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Top Tips on Using Self Storage over the Winter
Winter is an ideal time to put summer items into storage. All those bulky items you only use during the warmer months need to be put away somewhere, and self-storage facilities can be a better alternative than trying to find room for them at home.
Cramming them into your garage can mean there is no space for your car, and you can easily end up regularly having to defrost the windscreen on cold winter mornings. Garden sheds don’t always have much room either.
At Hamiltons Removals we offer a range of self storage options for people in Suffolk and Norfolk. Here we look at the kinds of items commonly put into self-storage, how to wrap them up, and how our Safe N Stored facilities will give you peace of mind and a good deal more room.
Items to Put into Winter Storage
The average family has a lot of items it only uses during the summer months. Your garden furniture and barbecues are prime candidates for putting into a self storage facility; you are unlikely to be cooking outdoors in the middle of winter, and outdoor seats can easily be blown about if you leave them outside, particularly if they are made of plastic.
Some sports and activities need a lot of bulky equipment. If you or your children play cricket or tennis, then putting pads, bats and rackets into storage can free up a lot of space in cupboards. If you enjoy water sports, you will know that canoes, kayaks and boats can also be quite valuable as well as large. The same applies to motorbikes, if you don’t want to risk using it in winter. Using a self storage facility will keep them more secure than they would be at home.
Another advantage of having a self storage facility is that it is like having an extra room all the year round. So all your winter-only items like skis and snowboards, Christmas decorations, electric heaters and winter clothing can be brought out of storage and replaced with your summer ones.
Prepare Everything Properly
Before you put any items into self-storage, it is worth taking some basic precautions. If it is a mechanical item like a lawn mower, then give it a thorough clean and test, and make any repairs now, not later.
Clothing should be washed, and dry cleaned if appropriate, before it is stored away. Put the items either in clear plastic containers so you can find them again easily, or use wardrobe boxes if the item is normally hung up. Lavender can be used to keep them smelling fresh.
All your possessions earmarked for self-storage should be wiped down thoroughly and dried out. This means there is less chance of being them becoming infested with mould and bacteria over the next few months.
Store all items at ground level and not stacked one on top of another, to minimise the risk of damage from falls. Where possible, put a cover underneath the item as well to prevent any damage to the underside. Putting dust covers on top of furniture is also a good idea.
Following these simple precautions mean you should be able to use them straight after you take them out of storage. You won’t want to spend valuable time repairing lawn mowers and other mechanical items.
Pack Items Carefully
Smaller items can be packed in cardboard boxes or cartons. Don’t put too many items into one box, as it can quickly become too heavy to carry. Equally, don’t put in just one or two items, as they can easily move around and suffer damage during transportation. If you are packing any fragile goods then consider using bubble wrap.
Try to make sure that similar items are packed together, and that all boxes are clearly marked so you know what it inside each one. And make sure you leave plenty of room inside your storage room or unit so you can get to everything easily.
Safe N Stored
Hamiltons Removals operate Safe N Stored facilities at two sites, in Harleston and Aldeby. Both are ideal for people needing self storage in Suffolk and Norfolk, particularly from Diss, Halesworth and Stradbroke.
Our Harleston site offers complete rooms with top-of-the-range security features including around-the-clock CCTV and an alarm system which is linked to Norfolk Police. There is also an on-site shop which sells a range of items, including cartons, tape and bubble wrap, to help you with your packing.
At our Aldeby premises you can store items in a range of differently-sized containers, from 35 square feet to 150 square feet. They are also protected by CCTV cameras and are also easily accessible, meaning you can drive your van or car right up to them. The site includes boat and caravan storage facilities. If you would like to know more about our self storage facilities, click on the link above.
Halloween Traditions Across the World
Most of us are familiar with pumpkins and trick-or-treating – but did you know that Halloween can also be marked by having a picnic near an ancestors’ gravestone, or by hiding away all your kitchen knives?
