We started playing around with 3D models and decided to start playing a game.
Give us some random items and we’ll fit them into a 5×10 storage unit.
First up is Jeff!
Jeff’s unit:
Mattress
SMARTcar
Coffin
Lawnmower
Ostrich
WILL! IT! FIT?!
VERDICT: PERFECT FIT 10/10
send us your own “WILL IT FIT”s to customerservice@storexpress.com. Be sure to put in the subject ‘Will it Fit?’ and include a unit size and list of items!
Introduction Google Voice for STORExpress!
We’re always thinking of new and easier ways for Pittsburghers to find solutions to their storage problem. That is why introducing Google Voice. Within seconds you can be talking to one of our storage experts! Here’s how it works: 1) Click CALL ME 2) Enter your full name and the number of the phone you wish to talk with 3) Your phone will start ringing and when you answer, PRESS “1″ on your keypad. 4) You will instantly be connected to our someone at our call center! Try it out:Call anytime Monday-Friday 9am to 5pm! Or just leave us a message after hours
The spring semester is coming to a close soon and while most of our focus will be on acing our finals and bringing up that GPA, it’s also time to think about summer plans. If you are making a transition out of student housing, the bulk of your time and stress is dedicated to your new summer living situation. While you may only move a few times during your college career, we’ve become experts on it and to make it simple for you, we’ve broken down the process into six easy steps.
1) Separate shared items with roommates
“Sooo…who’s taking the TV?”
If you and your roommates are not living together when school resumes, decide which items you will be responsible for. If all of you pitched in on the TV, figure out who is taking it and come up with a fair way to split the cost. Also, figure out with your new roommates who is bringing the microwave, toaster, vacuum, etc.
2) For your items, decide what you will be taking and what can be disposed
“To throw away or not to throw away?”
After an entire school year, many items amass a good bit of wear and tear. For instance, you might have bought a used easy chair back in September, but ask yourself if it is worth moving and keeping for next year. If items have become defective to the point that it affects their functionality, it’s probably a good idea to put it on the curb. Less stuff is less hassle. Chances are those items that are on the fence will have been completely forgotten by the end of August.
3) Decide what items you are going to take home and what can stay near school
“ Aren’t I going to bring this back next year anyways?”
Where are you heading this summer? Are you going home? If so, you probably don’t need any kitchen materials (pots, plates, silverware, etc.) Also, why lug furniture back and forth if it’s going to be with you again in August? Many people store their seasonal items. You probably won’t need your Northface and other winter clothes until October (fingers crossed in Pittsburgh).
Not sure if it’s an essential? Walk through a typical day or week from when you wake up until when you go to bed. Take those items that you see yourself using when acting out your day, mostly everything else can be put away.
4) Choose an option to store your items for the summer
“See ya in the fall!”
There are definitely a few alternatives here. Is a friend staying on campus for the summer and does he/she have an empty basement? If you’re staying in the same house, you may be able to sublet your place so your stuff will still be used but secured.
If these alternatives aren’t for you, self storage is a great option that is more reasonably priced than you may think. Maybe storage companies anticipate many students moving at the end of the school year and use this to your advantage! There are plenty of great deals out there.
Also, consider renting a larger sized unit with a friend and split the cost. STORExpress allows you to put multiple names on a contract which dictates who can enter the storage space, so you won’t have to wait for your friend if you needed something from your unit.
5) Figure out how you are going to transport your items
“Moving time!”
So you picked out a storage facility and got a great deal for the next few months but now for the part that everyone dreads–the actual move. You might have that friend who has a car on campus but it’s hard to move an entire house in a Honda Accord.
Renting a moving truck is an option but consider checking the sizes of trucks before deciding. Many people guesstimate too often with trucks, either get a truck too small and making multiple trips or overpay for a truck with way more space than needed. Look for storage facilities that offer truck rentals along with renting a storage unit. STORExpress even gives you one for free!
6) Start planning in advance
“Perfect prior planning prevents poor performance!”
