A common myth associated with storage units is their only use is for people who are “pack racks” or “hoarders” – Someone who has a hard time of letting go, and needs to store everything and anything.

In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. In today’s transitioning society, full of job transfers and temporary living arrangements, self-storage units fulfill a very real need. Instead of being forced to sell or donate many valuable and cherished belongings, a person in a transitioning period can turn to a self-storage unit.

Reasons to Use Self Storage

Self storage units are needed for an array of reasons, including:

• Temporary job transitions – A large percentage of self storage units are rented by people who are in between permanent residents. A common cause of this is someone who is taking a temporary job out of town, like an internship, co-op, or residency assignment.
• De-cluttering a home to sell – When selling a home, one common and practical tip is to streamline and de-clutter. This helps open up the home, making it more inviting and appealing. Climate controlled storage units offer a practical and low-cost solution.
• Transitioning college students: The life of a college student or new graduate can be unbalanced and unpredictable. A storage facility offers an easy and affordable solution.

First Time Storage Tips

Planning ahead will ensure that your move goes smoothly. Before you move your valuables into just any self-storage facility, keep a couple of the following criteria in mind:

• Security: If you are leaving town for an extended period of time, it is important to choose a facility that places a premium on security. Quality locks and surveillance equipment are a must.
• Hours of Operation: The self-storage unit you choose should have a point of contact in case of an emergency. Also, make sure your contact knows how to reach you.
• Access to Facility: Some facilities only offer limited access to the storage unit. If you require multiple family members or friends to have access, make sure you clear this with the self-storage facility.
• Packing and Storing: When storing your items, label everything clearly, this allows for easy access. Also avoid over stacking and creating large, hazardous pyramids.

Read more storage tips from The Lock Up. If you need a place to store your valuables, look for a climate-controlled Lock Up self storage facility near you.

The 29^th annual National Night Out event held at The Lock Up Self Storage on Piper Blvd was yet again a resounding success. Florida’s Collier County Sheriff’s department teamed up with The Lock Up to host the event on August 7, 2012 in a continuing effort to show the community that safety is of the utmost concern.

The event was family friendly and had nearly 500 attendees who were treated with numerous fun activities. There were community and retailer booths, including a Lock Up Self Storage booth where Lock Up goodies such as shopping bags, pens, and keychains were handed out. In addition, The Lock Up held a raffle for 3 free months of storage.

The festivities included food and drinks from local restaurants and a local country music radio station provided the soundtrack for the evening. And of course, no Safetyfest National Night Out against crime would be complete without law enforcement demonstrations that were highlighted by performances by the K-9 unit, exciting moments of the jaws of life being used to chop up 2 cars, fire hoses turned on for kids to run through (a welcome relief to hot and humid evening), the award-winning Collier County D.A.R.E. sports car, and bomb squad robots.

The Lock Up couldn’t be more pleased with the turnout and the support that the Naples community provided. The people and families of Naples proved that a night full of music, food and fun can definitely be a safe night as well. A big Thank You to all who made this night possible! Here are some pictures of the night’s events…and remember, safety first!

The Lock Up Self Storage prides itself on providing top of the line self storage facilities as well as phenomenal customer service. When you become a tenant of The Lock Up Self Storage, you are guaranteeing that your belongings will be stored in an environment comparable to your own home. Here are some highlights of the benefits to be found at any of The Lock Up Self Storage facilities across the United States:

