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Let Self-Storage Help You with Your Spring Cleaning

After another long winter, spring has finally sprung here in Oklahoma! While Daylight Savings Time may not be very popular with all of us when we lose an hour of sleep, there’s no denying that it signals the beginning of spring, bringing with it longer days and warmer weather.

Spring also means that it’s time for spring cleaning! Time to air out the house, put away winter clothes and bedding… and finally clean all that stuff out of your basement, attic, or garage that you’ve been piling in there all winter. You’ve been telling yourself that you’d “take care of it when it was warmer.” Well… it’s warmer!

Your friendly neighborhood Oklahoma self-storage provider Storage ‘R’ Us can give you a perfect place to store all your winter clothes, extra blankets, space heaters, snow blowers, holiday decorations, hunting supplies, and anything else that you might not need during the summer months, but that’s not the only way that self-storage can help you with your spring cleaning this year. Need someplace to stage everything while you give the house a good scrubbing, shampoo the carpets, refinish that basement, or remodel a kitchen, bathroom, or closet? A clean and secure self-storage unit may be just the ticket.

Spring cleaning is about more than just putting away winter supplies and tidying up the house. The arrival of warm weather also means that you’re probably thinking about firing up that grill, getting your boat out onto the lake, or taking your motorcycle for a nice long ride. Did you know that the Oklahoma self-storage experts at Storage ‘R’ Us can also store boats, RVs, motorcycles, and just about anything else that you can imagine? So when you’re ready to get that boat out on the water, or clean the mothballs out of your RV, boat and RV storage at Storage ‘R’ Us can ensure that your recreational vehicles are in great shape and out of the way when they’re not in use, and that they’re ready to go as soon as that perfect weekend rolls around.

Of course, you’re not the only one who’s been cooped up all winter. The kids will have sports equipment that can be kept in storage when not in use, and man’s best friend is going to want to get out and enjoy the nice weather, too. That means longer walks with your dog, trips to the dog park, or even just playing catch outside. Unfortunately, that also means that your pet may come back covered in mud or grass or who-knows-what. That’s okay, though, because thanks to our self-service dog wash station at our East Gore location in Lawton, Storage ‘R’ Us even has Rover covered.

So when you’re thinking of spring cleanup and summer fun this year, think of Storage ‘R’ Us. Whether you’re storing winter items, cleaning up your boat, motorcycle, or RV, or your pupster a bath at our self-service dog wash station, Storage ‘R’ Us has your spring cleaning covered.

Whether you already have a self-storage unit or are just considering trying one out, you may be asking yourself, “What should I put in it?” Of course, the most obvious answer is: “Anything you’re not using or need to get out of the way.” A self-storage unit is a great way to tidy up your house, but climate controlled self-storage can offer you more than just a way to de-clutter your life. Here are a few innovative ways that people have found to use their self-storage units:

  • Support Your Home-Based Business: It may come as a surprise, but more than 51% of all businesses in the US are run out of the home. That means no offices, no warehouses, no storefronts. Just someone’s living room, den, or garage. From freelance writers and artists to people sewing handmade clothes or baking specialty treats, home-based businesses come in all shapes and sizes… but they all have one thing in common: They need space to store supplies or excess inventory that quickly threatens to take over their home. Many home-based business owners turn to climate controlled self-storage as a way to keep a handle on supplies and inventory, while still keeping them close at hand.
  • Sell Things on Online: Even if you don’t run a business out of your home, many people in America sell things on eBay or Etsy. Maybe it’s stuff that you make in your spare time, or maybe you like to go around to garage sales and auctions and find great deals that you can then re-sell for a little profit. Whatever the case may be, selling online means holding onto items until they’re ready to ship. If you do it regularly, it also means keeping plenty of packing materials on hand. A self-storage unit can be a great solution for keeping that collection of Beanie Babies safe until they’re ready to be shipped out to their new home.
  • Store Crafting Supplies: Speaking of Etsy, these days more and more people have crafting hobbies. Just take a drive through any big town and you’ll see craft stores aplenty. Scrapbooking is especially popular, allowing people to take that boring old family photo album and turn it into something that expresses their own personal style, while still keeping all those cherished memories. Whatever your hobby, a climate controlled self-storage unit can preserve all your crafting supplies so they stay neatly organized and right where you need them when you’re ready to work.
  • Staging Your House for Sale: When it comes time to sell your house, you want it to look its best… but you may not be ready or able to move everything into your new place before the old one is sold. What’s the answer? Self-storage can give you a place to store things so they’re out of the way when people come to view your home, while still giving you easy access to them when you need them. 

