April 2021 – U-Lock Mini Storage

How to Clean a Storage Unit

Cleaning your storage unit regularly ensures that your belongings are immaculate and that your storage unit is tidy and organized.

Cleaning your storage unit regularly ensures that your belongings are immaculate and that your storage unit is tidy and organized. To help you clean and organize your storage unit efficiently, we have come up with five steps you can take!

Take an Inventory Count of Your Storage Unit Items

The first thing you should do is scan the unit and take an immediate inventory of what is inside. Then, determine if certain items need to remain in the storage unit, or if they can be thrown out of the storage unit.

Consider the following steps to assess a storage unit:

Write down what you see. Keep a pen and paper on hand and jot down some large items you can see immediately. Count the number of boxes and write down how many you will need to sort through, in order to estimate how much time the clean-out will take. Will you need extra people? This inventory will help you answer that question.
Create an open space inside or outside the unit. If space is limited, carve out one free corner, which will become your processing area for step three. If there is no room inside the unit, you can set up a temporary pop-up canopy and process items outside the space.
Having a rough inventory before you start sorting the items will help you know the amount of work you have ahead of you.

Enlist Friends to Help and Plan a Day to Declutter

To lessen your chances of becoming overwhelmed, prepare yourself for what is to come. Pick a time to do the actual clean out and come back equipped with moving supplies, garbage bags, labels, and sorting totes.

Before you clean out your unit, make a mental note of the following:

How much time do you need? Overestimate here. You may need more than one day to clean out your storage unit thoroughly. Plan accordingly, so you have all the time you need and more to dedicate to the job.
What rules apply to storage unit auctions? If you won the storage unit at an auction, determine how much time you have to empty the unit. You may need to clear out the unit immediately and sort through the items at a separate location.
How many people do you realistically need? It may be helpful to have more than one person on hand. Ask for help in advance and be sure to have all the support you need, meaning both emotional support (if you are cleaning out a loved one’s unit) and some extra muscle.
‘Do I have an emotional attachment to any of the stuff?’ Remember that cleaning out sentimental items can be an overwhelming process. This response is natural, so do not beat yourself up if you become emotional if, for example, you inherited a storage unit or used one to store items from a loved one.

Organize Items into Categories Such as ‘Keep’, ‘Sell’, and ‘Toss’

The Four-Box Declutter Method is an effective way to sort through and clean out items on a larger scale. The premise behind this technique is using four empty boxes for sorting — a ‘keep’, ‘toss’, ‘donate/sell’, and ‘store’ box.

The keep box includes items you can remove from your storage unit and bring home.
The store box sorts things that will stay in storage.
You will have a sell box for items you plan to sell or donate.
The last box is a toss box, which will include anything that is broken beyond repair.

Stick to the Schedule

The biggest storage unit clean-out mistake is not getting the job done in the scheduled time frame. If you have gone through the above steps and find yourself stuck, you may want to enlist a professional organizer. Someone who cleans out areas for a living will help you stay on track and keep you from getting distracted. Even task-oriented people can get sidetracked!

Professional organizers are especially helpful when cleaning out estates. Since the professional organizer has no attachment to the items in your storage unit, they can help you make rational decisions about whether you should keep, toss, sell, or donate an item in question.

Here are some important pointers to remember while decluttering:

Do not take on large areas in a random fashion. Start with one small area at a time and finish sorting it before going on to another.
Make sure to have a spot for everything you are removing from the storage unit. If you are cleaning out your storage unit for good, consider relocating storage boxes to a garage or basement.
Challenge yourself to get rid of junk and unnecessary items and try not to transport too many items back home. Think about how you can get rid of stuff, without creating a mess elsewhere

Sell Items from a Storage Unit

There are several ways to sell items from a storage unit. You could sell the entire unit through an auction company, or you could sell each item individually. Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace are examples of excellent online sales platforms where you can sell your items.

