Author Archives: admin

Vehicle Self Storage in Winter for our Four-Wheel Friends

November is here at The Storage Inn in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, and the phone is ringing constantly with our yearly winter vehicle storage customers, looking for a storage unit to put their car, truck or van to bed for the winter. Most of them are yearly customers – some are  snowbirds heading south for the winter where they have another vehicle waiting – and some are classic car owners who only drive their vehicles during the warm sunny months.

One thing that I have learned in my years in the self storage business is that there is more to storing a vehicle for the winter than just rolling it in and pulling the door shut. There is some preparation involved and precautionary steps that should be taken. 

Here are some tips courtesy of The Storage Inn… 

Clean it up

Clean, dry and preferably waxed is the best condition to have your car in before it goes to sit for months in a vehicle storage facility. Salt and moisture are obvious culprits, so make sure it isn’t just a surface clean either, and make sure there’s a chance to dry before covering things up.

Where to Store Your Car?

For those of us who have no garage, like myself, or have a garage that is packed full of things other than automobiles, Self Storage is the next best thing. Choose a storage facility with good security, that is well-lit, and offers clean, dry units of the appropriate size – 10 x 20 should be your starting point.

Fill it up.

Over the course of a winter, fluctuating temperatures can cause moisture in your fuel tank.  With older cars especially, which means rust and a clogged fuel filter come the spring. The simplest way to combat this is to fill up the tank before you park for the winter, particularly with higher-octane, low-ethanol fuel. A smaller volume of empty air in the tank will help prevent moisture buildup, and will dilute contaminants.
The second thing to do is to invest in fuel stabilizer, which will prevent water from separating from the gasoline.

Check the Pressure

Your tires should always be at the correct pressure, but for those who park their car for long periods, pressure is extremely important. Add a few extra pounds of pressure to avoid developing flat spots – and make sure you’re taking pressure readings when cold.

Another method is to take the weight off the tires completely using jack stands. This isn’t necessarily recommended for older vehicles prone to sagging frames, nor for newer vehicles with air-adaptive suspensions.

One last, easy trick is to park the car with a flat section of 2-inch by 10-inch wood boards or similar under each tire. This provides a mild insulating effect if you’re parking on concrete, and will help keep the rubber from hardening up too much.

Oil and water

Change your oil just before parking your car, and then leave it be. Starting your car periodically without letting the engine come to full operating temperature can cause condensation to form in the exhaust system, rusting things out.

Antifreeze is an obvious check, but one that can get overlooked. You want to have this handled before you park the car, as the proper mixture needs to circulate through the engine’s radiator before you shut down for the winter. 

Keeping water out of the interior is critical too. Use moisture absorbers such as damp check to keep your storage unit dry as possible. 

Cover your baby!


Simply throwing a bed sheet over a car used to be good enough in the old days, and in many ways it’s still pretty effective. Whatever you use, make sure it’s breathable and properly secured. And avoid using a tarp, which can trap moisture!

So now that you’re armed with car and truck self storage tips courtesy of The Storage Inn, you can get down to the business of storing your vehicle for the winter properly. Let’s hope that it goes by quickly – See you in the spring!

 

 

 

 

 

October is time to Organize!

Today is the day!  The weather is great, 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.

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 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 space 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.

353268104-plan-your-work-670-670

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.

cardboard-box-labeled-300x193

Ask the Pros!
Stop in and visit the staff here at The Storage Inn – We’ve probably dealt with the situation you’re 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.

Jerry Brown, 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!

Lederhosen, Beer and Oktoberfest

Lederhosen, Beer and Oktoberfest

Fall is in full swing here at The Storage Inn of Egg Harbor Township New Jersey, and this self storage rental facility is jumping with customers shuttling in and out of their storage units, most of them pulling out their cold weather clothing and fall items such as Halloween decorations.

There’s always something interesting going on here, but yesterday I witnessed a sight that I never expected to see.

I recognized the truck that pulled into our storage unit rental office parking lot. It was one of our good customers, Jason, the wrestling coach of the local high school. What I didn’t expect was to see Jason hop out of his truck and stroll into the office, dressed head-to-toe in German Lederhosen!

“You’re a little early for Halloween, aren’t you?” I said as he walked through the door.

“Not Halloween – Oktoberfest!” he replied.

