Top 10 Fun Fall Facts

Yes, Fall is officially here at The Storage Inn in Egg Harbor Township New Jersey. The days are getting a little bit cooler, and a few leaves are beginning to fall from the trees around our self storage yard. We’re also beginning to notice our storage customers placing summer storage items back into their rental spaces, and pulling out their Fall /  Halloween decorations. We love Fall here at The Storage Inn – It is a time to meet local students returning for the fall College semester, as well as folks who have put off their moving day until the hot weather chilled out!

Here are ten great facts about this wonderful season that will both inform and entertain you. Shoot, you may even get a chance to sound smart while sippin’ on that pumpkin spice latte.

1. Americans typically refer to this time of year as “Fall,” while the British use the word “Autumn.”
Historically, Fall was originally called “harvest” because of the “harvest moon” that occurs close to the autumn equinox.

2. Fall is caused by the Earth’s tilt, not our distance from the sun.
When the northern hemisphere tilts towards the sun, we get warmer. When it tilts away, we get colder. Fall and spring are the times of transition.

3. Weight gain around this time of year may not be from all the food.
Researchers have found that lack of vitamin D reduces fat breakdown and triggers fat storage. So, the lack of sunlight has more to do with the extra gain than all the pumpkin spice lattes. Well, at least some of it.

4. Pumpkin spice does not contain pumpkin
Pumpkin spice is actually the spice mix used for pumpkin pies. It is made from 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, 1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice and 1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves. You can make it at home or buy it pre-mixed at the grocery store.

5. Fall colors are caused by the amount of sugar in leaves.
The more red in the leaf, the more sugar that leaf is storing. That is why Maple trees are so vibrant. Evergreens don’t change because their leaves have a thick wax covering that protects the chlorophyl (green) in the leaves.

6. Fall is for lovers.
More people go from “single” to “in a relationship” or “engaged” in fall than any other season. That may be because both men and women experience a higher level of testosterone in the colder months. We don’t have a great answer as to why that is, but more babies are conceived in cold months than any other time of year.

7. Ancient people wore Halloween costumes to hide from ghosts
The Celtic tradition believed that ghosts roamed the earth on Halloween. Wearing a disguise would help you avoid these spirits.

8. Birds spend most of the fall migrating.
Whether traveling from one state to another, from North America to South America like Swainson’s Hawk (14,000 miles), or from the North Pole to the South Pole like the Arctic Tern (44,000 miles), many birds spend this season traveling to mating grounds or finding food.

9. Fall tourism, aka “leaf peeping,” brings in big money for New England states.
The seasonal change brings around $3 billion in tourism dollars to the small region.

10. Children born in the fall are statistically better students and live longer.
According to the Department of Education and the University of Chicago, Fall is the best time to be born.

So, there ya’ go – some Fun Fall Facts from The Storage Inn. You can take it from me (I was born in the Fall), whether biking, hiking of just sitting around the campfire. Autumn is Awesome – Enjoy!

Our Furry Friends vs The Heat

Summer is in full swing here at The Storage Inn, and the temperature is soaring! Our storage customers are zipping in and out, retrieving their Summer fun items from their various sized units – most clad in sunglasses, shorts and flip flops.This morning I spotted one of our tenants, Mary at her storage unit when I noticed what appeared to be a small bear hanging out of the back window of her SUV. Upon further inspection, I discovered that it was her dog, Luke! He’s a large Newfoundland  with thick dark fur. “Isn’t it hot for him to be out?” I asked. “ The AC’s on in my truck, plus we’re headed back home” Mary replied as she closed and locked the door to her storage space. This encounter made me think of all of the reports that we see this time of year about pets and heat, so I stopped at my veterinarian’s office on the way home to see what precautions I could take to keep my dog, Bo, safe during this heat wave. Here are some tips, courtesy of The ASPCA.

Don’t leave your pet alone in the car on a warm day
Despite the warnings, every year, pets die after their owners leave them in a parked car that overheats. A car can get extremely hot on a warm summer’s day. A parked car with the windows cracked can reach 120 degrees in as little as 30 minutes. Never, ever leave your dog, or any pet in a parked car on a hot day.

