Category: personal storage
You’ve rented your storage unit, you have a van full of much-loved furniture and precious heirlooms – and now you need to put it all in your unit. It sounds simple, but it is worth putting a little forethought into how you use up your space.
Here’s just some of the things you need to consider when you’re unpacking your van.
Plan what you’ll need in advance
How you stack your storage until will depend on what you intend to use it for. If your unit is an extra cupboard, a place to keep your Christmas decorations, seasonal sports gear or garden tools, you might want some racking installing to help keep things organised and accessible.
If you do without racking, then put the items you use most frequently towards the front of the unit, to save having to lift everything out of the way each time you want to get in.
If you plan on long term storage of your furniture, plan on putting the heaviest and largest items of furniture in first. That way you can carefully pile smaller boxes and fragile items on top of the furniture, keeping them from being crushed and making the most of your room.
However, customers in the middle of a house move may find it easier to put the largest items of furniture in last. That way, when you open your storage unit they are right at the front, ready to go into the removals van first. If you are moving in a couple of trips, this also means you can get all the furniture into your new home and in place, before returning for your small items.
Take care of your sofa
One of the things we see most often is damage caused to items that are badly stored. You might think that standing your sofa on end in the unit is a great way to make the most of your available space. However, take a look at your sofa arms first. Are they strong enough to take all the weight for a long time?
If you do plan on stacking your sofa on end, wrap the arms in cardboard to protect them from scratches r fabric tears and stains. The space you save in the short term is not worth the cost of damaging your expensive sofa.
Wrap and protect your furniture
Protect the surfaces of your larger items as well. Taping some cardboard onto table tops before you pile your boxes on will help prevent marking.
Make sure you place furniture the right way up. If you stack your table upside down, or lean it against the wall without care, you could end up with scratches that are visible for ever more.
Use some bubble wrap to cover sharp corners. It will stop them being knocked as they are carried from van to unit.
Use strong boxes for smaller items
There’s a tendency to grab any old cardboard box to store our smaller items – often saved from deliveries to our homes. However, using purpose made storage boxes may save you some cracks and breakages.
Large cardboard boxes may not be so strong in the centre, particularly when overfilled with heavy items and stacked in a pile. Using the same sized boxes will also make piling things up a little easier – no balancing unstable pyramids in your unit.
Don’t forget to label your boxes so you know where everything is – and so you can place fragile items at the top of the stack.
Make use of the space
Make sure you make the most of the height of your unit. Careful planning will ensure that boxes can pile up high without falling, and furniture can be stood on top of each other as long as it’s done carefully.
It’s very easy to over or underestimate the space you’ll need for your furniture and boxes. Our team are able to advise you on the size unit you need, so that you are not left with a mass of unneeded floor. A badly packed unit can mean you leave plenty of unused space that you cannot access, and the need to rent a second unit, which could have been avoided.
Choose a reputable moving firm
If you choose to use a moving firm, take your time in choosing the right people. Don’t assume they will wrap your furniture before placing it in your unit – it’s best to do it yourself first.
Cost is also not always the most important consideration – if the firm you choose is rushing, they may take less care in placing items in your unit. This means more chance of damage and less care in using the space wisely.
As experts in both furniture storage and removals, our team take great care in moving your belongings from home to unit and back again. If you would like advice, packing materials or to find out about storage unit options, call us today on 0121 250 5055.
You’ve sold your house. Congratulations. Now it’s time to start packing – and there is one room that holds plenty of potential issues. So, follow our tips for getting your kitchen ready to go.
Appliances, knives, glasses, tea sets and dishes – whether it’s granny’s pie dish or a multi accessory blender, you’ll want to take care putting each item into a box to avoid breakages or damage. It’s incredible how much clutter builds up in the kitchen, and how little of it we actually use on a daily basis. So, you’ll need to get plenty of packing materials ready, including bubble wrap, tape and strong boxes.
Packing Appliances
Kitchen cupboards are hiding places for gadgets and small appliances, and all their associated parts. Tipping them all into a large box will just end up with a tangle of leads and unidentifiable pieces.
