution. Keep in mind, most storage facilities have moving and packing supplies onsite that are designed to make your job easier. And if you’re in need of a few extra boxes, packing tape, or packing material while you’re doing your repacking at your storage unit, just walk on over to the front office to update your packing supplies.  

Patty Ernst, the manager at our Storage Inn self-storage in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, recommends sizing up the items in your unit, and then taking a minute to visit the Storage Inn’s office store. “We carry many items in our store that can help our customers organize, or reorganize their storage space. We carry a wide variety of boxes, bubble wrap, tape, and even have kits specially made for storing dishes and glasses. For the ultimate in organization, we can even provide you with storage unit shelving that will fit against the walls of your storage area, and don’t forget the mattress and furniture covers!”

Hopefully these tips will help you to get your storage unit well organized once again –  remember, a place for everything, and everything in its place. Now go git’er done!

 

Tips for storing your summertime beach gear

Tips for storing your summertime beach gear!

How to Store your Summer!

Well, the Summer seemed to fly by here at The Storage Inn, located at the Jersey Shore, and now it’s Fall! The temperatures are dropping, and it’s time to start thinking about stowing your summer gear for the season. Let’s see… we have beach chairs in the trunks of two cars, a patio full of furniture, an assortment of bicycles, kayaks and canoes, and closets full of summer clothes. It may be time to consider getting some extra space at a self storage unit facility like our Ocean City self storage location or Egg Harbor Township self storage location! – Here are some tips to help you store your summer fun items!

Storing and Packing Beach Items

Shake off the loose sand, and make sure that your items are completely dry before storing them. It is also a good idea to place a moisture inhibitor such as Damp Rid in the storage unit to help avoid mold and mildew. Be sure to allow enough room for air to circulate around items such as beach chairs to prevent them from getting musty. Most importantly, DO NOT place anything into a storage unit that is still wet!

summer-gear

 

Storing and Packing Wheels and Paddles

Be sure to prep your bicycles, canoes and kayaks before placing them into storage. Oil any moving parts, and use the appropriate protectants on the metal, rubber, and plastic areas as needed prior to storing. You should also cover your stored items to protect your prep handywork!

Storing and Packing Patio Items

Make sure that all your patio furniture, grills, cushions,etc., are clean and dry prior to placing them into your self storage unit. Use patio furniture covers to protect your chairs and tables, and sealable plastic bags, or plastic wrap for your furniture cushions. Table cloths, placemats and accessories can be easily stored in an airtight plastic bin. Make sure that your grill is clean and dry, and that the fuel tank has been removed, prior to placing it into your self storage unit. Fuel tanks should always be stored in a secured outdoor area.

Storing and Packing Shorts, Tanks, & Tees

Be sure that all your clothing is clean and dry prior to storage. Use airtight plastic containers that are labeled on the side, so that you can read them when they’re stacked on top of one another. Placing silica packets inside of these containers will help to eliminate any moisture that might be trapped at the time of packing. Try placing a dryer sheet inside each of the containers to leave your clothing smelling clean and fresh when you retrieve them next spring.

Well, there you have it, the perfect plan for storing your Summer away from the self storage experts at The Storage Inn… at least until the temps begin to creep back up come Springtime!

To reserve the perfect unit to store your summer be sure to call or stop into your local self-storage facility, The Storage Inn! Our friendly staff is always available to answer any questions that you may have.

Tips for storing your summertime beach gear

 

Amazing Guitar Found in Storage Unit

Amazing Guitar Found in Storage Unit

Wow! What a storage unit find! 

If only it were at our facility! But truth be told, Beatles drummer Ringo Star was recently rummaging through his storage unit rentals and found some real treasures! Read below to find out more. Now we’ve never had a Beatles member rent from The Storage Inn, but we have had a very unlikely, celebrity guest as one of our tenants.

The Storage Inn Was Once a Magical Place

My name is Jerry. I’m the Sales Manager at The Storage Inn self storage in Egg Harbor Township New Jersey.  One of my duties as sales manager, is to compose our tenant newsletter, but while prepping for this year’s Fall / Winter edition, I came across something very interesting. It was a previous newsletter from before my time, that included the “Fun Storage Unit Fact” that magician David Copperfield had once stored items at our facility! “Hey!” I thought – “ What’s a rich famous guy like David Copperfield doing using a self storage facility? Do other celebrities rent storage space?” I was curious, so I did a little research, and here’s what I found out.

Shooting Stars!

downloadIt turns out that it is not uncommon for actors and celebrities to rent storage space as they travel around the world. Just last year, Beatle Ringo Starr, at age 75, decided to sell the items that he had accumulated in his various storage bins scattered across the globe. The auction included over 800 items,  among which were found, a guitar from John Lennon that’s estimated worth was $800,000. Also included was Ringo Starr’s first 1963 Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl three-piece drum kit that he not only played in over 200 performances between 1963 and 1964, but also used to record some of The Beatles biggest hits such as “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “All My Loving,” “She Loves You,” and “I Wanna Be Your Man.”

