Category Archives: Lifestyle

Van Life: A Minimalistic Journey

Van Life and RV Storage

A new movement of leaving behind normal life and possessions and living out of a van that has been converted into a living space, has become widely popular. A simple search of “Van Life” on Google will bring up pictures of people in a converted van parked in a picturesque location. These pictures are enough to make most wish to leave their busy life and search out a simplistic, more nomadic way of living. Some people choose this lifestyle of rent and mortgage free living in order to save up to purchase a house, but others choose it for the ability to travel and see the world in a very convenient manner.

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Spending Fast

Save Money with Storage

We’ve covered various aspects of minimalism in previous posts.   From downsizing to getting rid of excess clutter in your home without losing your mind. Maybe both of those ideas seem slightly extreme for you and you’d like to test out the waters of minimalism without making any permanent commitment, or maybe you aren’t interested in the minimalist lifestyle at all, but would love to challenge yourself financially. 

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Toast to Christmas

Holiday Storage DrinksDecember is here and that means holiday parties, holiday cheer and well, holiday drinks!  Whether you are hosting a party or attending one, here are a few holiday inspired beverages that are sure to please the crowd.  Just remember, nothing can ruin a party like having one too many drinks—so be responsible.

Here are a few favorite adult and kid friendly delicious drinks that will taste like Christmas in a glass.

White Christmas Martini (per inspiredbycharm.com/white-christmas-martini):

Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces vanilla vodka
  • 2 ounce white chocolate liqueur
  • 1 ounce white creme de cacao
  • 1 ounce half-and-half
  • Honey and coarse sanding sugar for rim garnish

Instructions:  Pour the honey into a shallow dish and put the sanding sugar in another shallow Continue reading

Dorms: Not Just For College Students

Private Bedroom with Kitchenette in Communal Living Home

Private Bedroom in a Starcity Communal Living Home

College.  It wasn’t just about going to school and getting that degree to end up at your dream job.  It was about making new friends, creating memories and for many of us dorm style living.  Most of us either lived in a dorm on campus or we rented an apartment/condo/home with our friends off campus.  Regardless of the location we can remember needing to share a bathroom, living room, kitchen and possibly a bedroom with other people.   Sure there were some not so great things – like having to go to the bathroom and your roommate was taking the world’s longest shower, but aside from that, the feeling of sharing a space, dividing housework up, paying less in rent and constantly having people around to interact with was lots of fun.   Continue reading

Living With Less

Small HouseThere are usually a few times in one’s life where you think you just want to sell all your stuff, simplify and go live somewhere where there are less people, less noise and less stress.  For most of us, these are fleeting thoughts for one reason or another.  But maybe you’ve had this thought and it isn’t going away.  You’ve been watching HGTV shows like Tiny House Hunters and Tiny House, Big Living and you love the idea of downsizing and simplifying your life.

Look no further than New Frontier Tiny Homes, according to their website they have been in business since 2015 and they have three different models: Alpha Tiny House, Escher Tiny House and Cornelia Tiny House.  How tiny are these homes?  According to their website they are 24′ x 8’6″ x 13’6″ tall.  Each model is slightly different in the layout to offer either a loft for a baby or an office/guest room space. Continue reading

Integrating Your Storage Unit into Disaster Preparations

sandbagsNo matter where you live in the country there are natural disasters that we all need to make preparations for. From wildfires and earthquakes in California to hurricanes and flooding in the southeast – there are potential perils.  Additionally, a disaster could be very local and personal in nature – a flood or fire in your own home.

Depending on where you live and what calamity is most likely to affect you – you’ll want to take the necessary steps to protect and prepare yourself.  This month states such as California, Arizona, and Nevada participated in their annual “shake out” where emergency response services are practiced in the case of a major earthquake. Continue reading

An Uncluttered Mind

uncluttered areaIt’s not uncommon for people to ask our managers about whether or not our storage units are equipped to become an office or if they can be used as a workout room. The short answer is no. Although we store a lot of office items and business inventory, and also a lot of exercise equipment that is temporarily not being used – units are just not able to be used for those type of ongoing activities.

However, it’s likely the real reason for someone’s desire to use a storage unit as something other than a place to store things in is that it’s clean, uncluttered, and often air-conditioned. It’s away from the distraction of family, co-workers, phones, and to-do lists stuck on the refrigerator.

Order and tranquility are what are wanted; an uncluttered environment to think or work-out in. Shape magazine  had an excellent article of the benefits  Continue reading

Minimalism – Fad or Future

minimalism - bird on a wireThere is a lot of talk about minimalism these days. It may be coming about because as “first-worlders” we have the ability to accumulate a whole lot of stuff. We also have access to so much information and so much distraction that we can start to feel lost in the vastness of our personal empires of gadgets, user profiles, and twitter feeds.

Whatever the cause, the attraction to rid ourselves of clutter can become compelling. Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus, two Minimalists,  have become well known by their journey to minimalism and their positive feelings toward it. Continue reading

January and Exercise

exerciseJanuary and exercise seem to go hand in hand. I don’t know why we do this to ourselves, but January 1 is the day we shake off the New Year’s Eve hangover with a power smoothie and a 12 mile run. Perhaps we think it is fitting payback for the excesses of the holidays, but I say the punishment does not fit the crime. I mean, come on! I promise I will not eat pumpkin pie and whipped cream in January, OK? Can we just ease into this thing?

But no, instead we embark on our most ambitious exercise programs in January, a month when the weather is usually not that great, the days are shorter, which means there is less sunshine, and for many people, the work schedule ramps up for the new year as well. I really don’t see what’s wrong with April, but I guess no one Continue reading

Food Truck Culture in Mesa, Arizona

tacosIt is a 21st century fact that food from a truck has been elevated to high culinary art. It used to be something you would only eat if there were absolutely no other options. Now it is something people will drive miles and stand in long lines for. How did this happen? Well, some people point to the economic recession as a factor; others talk about the high cost of building out a brick and mortar restaurant. Continue reading