Category: personal storage
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.
Finally – open those windows wide, get outside and enjoy the sunshine while it lasts!
As the weather hints at warmer days to come we see an increase in camping enthusiasts collecting their gear from storage.
It’s time to prepare for the season by checking through equipment, replacing anything that’s damaged and trying out the latest outdoor gadgets. As experienced campers will tell you, once you fall in love with holidaying under canvas, you’ll be adding to your camping must-haves every year.
However, if you’re new to camping it doesn’t have to cost a fortune in gear to get started. We’ve put together a few of the essentials for a weekend trip to get you snoozing under the stars in comfort.
The perfect tent
There are so many options on the market that choosing the perfect tent can feel overwhelming. You do need to research tent reviews online, speak to dealers and visit local camping shops to see some on display.
However, you don’t have to pick one straight away. If you can, borrow a tent first to get a feel for the features you like. Plus it’s a good way to be sure camping is right for you anyway. You’ll find that most regular campers have been through a number of tents before settling on a manufacturer and layout they prefer.
A good nights sleep
If you don’t get a good night’s sleep you will never enjoy camping to its fullest. You need to be comfortable and warm – there’s nothing worse than waking up cold or damp.
Remember that throughout the night temperatures fall and the ground gets cold. Insulating your bed from the floor helps keep you cosy. Place a picnic blanket under your bed, or use foam mats. Then, choose between an inflatable airbed, a camping bed or a SIM (self-inflating mattress).
Each type of bed has pros and cons. Airbeds can be very comfortable, but are prone to deflate. They can also be cold as the air inside cools, so you’ll need a blanket between your sleeping bag and the bed. Camping beds can be quick and easy to erect, but quite restrictive on space and quite firm, while a SIM can be comfortable, if you’re prepared to pay more for one thick enough to keep you from feeling the hard ground. Laying your SIM on top of a camping bed is a great alternative, but costs more in equipment.
The final ingredient to a good nights sleep is a thick sleeping bag, wide enough to allow movement, or if you prefer, a large, warm duvet. Take a couple of extra blankets in case you need them.
Something tasty to eat
All that fresh air helps you build up a healthy appetite so remember to take your cooker. A simple portable gas cooker is fine, and most come in their own carry case. Don’t forget the gas.
Then you’ll need cookware – a saucepan and frying pan, a kettle, plates, cutlery and a large mug for your morning cuppa. Unfortunately camping holidays do mean you have to do your own washing up, so a bowl, tea towel and washing up liquid.
As well as food – most camping trips involve a proper English breakfast – you need a cool box to keep your milk and bacon in.
Evening entertainment
One of the best things about camping is settling down by the campfire (if you are allowed one on site). A portable firepit is a lovely luxury – don’t forget the wood. Lightweight folding chairs and a table are perfect for an evening playing cards, and you’ll need a some powerful camping lanterns for light to play by.
Finally, make sure you pack some warm clothing, a change of shoes in case you get wet – well, we are talking camping in Britain – and your bathroom essentials.
And one more thing – don’t forget the bottle opener for the wine, to toast the success of your first trip.
As the children head off back to school, it does start to feel like summer is over. The official end of summer isn’t actually until 22 September – which means there’s still time to enjoy the last bit of sunshine, and start getting your garden ready for autumn.
Enjoy the summer harvest
All of your hard work through the spring and summer is now showing the benefits. If you had fruit and vegetable beds growing, you’ll be enjoying the harvest. If it’s not quite ready, check your netting is secure. The birds will be getting hungrier about now.
It’s time to get jamming and pickling – storing your harvest for the future. You can also freeze fruit, so make sure there is space in your freezer.
Make sure you dig up any potatoes, the slugs are out about in force. You can leave them out in the last of the summer sunshine to dry for a few hours, before storing in a dry, dark place to keep you going through the next few months. Remember that they need air or they’ll go mouldy.
Hanging baskets and container plants are still flowering and looking beautiful. Keep up the feeding and they will last until the frosts begin.
Autumn garden tips
The first thing that happens in autumn is, of course, leaves start to fall from the trees. Make sure you put netting over ponds, ready to catch them all. It saves a lot of time and cleaning later. You’ll also need somewhere to put all those leaves, so make a space for new compost piles if you can.
Summer’s plants are beginning to die back, so you can start clearing them out, particularly if you have a greenhouse. This means you’ll have the space to get some new plants in over the autumn.
Remove weeds and the dead crops – a little time tidying up your beds and vegetable patch now will save you time nest year, when the ground may still be firmer.
Thinking ahead to spring
The ground is still soft and warm enough to start thinking about next spring. Now is the time to be planting your spring bulbs – daffodils, crocus, hyacinths and so on.
It’s also the best time to be planting new trees and shrubs. The increased rainfall will help them settle in, ready to burst into new growth next year.
New lawns will grow well right now, so putting down seed, aerating your lawn and giving it some food will help improve any poor patches.
Storing your garden furniture
As well as preparing the garden, it’s time to care for your tables and chairs. By the end of September the weather will be poorer, and the temperatures much lower. One of the last jobs of the month is to give everything a good clean, and put it away for the winter.
Give your shed or garage a good clear out, and make a space between the bikes and wheelbarrow. If you don’t have the room, consider putting your furniture in self-storage for the 6 months until you need it again. It’s dry and out of the way, leaving you more room at home for your spring potting.