Be Vigilant About Vet Care
When it starts getting warm outside, take your dog or cat to the vet for a full check up. The check up should include a heartworm test and a flea and tick protection plan. These are year-round issues but in the summer months, with much more outdoors time, it’s especially important to monitor them.

Avoid Walking Your Dog In the Heat
Aim for mornings and evenings when letting your dog outside. Even in the coolest part of the day, watch for signs of trouble: Glassy eyes and frantic panting indicate a dog who needs help. Get to a veterinarian immediately if you see these symptoms!

Keep Your Home Cool for Your Pets
When the temperature outside gets hot, it can be harder to keep the indoors cool. Some people turn their air conditioning off when they leave for the day. If you have a pet at home, this could put him in danger.Instead of turning off the air conditioner, try leaving it on a conservative but comfortable setting (perhaps 76°F) while you are out. Make sure your pet has water and, consider closing curtains to reduce the heating effects of sunlight through the windows.

Give Your Pets Access to Shade and Plenty of Water
Pets can get dehydrated or get heat stroke quickly so any pet outside needs to have plenty of water and access to shade.

Know Which Dogs Are Less Tolerant of Heat
Some dog breeds are less tolerant of the heat than others. Older, obese or short-nosed dogs (Pugs, Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, Pekingese, Boxers, Shih Tzu’s and French Bulldogs) are less tolerant of heat. Also, older dogs, puppies and dogs with health issues can also be more susceptible to hot weather. Of course, you should keep a close eye on your dog in the heat, no matter what his breed, age or state of health.

Always remember that our pets rely on us to protect them and keep them comfortable and safe year round –  if you’re hot, your pets are definitely hot too. Have a fun, safe Summer!

June is National Flag Month!

June is National Flag Month –  Sandwiched between Memorial Day and the 4th of July holiday, is a full month celebrating our American flag and June 14th is officially Flag Day!  We here at The Storage Inn in Egg Harbor Township NJ fully embracing the red, white and blue! We proudly fly The Stars and Stripes over our rental office, employ numerous veterans, and offer storage space discounts to our men and women in uniform.

In keeping with the spirit of national flag month, The Storage Inn would like to share the rules for the display and handling of the American flag.

Traditional guidelines call for displaying the flag in public only from sunrise to sunset, however, the flag may be displayed at night if it’s illuminated.. The flag should not be displayed during rain, snow and wind storms unless it is an all-weather flag. It should be hoisted briskly and lowered ceremoniously.

When carried in procession with other flags the U.S. flag should be front and center of the flag line. When displayed on a float in a parade, the flag should be suspended so it falls free. It should not be draped over a vehicle.

When displayed with another flag with crossed staffs, the U.S. flag should be on its own right (left to a person facing the wall) and its staff should be in front of the other flag’s staff. In a group of flags, the U.S. flag should be at the center and the highest point.

When the U.S. flag is displayed projecting from a building, the union of the flag should be placed at the peak unless the flag is at half-staff.

When flags of states, cities or organizations are flown on the same staff, the U.S. flag must be at the top 

The flag should never be draped or drawn back in folds. Draped red, white and blue bunting should be used for decoration, with the blue at the top and red at the bottom.

The flag may be flown at half-staff by order of the president or the governor only.

On Memorial Day, the flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon.

Things Not to Do with the Flag

Dip it for any person or thing, even though state flags, regimental colors and other flags may be dipped as a mark of honor.

Display it with the union down, except as a signal of distress

Let the flag touch anything beneath it: ground, floor, water, etc.

Carry it horizontally, but always aloft.

Fasten or display it in a way that will permit it to be damaged or soiled.

Place anything on the flag, including letters, insignia, or designs of any kind.

Use it for holding anything.

Use it as wearing apparel, bedding or drapery. It should not be used on a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be attached to the uniform of patriotic organizations, military personnel, police officers and firefighters.

Use the flag for advertising or promotion purposes or print it on paper napkins, boxes or anything else intended for temporary use.

