Look, you’re storing your items for a reason: they still have value to you, but there’s just not enough room at home. The keyword here is “value.” Whether sentimental or just plain expensive, your items need to be kept in the best possible shape while being stored. And while Ample Storage may be the best option when it comes to self storage in Reno, NV, there are certain things you can do to ensure your stuff stays in great shape. Planning for self storage can might be a great way to protect your items and save you some time later on.
The box isn’t full unless you can’t close the top, right? Wrong! Over-packing your boxes for storage can cause serious damage to the items being crushed at the bottom of the pile, and not to mention, your back! You want to get the job done quickly and easily, that’s totally understandable. But by taking those few extra minutes to fill a few more boxes could be the difference between pristinely kept goods, and a storage unit filled with broken pieces along with a trip to the chiropractor.
You may have had a clear plan in mind when you were packing up all your things for storage, but chances are once you pulled down and locked that steel door, you left all that organization and planning behind, too. So, to safely avoid having to unpack everything to find that one thing, label all sides of your boxes so they are clearly visible and legible. By taking time to label your items, you can be in, out, and on with life in minutes instead of hours.
Moisture is going to be your biggest enemy in storing your items. Moisture-retaining cement floors, paired with the always unpredictable weather patterns of Reno, Nevada, make for an ongoing battle with water damage. One way to avoid having to repurchase your water damaged items is to keep them elevated for the duration of their stay in storage.
Get your hands on some wooden pallets, or repurpose some old furniture to keep things safely off the floor, and save yourself the heartache of having to find new things to replace the old things you were keeping in a dark room for the foreseeable future.
Store electronics in original packaging: One of the benefits of purchasing electronics is that the packaging they come with are specifically designed to protect them from the elements—and the occasional clumsy deliveryman. So do yourself a favor, and be sure to hold on to the boxes, and foam, and bubble wrap, and be assured that your goods will be kept in great condition while being stored.
We hope these planning for self storage tips help with your next move. Happy packing!
If you’re about to embark on the adventure of moving to Reno, or you’re new to Reno and looking to get to know your new home, we’ll help get you up to speed on your Reno-related trivia.
That’s right. If you’re coming from LA, have some fun with your friends and tell them you’re moving west to Reno. Los Angeles is 118.24148 degrees west longitude, and Reno is 119.78949 degrees west longitude—a difference of about 100 miles.
Las Vegas might be known as the wedding capital of the world, but Reno was made famous by easy divorces. Many a disgruntled bride—some of them famous—set up camp in Reno for the required six week wait until they were eligible for residency, which meant eligible for divorce.
As was common back in the mid-1800s, Reno is named for a fallen soldier. In this case, Major General Jesse Lee Reno, who, as far as anyone knows, never actually visited Reno.
Including those that go on to be widely adopted, like Levi jeans, the upside-down roller-coaster, and the first non-human (a chimpanzee named Washoe) to communicate via sign language.
If you’re relocating to Reno from San Francisco, L.A., Seattle, New York, Chicago—heck, just about anywhere—you’re in for a treat. With the exception of outlying suburban areas, Reno’s relatively light traffic and small grid mean you can typically cross town in 20 minutes or less.
Ample Self Storage in south Reno is located right off the freeway on South Virginia, between Huffaker and Patriot, with easy access from South Meadows and Damonte Ranch. No contracts, no deposits. Just top-notch service at Reno’s friendliest and most secure storage facility. Come check us out to get your Reno storage unit today!
In recent years, a concentrated rise against consumerism has swept over the population. The idea that you can be more and accomplish more with less is gaining traction not only with older generations but with Millennials as well. Known as a minimalist lifestyle, people from every facet of life are embracing the act of decluttering. They want to make room for peace and less stress in their daily lives. But what is a minimalist, exactly?
Joshua Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, defined minimalism as “… lifestyle that helps people question what things add value to their lives.” The minimalist movement has created an awareness of how fewer material items can pave the way for a more fulfilled life. It makes room for satisfactory health, personal and family relationships, individual and spiritual growth, and contribution to society.
While it seems becoming a minimalist means living without what we may be used to, it's not the case. Minimalist living is not the same for everyone. Not every individual seeking a minimal style must consider downsizing your home. Instead, becoming a minimalist means you take away the things that do not serve a purpose. Things without a purpose in your day to day life.
Start by following these minimalist tips.
Becoming a minimalist begins with taking careful inventory of the belongings you use each day. Be sure take the time to determine what it is you want to keep. Don't just get rid of things just to declutter. If you use certain small kitchen appliances each day, keep them. It makes little sense to set those aside for donation, storage or trash just to create more open space. However, the boxes of decorations that occupy your living space may be the perfect place to begin to declutter.
After you’ve taken inventory of the items you use, determining how to become a minimalist gets easier. Start in a single room where you spend a substantial amount of time (living room or bedroom), and weed out the things that do not serve a purpose there.
For instance, it is common for individuals striving for minimal style to begin in their closet, getting rid of clothes that were purchased and never worn or simply no longer fit regarding style or size. Once you have completed a single room, move on to the next and follow the same principles to create a minimalist living environment.
