Tag Archives: Longport self-storage

Self-Storage tips for Bedding

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Self-Storage tips for Bedding

Have you ever driven by a self-storage facility and wondered what could be behind those rows  and rows of doors?  More often than not, it is a collection of boxes, Tupperware tubs, furniture, accessories, and bedding. Most of these items are relatively easy to store – stack the boxes, cover the furniture, etc.,  but storing a mattress and box spring can present certain challenges.  Here are some tips to follow when storing mattresses and /or box springs.

Let it Breathe
Give your mattress a good airing out before you put it into storage. Do this by leaving the mattress without any sheets on it for 2 or 3 days.  Mattresses naturally absorb moisture when people sleep on them –  this process will help to prevent mold and mildew while in storage.

Self-Storage Near Atlantic City

The Big Cover-up
Once your mattress and box spring are aired out,  they should be covered before storing.  Your local self storage facility will most likely have mattress and box spring covers, or boxes available for purchase. Adding an anti moisture product, such as silica packets, or Damp Check,  can help to prevent mold and mildew.

Laying your Bedding to Rest
 The ideal way to store a mattress is with it laying flat, but elevated off the ground. This is not always possible, or practical when dealing with the limitations of self storage space.  The next best method is to  place pallets on the floor and sit your mattress and box spring on end, leaning against the wall with his little angle as possible. You may even want to store other items so that they prop your mattress and box spring flat against the wall, or at a 90 degree angle.

If you have any other questions, stop into the office of your local self storage facility. I’m sure that the staff there will be more than happy to help you. Happy storing!

 

Self-Storage and Furniture

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Self-Storage and Furniture

Whether you’re moving or downsizing, you may find yourself left with extra furniture that you do not want to part with. Your local self storage facility may be the answer.  Here are some tips to help you store that extra furniture.

1 –  Ask your  self-storage manager if they can provide pallets to put down on the floor of the storage unit.  You may even want to cover those pallets with plastic sheeting to create a moisture barrier.

2 – Cover furniture with sheets or canvas tarps ( not plastic)  to allow for airflow.

3 – If you recently used furniture polish or oils  on any items, allow them to dry thoroughly before storing  to avoid mold or mildew.

4 – Avoid completely sealing any items in plastic – trapped moisture can cause mold and mildew. you may want to consider  placing moisture reduction products, such as Damp Rid in the corners of your unit.

5 – Disassemble Furniture items when possible to save space.  Place chairs upside down on a sturdy surface –  Place table tops face down on a soft blanket.

absecon self-storage

6 – Stand couches and mattresses on end to maximize storage space. Stack lightweight boxes on dresser tops, and place small items inside dresser drawers. Bags specifically designed to cover bedding and couches can usually be purchased at your self storage facility’s office.  Many  self storage facilities also sell packaging specifically designed for glasses, dishes,  mirrors, lamps, and even flat screen TVs.

Hopefully these tips will help you with your furniture Self Storage needs, but don’t be afraid to stop into the office of your local self storage facility with questions.  I’m sure that they will be happy to help you out!

 

Self Storage through the Ages

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Self Storage through the Ages

Where did self-storage come from? Historians say that the concept came about in ancient China. Legend has it that people in that era would store their valuable items in clay pots, kept in guarded underground pits to protect them from Invaders.

Self Storage in Ventnor City | Jersey Shore Storage Facilities

Modern Self Storage has its roots in the moving and storage industry of the 1950’s. After World War II, Bekins Moving & Storage of Omaha Nebraska built a network of large fireproof warehouses throughout Southern California. They found that they could rent these areas not only  to civilians and military personnel in transition, but also for storing business records, records management, film storage, and office and industrial moving.- and so it began…

The first successful commercial self storage facility was built in Odessa Texas in the early 1960s. The “A-1 U-Store-It U-Lock-It U-Carry-the-Key” facility was built in an industrial area where fishermen could rent storage space for their boats and oil field workers could store equipment for quick access. Eventually the general public caught wind of this idea and by the early 1970s, the first public self storage facilities began to open – the first popping up in El Cajon, California.

What a difference 40 or 50 years can make! There are now nearly 60,000 self-storage facilities across the United States, with enough space available for every man, woman, and child  in the country to stand comfortably within the walls of self-storage

 Where will the self-storage industry go from here? Who knows, but one thing is for sure –  Americans are accumulating more stuff, not less!  

A True Self Storage Pioneer

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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…

Using Self Storage Space Effectively

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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

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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

 

Home Staging and Self-Storage

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Home Staging & Self-Storage
Jerry Brown
www.TheStorageInn.net
2/4/16

Home staging, or the practice of removing personal items and decorating a home for sale to improve its perceived value, is becoming more popular than ever in today’s market. This is where real estate meets interior decoration. “Staging” is a smart way to get the property sold more quickly and at the best possible price.

Most realtors work with one or more home staging firms, but it’s also possible to do the job yourself, especially if you a flair for decor and/or want to save money. Either way, self-storage is going to be essential to the process. De-cluttering is the first, and most important step toward staging a home This means your personal collections, family photos,  and any “unique” furniture has got to go. You can still live in your home during staging, but empty it out as much as possible. This is where self-storage comes into play

Home staging is all about allowing potential buyers to envision the home with their own furniture, family photos, and personal items in each room. Making your home look neutral and spacious to potential buyers is the key. Keeping personal artifacts out of view and minimizing the “lived in look” better allows potential buyers to use their imagination. Make sure everything is clean and fresh, particularly in the kitchen and baths. Plug in air fresheners are a great touch!.

Replacing outdated wall coverings can also be important – replace old paneling or wallpaper with a fresh coat of neutral color paint. This will freshen the rooms, as will sheer curtains that let in as much natural light as possible during open house. Tell a story for the purpose of each room. For example, that spare room you’ve been using for storage, might be staged as a neat home office. Use the remaining furniture to section off wide open spaces – position the couch so its back is to the dining area.

Remember that exterior curb appeal is just as important as the interior, and could make-or-break a home shopper’s first impression of your home. Spruce up your porch and backyard deck, and ensure all landscaping is tidy.

Keep in mind that potential buyers will surely open your closets, so a strategy of stuffing everything you want to hide from other rooms into the closets isn’t going to fly. This is Self-storage homestaging. If you don’t need an item for day-to-day life, store it during this transitional time. the silver lining may be that living in a organized, de-cluttered environment might just inspire you to keep things that way in your new home.