Follow the Trail of Civil War History Through New Orleans

It starts 65 miles south of the city, winds through the French Quarter and quietly comes to rest not far from Lake Pontchartrain. Civil War history takes fascinating turns through New Orleans and the surrounding parishes. Savvy history buffs start exploring this trail by staging their adventures out of nearby storage units in Marrero, LA. Put on your touring shoes, and join them on an amazing journey.

Forts, Battlefields and Reenactments

Fort Jackson stands as a monument to brave soldiers who held their ground in 1862. Six days after a fierce bombardment, Confederate forces surrendered, and Union troops began advancing up the Mississippi Delta. Located 65 miles south of the city, this historic fort and museum belongs on your must-see Civil War itinerary. If you thrill at being part of the action, raid self storage for your best reenactment gear. Fall into formation at the Chalmette Battlefield just seven miles downriver from New Orleans.

Museums, Houses and Mints

Head up to the city, and plot a course starting with the Confederate Memorial Hall on Camp Street. This venerable museum holds more Civil War artifacts than any other site of its kind. Swing over to Canal Street, and visit the Old U.S. Custom House where Union generals and Confederate prisoners shared space during New Orleans' occupation. Complete your trek with a tour of historic buildings along Esplanade Avenue. Be sure to stop by the Old U.S. Mint for an inspection of the quarters that served Confederate troops defending their beloved Crescent City.

Squares, Statues and Final Resting Grounds

Slow down, and stroll up Decatur Street to beautiful Jackson Square. Take it easy in the Big Easy enjoying a park that dates back to the early 18th century. At the Civil War's end, this original Plaza de Armas was renamed Jackson Square. The Battle of New Orleans hero still rides high as a magnificent equestrian statue in the park's center. Finally, pay respects to brave souls resting at Metairie Cemetery just south of Lake Pontchartrain. This serene site expresses Civil War history through uniquely artistic headstones, tombs and mausoleums.

Our part of the New Orleans metro area offers a perfect location for launching historic fun. When you want to keep your exploring and reenactment gear in a central location, count on us here at Safeguard Self Storage. Our Lapalco Boulevard facilities stand ready to serve you and fellow history buffs on all of your amazing journeys.

5 Events to Celebrate October in the Big Easy


New Orleans is a city that never sleeps, and has a variety of attractions to draw both visitors and new residents. This October, New Orleans residents have plenty to celebrate, and an influx of visitors want to be part of the festivities. Here are some of the events that Safeguard Self Storage wants to highlight, and how storage can help you get ready to party! 

Oktoberfest

First things first, Oktoberfest celebrations are happening throughout the country during October, so it stands to reason there’d be a flurry of events in New Orleans during this month. For the last three weekends in October, New Orleans residents will be enjoying German food, music, culture, and fun. These celebrations are held annually, and will be occurring on October 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, and 27. Taking place just ten miles from downtown New Orleans, this event draws attendees near and far. Try your strength at the Masskrugstemmen beer stein holding contest or try authentic German foods like Sauerbraten. There’s something here for everyone!

New Orleans Film Festival

Founded in 1989, the New Orleans Film Festival provides an opportunity for filmmakers to show off their latest works, which can include full-length features, shorts, and documentaries. The New Orleans Film Festival has become one of the nation’s top-ranked film festivals, and attracts thousands of people and industry professionals. This year the festival will be held from October 14-22, starting at Orpheum Theater in downtown New Orleans. There will be more than 170 selections featured during the festival.

Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival

 New Orleans is the Home of the Blues, and we’re celebrating at the 10th annual Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival. This event is free, taking place in Lafayette Square Park from Friday, October 16 to Sunday, October 18. But it’s not just music and BBQ that you get to enjoy! There’s a huge arts market, with works from the best regional and local vendors.

Voodoo Music & Arts Experience

Another big crowd drawer, the Voodoo Music & Arts Experience is second only to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Like many New Orleans events, this festival started small and has turned into a mega-event. Called “Voodoo” or “Voodoo Fest” for short, over the years this event has drawn more than a million people and booked over 2,000 acts. It’s scheduled to coincide with Halloween, and will take place from Friday, October 30 to Sunday, November 1. Held at the Festival Grounds in City Park, Voodoo has the motto, “Worship the Music.” We suggest that you do! 

Halloween in New Orleans

October wouldn’t be complete without a Halloween celebration, and New Orleans knows how to celebrate! Second only to Mardi Gras, New Orleans residents get wild and crazy for Halloween, dressing up in costumes and partying in the street. And as “The Most Haunted City in America,” we wouldn’t expect any less! Experience haunted tours through the French Quarter or browse through the many Voodoo shops to learn a little history. Thinking of bringing your family out for Halloween? No problem. Audubon Zoo holds an annual “Boo at the Zoo” on October 16, 17, 23, and 24.

Self Storage Makes Celebrations Easy 

Whether you’re an attendee, a vendor, or a filmmaker, Safeguard Self Storage in the Big Easy, can make your life, well, easier. Preparing for the festivities and running out of room for your set up supplies? Find an affordable storage locker to store your stuff. Attracted to this lively city and thinking of making the move? Use self storage to ease your transition. We have locations throughout Louisiana! Contact us today to see how we can help make your life easier – and enjoy the festivities!

 

How to Store Musical Instruments

A bright orange guitar resting against a black drumset.

If you ask a professional musician here in New Orleans about the importance of personal storage, don't expect him to talk about stashing furniture. Instead, he'll sing the praises of space that keeps the tools of his trade safe when he's not jazzing up the crowds on Bourbon Street. He'll also explain how important it is to properly prep musical instruments for long-term storage in New Orleans.

