Once you properly pack up your furniture and delicate items, you can use one of the Lock Up Self Storage facility’s free move in trucks to safely transport your items away from the dusty work zone and into a clean and safe space.  Whether you’re refinishing your hardwood floors, installing new windows, remodeling various rooms in your home or all of the above, a Lock Up Self Storage unit is the perfect place to keep your furniture and valuables safe and secure while all the work is being done.

Here are some tips for moving larger furniture:

• Wrap moving pads or blankets around the pieces to protect them during the move.
• Moving a large piece to the doorway to get it out of the house is easier if you use a towel or a blanket underneath so that it slides easily on the floor.
• Always use your legs to lift, not your back.  Squat and lift the piece, keeping your back straight and the furniture close to your body.
• Use moving straps to lift heavy items with two people.  These are special straps that are designed to distribute weight evenly based on leverage which makes it easier on you and your back.
• Lift furniture from its strongest point.
• Remove smaller parts from furniture, such as drawers, to lighten your load.

Have plans for a major remodeling job in your home?  Find the Lock Up Self Storage facility nearest you by calling 866-327-LOCK.

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The Facility

Your self storage facility should provide standard security measures such as coded entry, motion-detectng lighting, camera surveillance, alarms and smoke detectors. Ask your self storage center manager to show you the facility's security features. Trust your gut, if you don't feel confident your items will be safe, move on and find another storage center.

Personal Security

Whenever possible, bring someone with you when visiting your storage unit. There's safety in numbers. If you have to go alone, be sure to go in the middle of the day. Avoid early morning, late evening hours and otherwise off-peak hours.

If your storage facility uses coded entry, be selective about who you share your access code with. You never know, that person you gave the code to that one time, could run off with all of your important items. Consider changing the code every now and again for maximum security.

Make sure the items in your self storage unit are insured. Sometimes your facility will offer insurance, but if not, make sure your items are covered under your homeowner's or renter's insurance.

Physical Safety

Now that you've safely made it into your storage unit, make sure you stay safe inside the unit. Prevent injuries; avoid stacking items too high. Using shelves will provide more stability. Make sure there is a clear path through your storage unit so you can get out quickly in case of an emergency. Use dollies and flatbeds to move heavy items.

Following these tips will help you make sure your items stay safe and secure. What other storage safety and security tips can you share?

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Generally, restaurants make as much space available for guests and diners, and the kitchens and back offices are often pretty tight. So where are these restaurants, bars and hotels supposed to store all this bulk wine? Self storage units are a cost-effective way not only to store wine, but also to preserve it correctly.

For less than $10 per month, restaurants can store up to 4 cases of wine in a state-of-the-art, specially-designed wine storage unit. And for less than $70, owners and managers can store up to 48 cases of wine. By renting a wine storage unit, you not only get the additional space, but you can be sure your bottles are being safely and securely stored at the right temperature and humidity, away from light and excessive movement.

Call 1-866-327-LOCK to learn more about The Lock Up's Wine Storage facilities in Chicago, Florida and New Jersey.

Are you a restaurant, bar or hotel manager or owner who uses wine storage facilities? Share your tips here.

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Our storage facility in Downtown Naples is a convenient choice for many Florida residents. Located just off of Golden Gate Parkway and Tamiami Trail, and near the Coastland Center and Naples Plaza, The Lock Up Downtown Naples makes it easy to get in and out of your storage unit while you're out and about.

The storage center in Downtown Naples includes climate-controlled interior units, drive-up storage units, and wine storage units of all sizes. You can rest assured that your furniture, collectibles, antiques, vehicles and other items are safe, as our storage facility in Downtown Naples utilizes electronic coded access, motion sensitive lighting and security camera monitoring.

Call 1-866-327-LOCK to learn more about current specials and available units at our Downtown Naples storage facility or other Florida locations. Or stop in and say "hello" while you're out running errands. We'd love to see you!

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When it's summer in Chicagoland, it makes perfect sense to drive a compact, sporty car. Everyone in the city  is out and about, and sporty cars can easily weave through traffic, and compact cars are easier to park. But Chicago winters can be extremely unforgiving, and you'll need a vehicle with a little more substance unless you want to spend your winter spinning your wheels and digging yourself out of a plowed-in Chicago alleyway.

So what do you do with your off-season vehicle? Consider putting it in a self storage facility. Self storage provides the space, safety and protection your summer or winter baby needs. In the winter, you can choose an indoor storage unit, to protect your sportster or Harley from the cold, sleet and salt. You can even choose a climate-controlled storage space if you have a luxury vehicle like a Porsche or Ferrari. In the summer, you'll probably be fine with an outdoor storage space. And of course, you can access your vehicle anytime should we have one of those weird Chicago 80-degree December days, or 40-degree August days.

So get ready, Chicago, winter is fast-approaching. Check out this post on how to store your summer toys and take advantage of The Lock Up's 20% per month discount at their Kedzie, Lincolnwood, Northbrook, Schaumburg and Lisle locations.

Do you have any summer or winter car horror or success stories? Share them here...

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If you are a...

