There are a number of reasons as to why home and business owners take advantage of self storage units. Thankfully, self storage units, including climate controlled storage units, offer a wide range of benefits. Let's take a close look at why you may be in need of public storage units.

Understanding Hoarding

When it comes to hoarding, many people are in denial. For others, they may not realize they are hoarding simply because they don't understand the concept. To keep things simple, you need to understand that hoarding involves the desire to hold on to personal belongings; this desire translates into creating space for the items even when no space is available. If you have come to accept the fact that you are a hoarder, you need to take comfort in knowing that you don't have to keep all of your belongings in your actual living space. Instead, you can store many of them in a public storage unit.

Hoarding can result in a wide variety of negative consequences. From safety hazards to the loss of living space, it is important that as a hoarder, you take advantage of self storage units. In doing so, you will gain the following benefits:

• Reduced Clutter: When hoarding in your home, by moving some of your items to self storage, you will notice a reduction in clutter and more living space for you and your loved ones to enjoy. When hording in your office, storing some items in a self storage unit will help you will open up your work area allowing you to think clearer. It will also allow you to utilize your work area more productively. Soon you will be well on your way to a neat and tidy living/work space.
• Safety: When things are cluttered together, safety hazards abound; this is especially true if you have small children living in the home with you. You need to make sure you take advantage of self storage as this will help in lessening potential safety hazards.
• Protection: Some of your belongings need to be stored in a proper manner, meaning away from harmful weather elements. In fact, this very condition may be the reason you are hoarding in the first place. Thankfully, public storage units are available in air conditioned and heated storage units. You can rest assured that when storing your beloved belongings in air conditioned and heated storage units, your items will be stored away from harmful weather conditions.
• Security: Self storage units are available with some great security features. When going about choosing a public storage unit, make sure you choose one that offers computer controlled access, unit door alarms, digital video recording of the property and store wide intercom system. You should also seek a storage location that offers self storage insurance for your added peace of mind.
• Convenience: If you want full access to your items, take comfort in knowing that both air conditioned and heated storage units and non-air conditioned and heated public storage units are available with 24 hour access, 365 days a year. No matter the time of day or night, you can easily access your belongings, including adding more items to the units or removing the ones you want to take back home. Also looks for self storage locations that offer drive-in loading areas, cargo elevators, moving carts and dollies, packing supplies and online customer payments. These amenities make storing your items a breeze.

Whether you need a regular self storage unit or a climate controlled storage unit, public storage is beneficial for a number of reasons. As a hoarder, you need to get your life back on track, why not start by putting your extra items in a public storage unit?

Each year over 40 million Americans move from one location to another. If you are one of these individuals who will be moving soon follow these simple ideas to make your move as easy and cost effective as possible.

Start early:

Packing always takes longer than you think. Start two to three weeks prior to moving day so you can keep organized. Start with the items you use the least. Here is a wonderful link to a moving checklist to help make the process easier.

Purchase the packing supplies needed:

Purchase quality packing and moving supplies such as boxes, bubble wrap, newsprint, packing peanuts, dish and glass packs and tape to prevent damage to your valuables during the moving process.

Pack strategically:

Mark the boxes you will need first in your new home with a star. Items such as sheets, towels, toiletries, and a fresh set of clothes will be needed day one. If your new home is smaller than your old home you should think about renting a self storage unit. A self storage unit will allow you to store your memories without cluttering up your new home. Be sure to label boxes of items to be placed in self storage accordingly. Not sure that size self storage unit you will need? Use this link to help determine the size storage unit you will need.

Create a packing area:

Choose a room that does not get much use or an area of your home to serve as a packing station. Build boxes of assorted sizes so they are ready as needed. Momentum is key to packing success. Keep a supply of markers, packing tape, bubble wrap, packing peanuts and newsprint in the area.

Think heavy small – light large:

Be sure to pack heavy items such as books in small boxes and light objects in large boxes. This makes moving the boxes easier and quicker while preventing damage to the contents.

Don’t pack air:

Leave the contents in dressers and chests. Emptying these items increases packing time and wastes storage space. You can also place items inside hollow appliances such as washing machines, dryers and microwave ovens.

Use trash bags:

Boxes are great because they are easy to handle and are stackable. Trash bags are nice because they squish. Fill large trash bags with soft non-breakable items. They can be stuffed into trunks and moving trucks in areas that boxes can’t.

