Here at Storage Station in West Milford, or at any of our New York and New Jersey locations our helpful staff can help you by giving you plenty of tips for organizing your self storage space and we also have everything you may need in our location stores with much lower prices than even the big stores.   For some, organization and space saving do not come easy.  This blog is dedicated to those who find organizing their personal belongings and household items challenging and overwhelming.  If you take your time and have a plan of attack you can easily conquer the impossible.  There are many methods to organize your self-storage space.  The first thing you should do is to take a complete written inventory of all of your items.  First, measure all your large pieces wall units, sofas, and beds, etc. This will eliminate any problems renting a storage unit that will not house all of your large pieces.  You may want to consider renting -2- smaller units opposed to for example-1- 10×20 or 10×40.  This can be an easier way to access your things if you need them on a regular basis.   If you are organizing a household I recommend you sort and label by room.  For each category, you can use ,for example, cardboard boxes which we carry. .  You will need to pack things light enough to lift and carry easily.  Keep your plastics on the floor; protect your wood and fabrics always by keeping them off the floor and away from walls and doors.  Protect your mattresses, and sofas with plastic covers, avoid scratches and wrap furniture with rugs, blankets, there is no easy way to pack your belongings but the key is if you do it right from the beginning and you will save yourself much aggravation, wasted time, , and nothing will get damaged or broken.  It is also a great idea to purchase a battery operated LED light, a camping lantern, a first aid kit, and a dolly to keep in your unit.

The kitchen is the most time consuming room to pack up and most people find their delicate china broken after transport from a bumpy ride in the back of a truck.  Be sure to wrap them well and keep in mind newspaper is not ideal for fine china…  The best thing to use is the small bubble wrap, it’s thin and you can get a very large roll for at our locations, it goes a long way.  A dish kit will also ensure your china and glass wear survive in one piece and is well worth it.  Keep glass wear together.  Keep pots and pans together, you can sort your forks, spoons, knives in your own Tupperware.  Kitchen Linens and pot holders should stay together.  Put all of your canned goods in shopping bags, milk crates, or banana boxes.  Using a well built shelving system would not be a bad idea.  You can store your fragile boxes, and canned goods off the floor.  Do not store any food or candy in your storage unit.  Bugs and mice will find your food and make a home in your stuff.  This is why food is never permitted in your storage rental.  When it comes to Bathrooms also be careful what you are putting in storage this is the time to purge expired medications and remember sweet smelling items or mouthwash, and toothpaste can attract bugs so don’t bother packing that up.  You can store bathroom linens in a hamper be creative use your stuff to house other stuff.   There is nothing worse than leaky shampoo bottles and soggy cardboard boxes from stacking boxes. So pack your bathroom in plastic bins and be sure bottles are standing upright.  Linen can go in Space bags also a favorite of mine. When packing up closets be sure to separate by both person and season.  If you have a clothing rack you should use it and cover it with a mattress cover you can also purchase little cedar discs to keep near your garment rack.  You can also use an expandable shower rod or even a homemade version with a pipe on a basic wood frame.  Industrial magnets can be used for light hanging.  For baby related items you must protect them.   Moisture and condensation can occur in a non-climate controlled environment.  When packing up your living room and office remember to carefully pack up electronics with care CD’s, DVD’s, Blu-Rays, Video, computer  and camera equipment.  Keep wires labeled and tape them to the device it goes to.  Also, keep in mind, that moisture and extreme heat may affect these items as well as family photos.  So pack smartly.  You can creatively store photos or such items in an old cooler. When it comes to holiday decor consider buying the appropriate color bins for each holiday .  Keep your holiday decor off to one side of your unit. That way they do not interfere with all your other bins.   Be creative and think carefully before hand and you will have easy access to all your things.  There will be many times when you will be accessing your storage unit at night to hide Christmas gifts, or to put away seasonal items when the office is closed.  Don’t get trapped under a storage avalanche,  take a day, recruit some friends or your kids and GET ORGANIZED!   Life is so much better when you’re organized.

Take your time do it right brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

As I am working in the office the tenants   come in to pay and Wow as we talk it is hard to believe Mothers day has been here and gone and we are looking  for memorial day weekend coming up in just a couple of weeks. We are hoping that Mother nature is good to us so we all can get out and pay tribute to all the service members of all the wars and the ones that are serving now.

After the memorial Weekend  we all at the Storage Stations Stores in South Toms River NJ and Toms River NJ will be keep busy for the summer cleaning up after the winter months. There is painting to be done at both Storage Station Stores. The trees and bushes  at each of the Storage Stations Stores are going toned to be cut and trim this summer. This is a job that needs done every two years.

This year we have to paint all the parking places lines that the tenants and new tenants use at each Storage Station Stores. We also have to paint all the safety yellow lines this summer plus the fire hydrant at both stores.

Again with all this work we also have to maintain the office taking payments and showing the new tenants the difference sizes of storage units that they are going to rent to make sure they get the right size that they need without over spending. In this world today every penny you can save really helps.

Again we all look forward to the summer months so that we can get outside and enjoy the nice weather instead of looking out the window and watch it snowing out.

Well it is almost time to sign off for this week. I would like to say in a few words that I do hope that everyone working for all the Storage Stations Stores and to the Tenants and to the new tenants that are coming to rent that we all have a nice memorial weekend and give thank to all our men and women that are serving and have serve in the military  of the good old U.S.A. Until the next time god bless all.

Summer at Storage Stations Stores brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

The following are some of the reasons people store their things at a storage center.

Now is the time of year when homeowners especially with children put their houses up for sale. They would like to sell before the next school year starts. The reason being is that parents would like to start their children in the new school at the beginning of the new school year. The listing agent usually comes and besides giving them a price that their house should be listed for will generally give them some ideas on preparing the house for the sale. One of the main things the realtor will tell them is to make the inside and outside of the house as neat and clean as possible.  This will probably result in the storing of many items especially if you were in the home for a long period of time at a storage facility.

Another tenant will store items from their house when they are doing some re-modeling as it is much easier working in area that has the space to work in. We had a lot of people store here last year when floods affected their homes and a lot of repairs were necessary for their homes.

We also have a tenant that when he sold his house and down sized to a smaller home he did not have room for some of the items in their new home.  His wife stated that she did not want to get rid of some of the items that were of sentimental value and there was no room in the new home. Again this is where Storage Station helped in keeping these sentimental items.

We also have tenants who have antique automobiles that store their cars here when they do not have the room or a garage at home. A lot of these cars are in great condition and most   of the people do not want to leave them outside in the elements especially in the winter.  In addition we also store some motorcycles but for the most part they are stored in the winter when there is no room at home to protect them from the rain and snow.

Here at Storage Station we also have some people who use their units for business needs. One example  of a businesses that dos that is home improvement contractors.  They have the ability to store their material and tools here and the ability to get it when needed-remember we have 24 hour access here ay 2354 Hamburg Turnpike in Wayne NJ. This helps to organize them as material and tools do not have to be jammed into a truck or some small area at home.  We also handle small business like a dental supply company, a vending machine company and pharmaceutical supplies for pharmaceutical sale representatives. Storage Station will also help receive deliveries for some companies which is important when the person receiving the product could not be here.

As you can see there are multiple reasons to store material at a storage facility but listed above are only a few.

Reasons for Storing brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

One of the tips I let everyone know is that if you use the same type of boxes to pack your storage unit, you’ll likely be able to stack them efficiently and securely in the unit. Many of our storage units on 25 James Street and 29 Flint Road are approximately eight feet high. So with that kind of height you can stack your boxes pretty high and maximize the space within the unit safely utilize all the space that you can in your storage unit.

