storage Archives - CENTURY 21 MarketLink Realty

Post-Holiday Storage Hacks

December 26, 2015 By Casey Danton

With all the excitement of the holidays, you may not have thought about how you’ll store your holiday wares. When the time comes, you may want some help storing your holiday paraphernalia in a way that is both stress-free and efficient. With these storage tips, you could save yourself time and energy while making the transition out of the holiday season as merry as the season itself.

Label Everything
Your life could be infinitely easier come next year if you take the time to label your storage units right now. Every single bin and box you stow holiday items in should be tagged with a label detailing its contents and what room those items go in. This may make finding items and decorating in the following years much simpler. It could also help you inventory holiday accoutrements and help determine what items you actually use and which you could live without.

Pick a Room
Not all homes are well equipped to store holiday accessories. If your home is one of those where storage space is scarce, be sure to resist the urge to scatter your storage units around the house. There is nothing more frustrating than scouring your home for decorations all housed in different rooms. Deciding on one room to store your holiday items may spare you the trouble of a holiday scavenger hunt next year.

Store Safely
Don’t dampen the holidays next year with broken heirlooms and damaged knick-knacks. The plates and dishes that make holiday dinners special are fragile and should be stored somewhere they won’t be disturbed. Other fragile items should be stored on the ground to avoid falling from great heights and breaking, but they also shouldn’t be at the bottom of a pile of other potentially heavy boxes. Also factor in perishable holiday items such as candles, which should be stored somewhere that they won’t overheat and warp over the summer.

Tie Up to Avoid Tangles
Holiday decorations are decidedly stringy in nature. From garland to strands of lights, these bright and colorful lines help make the holidays festive. You might be so eager to take down holiday lights and other stringed items that you shove them into boxes without thinking about it, only to encounter a tangled mess the following year. Try using zip-ties, rubber bands, and twist ties to neatly contain individual strands of lights or garland before storing them. Then store them in boxes with layered dividers to prevent further tangling.

DIY Storage Units
Sometimes traditional boxes, bins, and other storage units don’t fit your holiday storage needs. If there are certain items that seem like they have special storage requirements, find them yourself. For example, an artificial wreath might not fare well in a cardboard box full of other holiday wares, but it would be adequately preserved in a repurposed hat box. Old egg cartons, coffee cans, and garment bags can all be utilized as storage vessels for certain holiday decorations.

The holidays may be over, but you can still give yourself the gift of convenient storage and stress-free future holiday decorating.

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5 Sneaky Storage Tips for Small Spaces

September 23, 2015 By Casey Danton

Shh…we’re sharing some sneaky storage tips. According to Psychology Today’s Sherrie Bourg Carter, messy homes make people feel overwhelmed, anxious, and helpless. As she says, mess leads to stress. Your home should feel like a sanctuary, not a penitentiary. These storage tips may make your home feel cleaner and more organized.

Fold Everything Down:

We’re not talking about folding your clothes (which will also save you space), but instead, we mean thinking about installing a desk or a kitchen table that can be folded when it’s not in use. Bring the furniture back out when it’s time for Thanksgiving or poker night.

Use Multi-Purpose Pieces:

One clever way to make more space in a small room is to implement items that serve two purposes: like a hollow ottoman or a trunk. They will be there taking up space either way, so why not fill it them up to tackle two problems at once?

Set Up Built-In Shelving:

You may be able to save space with built-in shelving. These shelves usually don’t take up as much space as bookshelves, and you can use them to line an entire wall from floor to ceiling! Use them to store books, collections, toiletries, and other things that are taking up space in your home.

Hang Out in Your Kitchen:

One of the trickiest storage problems in small kitchens is finding space for all of the pots and pans. They take up too much space in a cupboard, so hang them from the ceiling instead. It will add to the decor of the room, and it might be easier to find what you’re looking for when you’re in the middle of a brilliant cooking concoction. Similarly, you can hang cups and mugs from under-shelf hangers, which may free up more space in the cupboards for plates, bowls, platters, and other things that stack.

Set up a Creative Corner:

Anyone in a small space may tell you that creatively filling every single space can be difficult. For a small room that is already full (but still needs more storage) look into corner shelves. Don’t cut corners—use them!

Filling your home with hidden storage may be a great way to tuck all of your items away and keep your home organized. Take everything out of the closet or junk drawer and start using these stealth storage solutions.

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Storage Solutions: How to Store Winter Items Efficiently

April 3, 2015 By CENTURY 21

The sweet smell of spring is in the air! There’s no more snow on the ground, so there’s no longer a need for your earmuffs, snow boots, or puffy coats. Say goodbye to your shovels and snow blowers until next season.

It’s time to store those pesky, bulky winter items someplace where they won’t be bothersome. The trick is to store them efficiently, safely, and securely.

1. Plastic bins: Opt for plastic bins that allow garments to breath without trapping moisture because moisture will dull the fibers. For bulkier items, use larger, deeper bins that you can place in a storage space. For smaller items, use thin, long bins that can be stored under your bed.

2. Store like items together: Storing similar items together makes unpacking next winter much easier. You’ll know exactly where every item is, causing less of a hassle.

3. Delicates: Cashmere sweaters or any other delicate pieces should be stored differently than everything else. You’ll want to store these items in a cotton canvas storage bag and then place them in a bin. This will keep the fabrics fresh and allow your clothes to keep their shape.

4. Boots and shoes: Storing shoes, especially ones as bulky as winter boots, can seem difficult. But, in fact, it’s quite easy. Invest in a few boot trees to store in your boots, helping them keep their shape, and then lay them flat in a storage bin. Wrap each pair in a cotton pillowcase or T-shirt to keep them dust free. For smaller booties or loafers, stuff them with tissue paper to help keep their shape. (StyleCaster)

5. Cool Temperatures: The ideal storing temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s not recommended to store items in a place that gets a lot of natural or artificial light and it’s best to avoid basements, garages, and attics. (AboutHome.com)

6. Winter tools: As for those snow blowers, shovels, and other winter tools, change the oil and store them in a cool, dry place to ensure that they are in tip top shape for next season.

These tips will make your home less cluttered and ready for spring!