During the hoisting or lowering of the flag or when it passes in parade or review, Americans should stand at attention facing the flag and place their right hand over their heart. Uniformed military members render the military salute. Men not in uniform should remove any headdress and hold it with their right hand at their left shoulder, their hand resting over the heart. Those who are not U.S. citizens should stand at attention. When the flag is worn out or otherwise no longer a fitting emblem for display, it should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.

So there you have it – A little flag etiquette courtesy of The Storage Inn to help you enjoy all of our patriotic holidays.  Have a great Summer and God Bless America!

May was made for Grillin’ and Chillin’

It’s May here at The Storage Inn in Egg Harbor Township New Jersey, and our storage customers are very busy retrieving spring items from their rental units. Lawn chairs, bicycles, and barbecue grills seem to be the most popular items. While Spring can be a mixed bag of temperatures, the change to warmer weather does seem to inspire people to fire up the grill. Just today I noticed two of our self storage customers, Jim and Sally, retrieving not one, but two grills from their storage unit. “You must be really hungry!” I yelled to them. “ Well, it is National BBQ month!” Jim yelled back to me.

It turns out that May is National Barbecue Month, and while most in the United States recognize Memorial Day Weekend as the official start of barbecue season, May is the month when most Americans take to their backyards to fire up their grills and smokers for delicious weeknight dinners and slow & low weekend feasts.

Here are our top 10 – Storage Inn – Barbeque Fun Facts to enjoy as you throw those burgers on the grill this year:

1 – 75% of U.S. adults own a grill or smoker.

2 – 62% of households that own a grill own a gas grill, followed by charcoal (53%), and electric (12%). Two percent own a wood pellet grill and 8% are thinking of purchasing one this year.

3 – The most popular days to barbecue are: Fourth of July (76%), Labor Day (62%), Memorial Day (62%), Father’s Day (49%), Mother’s Day (34%).

4 – The top reasons for cooking out? 71% of grill owners say it’s to improve flavor, 54% for personal enjoyment, and 42% for entertaining family and friends.

5 – The majority of grill owners (63%) enjoy using their grill or smoker year-round. In fact, 43% cook at least once a month in the winter months.

6 – Half of all grill owners have the most basic grilling accessories (cleaning brush, tongs, glove/mitts). The most popular new accessories that owners plan to buy include pizza stones, baskets, and cooking planks.

7 – Ten percent of all grill owners have a backyard kitchen (featuring premium furniture and lighting).

8 – Barbecuing isn’t just an evening activity. 11% of grill owners prepared breakfast on a grill in the past year.

9 – Nearly one third of grill owners (31%) grilled someplace other than their homes in the past year, including 24% who grilled while camping.

10 – More than one third (45%) of U.S. adults surveyed plan to purchase a new grill or smoker in 2018, while nearly a third (30%) of current owners plan to grill with greater frequency.

So whether your grilling plan is to sizzle some steaks, honey barbeque some chicken, or slowly smoke some ribs, you are now armed with some interesting grilling tidbits, courtesy of The Storage Inn. Enjoy!

Fun Facts From the Storage Inn about Spring!

Spring Has Sprung – Fun Facts!

It’s the third full week of March here at The Storage Inn of Egg Harbor Township, NJ; it’s bright and sunny, but rain, wind, and a chance of snow is in the forecast! and on the first day of Spring no less!

Storage customers continue to shuttle in and out, visiting their storage rental units, and occasionally the office store for storage packing supplies or to rent a moving truck. Regardless of the weather, Spring will be here this week, so here are some Spring Fun Facts from the staff here at The Storage Inn.

Some Fun Facts to “spring” on your friends

• According to a Facebook study, couples are most likely to break up in the spring and two weeks before Christmas. The lowest breakup time was Christmas Day and from August through October.

• On the first day of spring, a person at the North Pole would see the sun skimming across the horizon, beginning six months of uninterrupted daylight. A person at the South Pole would see the sun skimming across the horizon, signaling the start of six months of darkness.

• Spring almost always arrives on March 20 or 21, but sometimes on the 19th. The reason the equinoxes and solstices don’t always come on the same day is that Earth doesn’t circle the sun in exactly 365 days.