Whatever use you have in mind for your self-storage unit, climate controlled self-storage from Storage ‘R’ Us has the perfect solution for you! Come see us today, or give us a call, and let one of our experienced self-storage specialists help you find just the right self-storage unit for your needs.

So, you’ve decided that it’s time to rent a self-storage unit for yourself or your family. Maybe your kids are going off to college and you need someplace to store their stuff. Maybe your collection of tools has finally outgrown your garage—or maybe you just need someplace to keep your holiday decorations the rest of the year. Whatever the reason, when the time comes to pick out a self-storage unit, you’ll probably find yourself with a lot of questions. What kinds of things can you store in your self-storage unit? What size unit is right for you? What are the best ways to go about putting your belongings in the unit, or packing them into boxes?

Luckily, there are a lot of resources available that can help you find the answers to these and lots of other questions. At Storage ‘R’ Us, we regularly tweet helpful self-storage tips at the #SelfStorageTips hashtag. You can also check out the self-storage tips tag on our ‘blog for previous entries that cover topics from how to pack boxes for a move, to what to do when your hobby outgrows your home, or visit the Storage Tips page at the website of our Moore, OK location.

To get you started, here are a few basic self-storage tips that just about anyone new to self-storage can use:

  • When packing boxes, distribute weight as evenly as possible and ensure that the contents are packed tightly to help with lifting and to prevent contents from shifting around.
  • When filling your unit, keep aisles between items for easy access, and make sure to leave a little space (at least an inch) between the outside walls and your belongings, to let the air circulate.
  • Just like in a move, labeling boxes can be a lifesaver, and if you think you may have trouble remembering what is where, consider making a map and keeping it tacked to the wall near the front of your unit, so that you can find what you need quickly.
  • Make the best use of your unit’s space by stacking items to the ceiling, but make sure you stack heavy objects on the bottom, and that the items in the lower part of the stack can support the weight of the items above them. Also, make sure that your stacks are stable and won’t fall over easily.
  • Re-purpose stored items like old refrigerators, chests-of-drawers, and large trash cans by storing smaller items inside them. 

Those and other resources can help you answer just about any storage-related question that you may have. But if you’re still scratching your head, you can always call or come visit any of our convenient locations and ask one of our friendly staff. We’d be happy to help you out with everything from moving supplies and PENSKE truck rentals to picking the right storage unit for your needs.

Sure, you can hire a professional moving company to come in and pack up all your belongings for you before that big move, but most people would rather do it themselves. After all, who wants a bunch of strangers going through their personal things, and besides, you know how to put things into a box, and for free, right?

Doing it yourself is a great option for a move, but at the same time, it might surprise you to learn that there are at least 5 things that most people do wrong when packing boxes. So here are a few packing and moving tips to make your next move easier!