• Impeccable facilities. Nearly all Lock Up locations have been built within the last 10 years, with a few exceptions of the original Lock Up facilities which are maintained beautifully. Some of The Lock Up facilities have even won architectural awards.
• Twenty four hour/seven days a week security camera monitoring.
• Electronic coded access to prevent non-tenants access to the storage areas.
• Closely monitored climate controlled units.
• Weekly maintenance checks on all facilities to ensure that any issues are taken care of promptly.
• Month to month contracts. You’re never tied into long contracts. The Lock Up’s goal is to provide you with what you need, when you need it.
• Affordable rates. Additionally, The Lock Up often runs special deals for new tenants. Check with the manager of your local Lock Up facility for details on pricing and specials.
• Free move in trucks at each location for new tenants…just one more way to make the hassle of moving less of a hassle.
• The Lock Up front offices will receive deliveries for you so you don’t have to leave work to wait for the deliver guy or worry about your packages sitting unattended on your doorstep.
• Hand carts are always available for you to move your belongings into your unit without breaking your back.
• Paper shredding services are available at the majority of The Lock Up facilities. Inquire about this service with the manager of your local Lock Up.
• Many locations have loading bays that are either covered or inside of the facilities so that you don’t have to battle the weather while loading or unloading at The Lock Up.
• Select locations have state of the art wine storage units. Check out the virtual tour of the wine cellar in the Chicago Lock Up facility on Kinzie Street.

Any way you slice it, The Lock Up Self Storage is way ahead of the pack when it comes to providing fantastic service and top notch facilities. Be sure to talk to your local Lock Up Self Storage when you’re ready to entrust your belongings to a self storage facility.

Visit www.thelockup.com for more information on pricing and availability.

Everyone knows that moving is a stressful occasion. Having to pack up your belongings and transition from one phase into another can be quite daunting. Planning a large move, or even simply rearranging your belongings can pose a threat to your status quo. The friendly managers and staff at the thirty Lock Up Self Storage facilities across the country can offer you a safe harbor in times of change.

“Moving is stressful. Our job is to make it less stressful on our end,” says Peder, the manager of the Plymouth, Minnesota Lock Up. Whether it is offering packing solutions, providing a free move in truck for new tenants, or even lending a helping hand on site, the managers of all The Lock Up facilities make their tenants a priority.

While touring the Lock Up Self Storage locations within Illinois, I had the opportunity to meet the managers and some of the tenants of The Lock Up. What struck me the most was how personable the on site staff were. Most managers knew many of their customers by name and on more than one occasion I watched them help out their customers. For example, I overheard one manager recommending a space that was going to be empty soon because they knew that their client wanted more space. And at another location, I was told by a customer that the manager had introduced them to another tenant and that they began doing business together. Instances like this are what create the outstanding customer service that The Lock Up Self Storage provides.

Aside from the clean, safe and secure units and facility, The Lock Up Self Storage is a place that you can turn to when your life is in upheaval. You can rest assured that your belongings are safe, but you can also be reassured that the people that are taking care of your belongings also have your best interests in mind. Managers will receive packages for you, provide storage tips and work with you to make sure that your experience storing your belongings is the very best experience possible.

For more information and to find a Lock Up Self Storage facility near you, visit www.thelockup.com or call 877.618.8880

The Lock Up Self Storage is joining forces with Florida’s Collier County Sheriff’s office once again. Together they are hosting the 29^th annual National Night Out against crime event, Safetyfest. The event will be held in the parking lot of the Lock Up North Naples storage center at 1025 Piper Boulevard in North Naples on Tuesday, August 7, 2012 from 5-8 p.m. The festivities are free of charge and will include free food and drinks, live music, and safety demonstrations throughout the night.

The evening’s festivities will be numerous, including the reptile guy, rides on an antique fire truck, and a live car burn simulator. Attendees will also be able to see the K-9 dogs in action, view a demo of Collier County Sheriff’s Bomb Squad and even tour the mobile Crime Scene Lab. Additional presentations will be made by the CCSO SWAT Unit, Crime Scene Department, and the North Naples Fire Department.

The Lock Up is honored to be taking part in this effort to let their community know that a great night can also be a safe night. The Lock Up Self Storage facilities are focused on making sure that your possessions are safe with them and committed to maintaining a safe community for all. If you live in the North Naples area, be sure to spread the word to your friends, family and neighbors. Last year’s event was a smashing success and this year’s event is sure to be a fun night for all.