It is very important for you to make sure that the boxes you have chosen are of high quality and proper dimensions. This will help you maximize the efficiency of your storing space and will provide a much better level of protection to your belongings. Besides that, you are also strongly recommended to use boxes of similar size, as that will make it very easy for you to stack them comfortably in a completely secure way. Here at Storage Station we sell a variety of boxes and packing supplies that will help you efficiently pack your unit and give you the peace of mind that your belongings are safe and secure.

Proper marking on the package is also important. For example, depending upon the type of belongings stored, you can mark the boxes  heavy, or fragile. You may also like to label them according to the room the stored belongings came from. This will make the process of unloading much smoother for you.

If you have to visit your storage facility for any reason, ensure that you move everything that you need to the front of your storage unit.

This will allow you to pack your storage unit tightly behind the belongings that you  will still need to use. You can still get a smaller unit instead of a larger one because you do not have to move anything else around to get to different items.

As always we look forward to helping you with your storage needs. Just stop in or give us a call and let us know what you need to store, and we will find a space that is right for you. Not to mention we’ll try to give you a few friendly tips to help with the difficult “art “ of packing a self unit..

Everyone wants to save money brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

Staging is really getting rid of your excess stuff so the potential buyers can see how much space you truly have and maybe even envision what living there may be like for them, if you have a semi empty canvas and a paint brush you the possibilities are endless, thus the less you have in your home if you are trying to sell the better, like handing a paint brush to all who enter. So you put some of your belongings into storage, yes, even if you have a garage or basement that can store your items you want the original presentation to be a “WOW” not an “OH”.  So this tenant here in Middletown is more of a temporary, as soon as she sells her house and moves to her new one she will then not need to have a storage unit with us.

There is even a more temporary type of tenant, I have named them fly by tenants, tenants who are in need of some storage for just a few weeks, I had one moving back into Middletown and needed just for a few weeks, another had a flood in the basement and until it was fixed didn’t want to take any chances. Then there are the “in Limbo” tenants, these come in and are literally in limbo from either living situation, or just having too much stuff and need to get it under control, they could be here a few months or a few years there really is no telling exactly how long, so the word limbo really fits.

Then you have your long term tenants, they know they are going to be here for a substantial amount of time, some local Middletown merchants have storage units with us for various reasons, they may need to store equipment they are not currently using, get delivery’s that they just don’t have the space for and find that our convenient location is ideal if they just need to pop in and out whenever the need, we do have a gate and not just anyone can come and go unless you are a tenant and have the proper access.

The other long term tenants are a bit of a variety, I have one new tenant who had to go a bit bigger form a 5X10 storage unit to 10X10 storage unit, she has decided to do a sort of resale business for herself, flea markets and tag sales, kind of like ebay but on a local level, like ebay right in your back yard. She finds bargains all over, puts them into her storage unit and pulls whatever she needs when it is time for a sale, so she is in and out pretty often now that the weather Is warming up, she is enjoying herself, I think more so that she finds so many odd and fun things in her shopping excursions, and really who doesn’t like to have a blast while shopping!

Types of people that need storage brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

Actually when I am with her, I try to listen but that is another story.
There was a small meeting going on in front of two open units.  One tenant, who has a home repair business, was loading tools and supplies onto his truck with his helper.  Another was putting an order together for Dunkin Doughnuts and asked if I wanted a cup?  I said thanks but I was fine.  Dunkin Doughnuts is just across the street from us, but Hamburg Turnpike is a pretty busy, so I reminded him to look both ways when crossing, none of us are as young as we think we are.  That reminds me that I need to pick up some things from the CVS that is down the block from us when I leave this evening.

When I did my tour of the Climate Controlled portion of the facility one our Pharmaceutical Reps that’s renting with us stopped to talk with me.  He told me about a vacation that he would be taking in a week.  He is pretty excited about the cruise that he has scheduled.  He was hoping that the weather will be nice because like me he sometimes suffers from Sea Sickness.  I wonder if his company has a pill for that?

Actually today is a beautiful day.  It is in the mid 60s with just a touch of breeze in the air.  Just 2 days ago it almost reached 90 degrees.  Seems like the weather does not know what it wants to do.  So far this year we have had very little rain.  I remember all the units that we rented to people that suffered flood damage from the 2 floods we had last year.  I sure hope that does not happen again this year.  I would much prefer to rent garage units to tenants that need them for their motor cycles, wave runners and classic cars.  You would be surprised how often people have to choose between storing their summertime toys in their garages, or store them with us here at Storage Station.

The great thing about storing with us here in Wayne is that all of our tenants have access to their belonging 24/7.  That is important when something unexpected comes up or you decide to have summer time party, and you remember that you will need the extra chairs and tables that you stored in your unit.  I was talking to a tenant last week and they pointed out something that I had not really considered.   He said that he was going to put up a shed in his back yard and wanted to do it the right way.  So he stopped by the town hall to see if he needed a permit, and if there were any limitations that he would have to deal with.  He said that the town started to throw so many restrictions at him that he decided it would be less aggravation and less costly to rent a unit and move things in and out as the seasons changed.

Well it is time for me to move on to do some of my chores here at Storage Station.  Enjoy your weekend.

Wednesday Will Never be the same brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

As I drive around the grounds I had a chance to talk to a few Tenants that rent here . We talk how already we have set the clock ahead one hour and now the day light hours are getting longer. Instead of dark by 5pm it gets dark by 7pm and growing each day.

Today I had to stay a little longer in the Storage Store in South Toms River NJ.  I have an appointment with someone that is getting foreclose on this morning and have to get every thing out of the house. The person called me on the company phone early this morning around 6.30am. A tenant  that rent from us at Storage Station gave the person my cell phone number and told them that I could help them .As always I told the person that is been Foreclose on not to worry. The person was upset and did not know what he was going to do with there personal belonging. They were going to need a big unit to store there thing. I told them not to worry about that and to come in to the Storage station Store in South Tome River NJ and that we will work with them no matter what the cost may be and I have a unit for them. I also told the person not to worry about anything but gat done and when they come in we will work with what they have. I have seen a lot of foreclose people come in or call looking for a place to rent a unit  quickly and fast.

As a manager at the Storage Station Stores on 29 Flint road in South Toms River in NJ and on 25 James St in Toms river Nj I I am sad to hear about the people been foreclose on but am proud to hear them say that other people that has rented or is renting from us that to give us a call  at either Storage Station Stores in South Toms River and Toms Rivers in NJ and they will help you with what ever your needs is to store and they also say that the people running the Storage Station Stores do think about the people first and  are friendly and are always smiling and ready to help.

I myself as an manager of both places in the Toms River and South Toms in Nj   to have the pleasure to help some in needs of this  kind of help an able to insure the people that their thing are safe here.

They the people have also had to find a place to store their cars and boat or rv trailer and we have been able to help them with that problem also. By been able to help them with all their needs of this type make me proud to be a manager at Storage Station.

This part does not solve all their problems but I feel it is a good start for the people  and I am proud to have been able to help as much as I can at this point. It is very sad and sometime hard to hear and see what the people that are foreclose on have to go through.

Until the next time I hope every one will have a safe and good spring.

Tenants and People Working Together brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

Yes, I had a conundrum. However, mine was the puzzling question on what to blog about today. So I drifted thru the web, and popped on over to the Storage Station home page to see if I can gain some ideas. And indeed I did, I looked at our train in the upper left hand corner and wondered why we have a train, then I read the quote underneath the Storage Station logo “The one stop for all your self storage needs” and pop there was my idea!  We do have a wide variety of stuff for all your storage needs, we of course have different sized units for whatever it is you may need to store with us here at Storage Station. At looking around the office, even though I am on the small side here in the Middletown facility located at 1021 Dolsontown Road, I noticed all the good as to make a move easy and as effortless as possible. I have to say it is really a two stop kind of thing when renting a storage unit, first you come in and figure out what size unit you may need, then what materials you will need as well to pack up for your move or just gaining some space in your garage. Then you drive up, unload and off you go to whatever task is next on your to do list. I say two stops because I have been on the train many times, and well, you get on and have to get off somewhere, and Storage station is a great stop for all your storage needs.