Jason and his wife were on their way to an Oktoberfest celebration. They even had special beer mugs that they had retrieved from their storage unit for the occasion. Jason grabbed a roll of packing tape and some bubble wrap, and then took off to Oktoberfest.

This got me thinking not only about Oktoberfest, but more importantly, about beer!  Where did beer come from, and why do so many people around the world love it so much?

I decided to do some research and here is what I found…

Drink Like an Egyptian

Beer has a long history, one that’s longer than we’ll ever be able to trace. Residue of the first known beer was found in a jar at an excavation site in modern day Iran, presumably sitting there since someone took his or her last sip around 3400 B.C. But chances are, the first beer had been “cracked” long before that.

So while an exact date or time for the first chug, or keg stand, or even hiccup, is not known, what is known is that beer, like bread, developed best in farm-based societies where there was an enough grain and time for fermentation. One thing we definitely know is that ancient man loved beer as much as—if not more—than we do. The Babylonians had about 20 recipes for beer, Egyptian Pharaohs were buried with vats of the stuff, even the workers who built the pyramids were essentially paid in beer.

One of the first written recipes for beer actually comes from a 3800 year-old poem that celebrates the Sumerian goddess of beer and also conveniently outlines steps for brewing.

However it began, beer rapidly took hold as one of civilization’s favorite, and safest ways to drink. Historically speaking, water wasn’t always safe to drink, and alcoholic drinks like beer, which were sanitized by the application of heat, were actually safer to consume. The appearance of beer also changed as brewing methods evolved. Babylonians drank their beer with a straw because it was thicker and full of grain! 

Germany “Hops” On Board

For centuries, beer cultivation in Europe relied on a mixture of herbs and spices called gruit. Only around the turn of the first millennium A.D. were hops regularly finding their way to beer, with Germany exporting hops for brewing around the 13th century.

By the 16th Century,Germany’s “Reinheitsgebot” beer purity law had essentially removed everything but water, hops, and barley from acceptable brewing ingredients (yeast, a slight oversight, was added back to the list a few centuries later).

Over the centuries, beer’s popularity has remained constant. The Prohibition era introduced our palates to a lighter flavor profile that lingers to this day, especially among mass-marketed beers. On the other hand, craft beer has made serious gains in the market, yielding a historically unprecedented diversity of styles. One company and even brewed a beer using the ancient poem’s recipe, and Dogfish Head’s Ancient Ales line includes beers like the “Ta Henket – a version of Egyptian bread beer. 

So, now that you are armed with some serious beer history knowledge, courtesy of The Storage Inn, you can pull on your Lederhosen, grab your beer stein, and head for your local Oktoberfest celebration. Have fun, but take it easy on the Bratwurst – Auf Wiedersehen!

Back to School Around the World

Back to School Around the World!

September and back to school is upon us! Here at The Storage Inn of Egg Harbor Township, teachers and students are busy retrieving items from their storage units in preparation for the new school year. This week I saw Mrs. Oglesby, loading boxes of art supplies for her classroom. And local college students are in and out picking up stored furniture for their dorm.

Who knew that school and self-storage went together so well?!?

All of this school centered activity made me wonder what back to school is like throughout the rest of the world. Here’s a look at what students in several different countries are doing to prepare for a new year of learning!

First Day of School in Japan

In Japan, children carry all of their school supplies in a hard-sided backpack called a randoseru. It’s filled with books, origami paper and a special pencil case called a fudebako. For students who bring their own lunch to school, the tradition is to bring a lunch of rice with seaweed sauce and quail eggs. This meal is thought to bring good luck. Also, since outdoor shoes are not permitted inside the school, students bring a pair of slippers.

First Day of School in Holland

In Holland, cargo bikes called bakfietsen, are frequently used by parents to take their kids to school.  These bikes have a large box that sits in front of the rider. Bakfietsen owners love that they are eco-friendly and don’’t require a parking spot. The bikes are so popular with parents that nearly all bakfietsen are used to tote around the kids! On the first day back, students are sure to be rolling up to school in one of these smart inventions.

First Day of School in Germany

For over 200 years now, kids in Germany have been given a Schultuete (pronounced shool-too-teh) on the first day of school. A Schultuete, which translates to “school cone,” is a large, decorated paper cone filled with school supplies, small presents and sweet things to eat. Sometimes they’re nearly as large as the child!

