Category: Storage Tips

We promise this article is much more exciting then watch paint dry. Actually, if you follow these paint storing tips, your paint won’t dry out. It can be quite a pain to find the exact color you used on your kitchen walls two years later. Keeping paint fresh and accessible is important to ensure you can make proper repairs.

The Best Way to Store Paint

Watercolor

Probably the most common and easy paint to store. This paint can be found in your child’s paint collection. It comes in the form of dense chalky type discs and requires water to become active. These are sold inside containers and should be stored just like that, but away from the sun.

Oil Based

Oil based paints are often used on a pallet. These are common to be used by artists painting on a canvas. If you find yourself needing to store the paint on your pallet, lay a sheet of saran wrap around the wooden pallet. If you are looking for a more permanent storage option, try a sealed container.

Acrylic Based

These paints you find in many arts stores. They are meant to be used for projects on many types of surfaces. They are sold in tubes and should be kept inside their original tubs to preserve them. Just make sure the cap is free of old paint and keep them away from sunlight.

Latex Based

This is your household paint, used on the walls etc. This paint comes in large cans ranging from 1 gallon to 4. The trick to keeping these paints is to make sure the seal between the lip and can is airtight. Place a plastic sheet between the can and lip and hammer it down. When you re open this paint it might need a good stir or a shake to get the color back.

We hope this will help you when you are tying to keep paint. The best place to store paint for the future is in a self storage unit, away from the sun and with climate control.

So, you have decided on a self storage unit. Whether you are looking to de clutter your home, you need to store some things during a selling process, or you are starting a business. Whatever the reason you may be asking your self “What should I store?” Well we have three questions you should ask yourself if you don’t know what to store.

3 Questions to Ask before Storing

If you are still unsure, you can always drop us and email for more tips!

1. Is it Used Often?

Probably the best way to know to store an item is to figure out if you actually use it often enough. If the answer to this is NO, then clearly it needs to be stored away. This question is also great when looking at seasonal items. If it’s Summer and you ask yourself if you plan to use that ski jacket, the answer will be NO. So gather up all the items that you don’t use and put em into a storage unit.

2. Do I have Multiple?

Just get married? Do you have 3 toasters sitting around? Then your best bet is to get those items in storage. This isn’t restricted to the newlyweds. If you have multiple items or multiple different items that all do the same thing, then its time to store them away. A big process of de cluttering a space is streamlining it, which is accomplished by removing redundant items.

3. Do I Have Space For This?

If you are really unsure about an item, just figure out if you have space for it. This is a great way to stop impulse buying as well, if you don’t have room don’t buy it. If you got home and realize this, it’s off to the storage unit. This works well for big and bulky items that don’t have proper place to fit.

Think you have a better way to deciding what to store? We would love to hear it!

Need a storage unit in Harrisburg? You can rent a unit today!

If you missed out on our blog “How To Become A Professional Collector” be sure to give it a read. Otherwise, its clear your are here to find out exactly how to store those valuable collections that you have. Well at Stop and Store Harrisburg, we are the clear experts on all things self storage. So join us and learn to store your things safely.

How To Store Your Collectibles

Whether you choose to use self storage or store it at home, these same rules apply. We want your stuff to be safe either way.

Dedicated Storage Space

Whatever you are storing, make sure that you have a space dedicated to that item or collection only. Things get messy and disorganized when you try to fit too many items or categories into one space. At Stop and Store Harrisburg we have spaces small or large, with CCTV Monitoring and security systems. Make our space your space.

No Sunlight

What ruins collections more than anything? UV rays! The sun is not your friend and it will dull and yellow many plastics. It will ruin photographs and the heat will wreak havoc on electronics. Your best best is a cool dark place, free of any sun and moisture.

Pack Tight

When packing your collection make sure that the packing is tight and the item don’t move around too much. For fragile items consider using some type of bubble wrap or packing peanuts. Use plastic boxes for heavier items and cardboard for anything else. If you need any packing supplies, we sell it all.

Label Your Boxes

We can’t stress this enough and its a common theme in our blog posts. Labeling what you put into each box will save you such a headache! Especially if you
often forget what you put into storage. In addition to labels, make sure that you keep a list on everything you place in and take out of your storage locker. The last thing you want is wasting time rummaging through every box.

No space at home? Give us a call or fill out our quote form and we will contact you shortly.

Self storage is a great options for those that need to store documents. Many businesses need to keep important documents for many years, as much as 10 years in some cases. This however, starts to take up a lot of space in the long run. They also can become unorganized and lost if they are moved around too much to make space. If for some reason you are called upon to produce these documents, its very important you can access them quickly.

Document Storage

Proper Document Protection

Paper is fragile, and its susceptible to a lot of elements like moisture and heat. So having a proper way to store them away from these elements is important. Make sure you choose plastic and opaque containers. Many places such as Walmart carry stack-able plastic containers made for documents and papers. These light weight containers are easy to move and will last a long long time.

