We talked in the last post about how there are times in our lives when having a storage unit can really make our lives better – taking the pressure off during transitions, taking the clutter out of our lives, even helping us start a business. A quick recap of the first five reasons: 1) Downsizing; 2) Seasonal storage; 3) College students; 4) Baby proofing; 5) Business storage.
And now, without further ado, the next five great reasons to rent a storage unit! Continue reading
There are times in our lives when having a storage unit can really make things better. Sometimes it allows us to de-clutter our homes, giving us the space to live more comfortably. Other times it might be a place to help our dream of business success grow. And sometimes, it can really take the pressure off during big transitions in our lives. We are going to talk about some of these situations in the next two posts. Rather arbitrarily, we have picked ten, but there are many more. And we are not going to “count down”, because the No. 1 reason to rent a storage is unit going to vary from person to person. After all, the No. 1 reason to rent a storage unit is the reason you have, right? But it very well might fit into one of these categories. So if some of these are issues in your life, consider how using off-site storage might make it better.
Now (in no particular order) we bring you the first five of the top ten reasons to rent a storage unit: Continue reading
It is so thrilling to watch our babies grow and achieve all those “firsts”. The first time they sleep through the night. The first time they smile. The first time they roll over. The first attempts to crawl. And the big one – the first step!
Uh oh. Suddenly we look around, and our once safe and cozy home seems fraught with danger. Uncovered outlets, top-heavy floor lamps, sharp-cornered coffee tables, easy-to-reach cabinets full of toxic chemicals – oh my! For first-time mothers especially, this can be overwhelming, because they may have never seen babies and toddlers in action, and they aren’t sure exactly how much baby-proofing they should do. Continue reading
The city of Phoenix, Arizona is a jewel of the southwest that has attracted explorers, adventurers, farmers, artists, archaeologists, scientists, mystics, and tourists for over 150 years. Phoenix is situated in the Salt River Valley of southern Arizona, in an area that had been occupied for more than 2,000 years by the Hohokam people, who mysteriously abandoned the area between 1300 and 1450, after what we now believe were extensive periods of drought and severe flooding. They left behind many artifacts of their impressive culture, including an extensive irrigation canal system, the remains of which served as the skeleton for the modern Arizona Canal, Central Arizona Project Canal, and the Hayden-Rhodes Aqueduct. This is how the city got its name, rising as it did from the ashes of a former civilization. Continue reading
There’s nothing quite as exciting as bringing home a new pet. A sweet and furry new member of the family! There are many benefits to owning a pet:
As Southern California deals with the aftermath of record-breaking rainfall, two things are becoming clear: the drought is over (for the time being), and lots of people are dealing with water damage.
Water damage is the number one cause of loss for home insurance claims. Of course, flooding is not the only way the contents of your home can be damaged by water. Broken or cracked water pipes, a damaged washing machine hose, even an ice maker on the fritz can ruin your day, not to mention your floors and your furnishings.
But flooding from a natural disaster is a particularly traumatic event to deal with. We have all seen the heartbreaking images on television of distraught families and their lovely homes completely ruined by flood water and mud flows. Financial hardship aside, it is an event that can have a lasting impact on the emotional well-being of those affected. Time and time again, when you hear their stories, the loss of priceless family photos and memorabilia is one of the things that causes a surprising amount of grief in the face of this overwhelming disaster. Continue reading
I have always been one of those people who hopes to travel the world when I retire. Reading this article in Forbes really fanned the flames of that desire. Lynn and Tim Martin, two self-described senior gypsies in their seventies, have been traveling and living abroad since 2011. They sold their house in California and everything else that wouldn’t fit into a 10 x 15 storage unit, and set off to live, as they describe it, “home free”. It has worked out incredibly well for them, and that is very encouraging to me. Continue reading
January 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
As we put away the Christmas decorations and face the New Year, it can be a great time to look around and think about how we want our living spaces to look. Are you one of those people who likes to change up the look of your home on a regular basis? Do you go for beach cottage in the summer and cozy ski lodge in the winter? It’s fun and surprisingly easy to do, and doesn’t require moving a lot of furniture (unless you like that sort of thing.) This article on Apartment Therapy talks about how little changes can make a big difference in updating the look of your living room, and this page at Better Homes & Gardens has links to dozens of seasonal decorating craft projects and ideas. Here are some of the best inexpensive ways to freshen your décor: Continue reading
Seeing beloved friends and family who have come from out of town is one of the very best things about the holidays. Hosting them in your home can be one of the most stressful. But it is definitely worth it. Cousins playing with cousins, sisters and brothers, grandma and grandpa, catching up and remembering the love. Lots of laughter, favorite traditions, and good food. The memories you make will last a lifetime, and some day your children will want to be gracious hosts just like their mom and dad were. So here are some tips for surviving and thriving with house guests during the holidays.
For more tips on how to be a good host to house guests, check out this post on Houzz. And don’t forget to clear out space for your guests by taking a few things to your storage unit when you go to pick up your Christmas decorations!
From all of us at Dollar Self Storage, Happy Holidays!