• The first day of spring in the Southern Hemisphere is the first day of fall in the Northern Hemisphere.

• If Earth rotated on an axis perpendicular to the plane of its orbit around the sun rather than on a 23.4º tilt, there would be no variation in day lengths and no variation in seasons.

• Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox.

• The first spring flowers are typically lilacs, irises, lilies, tulips, daffodils, and dandelions.

• The myth that it is possible to balance an egg on its end on the spring equinox is just that: a myth. Trying to balance an oval-shaped object on its end is no easier on the spring equinox than on any other day.

• For the Japanese, the opening of the cherry blossom, Japan’s national flower, in March or April signals the start of spring.

• The term “spring fever” refers to a both psychological and physiological symptoms associated with the arrival of spring, including restlessness, daydreaming, and increased sexual appetite. While the exact cause is unclear, scientists believe that increased light, more exercise, and more bare skin influence hormone levels.

• In the Southern Hemisphere, springtime lasts from August until November.

• During the spring, birds are more vocal as they sing to attract mates and warn away rivals.

• According to the National Association of Realtors, spring is the most popular season to sell/buy a house. Buyers are usually hesitant to move during the winter when the weather is colder and kids are in school. So, while there are lots of houses to choose from in the spring, property prices are at their highest then.

• Children actually grow faster in the spring than during other times of the year.

• The early Egyptians built the Great Sphinx so that it points directly toward the rising sun on the spring equinox.

• Tornadoes are most common in the spring and least common in winter.

• Every year on the first day of spring, people in Poland gather to burn an effigy and throw it in the river to bid winter farewell.

• Honey Bees are more likely to swarm during the spring. They swarm as a way to start new colonies from successful ones. Surprisingly, swarming Honey Bees are very docile and the most friendly they will ever be all year.

So there you have it – a few fun facts about Spring, courtesy of your friends here at The Storage Inn. One more fun fact – Spring is the best time to get a great deal on that extra storage space you’ve been needing for soooo long. I just happen to know a great place……

Don’t forget to adjust your clocks for Daylight Savings Time 2018!

Time to Spring Forward!

March has come in like a lion here at The Storage Inn in Egg Harbor Township New Jersey, but that hasn’t stopped our storage unit rental customers from buzzing about as they rearrange their storage units for spring use. I noticed, as I flipped our storage space rental office calendar over to the month of March, that Daylight Savings Time begins this month. “Spring Forward” I thought to myself – ugh! – One less hour of sleep on Saturday night. Oh well, at least it means that spring is on the way, and we will have more light during the evening hours. This all made me wonder where Daylight Savings Time came from, and how long we’ve been tinkering with the universe’s internal clock!

What Is Daylight Saving Time?
DST is a seasonal time change where clocks are set ahead of standard time by 1 hour. As a result, the Sun rises and sets later than the day before. Daylight Saving Time (DST) is used to save energy and make better use of daylight.

Oh Canada!
It was first used in 1908 in Canada where on July 1, 1908, the residents of Port Arthur, Ontario turned their clocks forward by 1 hour to start the world’s first DST period.

Other locations in Canada soon followed suit. On April 23, 1914, Regina in Saskatchewan implemented DST. The cities of Winnipeg and Brandon in Manitoba did so on April 24, 1916. Daylight Saving Time in Regina proved so popular that laws were passed to bring DST into effect automatically.

DST Spreads to Europe
Daylight Saving Time did not catch on globally until Germany introduced it in 1916. Two years into World War I, clocks in the German Empire, and its ally Austria, were turned ahead by 1 hour in an effort to minimize the use of artificial lighting, and save fuel for the war effort. Within a few weeks, the United Kingdom, France, and many other countries followed suit.

Who Invented DST?
If you like Daylight Saving Time, you can thank New Zealand scientist George Vernon Hudson and British builder William Willett. In 1895, Hudson presented a paper to the Wellington Philosophical Society, proposing a 2-hour shift forward in October and a 2-hour shift back in March. There was interest in the idea, but it was never followed through.