Remember the steps on how to be a minimalist are not the same for everyone. Downsizing your home is not always the best approach, especially for those with small children or aging parents. Similarly, getting rid of every item not currently in use isn't rational. For instance, family heirlooms that are intended for your children or grandchildren can be removed from your home to create a minimalist style, without you having to let go completely. If you find yourself overwhelmed with getting rid of items that may be needed down the road, consider getting a Reno storage unit from Ample Storage to set aside specific things.
A minimalist home does not look the same for each individual or family but instead focuses on the same core components. Less stuff and clutter creates the space necessary for a less stressful, more satisfactory life, even if your belongings are simply held outside your main living space.
The start of summer is one of the most common times throughout the year where storage is key. Whether you are moving to a new home, have a child coming home from college or simply need to set aside your winter and spring household items, summer storage is a necessity for most.
Get the most of your summer storage and rental storage units, and follow these helpful Reno NV self storage tips provided by Ample Storage.
College student storage units and family storage units are the most beneficial when you first get organized. Protect your belongings, make sure your items are clean prior to storing, and have an idea of what you do and don’t need for the summer season.
Before making a trip to rental storage units or securing a summer storage location, it is imperative to take the time to get organized. To start, you can ask yourself the following questions:
Asking these questions are a key step in utilizing self storage tips to begin packing or moving the things you own.
Equally beneficial tips for storage for getting organized include making a list. Make a list of what rooms you are planning to declutter or change décor. Also, include and what items you plan to bring out of storage for the season.
As one of the most important Reno NV self storage tips, the value of protecting your items cannot be undervalued. Whether you are using short term or long term storage, it is always best to use clear plastic boxes or new cardboard boxes for clothes and linens. Bags or boxes that have been used for other items in the past may not be as clean.
Similarly, for students’ college summer storage, books should be packed away in smaller, easy to manage boxes and laid horizontally. Storing books vertically can lead to damage to the spine.
Another necessity in our self storage tips is to pay close attention to what you are using to wrap and safeguard fragile items. Newspaper should never be used on any item that can be stained, as the ink will inevitably cause damage to the exterior of the item over time.
Instead, use clean packing paper or bubble wrap to protect your items.
Finally, leave an inch at the top of each box you pack. Add filler to the space and reduce the potential for items shifting during the move or while in storage.
Often overlooked with self storage tips is the necessity to clean items prior to putting them away in summer storage. Clothing, linens, appliances and décor should all be as clean as possible. This helps to avoid the growth of bacteria or attraction of bugs.
It is helpful to leave the appliance doors open while in long term storage. Self storage tips like these will ensure you are not coming back to a mess or destroyed items after the summer is over.
Follow these tips for storage of seasonal items. Summer storage is most commonly used for winter décor and clothing. Set aside seasonal items like Halloween, Christmas and New Years decorations. Also, lights or lawn ornaments can be stored until they are needed in a few months’ time.
Shift these items to storage and make room in your home. For summer décor and less clutter, this makes for a more enjoyable season all around.
Get a Reno storage unit today!
This is the smallest of our self storage unit sizes. It can hold small furniture, a large tool chest, various tchotchkes and several boxes. This storage unit is the perfect size for overflow or seasonal storage. Once you are finished with all of those Halloween or Christmas decorations, box them up and get the out of the way.
About the size of a walk-in closet, this storage unit is large enough for a queen sized mattress set, sofa, chair, end table, bicycles, or 100 business size boxes (file-storage boxes). This is the perfect self storage unit for summer storage during the summer time.
It might be deceiving but this storage unit size can hold the contents of a one-bedroom apartment, including major appliances, or 200 file boxes.
If are needing to relocate temporarily for work or some other reason, this is the perfect unit to keep your things while you are away. You can put the contents of a two-bedroom apartment or a small house in a storage unit of this size.
The contents of a small house and a one-car garage with major appliances, yard tools, miscellaneous small item and boxes will fit in a storage unit of this size. This is the perfect storage unit size if you are leaving the country for an extended period of time.
This storage unit is about the size of a one-car garage. You could put the contents of a two bedroom home as well as a vehicle inside. You could compare it to about the size of a large rental truck.
About the size of a two car garage (apart from, well, two cars) you can fit a ton of stuff in this unit!
This storage unit is the size of a large two car garage. You could store the contents of a large family house, lots of boxes, outdoor furniture, appliances, tools, and recreation equipment.
Say “hasta la juego” to summer and “hello” to leaves, scarves and soon enough snow! Fall is finally here which means long days at the lake and camping are coming close to an end. Your favorite summer toys are in need of some TLC and a comfy place for hibernation.
Whether you have a pontoon boat, RV, ATV, or motorcycle it is time to winterize your toys to ensure they will be protected through the winter and healthy for next summer’s adventures.
Lake water, salt water, frozen water; what’s the difference? TONS. First of all, the accumulation of ice on boats can cause splitting, cracking and eventually leaking to the exterior of your boat. This can also cause corrosion to the exterior of any other toys.
Ok. So I will just cover my stuff up. While covers may keep the exterior of your machines from coming into contact with snow and ice, they are potentially trapping in moisture. Moisture is your toy’s enemy. With boats, we are talking about mold on the interior and with anything else moisture inside the engine and other parts causes rust and other serious problems.
