The CASTER GROUP

Tips to Keeping Your Storage Unit Clean and Pest Free

Hand drawing pest control concept with red marker. Prohibition sign on a cockroach.

Hand drawing pest control concept with red marker. Prohibition sign on a cockroach.

While A-1 Self Storage keeps all of its facilities clean, there are steps that you as a tenant can take to add extra protection to for their belongings.  Follow these easy steps to make sure that the items in your storage unit stay clean and pest free. Aside from the steps below we offer some added features such as climate controlled units to keep moisture out. For more information on our storage facility features visit our website and find a store nearest you!

  • Vacuum: Make sure to thoroughly vacuum all upholstered furniture, such as couches and chairs. While you may not be able to see any crumbs, all it takes is one crumb to attract pests.
  • Baits & Traps: Place dryer sheets in the corners of your unit and in the boxes. The odor will dissuade pets from entering your unit and keep your items smelling fresh as well. For the best results, replace the dryer sheets once a month.
  • Canvas Drop Cloths: Tape canvas drop cloths to the floors and walls before loading your storage unit. Canvas is much more efficient than plastic at keeping the pests out.
  • Eliminate Moisture: When storing your unit in a non climate controlled unit you can always stake these extra steps to keep moisture out: When storing appliances that use water, wipe the inside down with baking soda to remove any traces of water. Also, to absorb moisture in the air, place some charcoal in a pan.
  • Prevent Dirt Buildup: Before storing wooden furniture, use furniture polish to repel dust and dirt. Make sure to lubricate your metal items with oil to prevent them from rusting.
  • Double Check: Before you load your items into the moving truck, make sure you are not taking any unwelcome passengers with you. Give your boxes, appliances, and furniture a double check and make sure they are free of critters.
  • Check Storage Unit: Make sure your storage unit does not contain any cracks or holes. If you do notice that your storage unit does contain any type of hole report it to management so they can get it repaired for you. This way you can avoid pest and insects.

We hope that all of these tips provided will help you have a pest free storage experience.

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How To Plan For A Road Trip

Various License Plates from Across The United States of America

Various License Plates from Across The United States of AmericaSummer is finally here! It’s that time of year again, time to pack up your friends or family in the car and hit the road. Planning a perfect road trip can seem very stressful, but don’t worry we’re providing you with some extra tips.

1.  Clean Your Car– Start by removing everything from your car that you will not need. This includes not only exterior, but also cleaning the interior, the trunk, and glove compartment for items that are not important for your trip.  Try to conserve space for essentials items you might need  a long the way.

2. Car Maintenance – The last thing you want to happen is for your car to break down while your on the road. It’s recommended that you receive car maintenance before traveling  long distances.  Make sure car gets an oil change and also check to see if you spare tire is functional.

3. Plan Route In Advance – Make sure to plan your route well in advance. When you are unsure of your route, it can be time consuming and even very frustrating. You do not want to be lost in an unfamiliar place, especially at night. Take time to map out and plan your route before you head off.

4. Plan To Follow A Budget – It’s easy to spend money and get carried away when you are on the road. From souvenir shops to expensive restaurants there will be many temptations to spending a lot of money. To prevent  spending  too much money set a budget for yourself.

5. Charge Your Electronics – Your phone and other devices should be fully charged before you leave home. Also it will be important to bring a car charger with you along the way.

6. Buy Snacks For Your Trip – Being hungry and thirsty on the road can lead to expensive purchases at the convenience store. You can save time and money by packing snacks and beverages with you. Buy snacks that are easy to eat while driving!

7. Make Hotel Reservations Beforehand – Plan over night stays a head of time. When Mapping out your route, also determine how many miles you will want to drive in a day. Research places online before you head off to save you the stress of making last minute plans.  

A little planning ahead can go a long way toward making your road trip the best yet! Follow this tips and you’ll be set to go.

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Keep Your Home Safe While on Vacation

suitcase small

Full suitcase.Have a big vacation planned this summer? Don’t forget to protect your home before you leave. A little preparation will give you peace at your mind, so you can enjoy your vacation without worrying about what might be happening at home. Here are a few things to do before leaving your home for a period of time: 

  1. Stop the Mail – A pile of mail on the doorstop, or envelopes pouring out your mailbox is an automatic assumption that no one’s home. If you’ll be gone for more than a couple of days, go to the post office or fill out the online form to put a hold on your mail.
  2. Create the Illusion of Someone Being Home – You can always set your lights on a timer or even your television to create the illusion that someone is home. Also, it would be a smart idea to leave a car in the driveway. If Possible arrange for someone to mow your lawn once a week.
  3. Be Cautious Of Social Media – Don’t announce your departure or vacation dates on social media.  You don’t want the world to know that you have left on vacation. Play it safe and don’t mention your trip on social media until you are back.
  4. Disconnect Power – Unplug all necessary appliances to protect your home from an electrical fire or power surge. This includes items like TVs, toaster, coffee maker, and other small appliances.
  5. Trust a Friend or Neighbor– Give your vacation contact information and a spare key to at least on friend or neighbor. That way, they’ll know how to get a hold of you in case of an emergency.
  6. Keep valuables Safe – Lock up or hide jewelry, and other important papers or information in a safe.
  7. Alert Alarm Company – If you have a security system, notify the company that you will be away. Also don’t forget to properly set your alarm  before you leave!
  8. Notify Police Department– If available, request a vacation check with your local police department if you going on vacation for longer than a week.  They can do a vacation house check that will provide extra patrol in your neighborhood.

Take these basic safety precautions this summer while on vacation. You’ll be ready for your trip in no time!

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How to Move Out of Your Storage Unit

man and woman standing in front of storage unit door with boxes in hands

man and woman standing in front of storage unit door with boxes in handsIs it time to say goodbye? Do you have your move scheduled, but you’re not sure what to do next? We’re here to help! Follow these easy steps to help make the process of moving out of your storage unit as smooth as possible.

  1. Notify Us of Your Move Ahead of Time. For your convenience, our contracts are month to month. Please be sure to let us know you’re leaving in advance. We recommend giving notice prior to paying your next month’s rent. This will help you save money, so you aren’t paying for more days than you are using as we do not offer refunds. If you happen to change your mind, or need a few more days, just let us know!
  2. Empty Your Space. Clear everything out of your storage unit so that we can close out your account. If you find something that you can no longer use, consider donating it to Serving Hands International to give it a new life.
  3. Clean Your Storage Unit. Help us make the next customer’s stay a great experience just like yours. Sweep out your unit and clean up any spills.
  4. Remove Your Lock. The lock on your storage unit belongs to you, so don’t forget to take it with you! You can use it again if you need to rent with us in the future. Because you have the only keys, if you leave your lock on, the space is still occupied by you even when it’s empty.
  5. Fill Out a Vacate Form. After you’ve moved out, stop by the office and fill out a quick Vacate Form. It’s quick & painless, we promise!
  6. Tell Us How We Did. Our goal is to make each customer’s stay convenient, safe, and enjoyable. If we have accomplished this, please let us know by writing a review! Ask an Associate for more details.

Thank you for trusting us with your belongings. We hope that A-1 Self Storage will remain your first choice for storage the next time around.

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DIY Home Storage Ideas

handmade leather ,like the old days.

handmade leather ,like the old days.

Are you looking for affordable ways to organize your home?  There are tons of products that you can buy at the store that are helpful to get your home organized. Instead, use recycled items in your home to save money.  Here are affordable ways to keep your house clutter free. Try Some of these DIY home storage solutions! 

Presupposed shoe organizer- Shoe organizers work great for so many things! You can use it in the laundry room for cleaning supplies, in the garage for spray paint and tools, the kids’ room for toys, or in  your closet for scarves, socks, belts, and shoes.

Recycled Creamer Bottles – Think before you throw food containers away! A lot of them can be useful storage containers. The coffee-mate creamer bottles are nice for storing and keeping pantry items fresh. The small opening st the top is the perfect size for dispensing snacks such as,  chocolate chips, sugar, chips, nuts and many more.

CD Rack Lid Storage – Trying to keep your tupperware in order is always a hard task. I don’t know about you but I always have the hardest time keeping track of the lids! However if you use a metal CD rack to keep them upright and easily visible this will solve all of your problems.  Store the larger lids in the back and smaller ones in the front.

Soap Box Storage – The travel soap box holders that you can get at the drugstore are the perfect affordable solution for storing small items. If you have younger children, you know they like to bring toys, crayons, and cards along in the car? Soap boxes are a great travel solution.

Easy Christmas Light Storage – Every year I’m sure you spend time untangling Christmas lights. It’s never ending, tangles after tangles! Here is an easy solution for that problem: Wrap them around pieces of cardboard and long wrapping paper rolls to keep them better organized.

Get creative today! There are so many clever ways to store things without spending much time or money.

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