We have all sorts of materials for moving and storage, three different size boxes, Small (16×13) Medium (18×16) and Large (24×18), packing tape and even labels that adhere to the boxes organizing them for there intended rooms, like the bathroom or bedroom, what I got a kick out of is the ease of the stickers, I can be a bit over the top when it comes to organizing for a move which my family seems to find amusing, I have no idea why they find this so, it is so much easier to label so I know what is a priority to unpack first and all the rest can wait until I have the proper motivation. Why dig thru boxes looking for something in particular when it is clearly labeled on the outside. To each his own as they say .

We even have mattress bags in twin, full, queen and king to keep it from getting dusty. Our box tape has a handy plastic holder which has teeth on the edge for easy cutting instead of trying to hold a pair of scissors and a role of tape at the same time, it is truly a trying experience, I use a box cutter which I find really easy, but since I worked in retail for many years I am a pro, my sister however is not, so I did let here know about the handy handle with teeth, I just got a look and a nod, to which I responded with a very knowledgeable  cat like smile,  yes it is fun being sister’s.  Of course we have locks too; they are great simply because they have two keys!

TTYS

Conundrum brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

Take for instance a tenant who owns a thrift shop or for that matter any tenant who utilizes a self storage unit for their business keeping overstocked or seasonal items or anything of the like within their unit. Now, common sense would tell these business owners that having an organized self storage unit would help to keep their product/items in check and readily accessible for their needs when the time comes to access them. In most cases all it takes to organize these units are a few racks with shelves, a few labels for the shelves to separate the products/items and a person willing to keep the contents of the unit organized.

Now, most business owners do have well organized units but let’s reverse the role for a second and assume that they were not organized at all. Imagine the frustration a thrift shop owner would have digging through the various different products they carry trying to decipher what seasonal items they need and where they put them in a unit that items have just been stacked up into corners and anywhere else they can get items to fit. One could waste a mammoth amount of time looking through the unorganized mess seeing what products they have or think they might have on hand but who really knows what they have when everything is a mess. So instead of having everything organized ready to grab and place in your shop for sale, one could have potentially lost a sale while they were wasting time looking for products that could have already been placed on the shelves in their store possibly turning profit.

Honestly the above mentioned situation/scenario could happen to anyone business related or not that has a self storage unit. Not having organization within your storage unit especially if you are a business owner could potentially be an epic waste of time. Not only could it be a waste of time you could potentially waste money as well depending on the situation. For instance, Say you’re that thrift shop owner I mentioned earlier and you send one of your employees to your self storage unit to retrieve a certain product for a customer and that product is so buried within the unit it takes the employee an hour or more to look for the item and hopefully they can even find it. Well anyway, not only did you just pay your employee an hourly wage to retrieve an item, there is a chance the item is not even there so you may have possibly lost a sale in the middle of all the other chaos.

Ultimately, having an organized self storage unit could benefit you substantially depending on the scenario at hand. All the above referenced situations are all hypothetical but are very possible and probably occur more often than we might think. So before just stacking your items, products, possessions or things of the like just anywhere, think about how you could organize the unit to save yourself time and money for the future.

Organized Storage brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

There were a few phone calls I needed to return, and did.  Looks like I will be playing phone tag today.  Actually this month has been a little quiet.  Everybody seems to have settled in to their routines, and not much is going on.  Maybe it is the lull before the storm.  Let’s hope not.  We have had enough of them to last for awhile.
I had two of our tenants stop by to get some things out of their units.   We chatted for awhile, and one of them shared a joke.  It is best that I keep it to myself.

It is funny how some things are more popular than others. Right now we have no 10 x 15 sized units available.  But I have more 5 x 10’s available than I should.  One month, everyone is looking for a 10 x 10 unit, and in the next we will have a rush on 10 x 20 sized units.

Actually they are popular with folks that need to store a vehicle, and also with folks that need to store their summer time big toys.
I expect that in a few weeks we will be getting inquiries from people that are planning renovations in their homes.  Actually I had 2 this week, doing some preliminary checking.  One is renovating their kitchen and that starts next month.   I had a couple come in 2 days ago that are moving into a condo on March 15th.  They said that the condo is a bit smaller than their last residence, and they wanted to make sure that we will have a unit available for them a few days before the move starts.  I reserved a unit for them.  Right now it looks like they only need a 5 x 10 unit, but you never know.  We will see when they have finalized what they want to store and what they want to take to their new condo.

BTW, for those of you that are following my War with the Squirrels

Squirrel Update

Here is the latest from the front lines of the battle of “Squirrels and Men”.

As you might imagine the battle is pitched.  The squirrels for awhile had the upper hand.  This battle is running in cycles.  I should have thought of this, but with the increase in the bird activity in my yard, a new force has joined the battle for supremacy.  It seems that a couple of neighbor’s cats have joined the fray.  They came to make guerrilla attacks on the birds, but have not been successful.  What they have found though is that squirrels are much more fun to chase.  I have not seen a squirrel in 2 days.

So it looks like the old saying runs true.

‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend’.

February Flew By brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

One of my favorites is when you pull the flyer for your local supermarket.  I was going to give names but you all know the names.  They are often on TV letting you know about their Can Can or double coupon sale.  Yes indeed those are great deals.  Clip your coupons, and save them to use with store specials and you will leave the store saving big bucks.  Heck I see that on the cable stations they have developed a show showing how people can buy $600.00 worth of groceries, for $3.83 if they use the right coupons.  I have often wondered if they get to use all the things they buy before the food freshness date has been reached.  They will show you at the end of the episode shelves and shelves of the same item in their pantry at home.  I wonder do they really eat all of it before it is stale.   Well I digress.

Be careful of the, buy one get one free sale.  I once worked for A & P in their seafood department.  So I can speak with a degree of knowledge.  I love shrimp so I will us that as an example.  You can if you wait for the real sale, find 25/26 count shrimp for 4.99 a pound.

Buy them frozen, (Actually that is the best way to purchase them), buy more than you really need and put them in the freezer.  Then watch for the normal price.  It will often be 8.99 a pound.  As time will go buy they will advertize another great sale.  Buy one get one free, (2 pound bags) of frozen shrimp.  Frozen shrimp, are the best way to buy shrimp, if you are not on the dock to meet the shrimp boat.  This time if you look closely you will see that the buy one get one free price will be marked about $10.99 a pound for 25/26 count shrimp. That is right, do the math, you will be paying more for them.  I just checked and the same shrimp are on sale this week for 8.99 a pound.  As Casey used to say, you can look it up.

About now you are asking yourself, how does this have anything to do with a Storage Facility?

Believe me there is method to my madness, hang in there.
Someone sent me an advertisement from a much respected newspaper.  In it a competitor had an advertisement that promised no rent increases for 2 YEARS.  Can you imagine that?  Also they never charge registration or administration fees.  Sounds like a great deal!!!!

Well I did a little checking.   I asked for their price of a 10 x 10….   After I listened to their sales pitch I had to ask a 2nd time what was the unit renting for?  Surprisingly the person that knew everything you would ever want to know about what could be stored in a 10 x 10 did not have that information at their finger tips.  After a few minutes of waiting they said that the monthly rental charge was over $200 a month.  I will not embarrass them by saying exactly how much more.  To make a long story a bit shorter, their price is over 50% higher than what we charge.  I also asked about their next larger unit, on the odd chance that their quote was an anomaly.  The next quote was also over 50% higher than what we charge.
So if you rent from them for the next 2 years you will be paying let use some numbers.

You will pay at least $1296.00 more if you rent from them.
Which was really the better deal?

Remember there is another old saying which I find to be always true.

