General Articles

How to Prepare Your Shed For a Hurricane

If you live in a hurricane-prone area, then it’s important to know how to prepare your shed for the bad weather these storms produce. If you’re like most people, you have valuable items, tools and other equipment in your shed that you want to keep protected. After all, that is the whole point of having a storage shed in the first place.

Hurricanes are powerful storms with wind speeds starting as high as seventy-four miles per hour and they can go way over two hundred miles per hour depending on how strong the storm is. They can cause severe damage to homes and backyard buildings that can end up costing lots of money. Fortunately, there are a few things that you can do to be prepared and possibly reduce the amount of damage your property sustains.

The following steps can help you prepare your outdoor shed for a hurricane:

Step One

The safety of your family should always be first so make sure you have arrangements made for your family and pets to go somewhere safe before the bad weather sets in. Take the time to get your home secure and then you’re ready to prepare your outdoor storage shed for the rough weather ahead.

Step Two

Most storage buildings are not anchored to the ground. If yours is not, make the building as secure as possible. The high wind that accompanies a hurricane can easily pick up any small building and move it around to a different location. One way of securing your shed to the ground involves driving stakes deeply into the ground. Next, attach heavy ropes or cables to both the stakes and the building.

Step Three

Secure the windows and doors. Many backyard storage sheds have small windows. If yours does, then you’ll need to cover it with a piece of plywood that is at least half of an inch thick or thicker. You can place a piece of plywood over the door as well to keep it from being blown open.

Using these tips do not guarantee that your backyard shed won’t be damaged or even destroyed but it does reduce your risk. How much damage occurs depends on the severity of the hurricane and how close it comes to your property.…

Furniture Storage To Save That Luxury Italian Furniture

Furniture storage is a great way to keep furniture safe and secure when you are moving or are renovating your house. However, before you store the furniture you should properly prepare and pack it to make sure it retains its shape, beauty, and shine when it is ready for use the next time. You can use the tips given below to protect your furniture, beds, sofas, and tables while they are in storage.

Choosing A Warehouse

Choose storage spaces that have climate controlled units or dehumidifiers installed to protect stored items from the elements. You should compare the prices and storage terms of various firms. Location, hours of operation and price are other important considerations to look for in self storage. Take a look at the storage units before you sign a contract. Call your insurance company to check for any policy on stored furniture.

A storage unit which has wide doors and safe walls between lockers should be chosen. Also, make sure that there are no signs of water damage in any part of the building. Furniture should be kept dry because moisture is the main cause of damage to stored furniture. You should have many thick plastic sheets handy. These sheets should be laid on the floors of self storage units to keep moisture and humidity at bay. Moisture can cause mold growth which is harmful for furniture. Furniture storage can also be done on top of wooden pallets which let the items breathe and save them from moisture.

Packing

Good packing can ensure that the furniture will be as beautiful as it was when it was stored. As a first step, you can disassemble beds and tables before storing. You can apply a coat of wax to protect its sheen. All the screws, bolts, and nuts should be placed in a clear plastic bag and tied to the bed frame. A quilt can be wrapped around tabletops and headboards to prevent denting and scratching.

Although storage facilities are much better than garage storage and also have provisions for boat storage, one needs to be careful while packing things for storage. For instance, a cloth or a towel can be placed over the contents of each drawer to prevent dust from entering the furniture. Wrap the light bulbs and shades from lamps, in towels or newspapers. Computers and electronic items can be stored in their original boxes. All the accessories like cords, modems, speakers, and microphones should be stored together so that they do not get lost.

How To Store Goods In The Units?

Once all the things have been carefully packed, the next step is furniture storage in the units. The items should be organized in a manner that the biggest items are placed in the locker first and the smaller items are filled in the extra spaces. Refrigerators, ovens, washers, and dryers can be placed upright to save space. Leave the doors open to prevent an unpleasant smell …

How to Avoid Problems With Self-Storage

George Carlin famously lamented about always having to find a “place for his stuff.” We can laugh, probably because we can sympathize with his dilemma. Sometimes we have so much stuff we don’t know whether to keep it or give it away. Eventually, self-storage may become an option if we are reluctant to hold a garage sale. If that’s the case, there are things to know in order to avoid problems with your storage space and damage to your personal items.

You may decide to place certain things in a storage facility, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you are casting these items away. People use storage for different reasons – it may serve as a temporary hold while you transition to a new place to live, or you may have inherited some furniture and goods from a relative and you need time to sort through everything. However you end up renting a storage unit, you want to be certain to avoid issues that make your experience unnerving.

1) Avoid headaches in dealing with a storage facility by doing your research ahead of time. If you know you plan to rent space in the near future, talk to people who have rented units and ask for their opinions. If possible, ask to accompany a friend when they visit their unit so you can get a good lay of the land. This way, you can view the surroundings without feeling compelled to sit through a sales pitch. Later on, if you’re impressed, you can go back and consult with the manager.

2) Avoid damage to your delicate items by using secure storage boxes and stacking boxes correctly so that there are no risks for falling items. If you have furniture and boxed goods to go in the same space. Use the furniture as makeshift shelving to support the boxes, and make sure everything is dry and clean when it’s packed.

3) Avoid wasting time searching for one thing in a confusing mess by properly organizing your stuff in the unit. Label boxes clearly with large letters, or use a numbering system and record everything that goes in a specific box. This way, you’re not killing an hour opening and closing boxes looking for that one thing.

When you know what to avoid when renting self-storage space, you’ll find the process of getting a unit and keeping it stock will make your life feel less cluttered.…

Men More Likely to Hold on to the Memories

A new survey by Access Self Storage has indicated that men are more likely to keep treasured items of sentimental value than women.

The firm polled both male and female students – a group most likely to use self-storage units – and asked them which three things they would wish to keep forever. Over two thirds of male respondents (67 percent) said that they would want to hold on to photos of their friends and family, compared to just under half of all women (49 percent).

Some 24 percent of men said that they would also like to keep a special gift forever, compared to only 11 percent of female respondents.

The ratio was reversed when 36 percent of women said that they would like to keep a favoured item of clothing, compared to just 9 percent of men. Of these items, 13 percent of women opted for a favourite pair of jeans.

When quizzed on their favourite items of technology, 37 percent of men said that they would like to keep their computer, compared to 23 percent of women. However, the differences between the sexes narrowed when it came to the crunch. When both men and women were asked to choose between keeping their laptop and mobile phone or all of their furniture, 81 percent of men and 78 percent of women chose the technology.

Access Self Storage spokeswoman Jill Martin said: “The end of the summer term is the time of year when many students are moving back home and are considering the things they want to keep but cant easily transport, and those they want to throw away.”…

College Life – Closet Storage Or Self Storage?

After high school, parents expect their children to proceed to college to pursue a degree. They look forward to that. The teens, for their part, also look forward to that time when they can be on their own particularly for those who are going to enroll in a college or university away from their home.

The excitement may only be for the first part, though, because the moving and enrollment stages can present some challenges. Parents may need to accompany their child in moving to their new place. They have to bring and organize their things at the dorm or apartment. They may also need to help in purchasing their basic needs such as toiletries, furniture (if you’re renting a studio pad or unfurnished apartment) and so on.

As time goes by, these college students can accumulate more stuff. It’s normal for teens to buy new clothes, accessories and books which they like. What’s bound to happen then is they can face storage problems moving onwards.

College students sharing a dorm or apartment with friends may not have sufficient storage space for their clothes and other personal items. Moving things back home may not be an ideal option especially since the youngsters may still want to use some of them.

The best solution for this situation is renting a self storage unit near the student’s school or wherever he or she may be residing. This is an affordable option than bringing home the stuff which may still be needed from time to time.

To make renting more affordable, your child can share the storage space with his friends who also need a safe place to keep their personal belongings. A great benefit of these rental units is they can be accessed by the tenants should they need to retrieve some things they want to use or add stuff in the room to store temporarily.

As long as your students label their boxes properly and divide the space where they can position their stuff, this situation will work out well for everybody. Just remind your child to make sure that he or she and their friends should assign a particular spot in the room where they should put their boxes. Then they have to label all their boxes (preferably on all sides). This way, it will be very easy for them to find their stuff every time they need something to get there or they want to add more stuff in the boxes.

The best part is some self storage facilities now allow their units to be used for other purposes apart from just keeping things there. Did you know that there are entrepreneurs now doing their business at these facilities? Some people also use the rental unit as an entertainment area where they meet with friends on a weekly basis to watch their favorite sports.

So for college students, they can choose to hold a group study in their rental unit if …

Proper Personal Finance Tips For Retirement Planning

It can be very exciting planning for your retirement, but you need to put in the time and effort to make sure that you have covered every eventuality. There lots of details that can easily be overlooked, with disastrous repercussions in years to come.

Maintaining the same level of income during retirement is something we try to establish, when in fact you may well need a higher level once you have started work. If you establish a program when you get the same every year as you get now, you are going to run into difficulties in years to come as the price of everything around you will be rising and you won’t have the income to keep up.