 

Robert Pattinson of Twilight Rents Storage Units For Collecting!

Movie star Robert Pattinson of Twilight fame likes to collect clothing, books and other collectibles when he travels for movies. He can’t carry all the items with the crew as they move from movie set to movie set, so he rents storage in different cities around the globe to store them. And it’s not uncommon for Pattinson and other celebrities to rent under a fake name or they have their manager or assistants rent for them.

Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton’s Storage Stuff Auctioned!

Late last year, it was announced that 2 storage units owned by Lindsey Lohan were going up for auction, and a few years ago, Paris Hilton’s storage unit was auctioned off for over $2,500.

Even Michael Jackson Rented Storage Space!

Other notable names, known to have used self storage space include Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin and Burt Reynolds. Even the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, owned a storage unit that was found to contain over 250 unreleased Michael Jackson recordings done at a time when Michael Jackson wasn’t under a recording contract with a specific company.

This made me think… A couple of weeks ago I had a tenant move in that looked just like Elvis Presley! Hmmmmm. The perfect cover!

The Storage Inn - Giving Back Through Charity

The Storage Inn – Giving Back Through Charity

The Storage Inn – Proud to Be Involved in Charity

The Common Perception

Your local self storage facility – you pass the place on your way home from work every night – you know the one, with the office out front, and the rows and rows of identical doors, where people store the stuff they don’t have room for at home. You probably don’t think much beyond that, but what you may not know is that a few self storage facilities are much more active in the community than you might think!

That Storage Place - The Storage Inn of EHT

That Storage Place – The Storage Inn of EHT

The Storage Inn – About Giving Back

As the sales manager of The Storage Inn in Egg Harbor Township I know first hand just how much we get involved in the community. We offer price breaks to local college students and military personnel, as well as providing discounted programs for community residents affected by local layoffs.

We ask the people in our area to use our services, so in return, it’s our obligation to let the people in our community know that we’re there, and that we care.

For instance, in 2102 our locations in Ocean City and Egg Harbor Township provided close to 100 storage units for up to three months to Hurricane Sandy storm victims free of charge.

The Storage Inn donates space to the Atlantic County ARC, and the local Faces 4 Autism charity. We donate  both space, and rental vehicles to the Atlantic County Sheriff’s Department’s Toys 4 Kids program, and the local Ladies Invitational Bluefish Tournament, which benefits breast cancer prevention.  The employees from our Ocean City location show up every year at the local church, with a truck load of turkeys to donate for holiday dinners for the less fortunate. We are proud to be involved in all of these charities, as well as providing monetary sponsorship for our local softball team, and summer beach concert series.

So the next time you drive past “that self storage place” keep in mind they may be doing more for the community than you’re aware of.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Definitely keep The Storage Inn of Ocean City and Egg Harbor Township in mind when you need some extra space!

Tailgating Storage Tips

So, September is here, along with a brand-spanking-new football season – and what fun would football be without tailgating? There’s nothing like meeting up with your friends, firing up the grill, and getting pumped up before kickoff – but this yearly ritual also comes with a fair amount of work attached. The last thing you want, is to be running around scrambling to find your tailgating gear on game day. Here are some tips to help you stay organized, and make your tailgating  adventure a bit easier.

Keep it Clean

Whether you’re putting it away just until next week, or until next season or packing up for the season and placing your vacation stuff into a storage facility until next year, be sure to thoroughly clean all of your gear before you put it into storage – especially anything that might have food residue on it.The smallest amount of food residue can easily attract insects, and rodents. Consider pressure washing your grill at regular intervals throughout the football season, and especially at the end of the season, when you put it into your storage space.

Tailgating Storage Tips from The Storage Inn

Tailgating Storage Tips from The Storage Inn

Tote It

Typical tailgating gear can include everything from Team Flags, to plastic utensils, table cloths, cups, radios, and more!  This is where plastic tote bins become your best friend. Not only will they hold just about everything that you need, but they’ll also stack nicely in your game day vehicle –  just be sure to distribute the weight evenly so that they’re not too heavy to lift. This also makes for easy placement back into your garage or storage unit after the big game.

Be Safe

Do not store hazardous or flammable materials such as propane tanks, lighter fluid, or any other flammable materials in your garage or self storage unit. Propane tanks should be stored outdoors in an upright position. Other items such as lighter fluid or fire starters should be stored at home in a secure  temperature controlled area.  Also remember to remove batteries from radios, flashlights, etc., while in storage between seasons, to avoid leakage.