Pack hanging clothes right:

Please your expensive hanging items in a wardrobe box to prevent any damage.

Don’t pack blankets or beach towels:

Use these items as furniture pads to protect your items during the moving process.

Stack and pack lampshades:

These items usually take a beating during the moving process. Remove each shade and stack them small into large and then put them together in one box. This will help insure that they arrive in your new home intact.

Label your boxes on two sides:

Mark every box with it’s contents and destination (such as kitchen or self storage) on more than one side. Also note if the contents are fragile.

Be prepared:

Have everything ready before the movers arrive or you pick up the rental truck. Disassemble furniture that will need to be taken apart. Place nuts and bolts in an envelope and tape the envelope to the furniture. Roll up area rugs tight and tape them together. The more organized you are the less time your will spend on movers who charge by the hour or on truck rental.

Load in sections:

If you are loading a moving truck yourself, maximize every inch of space and keep items from shifting by loading in sections from the floor up. Load heaviest items first, in front and on the floor. Pack tightly and to the top, then move to the next section.

Safeguard Self Storage expanded its presence in the New York metropolitan self-storage market again with the opening of its newest location, a 57,000 net rentable square foot addition to its existing facility on Bronx Boulevard in Bronx, New York about four miles northeast of Manhattan. Safeguard opened its 63rd store nationwide and its 23rd store in the New York metropolitan market today.

Safeguard Bronx II Self-Storage

Safeguard Self Storage, a provider of premium self-storage solutions, opened its twenty-third operating location in the New York metropolitan self-storage market. This facility, conveniently located at 4323-4327 Bronx Boulevard in the Bronx will continue to help provide this community's growing demand for high-quality storage units and self-storage space.

Safeguard has a deeply established presence in the New York market, now with 23 open locations. Less than three months ago, Safeguard Self Storage opened its 21st operating location on Utica Avenue in Brooklyn, New York and acquired its 22nd location in Thornwood, New York (about 20 miles further north) a month later.  As is typical of Safeguard's 63 stores nationwide, the Bronx II self-storage facility is designed with security, convenience and customer service in mind. Amenities at this location include: heated and air conditioned space, a convenient drive-up loading area, computer-controlled access to the building and digital\video recording of the property.

"Safeguard's strong development ability enabled the company to acquire the land and design and build this exceptional 57,000 square foot facility in a densely populated area to help serve this market.  This new store complements the company's development and acquisition of new locations.  The company owns four other properties in development, two of which are in New York and one of which is also in the Bronx and two of which are in South Florida.", reported Allan Sweet, Chief Executive Officer of Safeguard Self Storage. 

"This new store expands the company’s presence and adds to the critical mass that the company has developed around the Safeguard brand in the New York metropolitan area", said Mark B. Rinder, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. 

"The Bronx Boulevard location, like all of our New York facilities, is designed to provide an exceptional customer experience and is tried and true for the company.  Safeguard built the Bronx I store on the same street, nearly immediately adjacent to this new store and opened it in 2005.  Thus, we know this market well.  With this new store open, we continue to move full speed ahead on the company’s West Farms location in the Bronx and expect to open that store next year” said James Goonan, Senior Vice President of Development who has been leading the development activities of Safeguard portfolio for 13 years. 

Ken Finlay, Senior Vice President of Operations added, "Its convenient location (immediately off the exit ramp from the Bronx River Parkway), the plethora of amenities and the company’s dedication to providing outstanding customer service, makes renting with Safeguard the best storage option in the Bronx and the surrounding area.  What makes Safeguard unique is the relationship that we develop with our customers--they are very important to us.   We look forward to continuing to serve the residents and business people of the Bronx that we’ve gotten to know over the past eight years. It's a great community and we're proud to be part of it."

Bronx II, NY Location: 
Safeguard opened the Bronx II, NY self-storage location on August 14th, 2013. This facility has 893 storage units in 57,000 leasable square feet with a variety of unit sizes currently available. The Bronx II store team is led by the same team which Walter Mejia, Facility Manager and Denise Hardy, Assistant Manager, and Andrea Wallace, Assistant Manager.

Mark B. Rinder - Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Safeguard Self Storage | Atlanta

What can I put in self storage?

