Preparing Yourself & Your Storage Facility for Hurricane Irene

With hurricane Irene coming, people from North Carolina up to Maine are preparing themselves for the worst. Generators, bottled water, canned food, and flash lights are just a few of the items flying off the shelves as people get ready for strong winds and rain. People along the east coast have had several days to prepare and still have a little time to get things together before Irene reaches the US. Meteorologists have been tracking the storm since it first started swirling and are constantly updating people about the latest projections for the impact. The high winds and rain that come with hurricanes can do a lot of harm and damage to people and property if proper measures are not taken ahead of time. Meteorologists track the storm and try to give people as much time as possible to prepare because there is a lot to be taken care of prior to the first rain drop falling.

 

Reports of gas stations being shut down, electricity going out and water services going down during after the storm have people scrambling to get their homes ready. In the confusion of preparing, don't forget businesses need to be ready also. There are measures you can take to prepare your storage facility for a hurricane or any inclement weather. It is important to keep your staff and clients safe and have your facility prepared to withstand the possible conditions.    

 

The North Carolina Self Storage Association has posted tips about what precautions should be taken to prepare your facility and your customers. Here are the tips that they recommend:

• Listen to weather forecasts and any available information regarding the weather regularly. Anticipate the worst and be prepared to complete all the tasks for a safe and successful shut down and evacuation.
  
• Locate the tools and equipment that may be needed and assemble it at a central location. Those items should include but are not limited to: flashlights, batteries, tarps, hand tools, etc.
  
• Walk the facility and identify any items that can be secured or stored inside until the storm passes. Secure those items immediately.
  
• Clear drains and downspouts to reduce flooding. Turn off any automatic timers for sprinkler systems.
  
• Move any vehicles that may possibly prove to be in the way. If you have any boat/ RV parking, call those tenants to remind them to make sure their property is secure.
  
• Be aware that in the days prior to a storm, the power may go out frequently. Determine if you want to limit property access during this time to only when the office is open.
  
• Print a Rent Roll, Vacant Unit Report, Access Code Report, and an Insured Roll report from Store and any other reports you think you need to work with in the event that the power is out for an extended period of time.
  
• Identify and collect important office documentation and move the data to a location that is not vulnerable to the situation at hand.
  
• Unplug the computer, fax, modem lines and any other electrical equipment in the office that is not needed for emergency information. Move equipment away from windows.
  
• Keep the telephone plugged in until you leave the facility. Charge your cell phone until the power goes out. Make sure that someone has a way to reach you whenever possible.
  

These are the tips that they recommend. There are other things to consider if you have a self storage facility that is in the path of a storm. You should also look into protecting your facility further. You should consider taking the time to tape up or board up large windows you may have in your office area. You should try to keep computers and other electronics far away from windows to try to keep them away from the elements in case a window does get broken or if the heavy rains break seals and start water leaks around windows. Also, you could post something on your facility's website letting customers know when, or if, you are closed.

 

Being prepared for the storm and taking precautions can save you a lot of time and money and ensure the safety of your storage facility, staff and clients renting storage units from you. Taking a little time ahead of time and investing in a few precautionary measures cannot hurt. The cliché of "it is better to be safe than sorry" is something to think about, especially when trying to deal with elements of nature.

Developing a Company Personality For Your Storage Business

The popular television series "Orange Country Choppers" didn't stay on the air for so many years and appeal to such a wide audience because people have a love for motorcycles and bike building. The people who built the bikes made it a ratings hit.

"Swamp People" on the History channel hasn't risen to be the number one cable show on TV on Thursdays because people have a secret yearning for hunting alligators or want to learn how to create rabbit gumbo. The personalities of these people doing the gator hunting and bayou cooking that make the show.

These same principles can work for your storage company. Give your company a personality. Post bios of some of the "key players" in your office online. Get a pet for your office and do a daily blog about what he does. Or if you have a birds nest that happens to be built near your office take pictures of it every day and post two sentences about it. Simple.

During the spring, thousands flocked to their computers to watch a live camera feed of Shiba Inu puppies. These puppies slept most of the day, yet at times over 10,000 were watching.

There is bound to be something you can find in or around your office or the self storage facility that might peak the curiosities of people and keep them checking on your site.

People are easy to entertain. Keep your site focused on your business, but have a little link on the the page for somebody to check in on whatever is happening at your office. Post on your Facebook or Twitter that "Sassy" your office cat has a new toy and put a 30 second video of her playing with it. People like to look at cats online. Why? Who knows, but they do.

Take advantage of the booming popularity of storage auctions. Post live feeds of your storage auctions. Advertise that the auctions are coming up, set up a web cam or have somebody film the event and post some of the more interesting parts online. Not online will that drive people to look at your site, but it might increase turn out at the auction.