Proper Organization

Throwing all the papers together is a bad idea. As a business you have different papers from different aspects of your business. So make sure that you label each container and mark the year down. Organize them documents in a way that once they no longer need to be kept they can be easily taken out and destroyed.

Keep Them Close

There is a good chance you will be called upon to access some documents often. So its important that they are close at hand and easily accessible. At Stop and Store Harrisburg, we make sure that we have flexible hours to access them anytime. We are also conveniently located right in Harrisburg so you don’t have to travel far.

Are you a business looking for cost effective document storage? Give us a call today, we have great long term business and personal storage rates. Stop and Store Harrisburg offers safe and secure storage for all.

Who does not like to save money? Well here at Harrisburg Self Storage, we believe in saving our customers money. We help you with our great low rates

Save Money

Less Is More

Move Less Items. The less there is the lower your moving coast. The most basic way to save on moving is don’t move so much stuff. Basically, purge, purge, purge. Harrisburg has easy ways to donate to charity, post on Craigslist, put on the curb marked “FREE”.

Organize

De-clutter in Steps. Tackle a room every few days and put things into donation and give away or garage sale piles. Almost anyone can reduce their possession by 20%. There are tons of great charities in the Harrisburg area, just pick your favorite.

Do it Yourself

Pack Yourself. Pack most of your own things in boxes. By deciding to do this you can tell the moving companies to do estimates on basis they are moving not packing (except for covers and pads on large furnishings). Buy boxes and clean paper to pack. Start a few weeks in advance.

Plan

Plan Ahead. Get some good moving checklists free on the web. Find one that fits you and your situation and use the list. If followed, these lists will save you both time and money.

Odd Times

Move at Off Times. If you are moving locally, consider moving during mid-month. Moving companies are always busy at month’s end, but when business is slower some will lower rates. Just ask. Stop and Store Harrisburg can recommend a local mover.

That is it. Congrats! because you just saved money. We want you to have the best deals and lowest rates in the city of Harrisburg when it comes to self storage. We offer long term rates that are unbeatable. Give us a call or email us today to find out more.

Having a family can be a very busy and time consuming thing. One problem many families have is having the proper storage space. The home can quickly become cluttered and full of things that we never use. Harrisburg Self Storage is here to help busy families with 10 storage tips.

Family Storage Tips

1. Re-use containers

You don’t need to have brand new containers for storage. You don’t need specialty containers to store items, look around the home and grab anything that has a lid and it currently not being used. Its now a DIY storage container.

2. Label

It’s easy to loose track of where you put things. You throw some things into a box and in two months you can’t remember what is where. Its a common theme with us, label everything and keep it consistent.

3. Ice Cube Trays

Every family has that junk drawer, but how do you keep it organized? Use some old ice cube trays to sort the small items inside the drawer, needles, buttons, screws, pins, the possibilities are endless.

4. Storage Organizers

Hang storage organizers on the back of each door in every room, this is where you can put the small items for the room and de-clutter some space.

5. Plastic Shower Rings

Use these little rings to hold everything from scarves to tea towels, even belts can be hung from these handy rings.

6. Under the Bed

Use the space under the beds to storage containers, out of sight and organized is the best way to go.

7. Shelving

You can add shelving everywhere, add some more shelves to your closets to hold more items and keep that valuable floor space.

8. Use US!

Use Harrisburg Self Storage to store any other items that you can’t find room for. We can store items big or small and we have great rates.

Ready to use Self Storage? Call Harrisburg Self Storage today!

Mid August marks the time for summers close. Back to school, back to fall. But it also means, fall cleaning and de cluttering. Today we have a blog from our friends over at Sparefoot. And its all about fall de cluttering. Have a look from some great tips.

As summer fun comes to a close, Americans are getting ready to send their kids back to school and are falling back into their normal routines. While spring is typically known for cleaning, a recent survey found that nearly half (45 percent) of Americans believe fall is the best time to get organized – making for a more seamless transition back to the grind.

Temporary Tidiness

While 22 percent of Americans cite September as the best month to get organized, that reorganization doesn’t seem to last long. Thirty-nine percent of Americans say that less than one week after summer break they’re disorganized again.

Millenials are the worst offenders – 46 percent of Millennials admit they’re back to their disorganized ways in less than a week compared to 34 percent of Gen Xers and 36 percent of Boomers.

Hoarding Habits

Many Americans think of reorganization with an, ‘out of sight, out of mind’ attitude, shifting their stuff to parts of the house where they’re less likely to come across it in their daily routine. These storing habits have led to some unruly results, with nearly half of Americans with garages (47 percent) admitting there have been times when they couldn’t even park their car in their garage because there was too much stuff. This problem only grows more severe when children are added into the mix, with 60 percent of parents admitting they’ve been unable to park their car in the garage due to their overflowing belongings.

