Category: self storage

You’re moving out of your parent’s house and into your first home or maybe you are moving into Uni halls… but you don’t know what to take and what do you leave? Don’t worry, you are not alone! We can guarantee that everyone has had to think about the ‘what do I take with me’ problem!

You might be thinking about all the new things you can get for your home, but you’ll soon find your parents on the doorstep with a car full of your childhood toys and teenage clutter. You might not see the need for them now, but one day you may well treasure those memories. So, what sort of thing should you hold onto and what should you let go?

Things to keep

Family photographs

You may not be that interested in pictures of yourself playing on a beach you don’t remember age 3 – but one day you’ll find yourself wanting to know more about your parents holidays before you were born, or your grandparents wedding. Go through them with your parents, and have them write down who each person is on the back, so you have the information when you want it.

Old toys

Just like clothes, toys often come back into fashion as trends renew. Marvel figurines, Matchbox cars, Furbies, Tamagotchi and Pokemon cards have all come back around as must have toys over time. If you are still holding on to original versions of these, they may well increase in value. The last thing you want to do it is throw out all of your childhood toys now, only to discover you had a rare and valuable Barbie. And even if they aren’t worth anything, your own children may enjoy playing with them in time.

School reports and pictures

You may have skipped out of school on the last day, glad you never have to think about it again. Perhaps you won’t for years. But then you’ll have a school reunion, or bump into someone you knew, and you’ll want to peek back at the memories.

Awards, certificates and trophies are all nice to keep, but perhaps one of the best things, though you might not think it now, as your school reports. In 20 years time these can be a great source of entertainment, although you might want to hide the teacher’s comments from your own children.

Things to recycle

Clothes

There may well be some favourite clothes you just can’t bear to leave behind: a snuggly hoodie or band T-shirt. But the majority of clothes you wore as a teen probably don’t need to go with you to your new home. Sort out the ones that no longer fit, or are a bit too worn, and see what you can give to charity.

Books and magazines

We certainly do accumulate a lot of paper in our lifetimes. But do you really need to keep it? Take a look at your bookshelves, and see which treasured paperbacks you are really likely to read again, and which ones you have outgrown. Comics and magazines are the same. It’s all extra weight.

Finding space

Now you’ve decided what you need to keep, you still might not have space in your new place for all the boxes. Don’t throw things out just because you can’t find a cupboard for them, if you know you’ll regret it one day. With your own small self-storage locker, you’ve got just enough space for your childhood treasures, secure and dry, until you’re feeling nostalgic.

Still not sure how much space you need? Call us on 0121 250 5055 and we’ll talk through your requirements and design the perfect package for you.

At Cookes, the health and well-being of our customers and colleagues is and always has been our number one priority.

Safety for everyone.
Our store is generally low intensity in terms of use. Nevertheless, we have conducted a risk assessment as per the latest Government guidance and have taken appropriate measures to ensure our store is “Covid-secure” premises.

Our store will continue to maintain the same COVID-19 protections such as Perspex reception screens, hand sanitizing stations, floor distancing markers and safety signage as before.

To keep our customers and store staff safe, we ask that you continue to wear a face mask when visiting our reception, unless you have a medical exemption.

Furthermore, our reception opening hours may be subject to change at short notice as at times we might have reduced staffing; your understanding is appreciated.

A summary of additional measures we’ve taken:

• We have supplied personal protective equipment (PPE) to our colleagues and customers. This is in addition to provision of hand sanitisers and hand washing facilities.
• We have reconfigured our reception and installed transparent safety screens on all of our reception desks.
• Customers are kindly asked to pay by card or direct debit as our stores will not be accepting cash or cheque payments. Payments can also be made by phone or via customer’s online accounts.
• We request that customers and visitors scan the QR code when they arrive, using the NHS COVID-19 app. This is to help trace and stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
• We have established an enhanced cleaning schedule of all trolley handles, pallet truck handles and regular touchpoints such as lift buttons, door handles and toilets.