The best thing to pack them in would be the original boxes, if you have them. If not, a sturdy cardboard box will do. Start by cleaning each appliance thoroughly, especially if you are putting them into storage for a time. You don’t want to open the boxes to find mould.
Tie up power cables with elastic bands or, if possible, tape them to the machine. Wrap glass bowls, and sharp blades, and place all attachments in a plastic bag, alongside the appliance. It takes the guesswork out later.
Plan ahead. There are some gadgets you’ll want straight away – kettle, toaster, coffee machine – so put these all in the same box if you can. Remember to write the contents on the outside of the box, so you can find it easily.
Packing knives and the cutlery drawer
Spoons, ladles, spatulas, graters, mashers, ricers, bottle openers and tongs – we have plenty of utensils. We all know what happens when they tangle together in a drawer, which then refuses to open. It may seem a simple idea to tip the entire pile into a box when packing – but imagine the tangle that will greet you when you try to unpack in your new home.
Take the time to have a bit of a sort out as you pack. Group the utensils together in small amounts, wrap each one in a piece of newspaper and tie an elastic band around the handles to keep them together, and the paper on. This will help stop them tangling, and make unpacking easier.
Knives, of course, need a little more care. You certainly don’t want to tip these into a box. By the time you’ve driven to your new home, carried in all the furniture and started to unpack, you’ll have forgotten about loose knives and put your fingers in danger rooting about in the box.
Put all the knives in a separate group or two, and wrap them in bubble wrap. This will ensure that, even if they move about during the drive, they won’t cut through the wrapping. Label the box clearly so you know which one they are in, and are more wary of sharp edges as you unpack.
Packing glasses and fragile items
Start by picking the sturdiest cardboard box you can find. Sort your glasses so that the drinking glasses go in first. Check each one for cracks and chips – perhaps it’s time to get rid of these, saving yourself some space. Wrap each glass individually, tucking the corners of the paper into the mouth of the glass, and place each one mouth down in the box.
Once you have filled the bottom of the box, place a layer of bubble wrap or paper across the glasses before starting the next row. Then, place the more fragile wineglasses and precious crystal on the top row.
Wine glasses can cause their own issues due to the fragile stem. Protect the stem first by winding bubble wrap around it, until the stem is as wide as the rest of the glass, before wrapping in paper and placing in the box.
Finally, remember to label the box clearly and note which way up it should be carried.
Dinner service and tea sets
We don’t all have delicate china tea sets anymore, but if you have, you risk ornamental handles knocked off, and cracks in the plates. Taking care when you pack will help heirlooms and much loved china travel in one piece.
Teacups, like wine glasses, require a little extra bubble wrap to keep the handles intact. For the most delicate of china, the best thing to use as cushioning is packing peanuts. Pack each item individually, and make sure none are touching each other or the bottom if you can.
Stacking plates in boxes may seem simple, but the weight of the stack will easily cause the bottom plates to crack under pressure. Instead, place a layer of paper between each plate, wrapping a corner over the one above, and then stand the plates in the box on their side. Pack scrunched up paper into any gaps or corners, and your plates will be immobile without being crushed.
It might take time, and a lot of extra paper, to pack up your kitchen carefully, but you’ll appreciate it when you can unpack without damage or breakages.
If you need packing materials, we have strong boxes, tape and all the bubblewrap you need in our box shop.
When you look for a self-storage unit to start up your business, keep your stock or to just move your furniture into for a short time, you probably don’t think much further than the cost. But there’s more to finding the right unit that meets the eye.
If you’re familiar with the Cookes brand, you’ll know that we are a family business. After 70 years, we’re proud that the 3rd generation is now running the day-to-day operation, and you’ll often find the 4th generation visiting their parents at work whenever they can.
All of which means we’ve got a family atmosphere running through the business, including our team – and that warm, welcoming ambience becomes obvious to customers, just as soon as you walk in.