There is no such thing as a  FREE LUNCH

When it sounds too good to be True It usually is brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

The boss had off from work today, and was sitting at the table reading the newspaper and drinking coffee.  I looked out on the deck and was happy to see that the cup that I place bird seed in was still on the railing.  As I bent down to get the bag of bird seed that I keep next to the dog food, I glanced toward the Real Head of the Household, and noticed her staring at me, and believe me there was no love in her eye as she watched me get the seed.  I smiled and said, the squirrels did not knocked over the bird seed dish this morning.

She pointed out that it would take a vulture to knock the bowl off after I had filled it with rocks.  I chuckled, and went on the deck to fill the bowl, stepping on broken sun flower seeds and small seeds that were littering the deck.  After filling the dish, I turned and there she was.

You know you have a mess all over the deck and on the pavers from your seeds, not to mention the droppings from the birds.  I smiled and said yes, I hadn’t trained my feathered friends to only poop in the neighbor’s yard, but I will work on it.  She shook her head and went back in the kitchen.  I followed a few minutes later.

Actually I do have a problem.  I enjoy watching all the different birds flying back and forth from the dish to the trees, but this is not without a downside.  For the past few weeks I have had a running battle with the neighborhood Squirrels.  They are cute but they do not know their place.  I say the seed is only for the birds, they think I am wrong.  I won’t share with you the embarrassment they have put me through in my War of the Bird Seed, but I will admit that I am not smarter than a Squirrel.  I can only imagine that this very minute as I sit here writing this, that there are at least 2 squirrels, leaning back with sunglasses on, nibbling on the delicacies that I have earmarked for the birds.  They most likely have smiles on their faces as their little bellies get larger and larger.

I can’t believe it but the Boss will not support me in my war.  I asked her to leave the wooden door open, closing only the storm door.

Pointing out that if they can see in the kitchen it seems to keep them at bay.  Can you believe that if I leave the door open, mysteriously it will be found closed 3 minutes later?

I am thinking of putting up a 15 foot pole with a dish mounted on top.  I can just see it now; a squirrel jumps to the pole and slides down because I have coated it with oil.  Maybe I can put a sleeve over the pole with a counter weight that drops to the ground each time the squirrel jumps on it.   Looks like I have another project for this weekend.  Wish me luck.

With a little bit of luck by the time I get home the deck will be free of discarded shells and seeds.  What the birds don’t pick up, the wind will blow off and between the boards.  The patio will be a different story.

Of Squirrels and Men brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

As we all were talking we all agree that we have like the winter months so far here in Toms River NJ and South toms Rivers. Here at the storage station stores we have been able to get things done on the grounds that we not able to do during the winter’s month. Trust me I am happy at this time for all the tenants and storage station.
As always I listen to the news this morning while having a cup of good old coffee and toast. I can not believe sometime what I am hearing. They the people in Washington keep saying thing are better.

Well I and you know it is not. The eCommerce has not gotten better in fact I think it is getting worst. I work as a manager for storage station stores in Toms River and South Toms River and I can see talking with the tenants and new tenants that thing in this area and all over New Jersey are not getting any better. A lot of small business has closed their doors because of lack of sales.  Everybody I talk to is not working and can not find work. Housing is still down and for closers is still going up.

Boy was I shock to here about how many people are depending on the government for money and what they are getting. The average person depending on the government for everything is getting around $32, 00 a year. This is why our taxes keep going up. Maybe we all should think about quilting our jobs and draw the belief but I know we all have our pride. I also know that most people getting the benefit would rather be working.

The people in office in Washington need to start listening to the people who they are working for. They need to quit fighting among themselves and start working together as one unit for the people.

Well I guess I need not say any more about our people in office in Washington dc we all know what need to be done it just them that do not know.

I have talk to a lot of tenants here at our storage station stores in Toms River and South Toms River here in No and we all agree that the area we are in is relay bad. There are no jobs and we do not see any coming for quite a while. Even the people in this area that do plowing in the winter are hurting because of the weather this year. I myself do like this weather.

Well I am running out of thing to write about but I just like to say that we at the Storage Station Stores are hoping that thing will start getting better quick for everyone including ourselves. We know what is happening out their in this country and are praying for thing to turn around faster that we all expect it to.

Time go by brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

But I have to say, I was wrong about this particular Pit Bull. Roxy couldn’t be farther from the breed’s bad reputation. Although I am convinced that she has a false sense of identity, we’ve always told her that she’s a poodle.  I guess that’s why she thinks that she can sit on your lap or get under the covers at night and sleep just about on top of you with her head sticking out from under the covers.  Sometimes she gets lucky enough to score a pillow to rest her head on, just like the rest of her family.  We sleep this way, why shouldn’t she?  We call her a little gazelle because she doesn’t run, she glides and flamboyantly prances. My daughter does not discourage Roxy when she takes a seat at the kitchen table; I however do draw the line when it’s meal time. Although I do wish I could get Cesar Millan, the dog whisperer, over here to train her to stop pulling on walks and to put an end to her relentless barking at the squirrels, chipmunks and rabbits outside. Isn’t it funny how one little thing, like a bumper sticker can just jump start a whole world wind of memories.

My Pit Bull is Smarter than Your Middle School Student brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

I came in this morning to 2 messages both inquiring about a 5×15 unit, I only have one available…. Then I see the faxes and one inquiry had reserved a 5×15 and the other left me a message by phone, well the lucky one got my last 5×15. He promptly showed up not 5 minutes after I came in and opened up the office, I hadn’t even made coffee yet! Yikes!! One of the easiest move in’s I have done so far, he had an organized plan and ZIP we were done in less then 10 minutes. From soup to nuts, he looked, he was happy, paperwork done, lock bought and out the door he went. Off to get a truck and load her up and empty her right on in!

So my next move of course was to call the other inquiry, after talking over what he would be storing with us here at Storage Station, my number 2 inquiry was just as lucky as number one, he only needs a 5×10 unit, which I happen to have available, and he reserves one for himself and will be in soon to do all the necessary paperwork. Let’s just hope that his will be just as easy as the other, which I do suspect he will be after a lengthy conversation about not wanting to move things then have to move them again , he is another I think that will be pulling up to the front office with the truck ready to unload and keep it moving.

Funny my current read, The Lucky One was given to me by a tenant here at Storage Station. We have only spoken maybe twice and here comes books in hand and says “here ya go, thought you would like these”, I say funny because I had never spoken to him about my love of books, I have been glued to books since I was very young, my mom would only allow me at a certain age to venture to the library and back when I was by myself, you see I have an older sister and when she was around 11 or 12  I was just the puny little sister, not good enough to tag along with her and her grown up friends anymore what is even funnier is that when I run into her old time friends they still call me Tara’s little sister …. UGH!! The things we go thru as kids! Now of course we depend on each other mightily and yes I do tease her to this day about ditching me when we were little, hey what is a little sister for? Gotta love em’!

The lucky one brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

To start off, when you first rent with us, we require a copy of your driver’s license to verify your identity then we take a picture of you to put in our computer system to match your face to your name. After that, we have a gate system. The gate requires a code to get in, as well as to get out. This code is one that each tenant thinks of and then chooses, to make it personal and easy for the tenant to remember. It is also to ensure that only you have access to get through the gate. Once you put your code in the key pad, the gate will automatically open and close, to let you in and out. The gate system sends signals to our computer system, letting us know if someone is repeatedly typing in the wrong code, so we can address the situation. Whether it is a tenant that just forgot their code, we would ask to see your license to verify you’re a tenant and give you the code again. Or if someone who is not a tenant, and is trying to get in. if this is the case, we would handle the situation accordingly. After getting through the gate, for some units that are inside a building, you would receive a door code. This door code is already picked out by Storage Station, but only renting tenants receive the code. After you get through the door, we require you to have a lock on you unit at all times. And for your convenience, we have locks and plenty of other packing needs in the office for purchase, so you will have everything you will need to store with us.