Changes to storage services:

• Deliveries: Our store still accepts deliveries on your behalf. We will place them in a secure unit and notify you of receipt of a delivery however, we will not sign for deliveries.
• Boxes and packaging: Available to purchase from all store receptions, over the phone or online.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our customers and colleagues for their patience, courtesy and considerations during these testing times. Our colleagues are happy to answer any questions or discuss any concerns. 

For more information, please email: info@cookesstorage.co.uk or call 0121 250 5055

Moving house is a momentous occasion that we all face at some point in life, whether that is to head off to university or to leaving home to live with friends or partners. As exciting as it seems starting out, merging the possessions of two or more people can prove to be more than a little problematic. When faced with a choice of three sofas to sit on or duplicate dining sets, new cohabitants may feel pressed to part with their treasured possessions, so to avoid any awkward moments and make moving house hassle-free, simply use self-storage

Get Organised

It sounds so simple, but making a plan and getting organised early will help you immensely on your moving day. Keep a few essentials such a your kettle, mugs, tea bags and a spoon in a box on the front passenger seat of your moving vehicle (trust us you will thank us later!)

Have a system of what you need to move first and what can come later; bed first, bag of clothes you haven’t warm in a year… that can come last!

Give yourself space

Using self-storage simplifies a house move as it means that you don’t have to make any rash decisions about what to keep straight away. Perhaps more importantly, however, it gives you time to get a feel for the style that you want in your new pad, not to mention an idea on the best layout to maximise the space in your home.

Yes, you may be utterly convinced that your three-piece leather suite and chaise longue are perfect for parties, however if your goods are going to monopolise the room, then it is better to consider the home without them in it. Furthermore, you will avoid an unnecessary 22-point turn to get the furniture in through the front door.

Give yourself time

By storing your items in a secure self-storage unit, you remove the time constraints of trying to exchange and complete in a day whilst carting your worldly goods across the town. Few house sales complete at a weekend, meaning that you will need to take time off work to pack, ship and unpack your belongings within a very short time frame. By using flexible self-storage, you will be able to move in to your new home at a time and pace that is convenient to you.

Give yourself a good talking to

If there is one thing we all know, it is that as we travel along the journey called life we accumulate more than a few souvenirs along the way. Gathering together your belongings to move house can be a wake-up call as to just how much stuff you have, and now is the time to give yourself a good talking to about what needs to stay and what needs to go.

Rather than transfer all these items into your new abode or make any on the spot decisions that you later regret, use self-storage to filter these items gradually, and get rid of anything non-sentimental that hasn’t been used in 6 months.

This really simple lesson, saves many moving day tears! Your new home is going to be filled with new memories and sometimes, you just need that little bit of help to let go of items that you really don’t need anymore.

Enjoy the day

It is going to be hard work and there are most probably going to be some bumps along the way, but when you can sit back at the end of the day and look at your new home you will find that all those worries you have 6 months ago are totally irrelevant now!

For more help, head over to our page to see how we can help you with your move.

Happy moving Everyone!

The home business lifestyle sounds wonderful to so many of us. Flexibility to take a day off whenever we want, working from coffee shops or sitting in the glorious British sunshine and meeting with clients – it all sounds so perfect.

The reality is often quite different. Many small business owners find themselves working far longer hours, with the divide between work and home life blurred. You may have chosen to be your own boss for the flexibility, but it’s still important to set aside work when the family come home.

Many of us don’t have the space in the home to have a separate office. Even if you set aside a small space in the living room, or under the stairs, for your desk, your work often overflows into the family living areas. Boxes of stock, paperwork, filing cabinets, samples – whatever type of business you are in, there’s always some sort of clutter that gradually infiltrate throughout your home.

Working from home can affect your health.