This is a common question which should be explored thoroughly prior to moving items into a self storage unit. Self storage units provide a temporary home for the items of individuals who are experiencing this thing we affectionately call “life”. Find a self storage location with plenty of amenities so you will enjoy peace of mind during the time your items are in storage. But before you let your imagination get away from you, there are some definite dos and don’ts to self storage. 

The Dos:

When deciding to store, understanding the way in which you will access the unit is very important. If you plan on making frequent trips, you should double-check your facility’s hours. Safeguard Self Storage offers 7 day-a-week access hours to your storage units. Most locations offer extended hours and some offer access 24 hours a day to business customers.

Make sure adequate airflow reaches delicate fabrics and that fragile items are spaced out accordingly. Stuffing your storage unit to the brim just to save a few coins could cost you more in damage to your storage items. If in doubt go a bit bigger when selecting storage sizes. A larger unit will also allow easier access to your items saving you time and effort during each trip to the storage unit.

Some items do not do well with fluctuating temperatures and moisture. Be sure to choose air conditioned and heated units or indoor storage where temperatures are regulated when storing sensitive items. Safeguard Self Storagespecializes in indoor 

storage but also offers outside accessible units at some locations based on our customer’s needs.

What are some good items that belong in self storage?

Any item that is not perishable, explosive, corrosive, flammable or harmful make for great storage items, but the list doesn’t stop there.

The Don’ts: 

Weapons are widely prohibited in self storage for reasons of security and safety. Ammunition and/or explosive materials could go off inside the self storage unit. Other hazardous materials such as gas tanks, corrosive liquids or harmful chemicals are not appropriate for self storage. The rules and regulations that prohibit the storage of harmful items are for your safety, the safety of your items and the safety of all other persons and items at the storage location. 

Although some storage facilities offer state of the art security, it is not advised to store extremely valuable items such as delicate family heirlooms, expensive jewelry or irreplaceable photos.

What are some items that don’t belong in self storage?

Weapons, explosives, gas tanks, corrosive liquids, harmful chemicals, expensive jewelry, family heirlooms and irreplaceable photos do not belong in self storage for safety purposes.

At Safeguard Self Storage we have been taking care of our customers storage needs since 1989. Now, with over 60 storage locations across the United States, Safeguard is a leader in the storage industry. When you store with Safeguard, you not only get clean, secure storage solutions—you get over 20 years of storage expertise! Those years of experience mean that you can trust your belongings with Safeguard. Our amenity-packed facilities, competitive pricing, on-site packing supplies, and professional staff make storing with Safeguard easy. Plus, our commitment to our customers’ complete satisfaction is at the heart of everything we do. For more storage information visit one of our stores or call us at 1-877-779-6900 today.

Moving and packing items to be placed in storage can be both frustrating and time consuming if you lack a game plan. If you are considering using self storage, the first thing you should put into storage is some thought. You will need to understand available unit sizes so you don’t rent too much or not enough space. You will also need to know how to pack and store your items properly to prevent damage during the moving and storage process. Here are a few tricks to ensue your moving and storage experience is effective and stress free.

Pack & Store Items Well – Use sturdy boxes or plastic containers to prevent scratches and dings to your items during the moving and storage process. Wrapping fragile items in newsprint or bubble wrap will add additional protection. Seal all boxes with tape to prevent dust from affecting the contents. Place heavy items in small boxes so they don’t become too heavy to move. Lightweight items can be placed in larger boxes keeping the large boxes manageable. Place heavy items on the floor of your unit and stack lighter items on top.  

Use Protective Covers - Plastic wrap or covers are essential for protecting furniture, mattresses, and box springs from getting damp or dirty during the move. Furniture pads will also prevent items from getting scratched during the moving and storage process. 

Lawn and Garden Equipment - All fluids inside lawn and garden machinery should be drained prior to storing to avoid corrosive damage. Lawn tools such as rakes, shovels or hoes should be stored in trash cans to prevent them from damaging other items in the storage unit.

Use Your Head, Not Your Back – Be smart and use hand trucks or carts to move heavy items around. Our stores are equipped with flatbed carts for our customers use while on the property. Use our carts and your back will thank you in the morning.

Make The Most of Your Storage Space – Use the cubic footage in the storage unit to store more items. Long horizontal items should be stored vertically when possible to save on square footage. Store items inside of large appliances, dresser draws or on shelves to maximize the available space. Label all boxes so items are easy to find and place frequently used items in the front of the unit for easy access. If you have a lot of items that you access frequently you should create isles in the storage unit. This will ensure you can access all of these items quickly and easily. 