We also have cameras in the facilities. When the office staff is not in the office, during non office hours, the cameras are hooked up to our computers and recording. So in the event something was to happen, we might be able to know and act accordingly. We make it a point to make you feel like your belongings never left home at all. We take precautions to assure your things will be safe and secure while storing with us. When or if you ever leave us, we would hope you enjoyed your stay with us, so much that you would come back and rent with Storage Station if you needed to rent a storage unit again.

Security brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

As I gaze out the window of our James Street Storage facility, I can’t believe what a difference a year makes! The sun is shining, the lawns are green, and the temperatures are mild. It feels like Spring has already arrived even though my calendar says its still February. I actually saw a bee fly by. Everyone that stops in to rent a unit her on James Street or Flint Road have abandoned the trappings of winter and are opting to wear spring jackets, short sleeve shirts, and bright happy smiles.  I think the only ones that miss the snow are the people that drive the snow plows, because everyone else looks so relieved to not have to relive the misery of years past.

I have also noticed that this unseasonably warm weather is putting everyone in the Spring cleaning mode ahead of schedule. We have been keeping busy renting storage units to a lot of busy beavers eager to clean out their homes and make way for this early spring. Many are storing the items that they no longer have room for, but can’t bear to part with.  A lot of our tenants live in apartment complexes that do not provide any kind of storage which makes it very difficult to hold on to anything.  I tell everyone to thing of us here at Storage Station as the attic or garage space that is missing from their homes. With our affordable prices and convenient access, it truly is like having your own private room to keep your cherished processions that are so full of memories, but have no room for in your cramped home.

Once you store your cherished memories with us, you become part of the Storage Station family. The manager and I have gotten to know so many tenants over time and look forward to when people stop in to pay their storage bill, ask a question, or just want to chat. We have come to consider so many of our tenants’ our friends. We are never to busy to help any of our valued customers out when they need it. We also feel a strong responsibility to make sure you are comfortable storing your special items with us.

So let this wonderful mild weather continue until it truly is Spring. We deserve this gorgeous winter after the harsh winters of years past. Always remember that Storage Station on James Street and on Flint Road is ready and waiting with a friendly smile and clean bright accommodations for your possessions. You will always be greeted with a smile when you walk through our doors, because as I said before” You’re one of the family”.

Groundhog’s day brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

Anyway, I remember my dad and his friends taking my brother and me to Yankee Stadium the first time.  What they were doing was looking at the stadium to figure out where they wanted to get their box for the Giant games that were going to be played there once the Polo Grounds was torn down.  Yes, sports fans my dad and his cousin and friends, chipped in their hard earned money for a Box of 6 seats for the Football Giants.  Their box seats were right on the 35 yard line, behind the Giants Bench.  In those days they had real wooden benches for the team.  I can remember seeing my favorite player, Joe Morrison bouncing back and forth from one foot to the other, on freezing winter days, with this huge cape like jacket and steam coming from the players as they went in and out between plays.  In the beginning my brother and I did not go to too many games.  But as was the case in the very early 60s the team was terrible, and we never missed a game for quite some time because nobody wanted to freeze their butts off to watch a game that they were sure to lose.

My brother and I would go to the train station on Sunday just before noon, and look for people on the platform that had binoculars around their necks.  That was a sure sign that they were going to the game.  We never knew what train to take, and we were too shy to ask, so we would just follow the crowd.  The way back was no problem, we knew what train to take back.  It was amazing that we never got lost going to the games.

My father was the person that collected the money for the seats from everyone each year.  After he passed away one of the other guys did that chore.  They did this for awhile and I found out later that my brother gave up the tickets, which didn’t make me very happy because we were original owners.  Never the less with the new PO or whatever they called it I would never have been able to afford the tickets when they built the new Giants stadium.

Now I enjoy sitting in my living room in my recliner on Sundays and watch the games.  Really it is a lot warmer, and the food is better.  There are never any lines outside the bathroom at half time, all in all, a very good thing.

Well of course you know that I couldn’t be happier that the Giants have won another Super Bowl.  Rivalries are a good thing.

This morning before I left for work, I always check my computer at home.  This morning in my email was something from one of the associates I work with here at Storage Station.   We often share back and forth a joke or interesting news story.   He is what is sometimes referred to as a “Long Suffering” Jets fan.

What he sent me was a picture that has a big NJ Giant Logo and a small Jets Logo on the same page.

Below it reads
“It’s OK little brother,
Patriots won’t bother you anymore”
I thought it was a nice gesture on his part to send that to me.   So I printed it out at home and now have it hanging from the front door of the office.

Talk to you again next week.  Maybe there is hope for the Knicks; it looks like by mistake they may have found a point guard.

For the Sports Fans brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

It was just yesterday when a tenant walked through the door of our Storage Station location located on 2354 Hamburg Turnpike in Wayne, NJ to pay their monthly storage bill and as we broke into some small talk she had mentioned that she was still waiting on repairs to be completed on her home so she could move back in. I was dumbfounded when I heard she was still staying with family and friends so long after the flooding had occurred. The tenant had said “If it weren’t for the good graces of my friends and family, I wouldn’t have anywhere to turn”.  One thing that we both agreed upon was the fact that she was fortunate enough to have friends and family in the area to help her out in a time of need.

Many people in the area had nobody to turn to when Hurricane Irene trampled through our town and had to resort to living in local hotel rooms for months until the repairs had been completed to their homes. Dealing with the loss of a large majority if not all of their personal possessions is hard enough to deal with but not having anyone to turn to makes it even harder to handle. At least the people residing in hotel rooms had a warm bed to sleep in at the end of each day which was more than a lot of people in the area had at the end of each day.

Another tenant had stopped in at the end of January informing us she is vacating her unit because she finally gets to move back into her home after 5+ months of waiting for construction to be completed. I remember when this particular tenant came in to rent a unit shortly after the flooding had occurred. I will never forget the look on her face as she was filling out the paper work to move into the unit so she could salvage what belongings were not already destroyed by the flood. Her physical and mental exhaustion was more than evident as she could hardly keep the pen in her hand as she was completing the move in document. With that being said, every single tenant that came in to rent a self storage unit after the flooding had the same evident look of exhaustion from dealing with the tragedy that had transpired. It brought great relief to me to see the happy and enthusiastic look on her face when she told me she was able to move back into her home again. It was a version of her that I had never seen before and I was happy that I was able to see her in a positive state of mind before she left the facility.

All and all it is great that a large majority of people are back in the comfort of their own home again and are able to go back to living their lives as they once did. As for the people who are still waiting for the construction on their homes to be completed, our hearts here at Storage Station continue to go out to you and we hope the remainder of construction needed to your homes is done with haste so you may go back to living in the comfort of your own homes and pick up your life where it left before Hurricane Irene had occurred.

Flood Victims Still Waiting brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

Once you have decide on a self storage facility I advise you to visit the location and look at what features they have to offer. Some of the things you would want to know is what are the facilities access hours that you are able to get to your contents. At our Storage Station location in West Milford New Jersey and our Storage Station located on Hamburg Turnpike Wayne New Jersey offers 24 hours a day including weekends and holidays. At our Storage Station locations in the Toms River area and our Storage Station located in Middletown New York can offer it to special customers depending on the circumstances. Another thing you need to think about is heated/cooled units. The difference is if you’re storing anything more sensitive to temperature change or delicate you would want to store in a heated/cooled space for the extra cost. These spaces are usually always located inside a building and the never get too hot or too cold. So if you intend on storing for a long period of time then the extra cost is well worth it. Also take the time to speak with the staff and the facility offers for security, and see if it is paved and clean.

Once you have decided on your location and signed all necessary documents needed to rent your self storage space, it’s time to do the packing. When packing try to use all the same size box, they’re easier to stack (remember to keep the heavy ones on the bottom and the light boxes on the top) leave that small walk way between the boxes and the furniture in your self storage unit so you can easily get to the items you want without having to move anything around. Earlier I spoke about asking what security is offered at the Self Storage facility you select and most all facilities offer some security.

