Santa Clausets 101: How to Stash Your Presents

It is no secret that children cannot be trusted once holiday gifts are purchased! Instead of worrying that the secret will be spoiled, take the presents and stow them in your Budget Self Storage Santa Clauset. Use these tips to keep your packages safe until the big day:

·        Think about the amount of storage space you need and be sure to rent a unit large enough for your gifts. Santa Clausets offers space up to 5x5.

·        The floor is the coldest part of a storage unit. Keep your items cozy and warm by using wooden pallets or old blankets.

·        Avoid using garbage bags since items may break; plus, it's hard to tell what is inside!

·        Don’t store Susie’s gifts in the same container as Joey’s. Group presents by recipient every time you add to the stash.

·        Tie different colored bows or ribbon for each family member around their gifts for easy identification.

·        Driving during the holidays is already stressful enough! Choose a Budget Self Storage location that is close to your home or work to make your trips more convenient.

 

So long, Summer…Hello Winter!

Make way, make way… for delightful Florida winters! Are you ready to pack that summer gear away to make room for your cooler weather clothes? Packing and storing clothing in your Budget Self Storage unit can be done in a neat and organized way. Here are several tips to consider when storing your clothes:

Sort summer clothes by family member. Young children may outgrow what was worn during the current summer. This will make it easier for you to access and sort through those items first when the winter season is over.

Wash and dry clothes before storing. This will ensure that dirt, food and drink spills will be washed out and will not leave permanent stains.

Make sure clothes are 100% dry! Packing any clothes that are lightly damp may result in mildew or mold spores growing in your clothes and possibly transferring to other items.

Store items in plastic or metal tubs. Shallower or smaller containers with tight fitting lids are ideal. Put tape around the outside to further seal the tubs.

Add moth balls. Moth balls may have a strong and unpleasant odor but they effectively keep any moths/insects away from your clothes for good.

Label your stuff. Put masking tape or large stickers on the lid of each container and write a brief description of what is inside.

A little effort when you pack the clothing will make a big difference when it’s time to unpack!

March is clear out the Clutter Month for both Home and Office

Are you feeling overwhelmed and nowhere to put things?  You are not alone.  It is a fact that clutter stresses Americans out and therefore, it affects your health. Clutter makes people feel tired, lethargic, ashamed, confused, stuck and it even affects your weight and eating habits, not to mention ones attitude and aptitude.   Clutter has a way of piling up around us and raises a series of questions.

1.    Have you lost your spare room and making excuses why family can’t come to visit? 

2.    Are your closets filled to the top, vacation suitcases still out and nowhere to go? 

3.    Is your car a stranger to your garage because it’s filled with outdoor adventure gear, boxes of paperwork , holiday decorations, seasonal clothes and other personal items that just don’t fit in the house?   

At your office, simply said, clutter affects productivity, organization, and professional image.  If you have boxes of old files stacked high, extra equipment laying around, supplies hanging from shelves, and extra office furniture that you are not using at the moment, it is worth $50/month or less to clean up your work environment and productivity.

The change of season is a perfect time to clean up, organize and prepare for summer activities.  So, make a plan to take back your space and bring back your joy.  Start your plan by using the  four  sorting method:

·         Sell or Donate It

·         Put It Away

·         Trash It

·         Store It

Donate or Sell It.  Take advantage of the tax write off by donating to the many local programs that make a difference in your community.  Garage sale and craigslist is a great way to sell your items. 

Put It Away.   After you have removed the extra clutter you will have room to put the items back in their place.  Using containers and baskets can keep things in order and look organized at the same time.  For container ideas, please go to Containerstore.com.

Trash It.  This should include what is not worth donating or selling.  Damage and broken items and documents that no longer need to be kept.  Never through paperwork in the trash, it can get in the hands of the wrong people.  Shredding services are available for drop off or pick up at a facility near you. 

Store It.  Storage units are the best way to keep what you want to keep and free up space in your home or office.  Let the storage counselors at Budget Self Storage help you choose the right storage for your needs. Budget has it all from climate control to garage units open 7 days for your convenience. 

So pass through the tiredness and reap the rewards!  Your family, customers, employees and even your vehicle will thank you.  Read on to learn more on the effects of clutter.

Five “tidbits of information” for Shredding Confidential Information

Shredding confidential information is a common practice that is used to destroy paper documents, CD’s, DVD’s, X-rays, and hard drives.  Here are four tidbits of information why it is important to shred your non-public records:

1. Identity Theft.  With identity theft considered the fastest growing crime in America, we all live in a time where one person's trash is another person's treasure, literally. 

2. Consumer Trust.  If you’re a business, the feeling that non-public information is safeguarded and data will remain confidential provides a certain level of trust for consumers to do business with your company.

3. Disposing “Stuff”.   By removing stored stacks of paper will help save space and reduce a potential fire hazard at your home or business.

4. Tax Season.  Need we say more?  Okay we will…

Last year, according to the IRS, consumers lost nearly $57 billion to criminals who stole their identities - a scary thought as we discard old documents and fill up our garbage cans prior to April 15th.

How to prepare for the 2012 tax season? The IRS has three years to challenge information in your return and six years to conduct an audit based on unreported income. Keep tax returns and supporting records for at least seven years.  To learn more about record retention, click here.

What else should one do with so many other sensitive documents and/or hardware?  Investment statements for taxable accounts, bank statements, credit card statements, pay stubs, ATM receipts, cancelled checks, retirement plan contributions, insurance policies, and will’s. Moreover, for that old computer containing a hard drive with loads of personal information, don’t just throw it out or make a donation to a charity.

 

Get organized with your records and retain what is important and shred what is left. Having said all that, one should consider scanning all important documents before simply thinking “Ah, we don’t need this anymore!”  If you have any questions about legislative compliance, simply contact the IRS at the numbers below:

Telephone Assistance for Individuals
Toll-Free 1-800-829-1040

Telephone Assistance for Businesses
Toll-Free 1-800-829-4933

For shredding services in the Tampa Bay area provided by PROSHRED, visit a Budget Self Storage store in your community.