First Day of School in Russia

To celebrate the beginning of a brand new year of learning, the first day of school in Russia is called the “Day of Knowledge.” On this day, children traditionally give colorful bouquets of fresh flowers to their teachers and receive balloons in return.

First day of School in India

In India, kids also get special gifts on the first day of school, or Praveshanotshavan.  The first day of school also known as Admission Day, coincides with the beginning of monsoon season, and the gifts often include a brand new umbrella.

So there you have it – you learned something new and didn’t even have to go back to school to do it! Happy Back to School!

 

College Student Self Storage 101

Summer is winding down here at The Storage Inn in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. This is right about the time of year our local college students start moving back into their dorms or apartments. If you’ve got a lot of extra stuff and just don’t have the room, consider putting items into a safe and secure self storage facility. Extra space storage can be very helpful. 

Renting a storage unit is easy. And it’s a great option when you’re living in a small, cluttered dorm room or moving out of your apartment between semesters.

Storage Inn units provide college students a safe place to keep their possessions while they’re in school too. Below are ways you can make your college experience better with a self-storage unit.

Buddy up!
If you don’t have enough stuff to fill an entire storage unit, consider sharing with a friend to help split the cost.

Store clothes seasonally
This will help you gain space in your dorm closet.

Store your sports
Keep large and randomly used items like sports equipment in your storage unit nearby. Store your snowboard, surfboard, skis and bikes so you’ll always be prepared for your favorite outdoor activity.

Keep it close
Find a self-storage unit near your dorm or campus so it’s easier to get your personal belongings moved into your dorm or apartment when you come back at the start of the next year.

Leave it local
Keep items that you will use from year to year in your storage unit, rather than lugging them all home between semesters. 

College can be a little hectic at times, but it’s a great experience. So save yourself some unneeded stress and enjoy a little extra space by using a self-storage unit in college. Trust me, your dorm and closet will thank us later. Happy back to school from The Storage Inn! 

 

Moving Truck Packing Tips

The dog days of summer are still here at The Storage Inn in Egg Harbor Township New Jersey, but that hasn’t slowed down the number of people renting storage units and moving into the best storage spaces in Atlantic County!

One of the many reasons residents choose The Storage Inn is because we offer free rental truck or rental van use when you rent a storage unit. We also offer non-tenants, affordable moving truck and moving van rentals.

Renting, packing, and driving a moving truck is a daunting task for many people and a good packing plan is key. Here are a few Storage Inn packing tips to help make your moving day easier!

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 moving 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 keep doors and drawers closed as well as secure your items in general which prevents them from shifting while the truck is moving. 

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 to help make moving the contents of closets easier.

Remember to… Keep items such as a small tool kit, overnight items, or extremely fragile items in the truck cab.

Disassemble furniture – Remove legs from chairs and tables where possible. Pull drawers from dressers and cabinets to make them lighter when handling. Reinsert them once you’ve put them into the moving truck or van. 

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.

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 thecab. Distribute the weight as evenly as possible because 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.

Box and Label – Boxes pack and stack best with other boxes. Clearly label your boxes to make sorting and stacking organized. Pack heavier boxes at the bottom and lighter ones at the top.

Summary – 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. 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!

 

.

 

We’re Singin’ the Blues – Berries That Is!

Blueberry Month at The Storage Inn

We’re Singin’ the Blues – Berries that is!

It’s July here at The Storage Inn in Egg Harbor Township New Jersey, and we are as busy as ever renting extra space for storage, moving trucks and moving vans, and helping people with storage packing supplies!

July also happens to be National blueberry month – how do I know this? We happen to be located just minutes from the blueberry capital of the world, Hammonton New Jersey.

Blueberries by the Numbers

New Jersey’s $79.5 million blueberry industry includes about 254 farms and around 8,800 acres, with about 7,594 of those acres located in Hammonton. 49 million pounds of blueberries per year are harvested in the Hammonton, NJ area. If you’re in New Jersey and looking for fresh blueberries, chances are you’ll end up in Hammonton.

Here are some benefits of our delicious local blueberries…

Blueberries are great for your bones

They’re tiny, but blueberries contain seven vitamins! Iron, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and vitamin K.  While iron and zinc help to maintain the elasticity of bones and joints, vitamin K has been shown to prevent bone fractures over time.