However, it is still wise to take a few precautions on your own against theft. Pack your most valuable items to the back of the unit and purchase a high quality padlock to put on the door of your storage unit.

Now here are a few final ideas to keep in mind if when storing these items if you will be. If storing a refrigerator leave the door ajar. This will prevent mold from growing inside. Lay plastic sheeting on the floor and if possible stack boxes on top of wooden pallets to prevent condensation damage. Use old linens or other fabrics, instead of plastic, to protect your belongings from dust.

Never store anything flammable or combustible in you storage unit. This means no gasoline, oil, cleaning fluids or paint thinner. If storing any machinery that runs on gas, drain the tank before you store it.

Most all Self Storage facilities have this in the contract you will be signing and most self storage facilities require that you have Insurance to cover you contents, but who would want to have to use it.

What you need to think about when you decide to use Self Storage brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

Well I didn’t really do, nothing.  I went to the store and got something for my lunch today.  I also went to the town hall and paid the taxes.  I also put out bird seed for the birds.  I hope that does not come back to haunt me later in the year.

Today is the first of the month, so it has been a little busy here at Storage Station.  Looking at the reports for January, it looks like this year has started out much busier than it was last year.  I have a feeling that the weather has a large effect on business here in Northern New Jersey.  Yesterday while I was home I decided to look at some of our older blogs from last year, hoping that it would give me an idea of what I would talk to you about today.  I noticed that in one, it was mentioned that we had over 6 feet of snow last year.  This year the weather has been quite the opposite.  At my age, you are indeed happy for the respite.  Clearing snow off the cars and the driveway is not a favorite thing for me to do, on a cold day.

This afternoon when I checked our email I noticed that an inquiry arrived just a few minutes earlier.  The internet is a wonderful thing.  You can find almost anything you require, just by doing a search.  The person that sent the email, asked for a quote and listed all the things that they wanted to store.   They also asked if there were any specials if they paid 6 months in advance.

Now here is a tip for all you smart shoppers out there.  You will never know if you don’t ask.  Actually we don’t have a special, for prospective tenants if they pay 6 months in advance.  But maybe that person has come up with an interesting program that can be started.

So,,,,,,  don’t tell the powers that be, but I did offer an incentive if the client did pay 6 months in advance.

About 30 minutes later I received another email from the same person, saying that by the middle of the month they will make a decision.  Hopefully they will be renting with us before the month ends.

I just noticed that I have a number of 10 x 20 units available.  A number of clients that had been storing their cars over the winter have just moved out.  Let me think this over, maybe I can reduce the price of rental for any new tenant that rents a 10 x 20 this month by 20% for the next 3 months, after that they go back to their original price….   Let’s call it our Early Bird Special…  Sounds like a plan.

So if any of you out there want to rent a 10 x 20 unit at a reduced rate for the next 3  months stop by Storage Station .

New Jersey
Storage Station 29 Flint Rd South Toms River, NJ
Storage Station 25 James Street Toms River, NJ
Storage Station 2354 Hamburg Turnpike Wayne, NJ
Storage Station 1867 Greenwood Lake Turnpike West Milford, NJ
Storage Station 11 White Road West Milford, NJ

New York
Storage Station Self Storage 1021 Dolsontown Rd Middletown, NY

Talk to you again next week.

It is already February brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

Yesterday it was so warm, that what little snow remained on my deck had completely melted.  I even was able to sit comfortably on the deck for a while.  Do you remember in my last note I had mentioned that I had not seen the hawks that live behind my house and thought they had left for the winter.  Well, they have not left.  All three were soaring above the hills behind my house yesterday.  You can see all the way up the hill/woods.  It sure is pretty when the snow is on the ground.

Remember how I had said last week, that soon the phone was going to start ringing.  Well it has gotten somewhat busier.  I see that we have rented 3 units in the past few days.  Things are indeed looking up.

This morning I had to leave a message with a prospective tenant that had looked at a 10 x 15 outside unit last week.   We had 3 units available when he stopped by last week.  This morning there is only 1 left.

Actually it has been very busy so far today.  I have had 4 different tenants stop by the office.  One came by the office to say that they would be moving out before the end of the month and wanted to thank us for helping them when they originally moved in.  The other tenants were here to bring back things that they had taken out just before the holidays.  Just goes to show you that we tend to have too much stuff, just like George Carlin had said.

The snow has all but melted, and the only reminder of the snow fall is the snow that had been pushed to a corner of the property.

This morning as I was getting ready to leave, I stopped to watch the local weather forecast.  Tomorrow will be in the 40s and the day after although it will rain later in the day, it will be in the 50’s.  For the most part it looks like we will have the temperature hovering in the 40’s for the next week.

Maybe spring will come very early this year.  Who knows maybe it is here now.

It was good talking to you.   See you next week.

Could it be Global Warming? brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

Wow where did the time go. Here it is a new week and I am going through the golden gates at the storage station store in South toms River NJ and as I go through it is no longer the year 2011 instead it is the year of 2012.As I ride around and check the units and grounds I stop and say hello to the tenants at their units We all talk about how fast the year 2011 and the holidays went.

I myself the manager of the storage station stores in south toms river NJ and in Toms River NJ am please with the year of 2011 and am ready to take on the new year 2012. As bad as the country has been the last couple of years I think we have done well and are looking for a good year in 2012.

I know that all Storage Station managers and associates along with the owners and me are looking for a bright year in 2012.

As we look back in 2011 and the way the  country and the lost of jobs, forecloses on homes and everything going way up and the price of gas per gallon sky rocking and the building of all the new storage places I feel we had a good year.

I saw on television that the dropping of the ball in time square is the biggest celebration in the World that for me is difficult to comprehend. My mind can not accept it, for there is so many other celebrations that would seem to take precedence, I recall the phrase:  Mr. Gorbachev Tear Down That Wall!” and the celebration that broke out when it finally happened.

I think of great celebrations that ensured at the end of great wars…to me celebrations that happen after great tragedies would be so much more joyful and meaningful. A life that has experienced much hardship can celebrate with thanksgiving when all has been restored.

I spend some time this week looking into the pass and found a document written in an old almanac from the 1870. It was after new labor laws have been put in place and one business released the following manifesto to its employees;
Notice

1. All staff members must be present between the hours of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and till noon on Saturdays.
2. Daily prayers will be held each morning in the main office, all must attend.
3. The staff will not dress in bright colors nor wear hose unless in good repair.
4. A stove is provided for the staff. Coal and wood must be kept in the locker. Each member of the staff should bring 4 pounds of coal each day darning cold weather.
5.  No member may leave the room without permission. Call of nature is permitted and the staff may us the garden. The area must be kept in good order.
6. Since the business hours have been drastically reduced, the partaking of food is allow between 11:30 and 12:00, but will not cease on any account.
7. A new pencil sharpener is available on application.
8. Trainees will report 40 minutes before prayer and after closing hours to clean private offices with brushes, brooms and scrubbers provided by management.
9. Management recognized the generosity of these new labor laws but will expect greater work output to compensate for these near utopian conditions.

As I read this notice I was surprised to see how the expectations of employers have changed the years.

I know that I got off the beaten path but I thought this would be great to read for you as it was for me to read

I will end this by saying after reading this notice it is a great pleasure to work for Storage Station Company. Until next time enjoy and may the year of 2012 be a bigger and better year for all Storage Station Stores and the tenants that rent and will rent.