Overlapping home and work life so much can seriously affect stress levels and affect your health and wellbeing. You are more likely to pick up calls and emails outside of your work hours. Even when you put your work down, it’s visible in the home, causing your mind to dwell on and worry about work issues.

Stress can lead to time off work, making mistakes, depression and anxiety. Not only do these affect your business, but impact on your personal life and family as well. The more you worry about your work, the harder it will become to focus and get it done.

Tips for improving your work life balance

Set work hours

You may have chosen to work from home so that you can juggle your family commitments better – particularly coping with childcare. It’s still a good idea to set work hours, and manage the family’s expectations by clearly outlining the time you will finish and be free to focus on them.

Get dressed

Your initial image of working from home might be sitting at your laptop in bed, or answering calls in your pyjamas. Getting washed and dressed, ready for the work day, will actually make you feel more focused and productive.

Create a work space

Set aside a desk or table where you can sit and work everyday – preferably out of sight, or with your back to piles of housework and mess that can distract you. Working from home provides plenty of opportunity for procrastination – leaving you frustrated that the work hasn’t been completed.

Consider storage

Paperwork, emails and telephone calls can be managed with limited space. But if you do find boxes of stock filling your corridors, then consider self storage. With a little organisation you can manage the office from home, with regular time set aside to visit your storage unit for packaging and posting trips. It’s also a good place to keep old records that must be kept but aren’t needed on a daily basis, leaving you more room in your home.

Get out and about

Becoming lonely and isolated is another effect of working from home that can cause low moods. Try attending local networking meetings. Not only will you meet other solo workers in the same position and perhaps boost your business with great contacts – it’s good for your mood as well.

Although we can’t organise your work life for you, our storage units are perfect for helping small businesses grow. If you would like to talk about cost effective space, call us on 0121 250 5055 or email 
info@cookesstorage.co.uk

Even the most organised of households will need to de-clutter once in a while, whether it be once a year or every couple of months. Everybody builds up a collection of things that they don’t need; from clothes that don’t fit any more to unopened birthday presents. If you want to de-clutter your home then here are our top 10 solutions to make it easier, quicker and less of a chore.

1. Do I really need it?
This is a question that needs to be asked for every single item you pick up, whilst de-cluttering. Do I really need to keep those cinema tickets from last year? Do I really need to hold onto that dress that I only wore once? It can be easy to convince ourselves we need to keep something, but asking yourself this question should help you think twice.

2. Make some extra cash
This is a great de-cluttering tip that everyone should use; sell the things you don’t need! If you’ve got a pile of old clothes, shoes, DVDs, books, pretty much anything you don’t want to keep any more, then sell it! You can use online auction sites such as eBay or organise a Sunday morning trip to a car boot fair. The extra cash can be put towards better storage solutions or just a treat for the family.

3. Put it into storage
Sometimes there are things that we don’t necessarily need to keep hold of right now, but we don’t want to get rid of them altogether. If this is the case then it may be worth considering putting those things into storage. Boxes of books, family heirlooms, pieces of furniture and even baby clothes can be put into storage for a time when you will need them again.

4. Double Purpose Furniture
As you have started to get rid of the things you don’t need, it’s important to find a place for the things that you do need. Double purpose furniture is a great way to de-clutter, without having to find somewhere for storage boxes to go. You can use old trunks for decorative purposes and to hide the clutter, or a window seat that lifts to reveal a secret storage compartment.

5. Vacuum Storage Bags
These clever inventions are perfect for keeping seasonal clothes out of the way, without taking up too much space. Simply pile in the clothes you want to keep, but aren’t going to wear for a few months, then zip it up and attach the hoover to the air hole. The vacuum will suck out all of the air, making a compact bag that can be stored away.

6. Bespoke Storage
If you’re serious about de-cluttering then why not have some bespoke furniture made? Everything from bookcases to chests can be made by a carpenter to suit your home, style and the amount of clutter you have to hide!

