A True Self Storage Pioneer

24,332 Replies

A True Self Storage Pioneer

Self Storage in Atlantic City | Atlantic County Storage UnitsIt’s easy to jump into a business venture when you know that there is a waiting market, and money to be made – but to have the intestinal fortitude to dip your toes in the water before a concept has been proven, makes one a true pioneer. Rudy Meckel is a pioneer in the self storage industry. When he opened The Storage Inn in Egg Harbor Township in 1979, storage space rentals were unknown to the area. Meckel had already proven himself an entrepreneur. In addition to running his family’s road construction business, he had ventured into real estate by building the Washington Square West office complex in Egg Harbor Township and the Ridgewood Plaza, a retail strip mall in Northfield.

The Storage Inn started out on four acres with four buildings, designed so they could be converted to a flea market should the new business venture fail. Instead, Meckel’s business prospered. The business offered an especially good fit, as it enabled Meckel to keep his road construction employees working during the off-season. Also considered a gentleman farmer, Meckel has always adorned his grounds with a blue and yellow horse carriage or sleigh. He even had the foresight to construct his buildings with extra high ceilings to offer 20% more storage space per unit than the industry standard, and with 45 different sizes to choose from, this is definitely not a “one size fits all” operation. Now The Storage Inn has 900 units with a total of over 100,000 square feet, along with automobile, boat and RV storage spaces. The Storage Inn has even gone “green” by adding solar power to their Egg Harbor Township facility.
In 1997, Meckel added another location by opening The Storage Inn II in Ocean City, NJ. He converted the former Stainton’s Department Store Annex in Ocean City, into three floors of indoor and climate controlled self storage and retail units.

Meckel’s son, Greg Meckel, and his family, run the businesses with him. The family views the storage business as an opportunity to help people. They serve people who find themselves in life’s transitions and those with long-term storage needs. A great resource for small and big businesses alike to expand and organize. They continue to ensure that the facilities offer customers the best in self storage. In addition to low rental prices, both locations offer free move-in truck rental, free porter service (assistance unloading) and climate control. The Storage Inn in Egg Harbor Township even has a resident security manager. The Ocean City the facility offers drive-in bays and indoor units, just blocks from the beach!. Meckel’s future plans include continuing to offer new services, along with a customer service experience that always exceeds expectations.
Stay tuned – who knows what this business pioneer will come up with next…

Finding Self Storage Solutions via Video

17,769 Replies

Finding Self Storage Solutions via Video

So you doing your spring clean out ,and realize that you need more space. You need to start searching for storage space rental in your area, but where do you begin? A good way to start Would be to Google storage space rentals or self storage solutions in your area, and see which ones offer a video tour.In our tech-savvy day in age, most reputable self storage facilities will offer you a video tour. Here is our video for The Storage Inn Self Storage – enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZ0DZOM3S74

Animals That Would Benefit from a Storage Space Rental

13,802 Replies

Self Storage in the Animal World

Ahh, Spring is finally here as evidenced by the squirrels running around my backyard trying to figure out where they hid their acorns last fall. There’s nothing more entertaining than watching hoarders with a bad memory! Maybe I could start a self storage facility for squirrels –  “ Acorns Away”? Well, the truth is that there are many hoarders in the animal world that could probably use a storage space rental at my new facility. Here are the top 10…

 

The Top 10 Animal Hoarders that Would Benefit from a Storage Space Rental


10 – The Acorn Woodpecker – These birds construct a large communal storage nest to hold food for the whole local woodpecker community.

 

9 – Camels – Camels store fat in their humps, enough to go 6 months without food or water .

 

8 – Bees – Bees store their honey in individual hexagon shape cells that make up a beehive – perhaps the original self-storage complex?

 

7 – Beavers – Beavers live in family groups, and construct large food storage rooms out of branches .

 

6 – Wildcats – These cats bury small prey like birds and mice, and store larger prey in hollow trees for future consumption.

5 – Moles – Moles build large above ground mounds called fortresses which they fill with worms.

 

4 – Foxes – Foxes steal other animals eggs and bury them in loose soil for later use.

 

3 – Badgers – The gangsters of the animal world, badgers just steal from other animals caches, and take it for themselves.

 

2 – Hamsters –  Due to the lack of salivary glands, hamsters are able to fill their cheeks with an enormous amount of food and keep it dry.  they are able to lug around up ½  of their body volume in food!

 

Drum roll please !

1 – Squirrels – The number one hoarders in the animal world, squirrels will use hollow trees, holes in the ground, and any number of other areas to store acorns for the winter, thus the term “squirreling away”. Now if we could only get them to eat ginkgo biloba…..