They help with weight loss & digestion

Blueberries have a surprisingly high fiber content. In fact, adding one cup of fresh blueberries can add up to 4.2 grams of fiber to your diet with only 80 calories!  Getting enough fiber not only helps with regulating digestion and maintaining a healthy digestive tract, but it also helps you feel full and satisfied for longer which can help support a healthy weight and lifestyle.

 

Blueberries support your skin’s health

Your skin’s support system, collagen, relies on vitamin C to help prevent damage.  This damage comes from many things including air pollution and cigarette smoke. The vitamin C found in blueberries can help assist collagen in smoothing out wrinkles and improving overall skin texture so that your skin looks and feels healthy!

Blueberries are packed with antioxidants

Antioxidants are important. They help protect your cells against free radicals! In case you’ve never heard of them, they’re molecules produced when your body breaks down food or is exposed to tobacco smoke or radiation.  They can start a chain of harmful chemical reactions that hurt the cells in your body. Not to worry though, blueberries are actually believed to be the highest antioxidant-containing food of all commonly eaten fruits!

Blueberry boosts your brain

As we age, our memory tends to decline and conditions such as Alzheimer’s and dementia become more common.  In recent studies, however, blueberries have been found to boost cognitive function and reduce the likelihood of these diseases.  We can thank the dense concentration of flavonoids, a group of plant chemicals that give fruits and vegetables their vibrant colors.  This chemical has been shown to increase brain activity and blood flow to the brain which makes it a powerful weapon in the fight to treat Alzheimer’s.

Thanks for taking the time to read a few good reasons to enjoy our delicious local blueberries courtesy of The Storage Inn. I think I’ll stop on my way through Hammonton today and grab a couple pints! 

Happy Blueberry Month!

Storage Inn Camping Blog Post

June is National Camping Month!

The weather is beautiful and storage rental units are selling like hotcakes here at The Storage Inn in Egg Harbor Township New Jersey!

As I was making my storage facility rounds, I noticed our resident scoutmaster Bob, pulling out camping supplies from the local Boy Scout Troop’s storage space. “That time of year” I shouted.  “Yep – National Camping Month!” Bob shot back.

This encounter got me wondering… is camping still just as popular these days as it was when I was a Boy Scout? 

Here’s what I discovered in my research! There are over 13,000 vehicle accessible campgrounds  in the USA and Canada.

Approximately 40 million people go camping per year in the USA!

The average campground stay is 2.7 nights.

Tents are still the most popular way to camp accounting for 69% of total campers.

More than 355,000 travel trailers, motor homes, and folding camping trailers are being sold each year in the U.S.

The number one activity enjoyed by campers is swimming.

The most expensive campground in the world is Clayoquot Wilderness Resort in Vancouver Island, Canada. A  single night costs $3,900.

According to the most recent American Camping Report, a whopping 99% of camping participants said they were likely or very likely to camp the following year.

Camping can relieve stress and depression. When you raise your levels of oxygen, serotonin, and melatonin — which happens when you partake in outdoor physical activities — your stress levels will automatically decrease.

Camping is obviously still a huge family pastime – I know that I enjoyed it growing up.  So get out there campers! And, if you need a spot to store your camping gear, be sure to come see us at The Storage Inn.  One last tip from an ex Boy Scout and seasoned camper – Don’t forget the bug spray – Happy Camping!

Time to Tan !

Time to Tan

It’s late May here at The Storage Inn, and things are heating up! With temps in the high 80’s, and being located near the beach, we are abuzz with storage customers retrieving their summer storage items.

I have spent the past week watching beach chairs, volleyball nets, and barbecue grills being pulled from storage spaces.

Just today, one of our customers stopped into the storage rental office for a complimentary bottle of spring water, when I noticed a familiar aroma. It took me a few seconds, but then it hit me… suntan lotion!

“You smell like the beach!” I remarked.

“That’s where I’m headed!” she replied.

This encounter caused me to wonder. Why don’t they make suntan lotion scented candles? And what made humans decide that cooking themselves in the sun was a good thing?

So, I checked into the subject….