When do you think mechanics are the busiest? Right before summer. This is when everyone and their grandmother is taking out their toys, preparing them for play and realizing either what damage winter has caused (because they weren’t smart like you and read this article) or what little problem at the end of last summer still needs to be fixed.
Why not forgo all of this waiting around and have all of you machines ready to go as soon as you are. Take care of the little things before you send your toy into hibernation and take the necessary steps to properly protect against winter damage.
We have already discussed the potential problems that would be escalated by leaving your machines outside to fair the weather, but while your boat has been at the docks all summer do you really want to give up your garage man cave just in time for football season?
Here are some links to more detailed DIY winterization:
Now that you have your; boat, RV, ATV, and/or motorcycle all prepped and ready for hibernation. Bring them all down to Ample Storage, where they can stay locked up and protected in your Reno storage unit for those long winter months. You are investing in the future condition of your toy by protecting it and in your sanity by holding onto your man cave space. If you would like to learn more Reno winter storage tips, speak with the storage experts at Ample Storage.
You may have wondered why Ample Storage is not one of the 24 hour storage units in Reno, NV. It is a common trend for many places to offer this service and the convenience sounds desirable. They rely on their gates, security cameras and lighting to deter thieves. However, our experience has shown that this simply is not enough to provide a high level of security. There are significant storage unit risks when 24 hour access is available in Reno. We want your belongings to be safe, first and foremost.
If you have the best fencing and gates on the market, these security features are immediately rendered useless once the person has gained access. Now you only have security cameras and lighting for defense at this point. Considering that theft is much more likely to occur at night than during the day, this is problematic. Our cameras are always running but at this point the person has already gained access to the facility. Meanwhile they are cleaning out all the valuables from your unit.
There are also instances of people who have been approved to access the unit coming in and stealing. These thieves choose night to come in because they have a better chance of pulling it off without suspicion from staff and it is also less likely that you will happen to be swinging by to spoil their plans.
Considering that these plans are far less likely to be successful during the day, we have made the decision to close our facility down at night to provide the most optimal security. This does not mean that we are inaccessible. Our facility is open late and we feel that our hours cover all the areas of high and medium traffic. We want you to have access to your Reno storage unit, but we also want them to be safe. As the best self storage in Reno, we believe we've reached that balance.
When you place your belongings in self storage in Reno, the last thing you want to be worrying about is whether or not they will be there when you return for them. When you choose Ample Storage to be your option for secure Reno storage, this concern is virtually eliminated. We work to ensure that your belongings are in the safest place possible. Here are a few features we have to ensure that our promise to keep your belongings safe is kept.
Every inch of our property is drenched with light, 24/7. It is much more difficult to steal when you are completely visible.
Our security gate can only be opened with a code. Day or night, nobody gets in without a code.
Believe it or not, theft is common from people who have purchased a unit just to get a code. They prey upon 24-hour facilities, coming in once traffic has died down. However, at Ample Storage, this is not an option.
All of these features would mean little if there wasn’t someone there to ensure they are working properly. We never leave your belongings unattended. Our manager lives on-site and is constantly guarding your valuables.
To go above and beyond the self storage services we are providing, we also recommend that you buy a good sturdy lock. When combined with all of our other security features, your belongings are likely more secure with us in your Reno storage unit than in most homes. We take pride in keeping your belongings safe and we understand that it is one of the reasons why we are still your best choice for secure Reno storage.
LEARN MORE ABOUT SAFE AND SECURE STORAGE
Last week we began discussing some tips on how to safely store your belongings. This week we are diving in further. Water damage is problematic in many storage facilities, even in Reno. Seeing as how even the meteorologists are not very good at predicting the weather, here are some Reno storage tips to ensure that water does not destroy your valuables:
Incurring water damage on a priceless item can be absolutely heartbreaking. These tips should provide peace of mind that your belongings are safe from the elements. However, there are more intelligent threats to contend with. Mothballs are not just something your grandma used. Moths are still a threat, especially to clothing that is sitting in storage. Mothballs are a cheap and effective way of dealing with this threat. But the most important tip that we can recommend is purchasing a good lock. Thieves look for weaknesses, and cheap locks are exactly that. The extra money spent on a good lock will definitely pay off.
With these Reno storage tips in mind, you are ready to successfully store your items without problems. Ample Storage would be proud to be your choice for self-storage in Reno. We pride ourselves on operating a clean and safe facility, and are always ready to give you an affordable quote on your Reno storage unit needs.
Ample Storage wants to be your choice for self-storage, but our dedication is not limited to your initial decision. Once you have arrived at our storage facility in south Reno, we want to make sure that you have the best experience possible. In order to help you be prepared for storing your belongings in a Reno storage unit incident-free, we have created this two-part guide to deliver all the storage tips we have accumulated over the years.
Whether you are storing your belongings for a long period of time, or you are only using the Reno storage unit for temporary storage, these storage tips will help your move go smoothly and with fewer issues. Join us next time we as we dive back in, sharing more storage tips and discussing ways to avoid water damage.