  1. Not labeling boxes. This is probably the biggest mistake that people make when packing, and it’s the one that can have the biggest impact on how much of a hassle your move becomes. After all, once everything is packed up, the boxes all look the same, so having them labeled will make the job of unpacking a whole lot easier, not to mention letting whoever is actually doing the heavy lifting know what room the box goes into.
  2. Mixing rooms. So you’re packing up the stuff from your daughter’s bedroom, and you end up with a partial box, and you figure it won’t hurt to put some stuff from the kitchen in there. Or you’re cleaning toiletries out of the bathroom and right at that moment you remember that you forgot to get the shoes from the top of the closet. However it happens, things from more than one room have a tendency to all end up jumbled together. When you’re packing, keep the things that go into each room separate, and label the boxes that they’re in accordingly. If you absolutely must mix things from more than one room into the same box, label the box with the names of both rooms and, if possible, a breakdown of what goes with which.
  3. Putting the heavy stuff on the top. This is one that just seems like common sense, but in the hustle and bustle of packing it can be all too easy to just “toss something in” on the top of a box, when it probably should have been packed near the bottom. The best bet is to plan your packing in advance. Begin packing up boxes a few at a time well in advance of your move, and have a pretty good idea of what’s going to go into each box before you begin packing it. Then put the biggest and heaviest stuff at the bottom of the box, and lighter stuff up near the top. Also remember to pack breakable items with care, and that you can always use things like socks or towels to pad out boxes.
  4. Not keeping it all together. This could easily be a corollary of “mixing rooms,” above, but it goes way beyond that. When you’re packing up something that’s got multiple small parts—say, the bolts that hold a curtain rod to the wall—make sure that everything stays together. Put small parts in Ziploc bags and tape them to the items they go with. Wind cords and tie them together using bread ties or hair bands. Do whatever you have to do to make sure that when you get where you’re going you have not just the big stuff, but all the little stuff that goes along with it.
  5. Using the wrong supplies. We all know how it goes: You get ready to move, and so you head down to the grocery store or the liquor store and ask the manager for extra cardboard boxes to pack everything into. That’s certainly a cheap solution, but it isn’t always the best one. Boxes that you get from stores may be dirty or warped from moisture, and they may not be strong enough to hold up to the rigors of a move. Your best bet is to buy some moving supplies—like the kind you can get at your local Storage ‘R’ Us location. It may cost you a few dollars more, but you’ll be happy when the bottom doesn’t fall out of the box that you have all your grandmother’s china in. 

When you’re getting ready to pack up for your next move, come on down to Storage ‘R’ Us. We’re not only your moving supply headquarters and Oklahoma’s largest Penske truck rental representative—you can also get packing and moving tips from our friendly and knowledgeable staff, and our secure self-storage facilities can act as a staging area for items that won’t fit in your new place, or that you just aren’t quite ready to move yet.

Moving out of your old place—whether it’s an apartment, your parents’ house, a condo, or an old home—can be fun and exciting, but it can also be stressful and intimidating. Fortunately, while packing and moving can be extremely difficult, there are a lot of ways to make moving easy, no matter what size or type of home you’re moving from or to!

  • Look at moving as an opportunity to organize and purge. Get rid of anything that you don’t want to keep before you have to pack it up and move it.
  • When the time to move comes, pack an overnight bag for each person in the household with all of your essentials. One of the first things that happens after a big move is that somebody can’t find their toothbrush or their medication or a change of underwear. Make sure all that is packed up in your overnight bag and easy to get to, no matter how long it takes you to unpack.
  • Label your boxes! Whether you’re moving yourself with the help of a few friends, or hiring a moving company to do the heavy lifting, the more accurately and thoroughly your boxes are labeled, the smoother it’s going to go. Label the contents of the box, and which room it’s destined for.
  • Take advantage of color coding. Putting the name of a room on a box is helpful, but an even quicker way identify a box at a glance is to use colored tape or stickers to color code the rooms and their corresponding boxes. Yellow for the kitchen, blue for the master bedroom, etc.
  • Have the right tools for the job. When the time comes to pack up your house—whether it’s an apartment or a mansion—you’re going to need a few moving supplies. Boxes, tape, markers, and something to provide padding around fragile items. Luckily, we’ve got all of those things and more at Storage ‘R’ Us, including our new marker/box-cutter combo, which gives you two of your most vital tools in one! Available exclusively at Storage ‘R’ Us in Oklahoma.
  • And while you’re at one of our convenient Storage ‘R’ Us locations in Moore, Duncan, Chickasha, or Lawton, consider renting a self-storage space to help make your move easier. Self-storage can provide a solution for overflow items if you’re moving from someplace with more space to someplace with less, or it can provide a temporary solution for storing stuff while you move. Plus, Storage ‘R’ Us is also Oklahoma’s largest Penske Truck Rental representative, so while you’re getting your self-storage unit and picking up moving supplies, you can also rent a moving truck, all in one stop! 

No matter where you’re moving from—or to—moving is a big job, but with a little help from your friendly neighborhood Oklahoma self-storage provider, you can make moving quicker, easier, more inexpensive, and maybe even a little more fun.