7. One Room at a Time
The problem many of us will have when de-cluttering is that we just get overwhelmed by the amount of work to do. We’ll try to get it all done in one day or we’ll get distracted halfway through one room by finding clutter in another. If you want a clutter free home without the stress, then make sure you only tackle one room at a time.

8. Avoid Distractions
It’s so difficult, when getting rid of clutter, not to go through it all and get distracted. You may stumble across an old diary or photo album that you just want to go through and reminisce. Distracting yourself with these things is only going to prolong the process, so put them in a pile away from the rest and have a look through once you’ve finished de-cluttering.

9. Memories Box
You’re bound to discover a lot of things along the way, that just simply don’t have a place in the house. These tend to be sentimental objects such as old photographs, event tickets and birth or marriage certificates. Create a memory box to store all these things in, so that they don’t get lost or damaged.

10. Get Everyone Involved
Finally, make sure you get everyone involved when you start to de-clutter the house; the children and the partner included! By doing this not only will it take less time, but it will be easier for everyone to learn the new organisation systems you have in place. Hopefully then, it will be much simpler for everyone to keep clutter free. Hopefully!

We’ve covered 10 of our favourite de-cluttering solutions for the home, although there are plenty more. What do you find to be the best way to keep a clutter free house?

Did you start the year off with every intention of being organised, being on time, and finding a better hiding place for presents rather than the boot of your car? Every year, many of us will say ‘I will be more organised this Christmas’ but every year Christmas comes around with bang, and organisation is the last thing on own minds.

If there is anything this year has taught us, give yourself a break! As we are all in the same boat!

No late night shopping trips, no panic buying, no day trips trawling the shops. It will most likely just be you up late with a laptop and a cup of tea, however do not fear, this can work! We have a few helpful tips to make Christmas run as smooth as possible while still being totally enjoyable.

Make a list.

Who are you buying for? It may seem so simple but without warning you can end up buying something for your next-door neighbour’s dog. Stick to the list! It is key for the when starting to think about Christmas.

Set yourself a budget.

Being honest with how much you want to spend on each person gives you control along with keeping things sensible. It is so easy to spend online without realising the cost. Once you’ve bought an item write it down next to the persons name; it is a great visual reminder of what you have spent!

Order 6 different wrapping papers.

1 for each person you will be able to see at Christmas. This means you don’t have to worry about labels, simply wrap each person’s presents one at a time to know exactly who’s is who’s. (Do make a note of which wrapping paper you use for each person!)

Shop Small.

Instagram and Etsy are fantastic platforms for small businesses. Over lockdown, small businesses took full advantage of the time and ensured they had an online presence. For Aunty Sue, why not get her a nice handmade soy candle rather than a plant. Instead if socks for other half, why not get them a hand designed and printed memory book. Your little girl, why not get a handcrafted dolls house to finally house all her dolls.

Think outside the box.

This year has been a little tospy turvy to say the least, so maybe you could arrange to have your very own Santa’s grotto at home? What about making a family hamper that you all share on your 6 person Christmas day? Make handmade cards and post them to your elderly neighbours (they will appreciate this more than you think)

Arrange a virtual gathering!

We did this so amazingly in lockdown, with family movie nights, quiz nights and virtual social gatherings to stay connected whilst keeping our loved one safe. Christmas is about connecting with people so get organised and arrange a date and time where all the family tunes in to celebrate.

Get yourself a hiding place.

Under the bed, in the loft, in the cupboard or maybe even in the car! Wherever you have tried to hide presents; I am sure that you had a few slip ups! With your very own private present cupboard surely this would make life a little easier? STORAGE ROOMS! We have you covered, with storage rooms from just 16sqft to over 270sqft. We also accepted your deliveries so you don’t even have to bring them to us, they will be ready and waiting for you to hide away out of prying eyes! Head over to our locations page to find out a little more about our facility.

Following those simple tips and ideas might just make your 2020 Christmas that little bit easier!

Happy Christmas Everyone!!