Make it Easy

Whether you’re a football-only Tailgater, or a year round Baseball, Soccer, NASCAR kind of crew, part of successful tailgating is having a system that makes it easy.  You will want to be sure that your tailgating items can be easily accessed. If you find that you’re having a hard time doing this at home, you may want to consider a small self storage unit. The ease of driving up, throwing open the door, and loading your vehicle, could make the small monthly investment well worth it! Stop in to your local self-storage facility like The Storage Inn and check it out – We’d be more than happy to help you. Happy Tailgating!

Make the Most of your Moving Truck Rental

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Happy It's Moving Day

Happy It’s Moving Day

Make the Most of your Moving Truck Rental

So it’s moving day, and you have your moving truck, and your stuff, so you’re ready to go – right? Wrong! You have no idea how to efficiently pack a moving truck!  You need a plan!  Here are some Storage Inn packing tips to help make your moving day easier. And don’t forget The Storage Inn offers free moving truck rentals or free moving van rentals for new storage unit tenants.

Be prepared – In order to do a safe and efficient job of packing your moving truck, you’ll need the items below. Most of these are available at your local truck rental store, or local self storage facility, like The Storage Inn!

Hand truck and dolly – These are a must for moving heavier items around the inside of the moving truck as well as loading and unloading.

Furniture pads, bungee cords, packing tape, and stretch wrap – Use the furniture pads and stretch wrap to protect your items. The bungee cords and packing tape can be used to secure your items, and to keep them from shifting, as well as for keeping doors and drawers closed.

Boxes – Your local self storage facility should have a variety of moving boxes available, including some made specifically for packing fragile items like dishes and glasses. Most also have wardrobe boxes available, to help make moving the contents of closets much easier.

Remember to…

Keep items In the cab, that you might need before you unpack the back of the moving truck, Such as a small tool kit, overnight items, or extremely fragile items.

Disassemble furniture – Remove legs from chairs and tables where possible, and drawers from dressers and cabinets, until placed in the moving truck or moving van, to make moving and packing easier.

Visualize – If possible, place as many of your furniture items as you can on the ground outside of the moving truck before loading. This will help you to visualize how the items might best fit into the truck.

storage inn moving truck rental packing diagram

The Storage Inn moving truck rental diagram for packing a moving truck

Load it up

Heaviest items first – Be sure to load heavy items such as appliances, file cabinets and boxes of books toward the front of the trailer, nearest the cab. Distribute the weight as evenly as possible.  this will help to give you the safest conditions for driving your rental truck. Keep in mind that you are also packing floor-to-ceiling. Place your heavier items on the bottom, while saving lighter items for the top.

Protect your stuff – Be aware of how your items are packed, and how they might react to a rough ride.  Use furniture pads and stretch wrap to protect your items, as well as bungee cords, and/or packing tape, to secure everything for the ride.

Box it up – Boxes pack best with other boxes, so save space if possible, to stack all of your extra boxes. You want to clearly label your boxes, and pack the heavier ones at the bottom, and lighter ones toward the top.

Save the soft stuff from the furniture – When packing, keep your pillows, couch cushions, blankets, etc., set aside. As you finish loading each quarter of the truck, stop and look at your packing job so far.  Imagine your items as your truck is being driven along over a bumpy road. Does it look like any of the items might bounce around? If so, use your pillows, blankets, and cushions to fill in the dead spots between items. Your goal should be to arrange your items so that they are as close to one solid piece as possible. Think of your items as pieces to a jigsaw puzzle – solve the puzzle, and enjoy the ride!

 

Self-Storage for Military Personnel

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Self Storage for Military Personnel

Moving and Storage Tips for Military Families

Moving and Storage Tips for Military Families

Military Families on the Move

Moving is part of everyday life for military personnel. Soldiers and their families may be asked to relocate every 2 to 4 years. These moves often take place with short notice, requiring quick planning.

Military personnel who are about to deploy have a lot of choices to make regarding what items to take with them, and what to place in a storage unit. A self storage unit can be a great option, not only for furniture, electronics, and appliances, but also storing a vehicle such as cars, trucks, motorcycles, and boats. Your local self storage facility will likely offer military discounts for storage units as well as packing supplies, and possibly even the free use of a moving truck or moving van like we offer at The Storage Inn of Egg Harbor Township and The Storage Inn II of Ocean City. Most military bases have self storage facilities located near to them that offer secure gated storage – some even have resident security managers and climate controlled storage units. Many storage facilities also offer your choice of affordable indoor or outdoor space for vehicle storage.

Surface Deployment and Distribution Command are part of relocation departments designed to help military families with their moves. These departments also offer moving check lists like the one below.

Moving Tips for Military Families

Military families are experts movers! Here are some tips for moving with the military that should help make the moving process as smooth as possible!

Have a playbook with the moving orders, important dates and other documentation. Create a detailed list of everything that is to be moved.

