Author: Anthony Adams
Having an office space is great, whether it’s a designed space at home or at your company’s headquarters. However, having an extra bit of space also means it can get a bit messy. If you struggle with keeping your office tidy, this blog article is for you.
Having a cluttered desk has plenty of downfalls. Working in a messy environment may also decrease your levels of productivity and effectiveness. If your desk is tidy, you will spend less time looking for documents and items around your desk. Also, with a clear space your mind won’t be distracted by the thought of having to sort things out. So let’s get into it.
Remove everything
By removing everything from your desk and office, you will have the opportunity to sweep and clean your furniture too. At the same time, you can actually go through everything you own. Which bring us to point 2.
Divide your things in different piles: throw away, donate and keep
The most important part of this step is to be rational, and only keep objects you know you will use, for example a mouse pad or a photo of your dog. When it comes to donating and throwing away, the best way to divide your stuff is to think whether someone else will make use of it.
Consider investing in space organisers and shelves
Clearing things up is helpful, but with time your office space will get clogged again. The best way to prevent this is to get some space organisers, such as bookends and pen cups. Shelves are also great for books and documents you don’t need to access as often. Another tip would be to get some drawers to have under your desk.
Fix your cables!
Cables really do make a difference when it comes to space tidiness. There are some options for cable management, such as buying sticky labels or even cable management boxes, bars and sleeves. Having tidy cables also makes it so much easier to clean your office space.
Don’t forget to clean regularly
Once you’ve invested in decorations and space organisers, and sorted out what you need, cleaning regularly comes next. At the end of the day, cleaning regularly is the best tip on how to keep your office space tidy! It’s important to have a routine and do this whenever you can. It doesn’t have to be every day, but even once a week or once a month works. It’s important to set aside some time for cleaning and sorting our your space. If you do this regularly, it will only take 1h tops every so often.
Storage is your friend
Sometimes getting rid of old things just isn’t an options, and that’s when renting a storage unit can help you keep your space tidy. Cookes Storage can support you throughout your business journey with a variety of storage room options, and more. If you’re based around Sutton Coldfield and have any questions, please email us at
info@cookesstorage.co.uk or give us a call on 0121 250 5055 .
After a long and cold winter, it’s finally April and the weather is getting a little bit warmer. The trees are blossoming, and the sun is shining. When the air is not so cold, you want to open the windows and let the warm air into your house. But to really refresh your house, opening a window isn’t enough. Therefore, we’ve put together a successful checklist for spring cleaning to help you prepare your house for the warm weather.
First, you may be asking yourself: why do I need a checklist?
Having a checklist, whether it’s written down or just in your brain, helps you keeping things tidy and organised – just like you want your house to be. This will help you define what you want to do for each room, and it gives you an idea of a timeline. Deep cleaning should also be an integral part of your house, in order to keep it tidy and organised.
Have a goal
You should be thinking of what’s the aim of this spring clean? Is it to identify what piece of furniture you want to donate? Is it to declutter? Change the layout of your house/flat?
Divide your tasks into categories
After you’ve figured out what you want to do, we recommend dividing your tasks in different categories. This way, you don’t feel overwhelmed. You can divide your activities this by day, or by room. For example, for each room you can select what you want to:
- Clean
- Donate
- Store away
- Recycle/repair
We recommend coming up with a realistic timeline, avoiding stress. Spring cleaning should be enjoyable, and it should be about bringing your house back to life.
Identify what products you need
You may be thinking, I already have bleach, mould remover and cleaning wipes. While this is true, spring cleaning is a good idea to identify what products you’re missing and which one you want to replace. Maybe you want a new bathroom cleaner spray. Maybe you want to use more plastic free and green alternatives.
In addition, it’s important to make sure your vacuum cleaner is running and that you have good mop at home.
Wash pillows and duvets
Washing pillows and duvets can be quite impractical, and you may not have a lot of time to do so. If you want to go ahead with it, we recommend doing it during spring cleaning. If you have a lighter duvet for the warm months, this is the best time to take it out.
Don’t be scared of emptying your drawers, donation is an option!
Are your drawers very messy and cluttered? Spring cleaning is the best opportunity to sort them out and identify what you want to do with your belongings. Throwing away is not always the best options, as we would encourage you to donate/resell as much as you can. This can be old Christmas decorations, plates, cutlery, dvds, old toys and of course clothes.
Don’t forget about the deep part of the cleaning
Dusting your furniture, donating, removing mould, and cleaning your mirrors is key to a good clean. But the point of spring cleaning is to do a deep clean. A successful checklist for spring cleaning included unclogging the sink and drains, cleaning behind the toilet… It also included throwing away expired make up, taking care of your garden if you have one, and most of all…make the most of it.
And finally…
If you’re not ready to let go of some of your belongings, or have no space to store your winter stuff, storage might be a good option for you. With plenty of storage rooms with different sizes, convenient prices and industry leading security, Cookes Self Storage will look after your belongings. And you don’t have to worry about a single thing. To enquire about self-storage, call us on 0121 250 5055 or email us at info@cookesstorage.co.uk .