Self-storage facilities are increasingly popular these days. Almost everywhere you go, you see them! All sorts of people find themselves turning to self-storage in Oklahoma, and for all sorts of reasons. If you’ve never considered self-storage, you may be missing out. Self-storage can be of use to practically everyone, and if you don’t believe us, read the following list and see if you see yourself among any of the following…

Home-Owners: Home-owners frequently find use for Oklahoma self-storage facilities like Storage ‘R’ Us. Whether you’re looking to permanently de-clutter, or if you’re looking to store things like camping gear that you only use a few times a year, or a crib or a toddler’s bed in case you need it again in the future, self-storage in Oklahoma is right for home-owners. It’s also a fantastic idea for any home-owner seeking to sell their home. Real estate agents often ask those who are putting their house on the market to pare down their belongings so as to let potential buyers see the shape of the space they’re considering. Whether you need temporary self-storage or a long-term storage solution, self-storage is great for any home owner.

Business-Owners: Not every business has gone (or wants to go) fully electronic, even in this, the “digital age,” and that means you may have boxes of files that need to be stored. No one wants to keep their place of business full of boxes and files that you only need to look at every once in a while. But even if you have gone digital, you may have other assets you don’t wish to keep on-premises. Older computers you may wish to sell, a desk you bought at auction in case you ever need to hire another employee… the list is endless when it comes to things business-owners may wish to store. Self-storage is an excellent solution for business-owners wishing to store things of all sorts.

Students and Former Students: Whether you’re heading off to college and want to store your childhood bed, desk, bookshelves, and toys for the next four years, or if you’ve just graduated and need a place to put those things you acquired while you come to live at home before your first job begins, self-storage can be a real boon for students.

Collectors: Collecting is an entertaining hobby, but not without its challenges. Beyond the basics of finding the perfect beanie baby, teacup, Transformer, or whatever it is you collect, there’s also the issue of where to store your collection. Self-storage in Oklahoma is a wonderful way for collectors to manage their collections. And if you collect with the idea of selling your finds on eBay or Etsy, self-storage enables you to make your home a showcase for your most precious items while housing those you’re looking to liquidate off-premises.

Members of the Military: New recruits and career servicemen alike can use self-storage to their advantage. Are you looking for military self-storage in Oklahoma? Service members stationed at Altus AFB, Vance AFB, Fort Sill, Tinker AFB, or McAlester Army Ammunition Plant are very welcome at Storage ‘R’ Us. And if you’ve been deployed and want to house your belongings in a safe, affordable, secure facility, or if you’ve just joined the service and know your parents wish to make your room into a guest room or craft room, Storage ‘R’ Us respectfully hopes that members of the United States Armed Services will use our facility for their military self-storage needs.

If you’re looking for military self-storage in Lawton, Chickasha, Moore, or Duncan, Oklahoma, feel free to stop by any of our Storage ‘R’ Us locations and see what our self-storage solutions can do for you! One of our self-storage experts will be happy to recommend a self-storage unit that affords you the kind of storage you require.

It’s true that people always speak of “June weddings,” but October is known to be one of the most popular seasons for weddings. The air is crisp, the leaves have turned their glorious shades of red and gold, and every savvy bride is imagining a ceremony where guests sip steaming cups of spiced cider by crackling fires, toasting the happy couple.

The big question is… once the newlyweds return to their new home, what are they going do with all of their stuff? Everyone who has gotten married agrees: deciding how to manage a shared household can end the “honeymoon” quicker than anything else. It’s easy to decide which of the two toasters, two George Foreman grills, two sets of silverware should be kept, and which should be donated to charity, but that doesn’t mean everything two people have acquired over their entire lives will fit in one apartment or house.

She has her snow skis, stuffed animal collection, scrapbooking supplies, tennis rackets, camping gear, and family heirlooms. He has his weights and weight rack, pool table, DVD collection, jet skis, and beer brewing equipment. They both have everything they received for the wedding, like the crème brûlée-making kit neither remembers putting on the registry, the set of china they seem to have inherited from some well-meaning aunt, a new food processor, extra sheets and towels… there aren’t enough closets in any home to keep all the things two people bring to a marriage.

What’s the solution? No couple wants to quarrel over whose stuff is more important, or where it should all go. Storage ‘R’ Us is the self-storage in Oklahoma you need to for all the clutter you don’t want in your new home.

