Tag: home
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.
The bedroom should be a place of sanctuary and relaxation where we recharge for the busy week ahead. But with many of us being time poor and juggling a hundred jobs at once, it can be hard to keep order and make sure your room doesn’t feel like it’s a storage area for clothes, rather than somewhere to sleep.
There is nothing relaxing about being surrounded by yesterday’s outfits, that pile of unsorted clean washing, or mounds of throws and pillows that only have a home once you have made the bed.
Getting your bedroom decluttered and organised doesn’t need to cost the earth. Try some of these simple life hacks to make sure you can retreat to your room for that well-earned rest.
The bedside basket
If you like to dress your bed each morning, then you’ll have a throw and plenty of cushions for a beautiful finish. But at nighttime when your headed to bed, these somehow go from pride of place on the bed, directly to the bedroom floor. There is, however, a simple solution.
A bedside basket will give you somewhere to place them neatly in the evening, and also save valuable minutes in the morning hunting for them before work.
The storage bed
If you are thinking of changing your bed and are short of space, an Ottoman bed maybe the answer to your prayers. Not only can it craftily hide a whole seasons worth of clothes, but it adds another sneaky layer of storage to your room, especially if you are short of space.
If you aren’t planning on changing your bed anytime soon, then make the most of the space underneath. There are plenty of options available, but woven baskets add a little more style than the plastic versions. Make sure you don’t forget where everything goes by attaching a brown string tag to each one. Then, even if you aren’t someone who folds their laundry, at least it’s in some order for when you are hunting for it!
Space saver bags
Space saver bags may remind you of advertisements from the 1990s but they are genuinely a great way to store bulkier items, from the winter duvet to your collection of thick woollen jumpers that you won’t be touching through the summer months. They are relatively cheap to buy, save space, light to pack away and keep everything clean and dust free without the need to re-wash once you get them out again.
Practice the art of Feng Shui
While this may not seem like the easiest way for many of us to get organised, it is a valuable way to declutter your space, and your mind.
The key is to clear away items that serve no purpose – which can be difficult as we attach memories to different things. However, consider whether you have used the item in the last 12 months. Does it remind you of a person you no longer see or care about, or is it just some family ‘heirloom’ that none of you like, keeping only out of obligation? It’s time to get strict with yourself, realign your energy and make that important trip to the charity shop so someone else can enjoy it. You’ll end up with a beautiful new space where you can relax.
Have you ever wondered how secure your home is? With rising concerns over burglaries, homeowners need to be a little more savvy in taking care these days. The police say that homes with no security measures are five times more likely to be targeted than those with some simple security in place security.
At Cookes we take security very seriously – each locker is individually alarmed, with PIN code entry on the entrance and 24 hour CCTV. However, we know that keeping your home secure without feeling you are under lock and key, can be a little more involved.
The point, it seems, is not to make your home a Fortress of Impenetrability, but to make of a Domicile of Difficulty – that is to say, make it look like so much hard work to get in, that the thieves go for an easier target.
Home Security From the outside
Go outside, and look at your home compared to others on the street.
- Have you got ladders lying in the grass or tools in view? Valuable tools can attract a thief to your house, while leaving hammers, ladders and other items around may be providing easy access to an opportunist thief.
- While you are out, even in the garden, have you left doors and windows open? Or, is the shed or garage visible and open from the road – particularly of note if your garage has a connecting (hopefully locked) door into your home?
- Do you have a visible alarm box? Even a dummy box can act as a deterrent, so consider placing one high up on your home.
- Install security lighting and movement sensors on the outside of the house.
- Have you got secure fencing and a locked gate? Everything that slows a thief down in getting into and away from your home will encourage them to move elsewhere.
Home Security From the inside
An unoccupied home is more appealing than one where confrontation could happen. So, make your home look occupied, even when you are out.
- Put some lamps and a radio on timers inside. That way, even while you are out the lights and noise are on at home.
- Close your curtains. Nothing says empty house more than open curtains throughout the night.
- Check your doors and windows. Are they all locked securely?
- Thieves have been known to access homes using the door key, by hooking it through a letterbox. Make sure you don’t leave keys in the door or within easy reach.
- Better yet, keep all keys out of sight. Thieves may not be after the contents of your home – not if you have an expensive car sitting on the driveway. Most homeowners place keys in a drawer or on a hook nearest the door – so make it harder for thieves by moving things about.
While you are in, and when you go out
Sadly, you can’t always prevent a very determined thief. However, you can do more to ensure that there is nothing inviting them to your home. We also recommend that you keep valuables locked away in a hidden home safe.
Please don’t advertise that you are away on social media. Telling everyone you are away for a week not only makes your home vulnerable, it could invalidate your home insurance.
However, do tell your neighbours. They can watch over your home, and collect any parcels left out on the doorstep, making it clear that the house is under a watchful eye.
If you plan to leave your home unattended for any length of time, such as going abroad, you might want to consider putting anything valuable into storage. Cookes Storage Service can provide secure storage.