...College Student or Condo Owner Lacking In-Building Storage: Consider a 5'x5' or 5'x7.5. The 5'x5' storage unit holds small furniture items, boxes, seasonal items and personal records. The 5'x7.5' holds approximately one room of furniture, approximately twenty boxes, bicycles, personal records and seasonal items.

...Small Business or Couple Preparing for a New Baby: Consider the 5'x10' or 7.5'x10'. The 5'x10' storage unit holds about one to one and one-half rooms of furniture, lots of boxes, bicycles, sales reps supplies, business records and seasonal items. The 7.5'x10' storage unit holds two rooms of furniture and boxes, office furniture and files.

...Mid-Sized Business or an In-Transition Home Buyer/Seller: Consider the 10'x10', the 10'x15', or the 10'x20'. The 10'x10' unit stores two to three rooms of furniture and boxes, office furniture, files. The 10'x15' storage unit holds three to four rooms of furniture, boxes, small sports cars, commercial storage and inventory. The 10'x20' is equivalent to a one car garage and stores five to six rooms of furniture, average size car and commercial storage.

...Larger Business, Military Personnel, In-Transition Home Buyer/Seller, Contractor: Consider the 10'x25' or the 10'x30' units. The 10'x25' holds six to eight rooms of furniture, large vehicles, commercial storage, even boats. The 10'x30' holds everything you have in your house.

If you're still not sure what size you'll need, give us a call or ask here, we're happy to help.

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What are the advantages of using a self storage facility?

• Frees up space and reduces clutter in your home or office.
• Safely stores rarely used or seasonal items.
• Provides a safe and secure offsite location in case anything happens to your home or office.
• Offers temperature-regulated and climate-controlled options to protect your items from extreme temperatures and humidity they might face in your garage or basement.

Where should I store my items?

There are plenty of self-storage facilities out there. Of course you should check out a few to compare pricing and security features, but one other very important factor to consider is location. That facility out in the boonies might have low rates, but you'll make up for that savings in time and fuel getting to and from the facility.

Choose a location that's convenient and easy to get to, whether it's near your house or on your way home from the office.

What size do I need?

Think about what items you'll be storing in your unit, then check out this storage unit size guide to determine the right size. You'll get the most bang for your buck if you utilize your vertical space by storing items upright and using shelves. Remember to allow yourself a little wiggle room to navigate through your storage space to stock and pull items.

What's the best way to organize the storage unit?

• Again, utilize your vertical space.
• Use shelves and bins to keep everything organized and easily identifiable.
• Check out some of these storage products.
• Label everything! Believe me, you will not remember what is in that unmarked cardboard box next year. It's also helpful to keep an inventory of everything you have in your storage facility. You can check your inventory list before you tear up the house looking for that Christmas tree.
• Store more frequently-needed items near the front of the unit.

How do I get my items to and from the storage unit?

Check to see if your storage facility offers a free move-in truck. Many facilities also have hand trucks and dollies to help get your items in and out with ease.

What other questions do you have about using a self-storage facility for the first time? Ask here...

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When you're ready to accept the imminent arrival of cold weather, take a look at these tips for storing your summer vehicles in your storage unit until the chirping sounds of spring.

Take extra care in storing your bicycles, motorcycles and jet skis, and you'll be ready to ride again at the first sight of spring.  Learn more about climate-controlled self storage units in your area by using our self storage location finder

Do you have any other summer vehicle storage tips and tricks? Share them here...

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Here is a short list of the furniture you'll need for your new nursery:

Other items you'll need include:

In the first year, new parents can spend $3,000-$4,000 on the baby furniture and necessities listed above. Now multiply that by how many kids you plan on having and the expense can really add up. Of course, many parents will want to save their baby items for the next child, but if you don't plan on having another baby for a few years, where do you put all this stuff?

Renting a small self storage unit is a wise choice. If you wait two years to have your second child, you'll pay less than $1,000 to store your baby furniture, which costs a lot less than buying new furniture.

The other advantage of using a climate-controlled self-storage facility, is that your baby furniture is kept safe from extreme temperatures and sunlight, which can warp, crack and otherwise damage the furniture, making it unsafe for baby.

By using a self storage facility for your family's baby furniture, you can really gain some peace of mind. Until the 3:00 am feeding, that is...

Find a Lock Up self storage facility near you.

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With a low unemployment rate of 5.1% and 50,000 jobs available in town, not to mention the Minnesota Vikings' practice facility is located here, you just might want to consider moving to Eden Prairie. While it doesn't have a bustling downtown, its proximity to Minneapolis makes Eden Prairie an attractive balance of small town and big city living.

If you are planning on moving to Eden Prairie or Minneapolis, start getting prepared as soon as possible. Gather your moving supplies and get to packing. Should you find that all your stuff won't fit into your new Minnesotan home, consider putting any extra furniture into a self-storage facility until you figure out whether to donate it, sell it or save it for your next home.

After moving everything into your new home or your storage unit, get the rocking chair out onto the porch and get ready to live the good ol' American lifestyle. You're in our nation's best small city after all.

Learn more about the Lock Up's Eden Prairie self storage facility

Eden Prairie residents, what do you love about your town? Share your thoughts here...

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