A hands-on family attitude
So what does that mean for you? Well, you’re always assured of a warm welcome, where our team are professional, but relaxed, and customer service is natural, not just terminology.
In days gone by we’d have been the first out to carry every item of your furniture into your unit for you, and although modern day regulations have restricted us, we’re still happy to offer a helping hand where we can.
Personalised business approach
You’ll notice the difference between Cookes and other self-storage companies in everything we do. We’re not restricted by corporate culture, over-bearing behaviours passed down by a remote head office or the cold, impersonal touch of a chain.
If you’re running a business and you need something different for your unit – extra lighting maybe, a few plug sockets or something else – all you need to do is ask. Our contracts are flexible, and we can work with you to find a solution. After all, as a local business, we know the importance of community, and we’re personally interested in helping your business grow.
We’re not 9-5
The personal touch is more than just having a coffee for you when you walk in – although we do that too. It’s about putting a name to a face and lending a helping hand. If you need an extra half hour, or have to come in early, then we can work with you to make it happen.
Community, to us, is about working together. Cookes has grown to be a recognised name in the local area, not only for our business, but by working with the people who live here. Cookes Storage is proud to carry on that name – we’ve just celebrated our 3rd birthday and we’re still growing. We’re involved in supporting charities, including the Great Midlands Fun Run, the Buddy Bag Foundation, Toys4Tots and so many more.
If you’re looking for storage – for business, for personal use, to move home or as a place to keep your stock – come down to Cookes and see the difference the family touch makes.
To all of our customers, the people we meet out and about, and to every one we’ll meet in 2019 – we wish you a very Happy New Year.
Move over spring clean, that time has gone. Now we’re planning ahead for the long winter to come.
There’re plenty of things to do to prepare our homes for winter, not least those chores we all try to avoid, like clearing out the gutters, filling the log store and insulating the pipes.
Not all jobs are outdoors ones. We’ve spent the summer travelling, enjoying the weather, spending time with friends. And while we enjoyed plenty of time outdoors, the interior of our homes can become a little bit neglected.
Throughout the house, the clutter just seems to gather. Tupperware lids multiply, shoe piles mysteriously grow, filing is neglected, the paperwork mounts up and children’s toys seem to manifest themselves into a toy shop.
It’s time for a winter clear out.
Sort through toys
Hula hoops, buckets and spades, paddling pools, swingballs and kites – the toys children play with in the summer lie unused through the wet and windy days of winter. Some will be beyond repair, others are worth saving for another year.
Put away the summer clothes
It’s time to say goodbye to the beach dresses, fold the sarongs and dig out the thick coats and spare wellies. We’re heading into boots and hat season now.
Garden chairs and BBQs
Save furniture from discolouring or rotting in the damp winter air. While you can cover the frames, cushions and soft furnishings need to be stored somewhere dry and away from tiny teeth if you want them to last the winter.
Clear out the cupboards
Take a look at the piles growing around the home, where things have been put ‘for now’. It’s time to put stuff away – especially now you’ll be spending more time indoors looking at it.
The difficulty comes in finding places to keep all the extra items that we seem to collect. Garden sheds, if you have the room, are no place for soft furnishings, and stuffing everything in the wardrobe just makes your home feel more cluttered, not less.
So if you’re looking for extra space to pack away summer, it’s time to look at storage. Flexible contracts, as much space as you need and no more, and dry, indoor units that make sure your summer shorts are ready to wear next time you need them.
Are you ready for winter? With our free collection service (T&C’s apply) we’re on hand to make sure your season starts smoothly. Call now for more information on 0121 250 5055.
Moving this summer but stuck in a nightmare housing chain? Here are some stress free options to moving that won’t break the bank!
We all know there are some life events that can be stressful. From beginning a new job, to starting a family and then, of course, getting married. But near the top of that list has to be moving home.
It can be a bit of a pain at most, and a complete nightmare at worst – where every step you take to get a new roof over your head feels like climbing a mountain, and you need nerves of steel to survive it.