Hire a Junk Removal Company if Necessary

There are numerous companies that can help you get rid of storage unit contents without you needing to lift a finger. Hiring someone is especially useful if you do not have someone that can help you out, or if you are not physically capable of cleaning your storage out by yourself.

8 Do’s and Don’ts for Renovating Your Home

This is the perfect season for renovating your home. As the weather gets better and there is less rain, it is the ideal time to renovate your kitchen, living room, or any interior space that you want to modernize or improve. To help you successfully and seamlessly renovate your home, we have gathered eight do’s and don’ts you should follow when you are beautifying or improving your home! Check out the tips:

Create a Detailed Blueprint

From the tiles that will go on the walls to the appliances that will be installed, anyone who has completed a home renovation before knows that it is better to have just about everything picked out before you begin the work. This is because you will need to make numerous decisions once the renovation starts, and the more of those you have made beforehand, the better off — and the better educated — you will be. Online tools like Pinterest, showroom visits, and/or material samples can help, and do not be afraid to start purchasing items to get the ball rolling.

Rent a Storage Unit

Renting a storage unit lets you protect your belongings and prevent them from getting damaged during the renovation process. Accidental incidents such as paint spilling on your sofa or debris getting on your clothes in the closet are all common and almost inevitable incidents that will occur if you do not store your belongings elsewhere outside your home. By renting a self-storage unit, you can make sure that your belongings are stored in a highly clean and secured place. If you have only a few items to store, you can rent a 5 x 5 feet storage unit, which is roughly the same size as a regular closet. This storage unit size is ideal for storing personal items, clothes, boxes, skis, children’s toys, small furniture items, and some documents. If you have a few more items to store, you can go with a 5 x 10 feet storage unit. This storage unit is approximately the same size as a walk-in closet. This storage unit size is perfect for holding a few pieces of furniture, sofas, chairs, a chest of drawers, boxspring and mattress, business supplies and records, plus other small items and boxes.

Do Not Do It Yourself

Sure, you could tile your own backsplash, and lay your own hardwood floors, and rewire your sound system, but should you? Honestly? While the desire to save money on what is bound to be an expensive renovation is always a draw, when it comes to the bones of your home, and renovations with major ROI potential, it is best to leave it to the professionals. Buyers will be able to spot less than perfect work on your home, and while it may be a point of pride for you, it will be a point of contention for them. You might also be interested in watching and learning.

Make a Realistic Budget

While it goes without saying that any project needs a budget to keep costs in check, it is not always an easy task to find the balance between your dream designs and the amount you have allotted for a project. This is why it is essential to get a true understanding of pricing, on both materials and labor, so you can gauge expectations accordingly.

Unfortunately, home improvement and renovation television shows can sometimes be misleading in terms of costs, which can vary greatly based on location and timing. Therefore, be sure to have a contractor look over your budget and confirm that it is realistic.

Hire a Good Team

Whether you decide to hire a general contractor or individual subcontractors for the job, it is important to find the right team to complete your home renovation. While word-of-mouth recommendations from friends might be enough for some, you may also consider doing a full-blown check on your contractor—looking into their license, certificate of insurance, lien history, bond number, and certification—to ensure you are dealing with a professional who is in good financial standing. Equally important is finding a contractor you get along with and who understands your vision, so it can be helpful to have an interview or preliminary discussion before the formal engagement of services.

Do Not Believe Everything You See on TV Shows

While we are fans of home improvement shows just as much as the next person, oftentimes, many series can make certain projects, such as throwing up a stud wall or installing a new bathroom vanity, seem extremely simple—and they might be for a professional or advanced DIY-er.

However, if you are considering a home renovation, think practically about what you can and cannot do; painting the walls of a small bathroom on your own may be totally feasible, but painting all of the walls of a 4,000-square-foot house is likely less so. While you may think you would be saving a lot of money by doing the work yourself, if it is something unfamiliar, it might cost even more to have a professional undo your work and then properly complete the project.