Until you start your Medicaid, make sure you are covered in the meantime. Your existing policy needs to cover you after you’ve finished work, so double check the terms of your policy.

You must work with your partner to work out your retirement budget. You are both going to be affected by it. So it’s common sense to decide on it together. Retiring has a major impact on both the person retiring as well as their other half, so sort this out between you.

It’s great that retirement allows you to spend more time with your loved ones, but don’t misinterpret that as all the time. Make sure there are enough funds to cover both family and individual activities.

By finding a balance between couple activities and individual activities and making sure there is the money to cover both will make for a very happy retirement.

Although you will obviously still have to budget for regular bills such as energy, try to pay off as many of your credit cards, loans etc before you finish work. This will make your retirement income stretch a lot further.

If you haven’t already, make sure that before you retire your mortgage is paid off and all taxes too. Owning your home outright provides the security to enjoy our retirement.…

Personal Finance Tips on How to Manage Effectively

Personal management of finances is not always easy. In fact, many people are having a hard time taking charge over money-matters and some even end up spending more than what they earn despite having a budget plan. What can you do to manage your finances more effectively? The right strategies are essential in order to make things work. Consider the following finance tips from the experts:

Set a definite goal. What would you like to achieve within the next 3 or 6 months or year? Setting a definite goal is important in order to create a suitable plan. For example, if you currently have unpaid debts with multiple creditors, then debt repayment should be your top priority. On the other hand, if you don’t have outstanding debts to pay, perhaps you want to work on building up your savings account. Other goals to consider is saving up money to improve the house, buy a home or car, start a small business, etc. The type of financial plan you need will depend on what you want to achieve.

Be ready to give up some things. In an effort to cut down your expenses, you should be prepared to give up some things that you may want, but not really need. Self-discipline is always necessary to make a budget plan work. For instance, if you have been used to going out to the movies or partying with your friends every weekends, perhaps you may consider doing it only once or twice a month to save money. Little sacrifices will go a long way and you just have to recognize the more important things from the not so important ones.

Monitor your spending for the next 2 months. Creating a suitable budget plan is a challenge in itself because financial situations and capabilities vary from one person to another. You might need to observe your own spending habits for the next month or two. Be sure to write down all your expenses, from big purchases down to the smallest cents. Making a list of your expenditures is the best way to see where your money goes. You might be surprised to discover later on that many items on your list are not really that important in your life, but eating up a large portion of your earnings. Based on your list, you will be able to make some adjustments and changes where needed.

Collaborate with your family members. If you are living with your family, it’s important to discuss your budgeting plan with everyone, especially with your children, so that everyone can do his/her own share to make the plan a success. Talking money-matters with the family is healthy because the children will be able to see the importance of following a budget plan and the why it’s important to save money.

Eliminate extra fees from your bills. If you can avoid the interest rate charges from your credit cards as well as late penalty …

Packing Boxes and Moving Home

When it comes to moving it is never really an enjoyable experience and many dread the whole ordeal; even going so far as to hire others to do it for them. However for some people, moving house can be a costly time and their budget may not stretch to hiring removal men. So it is up to them to pack up their possessions and get out of the old home and on their way to the new dwelling. So if you hiring or working hard it’s no surprise that there will be a need for certain supplies, which includes moving and packing boxes.

Cardboard boxes along with various other supplies, such as bubble wrap, tape and markers, are important element that can make the whole packing up and carrying process a lot easier. Although when moving home and packing boxes, there is one question that is often asked, just what boxes to use and also if there is actually a difference between moving boxes and regular boxes.

Packing up and getting away can quickly become a bit of a headache if there is no planning or forethought. Moving Boxes are meant to not only hold your possessions but protect them from the hustle and bustle that comes with the whole carrying process. Your things are liable to be jostled and bumped about in the removal van and in various periods while they are being moved from one place to another; so strong boxes are the key to safe guarding and reducing the likelihood and anything becoming damaged.

As it is a known fact that not everything will fit into the same size or shaped box it stands to reason that when planning to move you consider getting boxes of various sizes and shapes to accommodate all of items. Taller cases for taller items such as speakers, computer towers and thicker boxes for such items that will hold more fragile things, for example dishes, glassware, picture frames and other breakables that you desire an extra lair of cushioning for.

It’s recommended to purchase specially made cardboard packing boxes from specialised moving companies that are out there. These cardboard boxes are usually thicker and come in the variety of shapes and sizes that you will need for moving. Now to mention they can be delivered right to your home for ease of use and convenience.

