You can do this. A little smart planning makes it easy to get ready for a new semester. Both Kean University and New Jersey Tech are just a few miles away, so split the distance with self storage here in Elizabeth, NJ. You’re perfectly positioned to rock the new semester with these 10 tips for organizing your dorm room.

1. Make the most of limited clothes storage options with plastic slide-out drawer sets. These stackable faux dressers help expand tight wardrobe space.
2. Decorate a shower caddy, hang it over your desk, and enjoy compliments on your suspended solution to clutter. No one has to know that your clever wall organizer came from the bathroom.
3. Put up inexpensive shelving for books and more. You can find great deals on easy-to-assemble sets at a local DIY store. This portable organizing solution lets you cubbyhole anything.
4. Turn an over-the-door shoe organizer into a snack storage zone. The clear plastic compartments give you easy access to packaged munchies while they protect goodies from hungry bugs.
5. Stretch small spaces with tension rods. Mount these tough suspension bars where no other storage can go, and turn tight corners into mini closets.
6. Keep track of the little stuff with plastic ice cube trays. Put several in a top drawer for organizing everything from paper clips to vending machine change.
7. Transition a plain, plastic silverware tray into your favorite desk organizer with a little fabric and glue. If things get really crowded topside, slip it in a drawer next to the ice cube trays.
8. Tame chargers and cords by wrapping them with brightly patterned Washi tape. Trade fumbling and figuring out matches with a quick visual reference covering all your gadgets’ lifelines.
9. Save limited floor space with a mattress caddy. Nightstands take up valuable indoor real estate, so keep your essentials tucked in a colorful organizer made just for beds.
10. Turn wasted space under the bed into extra storage with handy roller trays. These smart catchalls also cut down on room cleaning chores by discouraging dust bunnies.

Stay centrally located with our Safeguard Self Storage facilities right here in Elizabeth, NJ. We’re at your service all year-long with student-friendly units and great amenities. When you store your stuff with us, you can enjoy campus life wherever you go in Union County.

The township of Holmdel, New Jersey offers picturesque beauty to residents – and located almost directly in the center is the innovative research and development facility known as Bell Labs. Opened more than 50 years ago, this facility is credited with the creation of the transistor, the discovery of cosmic microwave background radiation, and notable work in the Big Bang Theory

With such rich history in the sciences, you might be inspired to create your own lab space at home. But creating one takes work, from choosing the right space to moving clutter to self storage. Safeguard Self Storage can help, so you can start experimenting in your personal lab! We've got a few tips on how you can create your own now.

The Requirements of a Home Lab

Transforming one of your rooms into a home science lab starts with choosing the right location. The lab will require several features:

• Work surface. Labs can take up a large amount of counter space. Besides space for the experiment itself, you’ll need room for a microscope, supplies, notebook, chemicals, and so on. Ten square feet is the bare minimum with two designated areas: Space for performing the actual experiments and an area for prep and recording notes. Protect surfaces with mats.
• Storage. Securing storage space in your lab is important for keeping equipment and chemicals safe. This is especially important for any hazardous materials. Don’t store general household items with your chemicals, and make sure these items aren’t easily accessible by children or pets.
• Ventilation. Experiments may cause toxic fumes, odors or smoke. Ventilating your work area and guiding these fumes outdoors is important for your comfort and safety. An open window with exhaust fan is sufficient, but an exhaust hood is ideal. Work outdoors if an experiment produces lots of fumes or smoke.
• Lighting. Ensure the area is well lit, so you can perform experiments safely and avoid dangerous errors. Use table lamps or portable light sources if the overhead lighting isn’t sufficient.
• Electrical outlets. Make sure you have plenty of access to electrical sources. Various pieces of equipment will require electricity, and any extra lighting will also need to be plugged in.
• Water and sewer. While not essential, access to running water and a sewer connection will make life in your home lab easier.
• Flooring. At some point, you will most likely spill something on the floor. Should that happen, it’s best to have linoleum or sheet vinyl as your flooring material. If it’s concrete, paint it with epoxy-based floor paint to prevent absorption or staining.