Do Not Follow Bold Trends

Avoid browsing high-end design magazines and websites for inspiration and look to homes on real estate sites for ideas. You will get a better sense of what’s standard on the market, and be less tempted by up-to-the-minute trends whichwill be long-forgotten before you even place the “For Sale” sign on your lawn.

Prepare to Live Uncomfortably During the Renovation Process

Living through a home renovation can be a trying experience—one that is often filled with dust, exhaustion, and plenty of take-out. Even the most meticulous of contractors cannot keep dust and dirt from flying everywhere, so know that your house will not be as clean as you would typically keep it. Try not to let that bother you, but if you think it will be too much for you to handle, it is not out of the ordinary to rent a place to stay, go on vacation, or live with friends or family for a few critical weeks until your home is a bit more “liveable.”

15 Items That You Should Store In Heated Storage

Heated storage units, often referred to as temperature controlled storage, are a type of storage unit that is specially designed to maintain steady temperatures and humidity levels.

Heated storage units, often referred to as temperature controlled storage, are a type of storage unit that is specially designed to maintain steady temperatures and humidity levels. Generally, the temperature will remain consistently between 11 and 13 degrees Celsius. Heated storage is most often found at storage facilities with indoor storage units, such as U-Lock Mini Storage.

Temperature and humidity are important components when it comes to optimizing the climate in a space because temperature and humidity affect moisture levels: more heat and more humidity equal more moisture. Keeping both temperature and humidity controlled and steady prevents the formation of moisture, keeps your items protected and prevents damage from mold or warping due to moisture.

Items that Require a Heated Storage Unit

All items in storage will benefit from a heated storage unit, but some items will benefit more significantly than others. Items that benefit or require a climate-controlled storage unit include:

Media (DVDs, videos, vinyl records, etc.)
Artwork
Clothing, particularly with lace or leather
Important documents
Photographs
Furniture (anything made of or containing wood, metal, wicker, leather, or upholstery)
Electronics
Antiques
Collectibles (stamps, coins, comic books, etc.)
Medical supplies and medications
Makeup and toiletries
Household appliances
Musical instruments
Sports equipment
Bicycles with leather seats

The reason why these items require heated storage is their damaging reaction to moisture. For example:

Wood can become warped, cracked or rotten from moisture exposure.
Leather can become warped or discoloured, and is susceptible to mold and mildew.
Electronics can become cracked or rusted, rendering them unusable or dangerous to use later on.
Paper items such as photographs can actually disintegrate or become otherwise indistinct.

If you are not sure if an item needs to be stored in a heated storage unit, ask yourself the following questions:

Can it get mold or mildew?
Can it warp, crack, deteriorate or become discolored from interactions with moisture?
Would high heat cause it to expand or contract?
Is it designed to be stored at a certain temperature (for example, wine or artwork)?
Is it sensitive to extreme heat or cold?
Is it rare, sentimentally-important, and/or valuable?

If your answer to any of the above questions is yes, you should rent a heated storage unit.

Other Reasons to Rent a Heated Storage Unit

Sometimes the need for a heated storage unit is less about the items that will be stored and more about other factors. Here are some other reasons why you should consider renting a heated storage unit.

If you are going to be storing your things in the unit for a long time. If you plan to store your belongings for several months, a year, or longer, then chances are that the temperature outside is going to vary quite widely in that time. Just because it is 50 degrees and dry outside right now, it does not mean it will be like that later on. Take into consideration what temperature and humidity shifts might occur and, if they might be extreme, go for the heated storage unit.

If you are storing collectibles, valuables, antiques or irreplaceable items. It is always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your most precious belongings. Things of monetary or sentimental value, as well as items that are antique, irreplaceable, or part of a collection, are all best stored in heated storage units.

How Much Does A Heated Storage Unit Cost?

You can contact one of our mini storage facilities and our staff will be delighted to provide a quote for a climate-controlled storage unit!

Find a Heated Storage Unit Near You

Use our storage unit locations listing to find a storage unit near you. We have three self-storage facilities in Greater Vancouver and three mini storage locations on Vancouver Island. The facilities are: