I have decided it would be a good idea to come up with some basic criteria for people considering a boat purchase:
1) Before purchasing a boat you should already own or consider purchasing a high-powered truck with a good trailer hitch.
2) Before purchasing a boat you should already own or consider purchasing a home with a very large 2-car garage or large drive-in storage shed.
If you cannot meet the above conditions, then here are some things to keep in mind:
1) You probably should not be buying a boat. If you are stil thinking about doing it anyway, then add approximately $3,000 per year to store in in an outside parking space, and $6,000 per year to store your boat inside of a storage room. Happy fishing!
Self storage comparison : http://www.Selfstoragecomparison.info
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Today I spoke with a man who was storing some personal items that belong to a friend of his. That friend was terminally ill and was given 6 months to live. The man told me that his friend had asked him to make sure that the personal items in his home were taken care of so they would not be lost. The man also told me that he liked our location, but would need a truck or move-in service. I told the gentleman that we did not offer a truck service, but we had much lower prices for our units than the competition. So the man went ahead and reserved a storage space with us.
To my surprise, the same gentleman called back in a couple of hours to cancel his reservation. When I asked him why he wished to cancel, he informed me that he had found another company (not as conveniently located and much more expensive) that would pack up the boxes he wished to store, deliver them to their facility, and even place them into a unit for him. The gentleman told me that it was worth it to him because he was not ready to face the emotional impact of having to pack up and store his best friend's personal belongings. Once I understood his circumstance, I understood his need. Cheaper isn't always better.
Self storage complaints : http://www.selfstoragecomplaints.org
]]>Speaking of mini storge, I often wonder who thought of the fanny pack? Although they were pretty hip when they first came out, they now irritate me. Can't you just put your stuff in a zip lock baggie and tape it to your body? It would be so much less distracting. Women's purses, however, can look very fashionable. That is why I found it to be so hilarious when those big "clear" tote bags came in to fashion. The clear bags are nothing more than giant zip lock baggies with straps. Come on! Who are the women's handbag designers trying to fool?
Zip lock baggies have evolved from mini storage solutions into mega-must-have necessities. There are now bags big enough to hide all of your good bathroom towels, good comforters, and good linens from visiting in-laws all in one place.
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The first thing I noticed, when I took a look around my home, was that there were not a lot of lights around at night. The very next morning, I went to my local hardware store and bought several different types of outdoor solar lighting. After reading the directions, and properly installing all of the lighting, my home now looks like a landing area for an alien battleship. The point being: now we can see you!!!
Hopefully my home can be that secure storage area I always dreamed of. My neighbors commented on how much they actually liked the way it looked so they went out and bought some of the same lighting for their own home. The best part of all is that I'm not paying any extra on my electric bill because I'm "bringing the light to the night"!
self storage complaint : http://www.selfstoragecomplaint.org
]]>I have been a homeowner for 6 years and I have a very small garage. Once you start accumulating the necessary equipment for keeping up with the joneses you realize that some type of outdoor storage shed is a must. Honestly, as a single mother, I know more about lawn mowers, weed eaters, leaf bloweres, step ladders, rakes, hedge trimmers, shovels, and weed control agents than the people who mow my neighbor's yard. When I couldn't fit my car in the garage anymore, I gave in and bought a small outdoor storage shed.
Now I spend more time in and out of my shed on Saturdays than I do in my own home. I keep thinking how much I wish it was winter, but the snow shovel, the salt, the de-icer, and the sand are all in the shed too.
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Another excellent upgrade would be to install an air conditioning unit in the container itself. What if it's 100 degrees outside and you're trying to pack your 3 bedroom home into an 8x20 container? First of all, we amateurs woud have to really think about how to make that challenge possible. Secondly, we might die of heat stroke in the process. If not an air conditioner, then what about a portable swamp cooler to help keep us cool?
Finally, we would really like to see some color! Why is it that we are forced to pay for this big ugly container that looks like someone dropped off a dumpster in our driveway? Certainly even the neighbors would appreciate something a little more attractive. I don't know who to talk to in the portable storage marketing world, but it is time to make the convenience of mobile storage into more of a luxury.
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Apparently I am not alone in this delemma. There were 3 people I spoke with recently who are having the same problem with their teenage daughters. Call me silly, but everyone always told me that boys were the messy ones. My teenage son (her older brother) is the complete opposite. I have determined, therefore, that the cause of this chaotic excuse for a bedroom was achieved through no parental misconduct of my own.
I had also determined that the best way to alleviate these issures would be to simply cut down her clothing items to 1 of each item she needed to get through the week. When I presented this new theory to my daughter she demanded clarification. I said, "We'll cut down t 1 coat, 1 sweater, 1 hooded sweatshirt, etc. until you can get organized." She said, "Okay! I need 1 black coat, 1 brown coat, 1 long coat, 1 short coat..." Teenagers!
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Unless you are a vendor of some kind, most people really don't need a drive-up-accessible unit. Ordinary people choosing this unit type are doing so because it is the most convenient. Storage companies know this and will often increase the price of their drive-up-accessible units in comparison to the same unit size inside of thier building. Indoor storage can also be better for your contents, as they will be less exposed to the outside elements.
What I think is really crazy is that nobody seriously wants to store their household furniture in their own garage, so what makes a drive-up-accessible unit so great at a storage facility? If we all make the effort to bring our furniture indide our own home, why not consider the same effort inside of a storage building? If you can make it inside building, ask about lower rates on the 2nd and 3rd floors.
self-storage complaint : http://www.selfstoragecomplaint.com
]]>If I were to start a moving company, I would specialize in a long-distance moving service that owned the largest number of earth-friendly trucks. Are they even making earth friendly semi trucks yet? What a great way to capture the business of all of the "green" people, help the earth, and still get paid to go on a long drive. Does anyone want to parner with me?
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First I had to take out everything that was perishable (90% of the contents) and find a place to put them. Thank goodness I had gone on a five day float trip earlier in the year and was able to put most of the contents into the two large food coolers I had purchased for the trip. That's when it dawned on me that my coolers were portable storage, and they were climate controlled storage. The colers, however, were not as good at regulating temperature (compared to my fefrigerator and freezer). Most of my frozen stuff began thawing in just a couple of days.
I am glad that I don't have any leathre, antiques, or oil-based paintings in my home. My air conditioner wasn't working either. Not to mention the water heater. Cold showers and warm food are no fun.
Self-storage unit locations : http://www.Self-storage-unit-locations.com
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