Let's face facts. Most people probably don't check an online storage site when they sit down at their computers and do their online routines of checking email, social networking sites and favorite entertainment sites, but perhaps you can change that. Have something that people will want to come back and look at often. Have something that a consumer would want to share a link on their personal Facebook page about.

Create a simple buzz that will put your company in the minds of people. Self Storage is your business and your money maker, but it doesn't have to be the only thing that draws people to your site.

Facilities Offered By Storage Unit Companies

 

The use of a storage unit has become very popular nowadays mainly because people tend to accumulate far too many household items and since they do not wish to discard the old stuff, they are forced to store the excess goods in a mini storage. When a person is moving from one home to another, whether in the same city or elsewhere, there is a need to store household goods for the necessary shifting time period that is. If one wants to remodel or renovate his home, he would also need to use a storage unit to keep his household goods when the renovation work is going on in the house.

 

Facilities Offered by a Storage Unit

 

The amount and type of services being offered by self storage units have improved over the years. Other related services are also being offered to customers so that they do not have to take on the entire stress and headache of moving the goods.

 

The Basic Facilities That Are Being Offered Are:

 

Safety of Goods

 

When you entrust your goods to a storage facility, their safety is your prime concern. These units ensure that effective safety measures are taken, like controlled access to the unit, close circuit surveillance, alarms, proper fencing with high boundary walls, and night patrolling so that your goods remain safe during the storage period.

 

Different Storage Options

 

There are various storage options available which make it easy to choose the option that would suit you the best. In case you wish to store large items such as cars, SUVs, yachts, boats or RVs, you will get appropriate storage options of a closed space or an open one. Apart from the normal storage facilities in a storehouse, you can also rent portable storage options. In this case, the storage company delivers a storage container to you and you can fill it up. You can then either keep it on your location or the storage company would move it to the storage unit.

 

Other Flexible Options

 

In order to offer more flexible options to customers, the short term storage unit companies allow them to store goods either on a short-term or long-term basis depending on their needs. They also allow them to change their storage space requirements without any hassles so that they can save on rent charges if their need for storage space decreases later. The employees of the storage company are very helpful in determining the minimum amount of space required for the goods. Flexible payment plans are also offered so that the customers can choose the most convenient one.

 

Insurance is also arranged by the storage unit company for the period the goods are kept in the unit.

 

Packing and Moving Facility

 

Since most people do not have the time to arrange for packing and moving the goods, the storage unit companies help them in this regard and relieve them of the tensions associated with the same. Temperature controlled storage spaces are also offered for storing perishable goods and preventing them from damage due to excessive heat, mold, mildew, moisture, and other adverse weather conditions.

 

It is important to browse the websites of different storage unit companies and check the facilities being provided before choosing the one that would suit all your requirements.

How To Find Albuquerque Self Storage

How many times you need to sell your antique pieces just because you don't have space to store them? How many times you've rented your neighbor's basement area to store your household items or car? In the era of consumerism, we frequently buy products even without thinking where to store them. The sizes of houses are decreasing day by day, but needs and desires are continuously increasing. If you're also looking for a place to store your belongings, Albuquerque self storage is the best place. You can accommodate all your belongings in these storage facilities without taking anybody's favor. Anybody can rent out a place here and store anything. If your biggest concern is regarding the condition of your valuable belongings, don't worry. You can look for climate-controlled self storage in Albuquerque.

Climate-controlled Albuquerque self storage offers excellent environment to your belongings. Your personal possession will be absolutely safe from bacteria, dust, viruses, mildew, and mold. These units will also protect your belongings from paper rots, musty odors, and wood degradation. The best part is that you can store anything, for example, furniture, excess household stuff, clothing, curtains, books, paintings, artwork, among others. You can also store car, boat, RV, perishable goods, groceries, and electronic items such as TV, refrigerator, microwave, and so on. Depending upon your requirements and nature of goods, you can book self storage in Albuquerque. These units are available at very affordable prices. You can rent them till the time you require.

How to Find a Suitable Albuquerque Storage?

• In this internet era, you no longer need to depend on any other source of information. You can get information about almost everything that you can think of. To find a suitable Albuquerque storage, browse the internet and look for all available self-storages in the area.
  

  
   

• There are specialized websites dedicated to help visitors find excellent storage facilities. You can take advantage of them and find a suitable storage. Although there are many websites that offer information about self-storage units, but USstoragesearch.com offers the most comprehensive information about self storage in Albuquerque. You just need to enter the zip or postal code of your area. All available options will be displayed on your computer screen.
  

  
   

• Once you get a list of storage facilities in your area, you can check out what all services they offer. You can also ask for online price quotes.
  

  
   

• To request for a price quote, simply submit your requirements, mention the type of storage units, space required, and time period, and submit. You will get price quotes within few moments.
  

  
   

• Compare Albuquerque storage quotes. Select the best among them according to your requirements and budget. Once you have rented the space, you can store anything including electronic items, precious documents and belongings, furniture, clothing, car, RV, boat, and perishable goods.
  