Utilizing self storage should help alleviate stress about where to store your items. Packing and storing your items correctly should eliminate all moving related anxiety. For more information regarding proper moving and self storage techniques contact your storage professional today.

Have you been considering self storage lately? That’s a good thing, because chances are you have been staring at a pile of stuff for a while. Self storage can give you piece of mind that your home is uncluttered and your things are being well maintained. But, before you go gung-ho and throw your stuff in the first storage unit available, you might want to consider these storage tips.

Convenience: There are a number of factors that make up convenience that you should consider: Location, the closer you live to your storage facility, the better. If you plan on making frequent visits, a location that is close, is ideal. Location amenities are also important, items such as flatbed carts to move your items from your car or truck to your unit are a huge help as are cargo elevators to move your items easily to upper floors. Does the facility have a drive in loading area to protect you and your items from inclement weather? Are the hallways wide enough to allow for easy passage to your unit?

Storage Hours: Check your storage facility’s office and access hours and make sure they work with your schedule. Some facilities require that you provide a day’s notice before entering your storage unit. If this doesn’t work, consider different self storage. You should be able to access your items at reasonable times seven days a week.

Security Features: One of the most important factors when deciding on a storage facility is the security system. These systems are designed to deter crime keeping you and your items safe. Does the storage facility have several deterrents in place? How are the individual units secured? Safeguard self storage provides state of the art security systems with computer-controlled access, individual door alarms, digital video recording and facility-wide intercom systems.

Trust and Confidence: Did you feel comfortable doing business with the storage company after visiting the location and discussing your storage needs with the store team? Did they provide you with exceptional customer service? Did they demonstrate to you that they want your business? Use your instincts to help you decide what storage company\location makes the most sense for you.

Special Storage: Do your items need a storage unit with a little more TLC? Air conditioned and heated storage units provide a friendly environment for delicate items. These storage units are designed to safeguard your items from the elements as if they were stored inside your home.

Size: As you probably can guess the size all depends on how much stuff you have to store. Do yourself a favor and go a bit bigger, because you might find more stuff to store along the way. A larger unit also makes it much easier to access your items when you have some additional room to move around in the unit. A larger space may also prevent damage to your items as you will not need to stack items on top of one another as much.

So now that you’ve considered moving that pile of items, it’s time to lock in on a storage facility. Safeguard Self Storage can help you every step of the way. We can reserve your storage unit in minutes, so contact us today!

Good news for all of you who need storage units in Thornwood, New York!

* * *

Safeguard Self Storage, a provider of premium self-storage solutions, recently acquired its twenty-second operating location in the New York metropolitan self-storage market. This facility, conveniently located at 950 Broadway in Thornwood Village will continue to help provide this community's growing demand for high-quality storage units and self-storage space.

Safeguard has a deeply established presence in the New York market, now with 22 open locations. Less than three weeks ago, Safeguard Self Storage opened its 21st operating location on Utica Avenue in Brooklyn, New York and will open its 23rd location on Bronx Boulevard late next month. As is typical of Safeguard's 62 stores nationwide, the Thornwood self-storage facility is designed with security, convenience and customer service in mind. Amenities at this location include: heated and air conditioned space, a convenient drive-up loading area, computer-controlled access to the building and digital\video recording of the property.

"Because of Safeguard's strong capital position, we were able to complete the acquisition in just 47 days from execution of the contract to closing. This new store complements the company's aggressive development of new locations from new construction – the company owns five other properties, three of which are in New York and two of which are in South Florida in various stages of development.", reported Allen Sweet, Chief Executive Officer of Safeguard Self Storage. "This second acquisition of a single operating store (the first being the company’s acquisition of the McCook, Illinois store about 18 months ago) has solidified the Safeguard management team’s skills required to complete larger acquisitions. It is clear to me that this team is now poised to be able to conduct multiple store acquisitions simultaneously", said Mark B. Rinder, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

"The Thornwood location, like all of our New York facilities, is designed to provide an exceptional customer experience. The high quality of this store, matching Safeguard's superior portfolio, made completion of the acquisition easier than expected," said Michael Frosaker, Senior Vice President of Asset Management who, together with James Goonan, Senior Vice President of Development, led the effort to acquire this store for the Safeguard portfolio.