Garages included, there are many places in the home that turn into natural places for clutter to gather. On average, Americans have three areas in their homes that have become substitute “storage units” – meaning areas primarily used for storing items.

“Americans often face what I call a ‘transitional challenge’ when needing to get reorganized after summer. The task becomes more complex because you often don’t realize you’ve acquired too many items,” said Professional Organizer Danielle Wurth, founder of Phoenix organizing solutions company Wurth Organizing. “We know we need to clear out clutter and get our households in order, but the task of navigating through the excess items and deciding what can stay or go can be overwhelming.”

Wake-Up Time

With everything in its place, waking up and getting out the door should be easy… right? Unfortunately not according to most American parents. When the school year starts, 80 percent of parents feel it takes them longer to get ready in the morning than during the summer. And, nearly one in three (31 percent) feel it takes more than 20 minutes longer. When you have kids, back to school routines can make mornings stressful, making organization key to create more productive mornings.

Back-to-the-Grind Tips for Success

To help you fall back into your routine this fall, here are some quick, helpful tips:

• Post a Daily Routine: Designate a location to post a daily to-do list – helping your children establish routines for homework, reading and bedtime.
• Set Up Storage Space for Gear: To eliminate morning chaos, designate a location for book bags, lunch boxes and shoes. Decorative hooks and colorful cubbyholes work well for storing items in convenient locations for your kids.
• Label, Label, Label: Label boxes, bins and even your time. This helps both adults and kids manage to-do lists better.
• Clean as You Go: Straighten up your kitchen while cooking, hang up clothes when you change and put supplies back as soon as you’re done with them. This will save you hours later.
• Prepare food the night before: Make breakfast and prepare lunches the night before, whenever possible. Throwing together breakfast on the go and organizing lunches for the whole family can make a busy morning even more overwhelming.

Once again, thanks to Sparefoot for allowing us to re blog these awesome tips. For all your storage needs, Contact Harrisburg Storage today!

If you’re the owner of wooden furniture, you’ve likely noticed that it has picked up various nicks and scratches over the years. Your solid, utilitarian wood furniture has stood the test of time but it has not done so unscathed. Like a good warrior, it continues in battle but has picked up a few scratches and nicks along the way. Much of this damage is superficial, and with a little love and elbow grease, almost any work of wood can be restored to its former glory through a few simple, easy fixes that are as easy on the wood as they are on your wallet.

Before tackling any repairs, be sure to first clean the furniture thoroughly with water and soft dishwashing soap to remove all stains and grease. Then, take stock of what needs to be done; your lovable wooden artifice will probably have been the victim of any or all of water rings, surface scratches, deep scratches, and then various dings and nicks. Address these in order of severity, beginning with the water rings left behind by sweaty beverages. If these blemishes don’t yield to the power of soapy water and elbow grease, consider employing baking soda, petroleum jelly, or even mayonnaise! All have their advocates. Minor scratches to the finish can be corrected with the application of a solution consisting of equal parts lemon juice and cooking oil. For deeper nicks and scratches that expose the wood, you can actually fill the scratch with the meat of an almond or walnut. The oil inside the nuts can make some scratches appear nearly invisible. You can also colour in the scratch with tea bags, coffee grounds or wax crayons, among other things, to disguise the blemish and make the surface appear uniform again. If all else fails, you can always cover any imperfections with your favourite coaster or tablecloth.

If you need to store your furniture, give us a call today!

Moving is stressful occurrence, but choosing the right moving company can help ease the worry. A moving company will make the process easier on you and your family. Finding a moving company that you trust is essential.  Follow the below tips when choosing a moving company to make sure you find the one that fits your needs:

• Look around a few different places for moving companies. Ask friends, ask storage facilities, google the area, and check Angie’s List. In York Pennsylvania stop by the office for recommendation.
• Do an initial screening of the company to check their viability and features. Ask if they are insured, if they background check employees, how long they have been in business, if they have the proper licenses to cross state lines, etc.
• Get a written copy of inventory on moving day from the movers.
• When your belongings arrive at your new home, immediately check for any damages/missing items.

Packing your belongings is always part of the process when moving. The last thing you want to happen when you arrive at your new location is to have broken or damaged belongings.  Below are moving tips to make sure your belongings arrive safely at their new home and to make the process easier:

• Disassemble larger furniture if possible. This will help to save space in the moving trucks, allowing you to fit more of your belongings in a smaller area.
• Use zip lock bags or small containers for parts, such as the bolts or screws from furniture. Attach the container/bag to the object it came from so that it’s easier to put back together.

Harrisburg Storage can help you find the right moving company, give us a call today!