 

Finding Albuquerque self storage is not difficult, especially when you have websites like USstoragesearche.com.

Self Storage in Times of Need

With the recent devastating storms to hit the US in the past few months, self storage companies continue to be one of the most giving industries when it comes to helping those in need.

During the holidays we listed many of the generous things that the storage industry was participating in our self storage blog, but the self storage and mobile storage generosities don't only occur during the holidays.

Here is a list of just a few of the recent activities the industry has participated in:

1. Extra Space Storage recently offered two months free storage and a free $50 package of moving supplies to those affected by the devastating storms to hit Alabama. Link
   
2. Scenic City Self Storage of Hixson, TN offered two months of rent free storage and was a drop off location for donations of food, clothing, and household supplies. Link
   
3. A recent employee of a New England Self Storage Management group told us at a trade show that each and every month they ask their customers to "round-up" their rent payments to the nearest $0.50 or $1.00 and all proceeds from the "round-up" program are then donated each month to the great people and great program called Kure-It. Kure-it is a non-profit organization dedicated to funding innovative kidney and other cancer research. Kure-It Link
   
4. Many of the employees at USstoragesearch.com recently participated in a blood drive in Omaha, NE. Over 30 people attending and donated. We had so many donations that the blood mobile ran out of bags and turned a few people away!!
   

Each and every day the self storage industry continues to give and give, and we're very proud to be a part of it.

Winter Boat Storage Tips

 

As the first freeze and snowfall are already upon many of us we know that some of our favorite warm weather activities are well behind us until next year. If you haven't already stored away your boats and personal watercraft for the year it is time to stop procrastinating. If you don't take some proper boat storage precautions items corrode, burst, fail, or just go bad in extreme cold temperatures. Proper boat storage, especially draining fluids and making sure parts that can corrode are removed, can save you a lot of heartache and money next spring.

You are just asking for trouble if you don't drain the fluids. Some manufacturers recommend completely draining the fuel tank, while others want you to fill it up and mix in a winter/storage additive - ask your dealer or consult your manufacturer's website to be sure. An oil & oil filter change along with draining all the transmission fluid, if applicable, is advised. Changing or cleaning all of your filters (fuel filter, fuel tank pick-up screen, carburetor fuel screen, etc.) now is also a good idea so.

Water left in hoses can freeze or cause corrosion so be sure to drain water from hoses where this could happen including the engine circulation pump, transmission cooler, raw water pump, cooling system, etc. Clean the hoses and store them somewhere they will not be subjected to freezing temperatures and be sure to remember where you put them! Now would also be a good time to remove the battery to store it in a dry place that also won't be subject to freezing temperatures. If you are utilizing a self storage unit for the storage of your boat or personal watercraft you may want to look at a climate controlled self storage unit - the price is normally a little bit more but your boat will be safe from extreme temperatures while in storage.

Clean and wax your boat one last time before placing it in storage. If you are storing the boat outdoors a boat cover may be a good investment. If you are storing your boat outside you may also want to remove the drain plug. When removing the drain plug it may be a good idea to replace it with a mesh screen so water can get out but pests can't get in.

If you have other questions about storing your boat consult your manufacturer or your local marine center and if you are a do-it-yourselfer, your local marine center will most likely provide winterization services.

RV Storage Tips at Self Storage Facilities

Storing your RV can be pretty basic if you're storing it for a short period of time. In that case you just need to find a suitable self storage facility that allows RV's to be stored either in an indoor or outdoor RV storage unit. You'll need to make sure you can show proper ownership of the RV and insurance on the RV. If you're storing your vehicle for an extended period of time however you may need to take special steps to ensure mechanical problems don't arise. Here are a few quick "to do's" if you plan on using vehicle storage for an extended period of time:

• Change the oil and filter
  
• Make sure coolant levels are proper
  
• Inflate the tires to proper pressure
  
• Clean and wax the car
  
• Slightly open a window
  
• Release the parking break
  
• Lock the doors
  

Other things to think about when you place your vehicle in storage for an extended period of time is making sure you periodically check the vehicle and run it for a short period of time (outside of your storage unit, of course).  Storing your vehicle in a secured storage unit could also lead to insurance discounts so be sure to let your insurance agent know when you place your vehicle in storage so you can see if you qualify for any discounts.

When choosing a self storage facility, be sure to look for the amenities that meet your needs. Are you able to access the facility after hours or on weekends - times you may want to take your RV out of storage?  Does the storage facility have any special rules about storing a vehicle - such as all fluids must be drained?

Last but not least, make sure you always pay your storage rent on a timely manner.  Most storage facilities have automatic payment options that allow you to pay your rent by credit card, e-check or automatic checking/savings account debit.

There are many different places to find more information on storing your possessions and a good self storage blog on a reputable website can provide you with a wealth of money saving and headache preventing information.