"This new facility complements our product offering there and provides Safeguard Self Storage with deepening critical mass in this market," explained Goonan.

Ken Finlay, Senior Vice President of Operations added, "Its convenient location (right in the center of the town), the plethora of amenities and the company’s dedication to providing outstanding customer service, makes renting with Safeguard the best storage option in Thornwood and the surrounding area. What makes Safeguard unique is the relationship that we develop with our customers--they are very important to us. We look forward to getting to know and serve the residents and business people of Thornwood. It's a great community and we're proud to be part of it."

Thornwood, NY Self Storage in brief:

• Safeguard acquired the Thornwood, NY self-storage location on June 10th, 2013.
• This facility has 358 storage units in 32,760 leasable square feet with a variety of unit sizes currently available.
• The Thornwood store team is led by Georgi Turer, Facility Manager and Daniel Dorado, Assistant Manager (transferring from the Elmsford, NY store effective today).

Visit us today!

950 Broadway
Thornwood, NY 10594
Phone: 914-295-2124
Fax: 914-769-6970

With 50% of all self storage customers being first time users one may ask how does air conditioned and heated storage make a difference? This is an important question, as many factors play into the decision to store in a climate controlled environment. Air conditioned and heated storage, simply put, makes a world of difference and here’s how: 

Elemental Protection – Standard, non-climate controlled storage units are usually found in buildings constructed of metal or tin. These building are generally susceptible to the elements as wind, rain and humidity find ways to penetrate the outer seams and openings. These types of buildings are also affected by major temperature swings as they tend to heat up rapidly during summer days and then cool down at night causing condensation. This moisture can cause warping of wood, yellowing of paper and mildew to grow on stored item.  During the winter months these buildings can become extremely cold causing stored goods to crack or chip. Temperature controlled storage units are designed to protect stored items from large temperature variations preventing moisture and mildew from forming which help items maintain their stored condition.

Sensitive Belongings – documents, photos, antiques, family heirlooms, and other valuables may not survive long term in regular outdoor storage. Choosing a climate controlled storage unit could save you from experiencing significant damage to weather sensitive items. 

Peace of Mind – Knowing that your items are stored in a climate controlled environment, protected from the elements just like your home or office will provide great comfort.  Air conditioned and heated storage units were designed so your items come out of storage in the same condition as when you put them in. What a concept!  

Making the right decision about self storage types is just as important as the decision to store. Making the wrong decision, in the long run, could cause more harm than good. To fully understand what self storage unit type and size is right for you, contact a storage professional today.

The Village of Lombard, Illinois experienced heavy rain and flooding last month accumulating up to six inches in some areas. While the sewage drains and pumps remained fully operational throughout the storm the quality design of our Lombard Storage Facility kept our building and property out of harm’s way.

At our facility in Lombard, 5.8” of rain was funneled from our roof, away from our storage building and deposited into drains around the perimeter of the property. The retention pond filled to capacity, but receded nicely the next morning.

Although the Village President had declared a state of emergency due to flooding of homes and businesses, our facility remained an island amid the rising water. All day our dedicated staff took calls from concerned customers worried about their stored belongings.

It was a pleasure to notify them that our facility was perfectly safe and dry. If you are considering storing your belongings, chose Safeguard Self Storage and discover why we say; don’t Just Store It, Safeguard It!

~Courtesy of Gil Beres

Safeguard is proud to team up with Mayor Bloomberg and the city of New York to establish the first Self-Storage Operator Code of Best Practices. The new codes will ensure self-storage facilities follow best practices to help prevent against the storage of counterfeit items in storage units.

The “Code of Best Practices” Includes the Following Items:

- Manager walkthroughs will be performed daily and a record keeping system establish where, upon unusually activity, further investigational measures will take place.

- Video recording system to be enhanced to sufficiently monitor the property.

- Tenant record system will require photo ID’s of tenants to remain on file for a year after they move out.

- Rental agreements forbid storage or sale of counterfeit items in storage facilities.

Kathleen McGee, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement issued this statement, “We welcome Safeguard Self Storage as a partner in reducing the proliferation of illegal goods and look forward to working with other storage operators in our continued efforts against counterfeiting”.

Safeguard’s mission is to lead the self-storage industry in product quality, service and value. And, as always, Safeguard will strive for continuous improvement in all that we do. Our goal is to provide high-quality products and services that customers can trust and that distinguish Safeguard in the marketplace.