Gentleman—don’t antagonize your new bride by fretting over where on earth you’re going to stash her enormous antique dollhouse. Ladies—your husband doesn’t want to fight over whether you should get rid of that bass guitar from his college band (even if we both know he never plays it any more). Instead, come to Storage ‘R’ Us and check out our various self-storage features in Oklahoma. We have several facilities and many different unit sizes. You can access your stuff seven days a week, and rest assured, it’s being watched 24 hours a day. We have heated and cooled units available, free use of on-site moving equipment, and accept all major credit cards. If your new spouse brings an RV, hot rod, or boat to your new marriage, we can store that, too.

That first fight after you get married is inevitable… but don’t make it about where to put all your things. Just get yourself set up with self-storage in Oklahoma. With Storage ‘R’ Us, it’s easy to store what you don’t need on a daily basis, so you can enjoy your shared, clutter-free home the moment you get back from your honeymoon.

If you’re looking for self-storage in Lawton, Chickasha, Moore, or Duncan, Oklahoma, feel free to stop by any of our Storage ‘R’ Us locations and see what our self-storage solutions can do for you! One of our self-storage experts will be happy to recommend a self-storage unit that affords you the kind of storage you require.

The tiny house movement is sweeping the nation—and gaining popularity in other countries like Japan and England where square footage comes at a premium—as people all over convert to smaller, often self-built homes, and simpler styles of living. Maybe you’ve seen pictures of tiny houses on Pinterest, or seen the news coverage about the movement on CNN, NBC, PBS, Oprah, or the Huffington Post, or watched the 2013 documentary Tiny: A Story About Living Small. Or maybe you’re a part of the tiny house movement yourself, and are thinking of constructing your own tiny home in Oklahoma, or are already in the process of doing so!

In 1978, the average size of a new single family home in the United States was 1,780 square feet. By 2007, it had almost doubled to an average of 2,479 square feet. The tiny house movement is a reaction to the growing size of houses in America, and the growing burden of debt that mortgages and associated costs carry with them. To count as a tiny house, a single family home must be less than 1,000 square feet, and the average size is between 100 and 400 square feet.

The tiny house movement is about more than just square footage, though. It’s about self-reliance, a simpler, lower-stress lifestyle, and a way to break free of the cycle of debt. While there are companies that manufacture and sell tiny houses, most tiny house owners build their own, often on wheels, since some zoning regulations require a minimum square footage for construction built on foundations. For many tiny house aficionados the movement goes beyond a housing choice and is a lifestyle that focuses on efficiency, sustainability, and freedom.

The tiny house movement boasts a lot of benefits to those who find themselves drawn to it, but the move from a bigger lifestyle to a smaller one can take some getting used to. Whether you’re building your own tiny house or buying one, chances are you’re going to need a few things to help make the transition easier. One of those is a quality, climate-controlled Oklahoma self-storage unit for all the stuff that you can’t fit into your tiny new home. Tiny house self-storage is an important part of many tiny house lifestyles, and one that we’re well-equipped to help you out with here at Storage ‘R’ Us!

One of the biggest reasons people gravitate to tiny houses is to save on worry and stress by simplifying and decluttering their life. A good Oklahoma self-storage unit can do wonders for reducing worry and clutter, whether you live in a tiny house or a more regular-sized one. And because the units at Storage ‘R’ Us are always safe, secure, and affordable, you can keep the things that you don’t have room for in your tiny house or your big one safe with us, and still get to them easily when you need them.

If you’re looking for self-storage in Lawton, Chickasha, Moore, or Duncan, Oklahoma for your tiny house (or anything else), feel free to stop by any of our Storage ‘R’ Us locations and see what our self-storage solutions can do for you! One of our self-storage experts will be happy to recommend a self-storage unit that affords you the kind of storage you require.

It’s probably happened to everyone, at one time or another: We begin a new hobby, or resume an old one. We think we have all the stuff we need, but then there’s always another thing, and then another, and before we know it our hobby is taking up our whole living room, or garage, or spare bedroom, and spilling out into the rest of the house. After a while, you need someplace to put all your stuff, whether it’s garden gnomes or Beanie Babies. So if your spouse is threatening to throw you and your collection of commemorative plates out into the street, consider self-storage in Oklahoma as an alternative.

No matter what your hobby, it takes up space. Some things take up more space than others, of course. Maybe it’s all the parts for those classic cars that you’re going to get around to restoring someday, maybe it’s antiques, dolls, yard art, or kitchen utensils. Whatever your passion, sooner or later you’re going to run out of room. It’s just inevitable. When that day comes, a climate-controlled self-storage unit can be just the thing to keep your treasured collectibles safe and sound. A self-storage unit can still give you easy access to your treasured trove of shot glasses from every state while still keeping them out of the house and out of the way, so that you don’t have to live your life around your collection of plastic outdoor Santas.

People collect a lot of weird things. There’s a guy in Pennsylvania who collects Madballs, a gentleman in Arizona who has the world’s largest collection of hot sauce, and more than one person is competing for the title of “America’s largest collection of barf bags.” So no matter what you collect—whether it’s something with a lot of monetary value, or something that most people would consider junk—we know it has a lot of value to you. So whatever your collection, consider self-storage in Oklahoma as a way to keep it safe, secure, and out-of-the-way.

Whatever your collection may be worth in actual dollars, we know that it’s priceless to you, and so at Storage ‘R’ Us we not only keep our climate-controlled self-storage units safe under lock and key, we also protect them with security lighting, computer controlled site access, a fenced or walled perimeter, and 24-hour digital surveillance. Unfortunately, while security like that may seem like plenty, there are some kinds of losses that don’t care about security cameras, fences, or locks. A tornado or other natural disaster can wreak havoc on even the most secure self-storage in Oklahoma, and if that happens you’ll want to make sure that you have your collection insured. It’s good advice no matter where you store your collection. After all, a lot of time and probably money too went into assembling it, so you want to make sure you’re compensated if the unthinkable should happen.

If you’re looking for a self-storage location in Lawton, Chickasha, Moore, or Duncan, Oklahoma, feel free to stop by any of our Storage ‘R’ Us locations and see what our self-storage solutions can do for you! One of our self-storage experts will be happy to recommend a self-storage unit that affords you the kind of storage you require.

Your child’s college graduation day is a very proud day. You’ve looked forward to seeing your child walk across the stage in their cap and gown and receive their diploma—what a wonderful achievement! You’re sure to remember all the years of hard work building up to this moment—the homework, tests, papers, and studying. All the hours they spent working at their desk in their room reading, writing, memorizing, and solving problems. They’ve come so far and accomplished so much and now they’re ready to venture out into the world on their own—to move out of the house, find a job, and begin their future.

The day your child moves away from home is often both a joyful and a sad day. It’s also a time of transition into another exciting chapter in life. One with new opportunities and adventures. After your child moves out and joins the working world, you may find you have more free time to explore new hobbies, visit with friends, or even travel. You also have a great opportunity to transform their unused bedroom into the room of your dreams!

There are so many possibilities. Just imagine what you could do!

  • Artist’s studio
  • Collectibles room
  • Craft room
  • Game room
  • Library
  • Man cave
  • Meditation room
  • Music room
  • Office
  • Sewing room
  • TV/media room
  • Work-out room

Just imagine, you could have your own work-out room with a treadmill, rowing machine, free weights, or other preferred exercise equipment. Or, you could turn the room into an artist’s studio for your easels, canvases, and paints. Perhaps you prefer a music room to focus on learning or writing music. You could turn the room into a sewing room, TV room, or game room. Whatever your hobby, craft, activity, or personal collection, you can transform the room into something useful and fun!

If you like the idea of turning your child’s old bedroom into the room you’ve always wanted, but still want to hold onto their childhood furniture, trophies, knick-knacks, and other keepsakes for future use, consider storing these items in a rented storage unit. You can safely pack up unused furniture, books, artwork, posters, or unseasonal clothing, and keep them all secure in a storage unit.

You can also make space in your home by packing up any unused sporting equipment like water skis, skateboards, bicycles, hockey equipment, baseball bats, basketball goals, soccer nets, fishing poles and tackle, and other items taking up precious space, and store them in your rented storage unit. With a secure storage unit, you can hold onto items you’re not ready to get rid of and still have the opportunity to update your home with new furnishings as well as re-purpose any unused rooms.

If you’re looking for long-term or short-term self-storage in Oklahoma, feel free to stop by any of our Storage ‘R’ Us locations in Moore, Duncan, Lawton, or Chickasha and see what our self-storage solutions can do for you! One of our self-storage experts will be happy to recommend a self-storage unit that affords you the kind of storage you require.