Out old year 2011 in New Year 2012 brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

Here at Storage Station in West Milford, New Jersey we invite all customers to stop in and take a look at what we have to offer here, or any of our locations including Toms River New Jersey, Wayne New Jersey, Middletown New York and look around to see what we have to offer in choices of storage units and moving supplies. We try to provide a clean and secure self storage location, by providing regular maintenance and ground checks and making sure our grounds are clean we are well lighted and our camera’s and gate are working properly. By doing this we hope we will keep our current tenants happy and will bring other community members in to explore the possibilities of also becoming a tenant. The maintenance at Storage Station includes everything from the rooftop to the asphalt, unit doors to weather induced clean up.

We clean all snow from each door way located at all of our locations in West Milford New Jersey, Wayne New Jersey, Toms River New Jersey and our Middletown New York location. We make it a point to try to complete this service within 24 hours of the last snow flake allowing you access to your unit and never having to deal with a door being frozen shut and will not open. We also make every attempt to maintain our grounds and buildings in every-way these requirements are performed weekly, daily or as necessary, keeping up with them will be sure to maintain a favorable facility everywhere from the climate controlled units to the outdoor car storage, boat storage, and RV storage. How the outside of your facility appears from the road to the aisles of units is a crucial component of your facility’s success. Potholes, overgrown or dead landscaping, peeling paint, dented doors and burned-out signage gives current and possible customers an unhelpful outlook towards your facility showing your customer the possibilities of the customer service your business will provide to them.

We make sure that we maintain our office hours up to 6 days a week to ensure that we can also provide you with any further maintenance that you may need assistance with as an individual tenant.

Maintenance is a very important part of Self Storage and the self storage business. Proper care of your storage facility keeps cost down allowing us to provide better prices to our customers. So the next time you decide to inquire into a rental space take the time and look at what maintenance that self storage location strives for.

Overall here at Storage Station we take pride in the maintenance we provide to out tenants. Such as chipping or melting away ice from in front of their unit, replacing the latch on the unit itself, or just plain helping the tenant open the door of their unit, we try to go above and beyond normal maintenance to keep our tenants content. Overall maintenance is a very important part of the self storage industry and can also be a crucial part of customer service.

Maintenance in Self Storage Facilities brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

Actually I might have titled this, “The days are getting Longer”.  How do I know that?  Well it seemed that only a few weeks ago, I had to re-set the timers for the lights here at Storage Station to come on at 4:30 in the afternoon because the sun was setting around that time.  I noticed that when I was closing the office yesterday at 5 PM, it was still pretty light out.  So once I finish this blog I will be adjusting the timers for the building and surrounding area to come on just a little past 5 PM.

Actually I am looking for things to change.  It seems that everything is going at a slower than normal pace because of the colder days, and shorter day light.  People seem to be tuckered out from this past holiday.  Everything seems to be running at a slower pace.  The birds are not in the trees as they had been just a short while ago.  I don’t see the Chipmunks running through the hedges.  Even the hawks that would soar in the air near my house have not been around.  I look forward to hearing their call as they would soar through the air, over the hills behind my house.  There were times I would be on my deck, usually reading and a shadow would pass over me, and I would look up to see a hawk, gliding by in silence.  Actually we have 3 hawks that live in the trees behind our house.  When it gets warmer I am certain they will entertain everyone as they soar back and forth.

Now, “that is entertainment”.

Even the phones have slowed down.  We have not been getting as many requests for information by prospective tenants.  As is often the case in many industries due to the weather and time of year, things will run in cycles.  Now that we are in the middle of winter and in the North East, things will follow a slower pace.

Things do run in cycles.  In just a few weeks the phone will be ringing off the hook, because of all the honey do lists that are right now in the percolating stages in many of our minds.  For some it will be changes brought on because of renovation projects that are in the planning stage now.    Often a small addition to the home is in the planning stage today.  After all there are many things to consider.

Getting the right construction team, or should you tackle the job yourself.  How many things will need to be moved while renovations are made to a house?  Maybe the kid are grown and have moved away, and now is the time for you to turn their room into a den, or possibly an entertainment room for yourself.   Maybe it is time to make a gym for you and the wife.  But what if the kids come back what will we do with furniture that they say they will come back for, in just a few months?

The simple solution to all your concerns is your local Storage Station.  Just a suggestion but you might want to give us a call and reserve a unit before your neighbor beats you to it.
Let’s talk again next week.   The phone is ringing.

Things are getting Brighter brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

Wow where did the time go. Here it is a new week and I am going through the golden gates at the storage station store in South toms River NJ and as I go through it is no longer the year 2011 instead it is the year of 2012. As I ride around and check the units and grounds I stop and say hello to the tenants at their units We all talk about how fast the year 2011 and the holidays went.

I myself the manager of the Storage Station stores in South Toms River NJ and in Toms River NJ am please with the year of 2011 and am ready to take on the new year 2012. As bad as the country has been the last couple of years I think we have done well and are looking for a good year in 2012.

I know that all Storage station managers and associates along with the owners and me are looking for a bright year in 2012.

As we look back in 2011 and the way the  country and the lost of jobs, forecloses on homes and everything going way up and the price of gas per gallon sky rocking and the building of all the new storage places I feel we had a good year.

I saw on television that the dropping of the ball in time square is the biggest celebration in the World that for me is difficult to comprehend. My mind can not accept it, for there is so many other celebrations that would seem to take precedence, I recall the phrase:

Mr. Gorbachev Tear Down That Wall!” and the celebration that broke out when it finally happened.

I think of great celebrations that ensured at the end of great wars…to me celebrations that happen after great tragedies would be so much more joyful and meaningful. A life that has experienced much hardship can celebrate with thanksgiving when all has been restored.

I spend some time this week looking into the pass and found a document written in an old almanac from the 1870. It was after new labor laws have been put in place and one business released the following manifesto to its employees;
Notice

1. All staff members must be present between the hours of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and till noon on Saturdays.
2. Daily prayers will be held each morning in the main office, all must attend.
3. The staff will not dress in bright colors nor wear hose unless in good repair.
4. A stove is provided for the staff. Coal and wood must be kept in the locker. Each member of the staff should bring 4 pounds of coal each day darning cold weather.
5. No member may leave the room without permission. Call of nature is permitted and the staff may us the garden. The area must be kept in good order.
6. Since the business hours have been drastically reduced, the partaking of food is allow between 11:30 and 12:00, but will not cease on any account.
7. A new pencil sharpener is available on application.
8. Trainees will report 40 minutes before prayer and after closing hours to clean private offices with brushes, brooms and scrubbers provided by management.
9. Management recognized the generosity of these new labor laws but will expect greater work output to compensate for these near utopian conditions.

As I read this notice I was surprised to see how the expectations of employers have changed the years.

I know that I got off the beaten path but I thought this would be great to read for you as it was for me to read

I will end this by saying after reading this notice it is a great pleasure to work for Storage Station Company. Until next time enjoy and may the year of 2012 be a bigger and better year for all Storage Station Stores and the tenants that rent and will rent.

Out old year 2011 in New Year 2012 brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

If you are anything like me you were probably excited about decorating the house for the season but now dread packing it all up for another year.

My collection began around 35 years ago, purchasing holiday decorations each and every year.  I have also been fortunate enough to inherit many family holiday heirlooms.  Over the years my collection became bigger and more valuable, as my homes got larger, my collection grew.  This may be the first year I did not buy a new decoration other than my traditional yearly personalized ornaments for each child in the family.  (Some are no longer children but are happy recipients of the annual ornaments.)

My collection had grown so large that a good portion of the basement was devoted to holiday storage.  That was great when I had the big house and a big basement but have since downsized to a 1 bedroom apartment.   Storage was a problem and I was certainly not getting rid of these treasures.

My solution was to rent a self storage unit for this dilemma.  I have a climate controlled unit to preserve and protect my treasures.  I cannot display everything each Christmas in my apartment so the majority is packed & stored in the rear of the unit.  Those decorations that I now decorate with are easily accessible towards the front of my unit.