Because there are a thousand Pittsburghers doing the same move as you, remember to start early. Look into preleasing a unit to scoop it up before anyone else because they go fast! Be sure to determine who is paying the bills for your old housing and for your new housing in advance. You don’t want to store a 50 inch plasma TV only to have the cable company make you wait three weeks to use it!
Follow these steps and be ready in time for your move out weekend. It’s going to come sooner than you think! Cheers and good luck!
We are now entering the midst of the holiday season and with all the joy and peace on earth this time of year brings, there is no doubt that stress and chaos are occasional guests at holiday dinner tables as well. So, to make sure your holiday is filled with more cheer and less fear we’ve compiled five ways self-storage can clear up your house (and your head) to make sure you have more peaceful, silent nights!
1) Guest Furniture
So, the family is coming to visit for the weekend, but where are you going to sleep now that you gave your bed up to Aunt Millie? On that handy roll-away cot you have shoved in your garage, of course! Storing guest supplies like air mattresses, cots, pillows, and blankets is a great way to spare your home from items that you only use on special occasions. This way, the makeshift bed in the living room doesn’t become a nuisance after your guests leave!
2) Holiday Gifts
Holiday shopping has turned into a month of pandemonium. You managed to fight off an angry mob for the last 60” TV at Sears but where are you going to put it until the big day? Can’t exactly hide it in your closet! Why not use a self storage unit as a gift hub where you can place all your gifts from your list, large and small, away from nosey kids and family? Not to mention, you’d also be able to wrap them in peace. Perhaps with some Bing Crosby playing?
3) Winter Accessories
Cold weather is on its way (although perhaps not in Pittsburgh this season). Many self storage customers use their unit seasonally and have found great success keeping their seasonal items organized. Chances are you aren’t going to use your lawnmower or golf clubs for the next few months so why not exchange them with your ski boots and snow shovels once a year? Keep the garage from turning into a Pittsburgh episode of hoarders and clear out the items that are important yet only used a few months out of the year.
4) Seasonal Clothes
It’s December in Pittsburgh and we’ve been able to wear shorts (say what?). However, there is no doubt Western Pennsylvanians are prepared for when the snow storm hits. Extend your closet space by labeling items by season and putting them away until they’re ready to be used. When it’s time to gather up your Steelers windbreaker, gloves, hat, and scarf for the big January night game, you’ll be prepared!
5) Holiday Decorations
Whether you place one candle in the window or blow your neighborhood’s fuse with the amount of lights you use, holiday decorations are definitely a use-one-time-of-year item (unless you’re the guy who leaves them up all year round). Gone are the days of just one line of lights strung on your house’s edges. They have been replaced by large inflatable props, waving holiday characters, and giant illuminated snowmen. The best way to make sure your house is looking great year after year is to keep your decorations organized and in a space large enough where they won’t get damaged.
Seasonal storage is a great way to stay organized during the most hectic time of the year. A seasonal storage unit is definitely worth considering when you have items that you need but use infrequently; they are most likely going to be taking up useful space in an attic, closet, or garage for more than half the year.
Now that we’ve just made your holidays less stressful, Happy Holidays!
Coming this fall to STORExpress Self Storage: brand new band rehearsal spaces in Pittsburgh’s Etna neighborhood. Centrally located approximately ten minutes from downtown Pittsburgh on Butler Street, the new band rehearsal rooms are set to be ready by mid-fall 2012 and will even include a recording studio!
Utilizing self storage as a place to rehearse music is becoming a major trend for amateur and professional bands around the country. STORExpress currently offers band rehearsal space at the 200 S. 22nd Street facility in Pittsburgh’s South Side. The service is so popular (with an on-going waiting list of 50+ bands) that it became necessary to expand.
At STORExpress, bands of all ages can take advantage of attractive features such as 24-hour access (often rehearsing into the wee hours of the morning), free Wi-Fi for streaming music, electrical hookups and 20 amp power. Always catering to convenience, STORExpress even offers a free truck with gas to move band equipment into band rooms easily.
Learn more about these amenities as well as how to reserve a brand new rehearsal room.