Choosing a Room for Your Lab

Many rooms can be viable options for a home lab, even if they don’t have all the features you need. Consider which room is the best option for you and then start the transformation:

1. Kitchen. With plenty of work space, storage, access to water, and the correct flooring, the kitchen might be an ideal place for a home lab. A kitchen also has good ventilation, access to electricity and is well lit. However, storing chemicals near your food can be dangerous. If the kitchen is your only option, take extreme care to prevent contamination. Protect surfaces with a durable, chemical-resistant mat, and make sure to clean everything thoroughly after each experiment. Store equipment and chemicals separately from all kitchen related items. 
2. Laundry room. Laundry rooms generally have everything you need to create a lab. You’ll have to be aware of any spills or clean up to ensure that any clothes in the area stay damage-free.
3. Basement/Garage. Basements and garages are pretty similar locations when considering lab setup. There is usually plenty of storage space and work surfaces available, or can be easily installed if necessary. The floor is also usually concrete and electrical power is available, though ventilation and water supply can be a concern for a basement lab. Also, garages don’t usually have water supply and lack climate control.

While basements and garages may not have certain beneficial features, they very well could be the only option you have for a home lab and may be the best choice for people who don’t want their lab to overflow into their everyday lives.

Moving Extra Clutter to Self Storage

Once you’ve chosen your space for the lab, start de-cluttering by moving unnecessary belongings to a nearby commercial storage space. Move boxed items from your garage or basement to a Holmdel storage unit so it’s safe and out of the way. Large items that are rarely used are right at home in a self storage space, too.

Map out exactly how much counter space and household storage you’ll need for your home lab. Also consider how much room you’ll want for your own comfort. When you know the space that your home lab requires, moving extra clutter to nearby self storage will be much easier. Safeguard Self Storage in Holmdel is equipped with top of the line security features, so you can rest easy knowing your belongings are safe – and start experimenting worry-free. Figure out how much clutter you need to store, and find the storage unit to fit your needs.  

Springtime means it's baseball season at Veteran's Park, but there's more to April than organizing team schedules. Did you know that this is officially Records and Information Management Month? Home and business owners all over the area take advantage of convenient Ridgefield storage lockers this time of year to set their records straight.

Centralize Your Storage Strategy

No one celebrates RIM Month with a parade, but you can celebrate it by making it part of your spring routine. Home desk drawers aren't the best filing systems for important receipts. A box in the broom closet doesn't protect business tax records. Still, these are go-to storage solutions that work until you can't find that one critical piece of paper. If you've tried saving scanned documents to CDs, you know how easily the discs get lost. You need a simple, central solution to paper chases and record frustrations, and that’s the convenience of a nearby Ridgefield storage unit rental.

Separate, Save and Archive

Go through drawers, boxes and file cabinets, and separate routine papers from important records. It's a challenge to replace documents like birth certificates, social security cards and passports, so collect them for storage. Round up filed tax forms, financial records and estate papers. Don't overlook vehicle registrations, home and business inventories and insurance policies. Commit irreplaceable family photos to CD, and include them in your record archives. If the thought of losing it gives you a headache, it belongs in a secure self storage unit.

Pamper Paper and Digital Files

Important records headed for storage deserve a little pampering, so choose sturdy boxes with lids that tape shut or lidded plastic containers. Tuck paper files into plastic sleeves, and use anti-static packaging for digital media. This type of bundling lets you mark the outside of each item for quick reference. As you fill up containers, put older items in first, and label each box with an overview of its contents. Documents and CDs don't like humidity, but most Ridgefield storage lockers offer climate-controlled environments as well as pallets that keep everything off the floor.

Once you've organized important papers and records in self storage, take another look around the house or office. This time of year inspires everything from clutter cleanup to garage sales, and affordable Ridgfield storage unit rental makes it all easy. Spring is finally in the air, so put things in order with Safeguard Self Storage, and go enjoy that ballgame.