Every new year we want to start it off right and we make resolutions we end up not following. We think of the new year as an occasion to reinvent ourselves, which we totally can, but maybe instead of making big plans, we could start small instead. This way, it’s easier to achieve what we set for ourselves.
Here are some ideas and some totally realistic resolutions we can all work on for 2022.
Start the new year off right by being more environmentally conscious
Over the last couple of years, we’ve seen a big focus on climate change and being environmentally friendly. As good as it sounds, buying an electric car or having solar panels installed is very expensive, and not everyone can afford it. Instead, there are plenty of small acts that can make a change. Taking public transport instead of driving is one easy step.
Or for example, turning the tap off when it’s not needed is a great start. Buying second hand clothes is also a great option, and if you can’t afford not buying from fast fashion brands, there’s plenty of things you can still do. For example, instead of buying clothes that are only fashionable for a short period of time, buy timeless pieces of clothing instead. Also, making the most of the clothes you have and wear them until they break can make a difference.
Also, ditching plastic as much as possible whenever you can really helps the environment. Eating less meat is also a good option, even though vegetarian and vegan options can be quite expensive.
Start the new year off right by sticking to a healthy routine
Everyone wants to be healthy, join the gym, exercise every day, never have cheat days and so on. As good as these plans sound, they’re hard to stick to. Having a routine can be hard when you are busy and have long shifts. If you see that going to the gym isn’t doable, instead of signing up and only going once, there’s other options. For example, there are plenty of 30 minutes workout videos on YouTube that you can follow from the comfort of your living room. Another option is aiming to walk at least 10k steps a day, or trying some yoga.
Balance is key, and never having cheat days is definitely not healthy. Instead of not eating food like chocolate or pizza, or drink alcohol, you should include them to your diet, just in controlled amounts among many other nutritious foods.
and keeping your house tidy
Having a tidy house is a big ask, but one easy thing that can be done is to recycle or donate items that you don’t need. By unclogging your garage or your spare room, your house will automatically be tidier. And if you still want to get rid of items you don’t use as much but you don’t feel the need to throw them away yet, a storage room is a good option.
We offer plenty of storage options to suit your needs, from 16sft to a 270sqft room. For more information you can check our website: cookesstorage.co.uk or email us at info@cookesstorage.co.uk.
Shopping for Christmas decorations is very exciting. You want new baubles for your tree, and you have decided on a specific colour palette. You want the tree to match your new garland, and you can’t get enough of LED fairy lights and Christmas candles to give your house that extra cosiness.
It’s a lot of fun to set everything up, and it’s very rewarding too. If you’re a family, maybe there’s a couple of arguments about how to set up the snowman fairy lights and where to place that special bauble. But overall, it’s a great activity. The house is lit up, Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve all pass and suddenly it’s the new year. It feels like a chore to take down all the decorations, and the big question comes.
How do I store Christmas Decorations?
Buy some containers (made of recycled materials if you can)
Probably obvious, but the best way to store your decorations tidily is by buying containers. Labelling them is also a great idea, making it easier to find what you need when it’s time to put up the tree again.
Make use of what you already have at home
Use clear bags to store your baubles and assort by colour.
By doing this, it’ll be easy to find exactly what you need. Instead of just placing everything as it comes in a big box with the risk of the decorations breaking, you can store them in smaller boxes to the fit inside the big ones.
Be eco-friendly
You don’t have to necessarily buy small plastic boxes. You can easily get tiered ornament boxes, so that you don’t have to worry at all about your ornaments breaking.
Use existing household items to store your ornaments
For example, you can store your baubles in cardboard drink holders or egg container from the supermarket.
If you have done a bit of online shopping, you can also use the packaging boxes to store your items.
If you have plastic water bottles that you don’t want to throw away yet and want to repurpose, you can easily use them store your garlands and fairy lights. This works with any sort of container that you don’t know how to repurpose. For example, a tennis ball container works well.
Ingenious ways of storing your Christmas tree
A tree takes most of the space. The first advice would be not to throw away the box that came with the tree.
If you have already thrown the box away, there are plenty of other options. You can buy specific storage bags of different sizes for your tree. A wardrobe box, even if harder to come by, can be a great option. If you have a small tree, you can wrap it around with a bin bag to protect the branches.
If you have a spare room at home or a garage, it can be straightforward to store your Christmas decorations. However, if they’re already full or you don’t have any available storage space, self-storage can come in very handy. With Cookes, your belongings are stored safely: only you have access to your storage room, and with industry leading security, you don’t have to worry about thieves.
For more information give us a call on
0121 250 5055 or email us at info@cookesstorage.co.uk
Sutton Coldfield is a town in the suburbs of Birmingham, West Midlands. Also known as Sutton or Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield, it’s considered the most affluent area in the county, with low crime rate and low level of unemployment. Whether you’re spending the weekend around the area or you’re about to move to Sutton, you can find some tips on exciting things to do.