How to Store Your Memories with Climate Controlled Storage

22,660 Replies

Store Your Memories with Climate Controlled Storage

Memory Lane

 

Well it’s official, I’m getting old. As I approach 60, I often find myself thinking back to the days of my youth and reminiscing. The other day I decided to take a stroll down memory lane by climbing up into the attic, and taking a look through some of my stored childhood memories  – Old record albums, boxes of baseball cards, my trumpet – I even found an old autograph book.  Ah, The memories that came rushing back – but I noticed something about all of these items.  They were all in worse condition now, than they were back when I put them into the attic. Some of the records appeared to be warped, the pages of the books were discolored and rippled,  and my baseball glove was covered with some sort of a white film. “Too late now “ I thought, but what could I have done differently? So I did some investigating, and here is what I came up with.

Pomona Climate Controlled Storage Space | Atlantic County Storage Units

Climate Change
So, while I could have done a better job of packaging these items prior to storing, the real problem is the extreme change in temperature and humidity levels throughout the year that occur in a typical attic area. The simple solution to this problem would be to keep all of your delicate, sentimental, and collectible items in a climate controlled area.  It was at this point that I encountered the one small glitch in this plan. The only climate controlled storage area in my home is the living area, and that happens to be completely full of silly things like clothes, food, and furniture. I did however, find one viable solution….

Climate controlled storage
What if I told you that there are actually places that will rent you a small, affordable, climate controlled space, that would be perfect for storing your books, record albums, baseball card collection,  musical instruments, and any other items that might be affected by extreme heat, cold or humidity? Yep, you guessed it – your local self-storage facility! They will undoubtedly offer climate controlled storage units where the temperature and humidity are kept at a median range throughout the year, as a means to protect just these types of items. Definitely worth checking out!

Well it may be too late for me and my autograph book, but hopefully these tips will prevent you from going up into your attic and finding a rusty trumpet!

By Jerry Brown
4/7/16

Time to Give the Shed a Spring Cleaning

9,056 Replies

Time to Give the Shed a Spring Cleaning

Spring has sprung, the grass has riz’ – I wonder where my lawn mower is!?! Looks like it’s time to clean out and organize the shed storage space for the warm weather months. So, let’s get started – first, go to the shed and open the door. Now ask yourself what you could possibly have been thinking when you left it in this condition at the end of last season! Be that as it may, we still need to get organized, so here are a few tips…..

Everything out!
I know that this does not sound like fun, but we need to see exactly what we have, what we still need , and what can go. Set aside any items that you no longer need, or that need to be replaced. Also create a group for items that you want to keep, but that don’t necessarily need to be in the shed.

Self Storage Solutions

Clean Up Time
Time to sweep out, and wipe down the floors shelves and work bench areas. You may want to check the items that you are storing to see if they need to be wiped off or hosed down before returning them to the shed.

Re-group and Replace
Now that everything is out, and your space is clean, it’s time to reorganize, and place your items back into the shed. Store the items that will be used most often toward the front of the space. Items that get used less frequently can be stored further back. Leave yourself a path to reach all of your warm weather items when needed. Hanging tools on walls or pegboard, as well as keeping smaller items in cans or plastic containers, can also free up additional storage space. If you find yourself still in need of more storage space for items, such as your Fall fire pit, or those Christmas decorations that you found, you may want to consider a small self-storage space. Your local self-storage facility will be happy to assist!

Now you are organized and ready to enjoy all of the fun of  lawn mowing, weed whacking, weed pulling, painting, gutter cleaning, hedge trimming, etc…. oh well, hopefully you will get to use the bicycles and beach chairs once or twice before winter returns!

By Jerry Brown
4/5/16

It’s tax time – Yay!

13,565 Replies

It’s tax time – Yay!

Well here it is,  April – the dreaded tax month! You could pay someone to do it, but why pay someone to do something that you can do yourself, right? So you pull out the Big box of receipts, and empty out the storage area  jammed with bank statements and credit card bills, and prepare to play accountant for however long this is going to take.