With Halloween just around the corner, Hamiltons Removals – one of the leading moving companies in East Anglia – realise how important it is to be aware of local customs and practices for people who are moving to a new country. Here, we look at how the tradition of Halloween started, and at some of the more unusual celebrations held in Europe and across the world.
Where Did it All Start?
Halloween originally began as a way of honouring the dead, and particularly martyrs and saints. Many of the modern customs have their roots in ancient Celtic harvest festivals.
The word itself is a contracted form of All Hallows’ Eve. Many countries, particularly those with a strong religious tradition, leave their celebrations until All Hallows’ Day on November 1. To make things even more complicated, other countries mark All Souls’ Day on November 2 instead.
The USA and Canada
If you are moving house to the USA or Canada, then trick or treating is the commonest tradition. Children dress up in spooky costumes and call from house to house saying ‘trick or treat’ in the hope of being given some sweets. Many people assume that the practice spread from the USA and Canada to the UK, but the idea of dressing up in costumes and calling at strangers’ homes in search of food began in Britain and Ireland in the 16th century. Modern US trick or treating only started in the 1920s.
Both countries follow the tradition of lighting jack o’lanterns, usually by putting candles inside carved or hollowed-out pumpkins, to add to the general air of spookiness. Depending on who you believe, this either represents a ghost or evil spirit, or is a way of scaring off vampires or the undead.
Mexico and Spain
In Mexico and Spain, the closest equivalent to Halloween is celebrated on All Souls’ Day, or the Day of the Dead, as they call it. People dress up to look like their ancestors and build altars in their own homes, decorated with flowers, candles and other offerings, such as their loved one’s favourite food.
Some brave people even spend it in the cemetery with picnics, music and spend the night there. The day is also marked in other south American countries, including Brazil, Peru, as well as parts of the USA with a large Mexican community.
Austria
In Austria, it is common practice to leave bread, water and a lighted lamp on a bedside table on Halloween, in the belief that this welcomes all dead souls back to earth. This is a tradition largely kept alive by the older generation as children are more likely to go trick-or-treating.
Austria’s Catholic population also goes to special church services on All Hallows’ Day and decorate their ancestors’ graves. This is part of a week of commemorations known as All Souls’ Week.
France
If you are moving to France, any Halloween celebrations there are usually kept low-key as the whole tradition is seen as an American import. People do use October 31 as an excuse to dress up and go to a party, either at a friend’s house, or a restaurant, bar or club. Costumes tend to be scary rather than cute.
Italy
The Italians also tend to avoid lighting pumpkins or trick-or-treating as these are viewed as too American. They mark All Saints’ Day with a special mass, while All Souls’ Day Italians place flowers on their ancestors’ tombs.
Any celebrations on October 31 tend to have local or regional roots. For instance, in the north-western village of Triora, many of the women dress up as witches and there is a spectacular display of pumpkins. This is because in the 16th century, 200 local women went on trial accused of causing plagues and bad weather, as well as killing farm livestock and new-born babies.
Germany
Germans don’t go in for many of the usual Halloween traditions for two principal reasons. They don’t like the way it’s become commercialised, and because they celebrate St Martin’s Day less than two weeks later, on November 11. This has many similar customs to Halloween, such as lantern processions, bonfires and special foods.
However, many Germans will hide all the knives in their houses on the night of either October 31 or November 1. Tradition has it that spirits come to your house on either of these nights, so all knives are securely stashed away so any ghostly visitors can’t hurt themselves – or the homeowner.
Hamiltons Removals – A Leading East Anglian Moving Company
Hamiltons Removals is one of the leading East Anglian moving companies who can help you with commercial or domestic removals to Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia and many other international destinations.
We can ship your items at a competitive price, either as part of an individual consignment, or a groupage service where containers are shared with other people who are also on the move. Smaller items can be sent via airfreight.
If you are planning a move abroad and need a removals service, use our contacts page or call us on 01379 855203.