Here’s a list of things on why Sutton Coldfield is a great place!
It’s incredibly popular
Looking for a house can be stressful, especially when deciding what zip code to move to. According to reports, Sutton is an incredibly sought-after town, as well as one of the most expensive post codes in the West Midlands.
Families are attracted to Sutton because of the local schools, which are some of the best in the Midlands, and it is renowned to be one of the best places to raise children in the UK! While this may not be of interest if you’re just passing by, it’s important to know that Sutton is super close to Birmingham city centre, less than 20 minutes away by train!
Green space
One of the main reasons why it’s so popular is the green space. It is home to Sutton Park, a national nature reserve and home to many activities, such as horse riding, jogging and golf. The Park is also home to a wide variety of animals and plants and is one of the largest ones in the whole of Europe. Quite impressive!
More specifically, some of the most popular activities include a kid’s playground, ideal if you’re spending the day with your family. The Park is also home to the Birmingham’s Donkey Sanctuary, where you can interact with a group of lovely donkeys throughout organised activities. Ideal if you’re with children or if you’re an animal lover! The Sanctuary will soon be open to the public.
Vibrant town centre
While the park is a big plus and buyers are attracted to the green in the area, let’s not forget the town centre. Outside the centre of Birmingham, Sutton is the place with the most restaurant and shops. This is great to spend a day shopping away from the busy Bullring, while enjoying a different scenery. The restaurants vary from chains to local businesses, and there is a great variety depending on what you’re craving.
While the town is mostly known to attract families, it’s also attractive for young people looking for some fun, with many clubs and pubs all in the centre.
Rich history
And for any history lovers, the town sure is rich of it! The town was given the name of Royal back in the 16th century, by a charter of King Henry VIII. Sutton was definitely great back then, and it still is now!
And of course, we couldn’t not mention the one and only Cookes Storage Service.
If you’re moving to Sutton for either domestic or business reasons and need extra space to store your belongings, Cookes is the right spot for you. With an easily accessible location, 24/7 CCTV, affordable prices and flexible solutions, we make sure your needs are met. For more information on our services, contact our friendly staff members. You can either give us a call at
0121 250 5055 , get a quote from our website or simply pop into our store.
As a result of the global growth the self-storage sector is experiencing, its expected value by 2026 stands at £4.10 billion in Europe alone. In 2019, the Self-Storage Association (SSA) reported that there are over 1500 self-storage facilities in the UK, for both domestic and business purposes. Although this number is smaller when compared to other countries such as the US or Australia, the UK still ranks highest in Europe with the number of facilities it has, followed by France and Spain which both have an estimated 450 self-storage facilities.
So why is the number of self-storage facilities so high in the UK and why is it expected to keep growing?
The reason is that the domestic need in the country is almost 10 times higher than in continental Europe, with common reasons for using self-storage including divorce and old age. It’s not surprising then that most customers making use of self-storage facilities are between the age of 40 and 70. Another reason is that the urban lifestyle is attracting an increasingly higher number people each year to move houses, and while the sector has seen steady growth recently, it still appears to be young as no major key players have fully established themselves within it. In the UK, there are larger brands that can be found around the country, as well as local self-storage brands recognised around their area and trusted by the local community, such as Cookes Storage Service.
Also, what role does the pandemic play in this industry?
Throughout the pandemic, people have been moving homes, causing these facilities to fill up. In addition, such facilities have also been taken over by new businesses, causing most warehouse spaces to be occupied last year.
With house prices increasing, tenants moving into new homes are spending more time at home and have made more use of self-storage facilities to de-clutter their homes and free up space where they live, keeping only what is necessary. A similar reason is that people seeking to sell their homes will need to temporarily store some of their belongings in a storage space while they look for a new home. De-cluttering appears to be one of the main reasons for picking a storage facility during the pandemic, which could be due to the higher quantity of time spent at home, or due to more home space having to be sacrificed for a work-from-home set-up.
Self-storage firms have reported an increasing demand as a consequence of the pandemic, and to meet these new consumer needs, flexible companies have expanded their sites around the UK, providing more space such as containers.
So, what’s going to happen?
It is predicted that the price for self-storage units will be skyrocketing in the near future. In addition to families and tenants making use of self-storage for de-cluttering related reasons, increasing the occupancy of such facilities, prices are also rising due to investors looking to invest in new assets during the pandemic.
However, with the uncertainties that come with Covid-19, for how long will this increase last? The pandemic has made one thing clear: things can be very volatile.
Over the last year, we have seen many businesses – such as high street shops – closing. On the other hand, brands such as Amazon and sectors related to real estate and workspace solutions seem to have profited from Covid. With a flexible remote-working approach being implemented as a long-term plan by employers, and with working from home suiting many employees, it seems like the pandemic has changed our office space in many ways and with reports predicting an increase in self-storage use, it is possible that this industry will only become more popular with time.
However, only time will tell.
For more information on Cookes Storage Service call us on
0121 250 5055 or check cookesstorage.co.uk/.