STORExpress Self Storage, located in Pittsburgh, PA gladly introduces OFFCExpress; an office building that offers business operators a flexible month-to-month leasing option.
The office-park building is located 10 minutes from Downtown Pittsburgh at 448 Butler Street. Businesses are provided with the opportunity to lease commercial office space on a limited-commitment month-to-month basis. The offices can be rented in various sizes and room combinations. They are perfect for operations of all types and sizes including: start-ups, independent owners, sales teams, etc.
Utilities and Amenities
At approximately $1.20 per square foot, the offices include the following utilities: heating, air conditioning, electric, WiFi internet access, *office furniture and on-site parking. Discounts are also offered on storage units at one of STORExpress’ six convenient locations (great for storing inventory and accepting deliveries/drop-offs). Additional amenities include affordable printing and fax capabilities.
To learn more, or for leasing information, please contact us at 412-449-0123.
*Office furniture is based on availability
So, you have your moving truck packed and your headed to your local storage facility to unload it into your brand new storage unit. You have a couple of key pieces of information, but you still can’t figure out what size storage unit you need.
a) You know the size of the truck but you have no idea what size storage unit you need. Or,
b) Your moving company tells you that you have a 7,000 pound truck load but when you go to reserve your storage unit online your options are 5′x5′, 10′x10′, 10′x20′, etc.
Say what? Now, this is a quite a math equation.
If you are loading up a moving truck to bring items into storage but you don’t know what sized storage unit you need, you’re in the right place. The folks at STORExpress Self Storage in Pittsburgh, PA put together this chart to help you figure out the best size for you.
In addition to traditional storage units, most self-storage companies also offer climate controlled space. Climate controlled storage is usually kept at a temperature of anywhere between 50 degrees to 70 degrees. This regulation of temperature protects items from the fluctuations which can cause damage such as warping. But when are climate controlled units really necessary?
Climate controlled self storage can aid in the prevention of warping, rusting and rot. It also can help avoid the spread of mold, mildew, bacteria and dust mites. A climate controlled storage unit is typically recommended if any of the following items are being stored:
If you are wondering whether or not a belonging of yours needs climate controlled storage feel free to contact one of our trained storage guru’s by visiting STORExpress’s website, or by calling a member of our Corporate Team at 412-449-0123.
Utilizing a self storage unit as personal office is the perfect solution for many small business owners, independent contractors and other entrepreneurs alike. This innovative trend has helped many businesses avoid the expensive cost of commercial real estate. Many self storage companies, such as STORExpress Self Storage in Pittsburgh, PA, provide business operators with secure office space and business storage that includes climate controlled temperatures, electrical hook-ups and even free WiFi connection. As far as cost, 10′x10′ spaces can be as low as $109.95/month.
In addition to use as commercial office space, this is also an ideal solution for a variety of other business needs, including:
Most storage facilities also offer 24/7 electronic access to their buildings, security cameras, indoor loading docks and climate control so that company materials will be safe and secure. Businesses can usually even send and receive packages as well as make use of copy & fax machines right from the facilities’ main office.
For more information on utilizing self storage as office space feel free to contact a team member from STORExpress Self Storage located in Pittsburgh, PA at 412-449-0123 or customerservice@storexpress.com. STORExpress offers a full range of amenities regarding office space and other resources for business operators.
What size storage unit do I need?
Before renting a storage unit, most all customers first ask the question “What size storage unit do I need?“ Not only is this an obvious question to ask for the simple sake of space, but it is also a very important question to consider in regards to overall cost, potential money-savings as well as accessibility.
Being sure not to rent more space than you need will save you hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars. In addition, for those who need to access their space more frequently, careful consideration of unit size can also alleviate the hassle of trying to navigate through a tightly packed unit. Regardless, renting the correct sized storage space can save you money as well as many headaches during your time in storage.
Check out STORExpress Self Storage’s Storage Space Calculator! This handy tool allows you to input the items that you plan to store and then (VOILA) gives you an estimate of the unit size you will need.