Regardless of where you store your holiday treasures I have some packing suggestions to hopefully help make you holiday decorating easier next year:

Commercially available ornament storage boxes can be an easy solution to Christmas packing.  One storage box can have many individual sections allowing you to separate ornaments and prevent breakage.  Or perhaps you have a partitioned wine box hanging around?  These make great packing boxes for tissue wrapped or bubble wrapped glass ornaments.  Several ornaments can be stacked on top of each other in each slot, placing heavier ornaments on the bottom and keeping the most delicate ornaments wrapped in bubble wrap at the top of the box. .

Recycle that used gift wrap paper and tissue paper.  Running the wrapping paper through a paper shredder makes great fluffy filler for storage.   Egg cartons are perfect for storing tiny ornaments.
All boxes and storage containers should be clearly labeled.

Decorating will be easier next year if decorations are grouped by the location where they go, all the tree décor in boxes stored together, the outside decorations together and other decorations stored by room.  Have you finally perfected your decorating scheme and don’t want to forget it?  Take pictures and pack these things together, placing the picture in the box.  Be sure to store the heavier boxes or containers on the bottom and the lighter ones on the top.

Last but not least, the Christmas tree and lights.  I purchased a handled, zippered bag which keeps my artificial tree clean and dry. I store this in the corner of my unit at the end of the season.  I remove the lights and wrap each strand around a separate piece of cut cardboard; taping the ends down, this eliminates a tangled mess next year.  I place these cardboard “spools” together in a large box.

At the end of each season I place the Christmas tree in first since that is the last thing I will be removing next year.    I place all other boxes and containers in the unit in the order that I will be removing them.  Since I decorate in stages I place the boxes and containers in the order in which I will be removing them next year.

I guess I will continue to store these precious decorations until I can pass the baton to my daughter.  I look forward to the day I can help her decorate her home and visit and admire our family’s holiday treasures each Christmas

Hope everyone had a joyous holiday!  Happy, healthy New Year to all!!

Holiday Decoration Storage brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

The NBA is back playing ball and the College Bowls just ended.  Now to watch college basketball, and on weekends as long as you are a Giant fan like me, you still have a game to watch.  If I were a betting man I would take the points and bet on the Giants against the Packers.  Heck they might just win the game outright.  I sure hope so.

My condolences to those of you that are Jet fans……   But you do have something to look forward to, with a new Offensive Coordinator signed today.

Now down to business.

When I rolled up to the gate this morning I was stuck behind one of my tenants who was sitting at the keypad, looking perplexed.  I chuckled as I got out of my car and walked up to him and asked what was wrong.  He said, I can’t believe it I forgot my unit number?  I thought for a second and said I believe it is 30__; he tried it and asked how I remembered.  I said I really don’t know, but I wish he would get out of the way, so I could turn around and go and buy a lottery ticket.  Maybe my luck is changing.

I just finished renting a unit to a fella that owns a Limo Service.  You should have seen the stretch limo that he drove up in this morning.

I am just happy that he did not want to store the limo in a unit.  I don’t think it would have fit.

Just a little while ago I took a call from a woman, asking about the availability of a 5 x 5.  We talked and I told her that I was running a special and for just $20.00 more she could rent a 5 x 10……????

Twice the volume for just $20.00…   She will be in sometime in the next few days to rent the unit.  Actually she is one of my old tenants, and only moved out a few months ago.   When she last rented she had a much larger unit.  This time she needs a unit to store some household things as she prepares her house for sale.    It seems more and more people are renting Storage Units, because real estate agents had suggested that they stage their homes for sale.  Sure seems like a win win for all concerned.

Until we next talk, have a great weekend, and

‘How about those Giants”?!?!!!!!

I am keeping my fingers crossed brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

It all started about a month ago.  It was a Saturday morning and I was just about to make breakfast for the family.  On weekends I normally make breakfast for everyone, and have been doing it ever since I went into Semi Retirement.  I like to have a lot of light in the kitchen when I am working, so normally I open the wood door onto my back deck when I start.  If it is warm the breeze comes thru the screen, but since it had become colder we have replaced the screen with a window, in the storm door.

Well I am happily going about my chores and suddenly there is a tapping at the storm door.  I turned and looked, and there on the grill-work for the door is a bird tapping on the window, about 4 feet away from me.  I had no idea what type of bird but it was.  We found that periodically throughout the day it would perch there, looking into the kitchen and tap on the window.

After a couple of days it looked like he had decided my back deck and the trees and bushes surrounding it were going to be my new friends home.   He patrolled the area diligently chasing all the sparrows, and other birds out of the yard.

Me being the person I am, decided to go to the local Feed Store and pick up a bag of seed for my feathered friend since it looked like it was going to stay.  I still did not know what type of bird it was so I took a picture of it and sent it via email to the local ecology center and asked them if they could tell me.

Surprisingly, within an hour I received a replay and was told it was a Winter Mockingbird.  They went on to say that they are very territorial and it may be pecking on the window because it sees it’s reflection in the window.   That sure made sense to me…

Well anyway, I started to put seed on a railing and in a little cup I hung from a Shepherds Hook in my yard.  Although he/she often chases most of the birds away, because it was feeding time, it allowed most of his neighbors to partake of the bounty.  It would take what it wanted and then fly onto a branch and allow his neighbors time to have some as well.  For the most part although a few squabbles would occur, everybody seemed to get their share of food.  Only one problem developed.  Yes, you are right the Squirrels in the area came in droves.  As long as I sat on the deck the squirrels would stay away.  So for each feeding time I would sit on the deck and the birds for the most part would come and eat.  (As long as I stayed very very still)  They would quickly get some and return to a branch.  When most of the seed was gone I would go back in the house.   Sometimes it would get a bit cold…..

Now that it has gotten much colder I have noticed that the squirrels have not come down like they had a few weeks ago.  They must have decided to stay cozy in their homes for the winter.   The bears are also denned up, so it looks like as long as I continue to leave a little seed out through the winter I will have a couple of friends visiting me throughout the year..

Thanks for listening.

Views from the Deck brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog

We have small, medium and those big boxes, for your things.

When a person comes in to buy boxes, I will suggest to them that if they are buying large boxes they should use them to store things are not that heavy, like pillows, clothing and items that don’t really weigh that much.  We sometimes forget that these large boxes can indeed hold lots of stuff, but someone will have to pick them up and carry them.  It does know good if you fill all these large boxes and then find that you have to hire a small army to lift them.   We have boxes especially made for your files.  We also have boxes for both framed pictures and mirrors.  If a legal tote is what you need we also have them.

Of course we have tape to close all these boxes.  There are packing kits that have slots for dishes and glasses and of course we have packing paper for your glasses and dishes as well.  Don’t forget when packing crystal and other breakable items you might want to wrap them in Bubble Wrap, which we also have in stock.  Stop by the office and we can help you with packing kits specially made for all your packing needs.

There are also chair covers, bed covers and plastic sheeting to cover furniture and anything else you might think of.  There are also Covers for Mattresses, from Twin Size to King Size.   The plastic sheeting is also great for projects at home, and is often used as drop clothes when painting.

If your basement is sometime damp when it rains, we have found that a product we sell works very well, absorbing moisture and eliminating musty odors.  It is a small container that all you need to do is open and leave in the affected area.

Lastly when moving things back and forth from home to your unit you might need to use a couple of Stretch Cords, to tie things down as you travel back and forth.  Some of our tenants also use them to keep things like mattresses and box springs, frames etc. standing in  their units to conserve room in their units.

So feel free and stop at your local Storage Station when you need help with your moving needs.   If by chance you decide that you need to rent a unit from us at Wayne, tell them I said to give you a free lock with your rental.

By the way, I just checked the long range forecast for Northern New Jersey.  Even though they say it is winter, the weather man shows no snow in the forecast during the next 10 days.
Thanks for listening.

Is it Winter? brought to you by : Storage Station Self Storage and Storage Blog