The truth is, according to most experts, that you should be preparing  for tax season throughout the entire year.

tax-taxes-file-files-16226669

What the experts say

Part of preparing for tax season throughout the year is to develop a good filing system. Get yourself a small file cabinet, and some file folders. Some categories that you will want to incorporate will be…

  • Credit card receipts
  • Bank statements
  • Medical and dental
  • Mortgage / Property taxes
  • Household utilities
  • 401k / IRA  statements

The new organized you

Now when you need to find something specific through the course of the year, you will know where to look . There will  no doubt be some items that you will no longer need once your taxes are  completed. Experts recommend that you shred these items, as they may contain personal information that you wouldn’t want to fall into the hands of the wrong person. Some documents you will need to save.  The rule of thumb for these items is 5 years. If you don’t have room at home, you may want to consider a small self storage space. Be sure to label all of your file boxes with the tax year, so that you will know which boxes to empty out as they reach the five-year threshold.

Okay, so now you’ve done all these things, and you are finally organized! This brings us to the good news, and the bad news – and they are both the same….you are now organized and prepared for many happy years of home tax preparation. Happy accounting!!

By Jerry Brown
4/1/16

 

Moving In Together – A Guy’s Point of View

13,082 Replies

Moving In Together – A Guy’s Point of View

The Big decision
So you’ve been dating your girl steadily for over a year now, and things are going great! You’ve thought it over, and decided that it’s time for a big decision. “Let’s move in together !” you proclaim. She says yes, and you’re on your way –  piece of cake, right? Reality check – you now realize that you have two of almost everything! Two beds, two couches, two dining room sets, two toasters, etc.. You need to discuss what will stay and what will go.  This will require compromise – She may not be as crazy about your life-size cigar store Indian as you thought she was, and it’s probably time to tell her that you don’t really envision her doll collection in the living room of your new apartment. You may need to bring in an impartial third party to referee this discussion.
Storage Units Near Me | Somers Point NJ | Atlantic County Storage

Time to Sort Things Out
The first course of action should be to comb through all of your belongings for items that you simply will never use again regardless of your relationship status. You may find that you have a number of sentimental items and legal records that you will want to keep, but will not have space for. You must also deal with the dilemma regarding duplicate items. You could just list them on Craigslist and sell them, but what if, just what if, things don’t work out. Do you really want to have to go out and buy everything all over again? It would be nice to keep them somewhere nearby, but out of sight. You can always sell them later – right?

It may be time to consider some self storage space!

Storage tips
Size up your items and head on over to your local self-storage facility. You may want to rent a storage space that is slightly larger than what you actually need to accommodate your items. This will allow you to access your items more easily when needed. Cover your furniture items with plastic or blankets to protect them. Place any items that are still in the original packaging, with the description or picture facing out. Other smaller items should be stored in sturdy boxes or plastic containers with labels describing the contents. This will make it easier to find what you need, when the time comes.

Problem solved, sort of…
At this point you might be thinking “Well, this solves the problem of consolidating two apartments full of items into one, but if I’m really committed to this relationship, shouldn’t I just get rid of all my duplicate items? Am I betting against this relationship working?” To these questions I would answer that there’s nothing wrong with being practical and/or cautious, and by the way, don’t be surprised if your girl suggest this course of action before you do. Happy nesting you lovebirds!

Spring Cleaning & Indoor Storage Units

23,118 Replies

Spring Cleaning & Indoor Storage Units

Why Spring cleaning? Why not Summer cleaning, or Winter cleaning? The answer is simple. Spring represents renewal – a fresh start ! It’s time to go from jeans and sweatshirts, to shorts and  flip flops – from snow shovels and ice melt,  to lawnmowers and beach chairs. It’s time to open the windows, clean, and get organized !

Do you have storage space?
Having a garage can be a big plus when organizing storage.  Whether you have a garage or not, indoor storage units can come in handy.  Avoid just piling everything into the garage. It may seem like the easiest solution but is often ineffective, and rarely actually solves your clutter problems.  The garage should be used only for items that you need regular access to, but that wouldn’t be appropriate to store in a living area.

Seasonal item Storage
Arrange your garage in a way that will keep warm weather items such as seasonal tools, lawn care products, paints and stains, bicycles, and beach chairs handy, with space to access them as needed. Be aware of items that will not be needed until next Fall or Winter, such as Halloween costumes, holiday decorations, snow shovels, and ice melt, these items are good candidates to be moved to indoor storage units.

Closet Clean-out
In most homes, a quick look into the closets will reveal that we have many more  pairs of shoes, and articles of clothing then we can  actually store correctly. This is a good time to sort the cold weather items  such as boots and winter jackets, and move them to your self storage units until Spring . Most self storage facilities offer wardrobe boxes, made specifically for storing clothing items. Now you have space in your closet for your next shopping spree!