Stuck in a house moving chain
A friend of mine a few years ago got stuck near the bottom in a chain of 10 buyers. In the end she just had to pull out because she felt stuck, and she missed out on the house of her dreams. When I asked her why she couldn’t wait, she said she didn’t want the stress of moving anymore. The thought of being forced to move out, before she had a place to move into, was too much and all her ‘stuff’ was weighing her down to move easily.
Which, when you think about it, is crazy. You are all moving in the same direction, like a traffic jam on the motorway. Everyone wants to move somewhere else, everyone has furniture and jobs and lives, so why does it feel like you are stuck?
Sometimes you just have to come up with a smarter way to do it and make sure its stress free.
Smarter ways to move house
Summer is a particular busy time for estate agents and house movers. But it’s a little known fact that storage companies are also playing their part in helping people move easily.
For people stuck in that housing chain, one simple option is to put your bulky goods, beds, and wardrobes into storage and then rent a smaller property for six months so you know everything is ready to go. You have the freedom to know what you are doing and where you’ll be, and get rid of some of the moving stress.
Make downsizing your home easier
Keeping your stuff in storage also gives you a bit of time to breath. If you just feel you have to work out the logistics of where everything should go within your new home before you’re surrounded by boxes, keep it in storage. If you’re downsizing, but still can’t bear to get rid of certain pieces of furniture, keep them in storage. Not only is it safe and secure, but unlike lending it to a friend or family member, or storing it in the garden shed, there is very little chance of it getting damp, broken, lost or stolen.
Use a removals team to make moving simple
Then, when it does come to carrying your furniture about, one of the most stress free options (which, coincidentally my friend did eventually do), is to get some outside help in.
While many of us rely on friends and neighbours and our own sheer stubbornness to move house, that’s a lot of favours, and muscles, to pull on the way. So take the strain off the move, and your friendships, and hire in a reputable removals team to help. That way, your belongings, and you, can move from storage to your lovely new home in style while taking the strain out of one of the most stressful life events we know.
For more details of our in-house removals team, call us now.
The weather may be hotting up, and we’re officially heading into summer. If, like us, you didn’t manage to get round to that essential spring clean, don’t worry, there’s still plenty of time.
Here’s our top tips to hack the clean so it won’t take up that valuable summer time and allow you to spend more time with friends and family.
Break it down
One of our main problems with the big annual clean is feeling overwhelmed when we start to think of all those jobs waiting to be done.
In reality, there doesn’t have to be so much to swallow if you make each task more bitesize. Make a list of everything that you want to do, then break it down. Instead of being faced with 1000 jobs, you can create lists of about ten per room that can be tackled over a number of days.
Not only will you start to see progress from the start, you’ll be spurred on to do more.
Call in help
You really don’t need to do it alone. A job shared is a job halved, after all. If you need to do a big deep clean, why not call in a local cleaner. There are plenty of small local businesses and franchisees who can help out for one off jobs, like Merry Maids here at Minworth Business Park. Of course, once you’ve seen how much easier it life becomes, we’re sure you’ll be using them for the weekly clean as well.
Alternatively, why not ask a friend or family member to help – in return for a similar favour from you. Okay, you do end up cleaning two homes, but you can have more fun while you’re hard at work.
Create a donation box
This can be quite difficult for people who like to hoard or keep sentimental items. Creating a donation box and choosing a charity that means something to you will help incentivise you to sort through everything. Knowing that everything is going to a good cause will make it far easier to be ruthless and clear things out.
Dust and bleach
If there is one thing that will make a huge difference, it’s giving your surfaces a good dust. Use a drop of bleach in water to wipe over surfaces, and not only will your home look clean, but it will smell clean too. With a lovely summer freshness to your home, you’ll end up doing more cleaning than you intended.
Declutter using the 12 month rule
Do you still have something in your bathroom, cabinet, cupboard or wardrobe that you haven’t used, worn or eaten in the past 12 months? Then the golden rule is simple. Get rid.
Styles change, food expires and clutter grows. So to clear your head, become more productive in your life and make room for more buys, be brutal and clear it out.