  1. Tan skin was not always popular. Ancient Romans even used chalk to whiten their faces! During the Renaissance and Elizabethan era, women would use lead-based white paints to get a pale porcelain complexion, and even drew blue veins on their skin to symbolize their “royal blue blood”.
  1. The “Cereal God”, John Harvey Kellogg, did more than just come up with Corn Flakes, he created the Incandescent Light Bath or the 1st sun bed. This prototype tanning bed was marketed to cure several skin conditions and was even shipped out to the royal family at Buckingham Palace.
  1. By the turn of the century, artificial sun lamps were used to help “cure” Tuberculosis. “A healthy tan” was born when Dr. August Rollier opened the 1st sun clinic in the Swiss Alps.
  1. Bronzed skin captivated the world in 1923 when fashion icon Coco Chanel returned to Paris with a golden brown glow from a Riviera yacht vacation. Four years later, Vogue featured the first tanned faces in their chic magazine!
  1. One of the first popular sunscreen products was invented for the United States military by Florida airman and pharmacist Benjamin Green in 1944. This came about because of the hazards of sun overexposure to soldiers in the Pacific tropics at the height of World War II.

6. Mid 20th Century marked the beginnings of bronzers. Companies like Max Factor brought beige-to brown tinted powders to the MGM film lot, creating a frenzy on the set of its 1963 classic, Cleopatra. Thanks to a liberal application of bronzing powder, Elizabeth Taylor became the beautifully bronzed Queen of the Nile!

  1. The 60s also gave rise to the first sunless tanner – Coppertone’s Quick Tan. DHA, the active ingredient in QT, was used in a drug for Glycogen Storage Disease. It was during lab tests with DHA that it was discovered that it had the ability to transform pale skin tones to a lovely shade of orange/brown in just 3-5 hours.
  1. In the 70’s an entire generation literally cooked their bodies in the sun using baby oil, tin foil, even vegetable shortening to achieve the darkest bronze tan possible in the summer months.
  1.  In 1986 the first SPF 15 was introduced, SPF 30 didn’t come around until the 90’s. Pale was popular once again when skin cancer and premature skin aging were linked to too much sun.
  1. Today, Americans spend upwards of 1.8 billion dollars a year on various suntan related products including sunscreens, oils, and bronzers.

Now you know that sun tanning was not always as popular as it is in the modern era.

We here atThe Storage Inn do our part to protect our staff from the sun with covered golf carts and uniform bucket hats.

As for me, I’m now wearing suntan lotion indoors just for the aroma! Happy tanning everyone!

 

Self Storage Unit Discounts for College Students!!

Most students welcome the end of the school year, but for college students here in South Jersey, the summer can create a different kind of stress. Leases are ending, roommates are graduating and moving away, and students are finding themselves in flux, trying to secure housing for the next semester while still enjoying a break from their studies. One way to ease the stress and make the transition smoother is by visiting The Storage Inn in Egg Harbor Township and renting a self-storage unit. The Storage Inn is offering all college students and their families discounted rates, as well as a free moving truck to help secure their items until the Fall semester!



Here are a few ways that extra storage space can help our college students get through the summer vacation with peace of mind that their items will be safe and sound until the Fall.

Where’s my old room?

Many students return home for the summer, only to find that their parents converted their old bedrooms into a home office, sewing room, or man cave. If you’re a college student planning to spend the summer at home, it could be difficult to fit your belongings beside your mom’s sewing machine, or your family’s movie collection! A better strategy is to put your stuff into self-storage and enjoy your summer with less baggage.

Road Trip!

Some students may keep their apartment or room rental lease intact through the summer, and sublet to another party until the Fall. Even if you get someone to lease your space while you’re out of town, you’ll still want to store your valuables somewhere safe and sound, not to mention that your sub-letter will need space for their own belongings. A self storage rental unit is a safe, secure, and convenient way to store your stuff while you are traveling or working a summer job back home..

Student Sizing

Most college students don’t have a ton of furniture or belongings—or, for that matter, a ton of money—so they don’t need and can’t afford a huge storage unit. Luckily, The Storage Inn Self Storage offers units in 45 different sizes, including many that are no bigger than a single dorm room. Your belongings will feel right at home while you travel, work, or visit friends.

The Storage Inn is proud to offer the college students of South Jersey an affordable way to keep everything safe and secure until the school bells start ringing in September – Let’s not rush things though – Happy Summer Break!