Documents and Sentimental Items
You no doubt have a drawer, box or file cabinets full of documents and records, many of which you will need to keep, but not access regularly. We all have items that we rarely use , but that are of such sentimental value that we can’t bear to part with them – old family photographs, grandma’s rocker, or that kitschy lamp that we bought for our first apartment. This is a good time to move these items to indoor storage units for safe keeping. Remember to store your documents and photographs in waterproof containers.

Spring cleaning is not a fun job, however these tips on utilizing indoor storage units should make it a little more bearable. Remember to donate usable items, rather than trashing them..When in doubt, use the Golden Rule for spring cleaning. If you haven’t used it in the past year, and it doesn’t fall into the sentimental or document category, it’s got to go. Happy Cleaning!

By Jerry Brown
3/17/16

Using Self Storage Space Effectively

15,781 Replies

Using Self Storage Space Effectively

Pleasantville Self Storage SpaceThere comes a time In many families lives, where the kids have now grown and left the home, and we just have too much house –  it’s time to downsize! The Catch-22 is that while we don’t need as much space to live, we still have just as many items to store, and our new smaller home just doesn’t have the space. It may be time to consider Self Storage, so we size up what we have to store, and head off to the local self storage facility.  If you’ve never done this before, it can be a daunting task. How much room do I need? For example, our  local self storage facility, The Storage Inn in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, has over 45 different sized units! How high can I stack the items? What should I store them in? These are all very good questions, so here are a few self storage space tips that might help .

Storage Unit Packing Tips

  1.  If finances allow,  choose a self storage space that is slightly larger than what you actually need to leave a space between the furniture, bins, and boxes for easy access.
  2.  Try to use containers that are tough, water resistant, and fairly uniform in size. Begin by placing your heavier items towards the bottom, and lighter items towards the top.  This will allow you to stack higher, and without danger of crushing the lower containers. Save the fragile and breakable items for the very top.
  3. Make sure that all boxes are packed full so that they do not collapse when stacked.  Use towels, bubble wrap,  or old newspaper to fill them if necessary.
  4. You may want to consider placing  disposable moisture absorbers, such as “Damp Rid” in your unit.  Covering the floor with plastic sheeting , or installing wooden in your self storage space pallets can also help to preserve your items.
  5. Leave the doors of any appliances open to avoid odors and fungal growth.  You can also use the space inside of appliances to store smaller items.
  6.  Metal items such as gardening tools should be treated with a rust inhibitor prior to storage.  Other delicate items such as books may be stored in an airtight container along with a small moisture absorber.
  7.  Never store flammable or hazardous materials inside a self storage unit.
  8.  Keep a written record  of the items that were placed in the unit, when they were put there, and when they were removed.
  9. Keep the security gate code and the keys to your padlock in a safe place so that they will not get lost, and only you will have access to them.

Keep these tips in mind if you’re heading out in search of self storage space.  They could make your storage space adventure a bit more bearable. The Storage Inn serves Ocean, Cape May and Atlantic Counties, including such places as Pleasantville, Ocean City, Atlantic City and more

By Jerry Brown
3/11/16

Self-Storage and Small Business

25,404 Replies

More Small Business’ using Self-Storage

When we think of self storage, most people think of long rows of metal doors that hide boxes, bags, and bins of unneeded household items. What we don’t think of is innovation and entrepreneurship, yet in growing numbers, that’s exactly what you might find.

Self-Storage Benefits for Small Businesses

What attracts small business owners to self-storage spaces? For most it is simply a flexible way to store goods and materials until sold. For many business owners, self storage offers needed space without being tied down, giving them the opportunity to respond quickly to the changing needs of their business’. Storage space can easily be increased as the business grows, eliminating the headaches of being tied down to a retail or warehouse space with expensive multi year leases.

With this lower overhead, the small business owner has more money to invest in his goods and services, and in many cases the cost of  self-storage can even be deducted as a business expense. Most self storage facility today also offer the capacity to accept deliveries for the tenant, eliminating the need for a small business owner to wait around for a shipment to arrive.

Small business self storage

Greg Meckel, Owner of The Storage Inn self-storage in Egg Harbor Township and Ocean City New Jersey offers his thoughts on the subject: “Many of our commercial customers store with us because we accept deliveries on their behalf. We sign for and take the goods into the store while they are out and about running their business, thereby avoiding them wasting their time waiting for deliveries”.

The market for small business self-storage use has boomed dramatically over the last two decades. Savvy self-storage business owners have recognized the desire for affordable storage space, and have turned their attention to this lucrative pool of potential customers. Self Storage experts estimate that 30 – 40% of rented units are now for business purposes. Could a self-storage unit be the answer to your small business needs?

By Jerry Brown
3/3/16