Begin decluttering as soon as possible. Sort through items and designate them as sell, donate, and store – having less items to pack and move helps reduce stress on moving day

Have family and friends help with cleaning the old home when it is empty. It is also recommended to pre-clean the bathroom and kitchen in your new home.

Pack a “Go” bag for the first day at your new home with items such as sheets, towels, shower curtains and soap. Military families may not be able to control what goes where on their moving trucks, making it difficult to find items like laundry soap, brooms, mops, and household cleaners until the truck is completely unpacked. Quick and efficient planning is the key, but then, being quick and efficient is probably second nature to most military family members.

Tips for Moving and Storing Appliances

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cleaning refrigerator for storage

Cleaning refrigerator before moving to storage unit.

The Storage Inn – Tips for Moving and Storing Appliances

Throw open the door to any self storage unit at either of our storage facilities in Egg Harbor Township or Ocean City, NJ and you’ll likely find at least one appliance being stored.  Most of us hate to throw out working appliances, so what do we do?  We keep them around until we can sell them or find a friend or relative who can put them to use. Unfortunately, this does not always happen quickly, and if you do not take certain precautions when storing appliances, you could end up with a hunk of metal and plastic that is completely unusable.

We’ve put together a few, tried and true, self storage moving tips for storing and moving your appliances below.

Clean and Dry

Be sure to thoroughly clean all appliances before placing them into a storage unit or storage container, especially refrigerators, freezers, washers, and dryers. Be sure to wipe down the inside completely. Other areas to be aware of are intake vents and lint filters.

Remove and dry moisture from all water lines, reservoirs, holding tanks, and drip pans, etc.  Use a hair dryer if necessary, to make sure that these areas are completely dry. This will help to prevent freezing, and mildew. Some preventive pest control treatments around motors and compressors is also a good idea.

Preparing to Move and Store

Always keep refrigerators and freezers upright during moving to prevent damage to the refrigeration system. The doors of all appliances should also be taped or bungeed shut until you arrive at your destination. You can also prevent cosmetic damage by covering items with furniture blankets or bubble wrap.

Reminder! Keep in mind that when you need moving supplies, we sell packing tape, bubble wrap, and many other moving supply items at all Storage Inn self storage facilities.

Once your items are placed in the storage unit, remove the packing tape and/ or bungees, and store with the doors ajar (removed) to prevent mold and mildew. Placing moisture inhibitors such as “Damp Check” in the storage unit along with your appliances may also help to prevent excess moisture. Be sure to cover your appliances with canvas tarps, or cotton sheets to protect them from dust and allow for air circulation.

Lastly, keep in mind that if you having questions about moving or storing your appliances or other valuables feel free to call one of our Storage Inn self storage managers. They can be a very valuable resource when it comes to moving, packing and storing tips. And don’t be afraid to stop in to a Storage Inn rental office to ask questions, get current storage unit rates, pick up moving supplies, or check out our self storage specials! – We’re always happy to help!

Summer Self Storage In Absecon

HOW TO SURVIVE A SUMMER MOVE

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HOW TO SURVIVE A SUMMER MOVE

Who doesn’t love moving?  Everyone, that’s who ! Moving is not fun, and timing your move can be difficult as well.  More than half of all moves are made between May and September, presumably to avoid the ice, snow, and cold weather of winter, but Summer moving presents its own list of challenges. Here are some tips to help avoid possible complications brought on by moving in the heat of Summer.

Summer Self-Storage in Absecon

1. Sort it out

Make sure that you are moving only the items that you will actually need and use at your new location.
Donate Items that are still in good shape, but not necessarily needed.
Throw away Any items that are no longer needed, and not in good enough shape to donate.
Store excess furniture and seasonal items, such as shovels, snow blowers and winter clothing in a self-storage unit.

2. Hire some Pros

Whether you hire a moving company, or just some muscle to help you get items on and off of the truck, doing less of the lifting yourself, will help to avoid issues related to heat and exhaustion. Be sure to get references before hiring anyone.

3. Be Cool at your New Home

Be sure that all utilities are activated and functioning properly prior to your move in .  Arriving at your new home only to find that the air conditioning is not working will make for a very long move in day!

4. Be Healthy

To avoid heat-related health issues such as heat stroke or dehydration,  consider taking these precautions.

Dress for Success – Wear lightweight light colored clothes.
Drink up – Stay hydrated to avoid overheating.
Be early or late – Do most of your work in morning or evening hours to avoid the hottest part of the day.
Take a timeout  –  Take short breaks throughout the day to avoid overdoing it.
Lotion up – Wear sunscreen to avoid sunburn.


Plan ahead, and complete your summer move as easily as possible, and remember, it’s still better than moving in freezing weather with a foot of snow on the ground! For more summer self-storage tips as well as other self-storage information, check out our whole self-storage blog.