Baby Your Brass

Every band needs plenty of brass, so keep your horns ready to blow with climate-controlled care in a storage unit rental. Prep each one by taking out the slides, emptying the water and giving the slide legs a good cleaning. It's important to use heavy oil on the valves, casings and bearings because it's less likely to evaporate while your horn stays in storage. A few drops of bearing oil work best in the lead pipe. Snake it clean, and add a few more drops. Grease and replace the slides, and your brass is ready to be stashed.

Store Strings Carefully

Guitars, violins and violas are sensitive to the humidity and temperature extremes in New Orleans, but they stay safe in climate-controlled self storage. Get your instrument ready by detuning the strings down several notes to relax tension on the neck. Clean the body and tuning mechanisms with a dry cloth, and use wax or oil on the fretboard. Be sure to use a polish specially formulated for stringed instruments. Store your strings in a heavy case along with a silica pouch, and slip several plastic bags over the case.

Be Diligent with Drums

Whether you march to the beat of a snare or multi-toms, those skins need the same climate-controlled environment as strings and horns. If you're putting away a full set, personal storage options give you room to spare. Inspect each drum carefully, and disassemble for a thorough cleaning. Wipe everything down with a soft cloth inside and outside the shell and hardware. Reduce tension on the bottom and top heads by half, but make sure they stay tight enough to secure the tension rods. Don’t forget to store your reassembled set off the floor on wood pallets.

From Preservation Hall to Jazz Park, the sounds stay sweet when brass, strings and drums stay in tune. Whether you're new on the scene or a seasoned pro, let
Safeguard storage unit rental back up your New Orleans lineup. And no worries, you won't have to live on red beans and rice to treat your favorite musical instruments to affordable self storage.

Making Your Perfect Craft Room

Tubes of paint, paint brushes, buttons, paper, and craft flowers resting on a table.

Has your arts and crafts hobby outgrown your home? If it feels like your home is being overrun by crafts supplies, or if you just need a more peaceful setting in which to practice your trade, a New Orleans, LA storage rental is your solution. Crafters like you use Metairie storage facilities to enable their hobbies.

 Whether you opt to store spare supplies in a nearby storage unit, decide to store completed projects for sale in the future or turn a Metairie, LA self storage unit into a full-fledged craft room, you'll be delighted by how versatile and affordable self storage can be for crafters.


Reorganize Your Crafts with Metairie Storage Facilities

Maybe you have a spare room at home where you enjoy working on crafts. The problem, however, may be finding space for all those supplies and completed projects.
Find a nearby Kenner storage facility and move extra supplies and projects there instead. You’ll create a safe home for your various craft supplies and will be able to focus on the task at hand. As an added bonus, your home will be a lot less cluttered.

The whole family is sure to appreciate all the space your Metairie self storage unit frees up, so locate a conveniently located storage facility and get started today. Contact Safeguard Self Storage for unit availability and move-in specials and start getting your crafts in order!

Easy Self Storage in the Big Easy

 

New Orleans, Aka the Big Easy, is home to historic neighborhoods, world-class festivals, unique food and Safeguard’s Louisiana self storage units. The Big Easy is a veritable melting pot of cultures. While the hodgepodge of cultures makes New Orleans a unique and interesting place to visit, a hodgepodge in your self storage unit is not ideal. Here are some easy to follow tips for making the most of your New Orleans storage. 

Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail

The number one key to a smooth and easy transition to a storage unit is planning. Gathering packing materials, grouping items by category and investing in storage shelves are some of the crucial steps in moving belongings. Labeling boxes or attaching itemized lists can do wonders for when you’re looking for items in the future.

Use Your Space Effectively

Shelving is a great way to utilize space in your storage unit and maintain organization. When filling your storage unit, grouping items by category will help if you ever need to find anything in the future. Also, fill your unit from back to front; place awkwardly shaped items in the front. Don’t forget to use your vertical space as well. Long items can be stored vertically to utilize extra space.

Protect Your Belongings

While Safeguard self storage has secure, climate controlled storage units, precautions should still be taken to protect your belongings. Wrap delicate items in bubble wrap or newspaper and place in secure areas, such as furniture drawers. If you can’t completely fill your boxes, stuff the open space with newspaper to prevent them from collapsing when stacked. Treat wood surfaces and use protective covers before storing.

We hope these easy to follow tips will help you have a successful storage experience. If you’re looking for Louisiana self storage units, use one of the many Safeguard self storage locations.

For detailed information about each of our Louisiana stores, please click the appropriate link:

New Orleans Self Storage, Metairie Self Storage, Harvey Self Storage, Marrero Self Storage, Baton Rouge Self Storage.

Safeguard 25th Anniversary

In 2014, Safeguard Self Storage is very proud to celebrate our Silver Anniversary. It’s hard to believe that twenty five years ago, Safeguard began with a few storage locations in Louisiana. What began as Jefferson self storage, New Orleans self storage and Baton Rouge self storage has now grown into sixty five stores in six states. Much has changed over the years, but our vision has remained the same: To create a self storage experience second to none; one that includes the highest quality storage amenities and unsurpassed customer service. We want to thank our employees and customers for helping us achieve this benchmark as we continue to grow and serve the needs of our self storage consumers in new and innovative ways. 

"At Safeguard Self Storage we are very excited about our 25th anniversary. We recognize that we could not have reached this milestone without the hard work of our dedicated team members and the support of our loyal customers. We look forward to continuing to grow the Safeguard brand through innovative design, advanced-technology security amenities and the best possible customer experience in the self storage industry," said Vice President of Marketing, Kurt Kleindienst.

 

To commemorate this special event, we have created our 25th Anniversary video for your viewing pleasure. Click here to play the video.