Then in 1905, British builder William Willett suggested setting the clocks ahead 20 minutes on each of the four Sundays in April, and switching them back by the same amount on each of the 4 Sundays in September, a total of 8 time switches per year. Willett’s Daylight Saving plan was introduced in a bill to the House of Commons in February 1908, however, the idea was opposed by many, especially farmers. Willett died in 1915, the year before the United Kingdom passed the bill into law.

DST in the USA
Daylight Saving Time  was not formally adopted in the U.S. until 1918. “An Act to preserve daylight and provide standard time for the United States” was enacted on March 19, 1918. The new bill established standard time zones and set summer DST to begin on March 31, 1918.

Daylight Saving Time is now used in over 70 countries worldwide and affects over 1 billion people every year.

Here at The Storage Inn, the onset of Daylight Saving Time brings with it storage customers, old and new, packing away the winter items, and pulling out their lawn chairs, barbecue grills, and bicycles from their storage units. Yep – Warm weather and late sunsets are almost here – Don’t forget to “Spring Forward” !

Let’s Go Birds!

Let’s go Birds!

Here it comes – the first Sunday in February, and that means just one thing to NFL Football fans around the world – Super Bowl!! Here at The Storage Inn in Egg Harbor Township New Jersey, we are a mere 45 minutes outside of Philadelphia Pennsylvania, home of the Philadelphia Eagles, who will be playing in their third Super Bowl ever on Sunday. The Eagles have never won a Super Bowl, so the fans around here are very excited. Just today, one of our storage space customers, who coaches the local high school team, popped into the office store for some boxes . He was covered head to toe in Eagles gear. “Ready for the big game?” he asked in a half yelling voice. “ Sure am!” I answered. Both of us agreed that we would be making the drive to Philly for the parade if they win, and as Jim headed back to his storage unit, I said a little prayer for our Eagles.

Over 100 million people around the world will watch the Super Bowl on Sunday, and whether you’ll be checking out the game, the commercials, the halftime show, or all of the above, some Super Bowl trivia might come in handy – try dropping a few of these stats on your friends!

Hot Wings vs Turkey and Cranberry

Americans consume more food during the Super Bowl than any other day, except Thanksgiving. We eat 12.5 million pizzas, 28,000,000 pounds of chips, 1.25 billion chicken wings, and 8,000,000 pounds of guacamole during the Super Bowl.The fans at the game do their fair share of eating too – For example, during 2009’s Super Bowl XLIII at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium, 55,200 hot dogs were sold. That’s almost one dog per fan.

This ain’t your Grandpa’s Halftime Show

Today’s Super Bowl halftime shows are filled with current pop and rock music acts, but it wasn’t always like that. The first nine Super Bowls had halftime shows that showcased college marching bands and drill teams occasionally joined by a “celebrity” like Miss Texas in 1973.

Today’s slickly produced halftime shows attract more viewers than the actual game. According to CBS, Katy Perry’s halftime performance drew 118.5 million viewers compared to the game’s 114.4 million.

Saving History!

The first Super Bowl in 1967 was broadcast by both CBS (at the time the sole NFL network) and NBC (the AFL network). Producers later erased the footage to film soap operas. Luckily a fan came forward with a personal recording of the game. Whew!

The Super Bowl and Mickey

The first athlete to utter “I’m going to Disney World!” in the wake of a triumphant Super Bowl performance was Phil Simms, reportedly paid $75,000 for the insta-plug in the moments after he was named MVP of the 1987 game.

The Big Prize

The Vince Lombardi Trophy is a sterling silver sculpture of a regulation-size football atop a tee-like structure, designed and manufactured by Tiffany & Co. The award weighs seven pounds and takes nearly 70 hours to forge and assemble. Its estimated value is $50,000.

That’s a lot of footballs!

216 official game balls are custom-produced for each Super Bowl game, imprinted with the team names and game logo. In total, 108 footballs are delivered to the game; the two championship contenders are allowed to do whatever they please with the rest.

OK – now you are equipped with some cool trivia that you can share during the big game! The staff and storage customers here at The Storage Inn, are rooting for the best team to win, as long as that team happens to be named the Philadelphia Eagles – Happy Super Bowl!