For more information, contact The Lock Up North Naples storage facility on Piper Blvd at (239)732-5870, or CLICK HERE to view the event flyer.

If you have a garage, chances are good that it serves as a storage area for you. But what happens to all of your stored items when you decide to remodel your garage? Let The Lock Up be your saving grace during the renovation of your garage.

Any kind of construction or remodeling is stressful, but by renting a unit from your local Lock Up Self Storage facility, you’ll save yourself from extra stress and worry. It’s too risky to chance leaving your goodies in the garage when construction workers take over. No matter how conscientious the workers are, the possibility of equipment or debris damaging your stuff is quite likely. But when you store your items in a Lock Up Self Storage unit, you know that they will be undisturbed; not to mention, safe and secure because of the 24 hour security monitoring and keypad entry that is standard with all Lock Up Self Storage facilities.

The Lock Up has any size unit you could ever need, from 5’x5’ up to drive in units big enough for a boat. So you can clear out the garage which will allow your workers to work more quickly and efficiently and that could mean that your project is completed right on schedule.  With every new rental, customers can use The Lock Up’s free move in truck, so moving items out of your garage and into your storage unit couldn’t be any easier. Most units at The Lock Up are climate controlled so your boxes of items will be stored in a cool, clean environment, safe from harm’s way.

Once your garage renovation is complete, your items will be waiting for you in your Lock Up Self Storage unit. And just in case you’re enjoying the spaciousness of your new garage, The Lock Up can allow you to keep it that way. Just extend your Lock Up lease and you will still have a place to keep all of those things you simply cannot part ways with.

Go to www.thelockup.com to find out more about renting a storage unit at The Lock Up today.

Do you enjoy wine? Have you thought about how nice it would be to collect fine wines, but held off because you don’t have a way to properly store bottles of wine? Well, hold off no longer. The Lock Up Self Storage in the River North neighborhood of Chicago has an affordable solution in their state of the art wine storage facility. And recently, they had a virtual tour created by Google, allowing you to experience the wine cellar for yourself before you go.

View Larger Map
Use your mouse to click and drag to look around the space. Click the white arrows to move through the room and into one of the wine storage rooms on the left.

The elevator doors open onto a lovely room featuring a large wooden table and chairs. This is not your typical self storage facility. You truly feel like you could be in the cellar on a real vineyard. The front room is a great place to meet wine vendors, or even meet with some friends to sample a bottle from your collection before you go out for a nice meal at one of the many local restaurants within walking distance of The Lock Up.

Located on the lower level of the Lock Up facility, this wine cellar boasts beautiful amenities meant to enhance your wine storage experience but also ensure that your wine is stored with the utmost attention to the details that matter. For example, the while the wooden shutters look nice, they also serve a dual purpose. The shutters are angled down which not only creates privacy for each client’s wine collection, but this also diverts light away from the bottles, which is necessary to prevent wines from spoiling and becoming “light struck”. In addition, the lighting in the storage area is motion sensitive so that they only turn on when necessary.

While the appearance of the wine storage units is definitely impressive, no expense has been spared to provide the technology necessary for optimal wine storage conditions. The Lock Up has dedicated refrigeration equipment specifically for the wine cellar. This enables the wine storage area to be kept at a consistent, year round temperature of 55 degrees. In addition, there are advanced humidity control systems that ensure humidity levels stay between 60-70%. And in case you need it, documentation of these precise conditions can be acquired in the main office.

The wine storage units at The Lock Up Self Storage are designed to accommodate any number of bottles from personal collections up to the largest restaurant inventories. You can even have The Lock Up receive deliveries of wines from around the world. So now you have no excuse to start that fine wine collection. Just call or go to The Lock Up Self Storage in River North. You won’t be disappointed.

To get your fine wine collection started, call The Lock Up Self Storage in River North at (312) 464-1900 or visit the friendly and knowledgeable staff located at: 350 West Kinzie Street  in Chicago, IL.