Moving home can be a chore and unpleasant but with some planning and the proper moving home boxes it can all go rather smoothly. In no time you will be in your new home and will then only have to worry about unpacking and putting everything where it belongs. Sometimes this is more troublesome then packing because it is usually at this moment that many discover that they have too much stuff and are not sure where to put it all.…

Surprise! Your Friends Came – Declutter the Room in 1 Minute

Your friends decided to surprise you. First Thoughts: “Oh my God, I’m so happy!” Second thought: “My cluttered room is now not the best place for the party time” Time saving storage’s is the right choice if you want to start the party time ASAP.

Choose storage boxes or hangers:

A. Colorful

B. Not transparent

C. Fixed shape

D. Big size

E. Box with the lid

A. The box should be colorful

Why should boxes be colorful?

What would you think look better: the storage with ordinary beige color or unique box that adds style to your room? No one would even guess that the colorful glamorous box in the corner has all clutter from your room. So, colorful storage box is tip number one. The color should be harmonized with your room.

If you have pink walls, then to find the storage bag colored in pink is your goal. I found several beautiful storage boxes on eBay, Amazon, IKEA. You just need to choose the most convenient store near your house or with the free delivery to you and that’s it. Buy the colorful storage that will save your time and will look perfect!

B. Not transparent box

The storage box should not be transparent Did you ever hide the clutter to your closet? The clutter is inside the closet now, but you don’t see it. What a relief! That’s the point to buy the storage box or hanger that is not transparent.

When you will have just 60 seconds to clean your room, then such a box will be you savior. Now imagine the box is colorful and not transparent, so there is no way the friend would know about your cluttered room 1 minute ago:)

C. Fixed shape

The box should be with fixed shape I don’t really know how to say correctly about the shape of the boxes. I mean the storage here should be strong and fixed. For example, when you clean your house and put all stuff in the soft bag, then the clutter is still seen. But when you throw your clothes and needless things in the fixed shaped box the room would look perfect.

Moreover, it is easier and much faster to throw things to such box. So remember point 3 – the storage box should be massive.

D. Big size

The box should be big Imagine that you have a hanger with 80 pockets. How would you act when friend will come to you but you need to have your room cleaned in 60 seconds? I think you would panic. “Oh, my bag and shoes, and candles. Candles? Whatever, where should I hide them?”

The fourth tip for time saving with the storage box is the size of it. Choose the big, colorful, not transparent box and with the fixed shape.

E. Box with the lid

Hide your clothes in storage box with the lid

Buy the box with the …

Repairing Your Credit – Some Items on Your Credit Report Might Surprise You

We all expect to find detailed credit history and other personal information when looking at your credit report. But some of the other information that frequently ends up there might take you by surprise. Unfortunately, some of these items can have a long lasting adverse effect on your ability to obtain credit and your lifestyle.

Private companies constantly mine public record data to find potentially damaging information for credit reporting agencies. The information they collect can end up in your credit file and stay there for a long time. Here are some things to watch out for.

Over Due Accounts – Accounts in arrears can be listed in your credit file for up to seven years after they go delinquent.

Accounts in Collection – These accounts can also remain on your report for up to seven years. The clock starts ticking 180 days after the last missed payment that initiated the collection or charge-off.

Bankruptcy – Information on a personal bankruptcy can remain on your credit report for up to ten years after either your case has been dismissed or you received a discharge.

Information on Criminal Activity – Most criminal records, such as indictments and arrests, can be reported for up to seven years. However, criminal convictions can be reported indefinitely.

Liens for Unpaid Taxes – Tax liens can be listed on your credit report for up to seven years after the last payment.

Judgments and Lawsuits – Such actions can be reported either until the statute of limitations runs out, or seven years after a judgment is entered against you, whichever is longer.

Child Support Payments in Arrears – Missed child support can be reported for up to seven years.

Education Loans – Overdue or defaulted government guaranteed or insured student loans can be listed in your credit report for more than seven years.

Most credit reporting agencies routinely remove most negative items on your credit report within seven to ten years. The exceptions include when you apply for more than $150,000. of credit or life insurance, or apply for a job offering a salary of greater than $75,000.

To protect yourself from possible errors, review your credit report from each of the three credit reporting agencies at least once a year. They are notorious for including inaccurate, incomplete, or out-of-date information which you have a right to have corrected in a timely manner. Promptly report any mistakes you find to the credit agency and ask that they be removed or repaired. It is up to you to hold the credit agencies accountable for fixing your report and erasing any adverse mistakes from your file.…