How to Store Your Christmas Tree for Next Year

Once the sugar cookies have been eaten, and the unwanted gifts returned, it is time to pull down the decorations and put them away for next season. As you spend time packing the ornaments with care, do you have a plan for packing and storing your artificial Christmas tree? Most of the time, we do not consider how stuffing a tree back into its box can shorten its lifespan. Just like you handle your glass ornaments with care, you need to do the same with your tree.

You’re doing early prep work for the next holiday season when you proactively pack and store your artificial tree. Storing it at 5A Rent-A-Space in Foster City is a perfect place to keep it protected from developing mold and collecting dust. If you do not have enough supplies for proper storage and protection, call us for moving boxes, bubble wrap, and packing tape. We have a large selection to choose from.

6 Steps to Store Your Christmas Tree

It’s simple to get years of use out of your Christmas tree if you follow these tips:

1. Remove all ornaments: You will probably have a few decorations broken if you have pets or children around. Who can resist the shiny orbs? It might make it easier to decorate next year with ornaments still attached, but packed with the tree, and not individually wrapped, they are often broken! Don’t let that be the case.
2. Inspect the lights before you put them away in boxes: Nothing is more frustrating than turning on the lights, and discovering one is burned-out. To avoid this, check for burned-out ones before you store them. Replace any before you put them away.
3. Separate the parts of the tree: Start from the top and work your way down, removing each section as you go. If you have a pre-lit tree, you will want to take care to unplug the lights first.
4. Gently fold in the branches: Just as you fluffed each branch carefully when you pulled it out, now you will need to compact each section carefully. Start at the top of each section with the smallest branches and then work your way to the larger ones. Be careful with any built-in lights and cords.
5. Place your tree into an appropriate box or bag: Many choose to return their tree to the box from which it came. That may make sense, but in reality, cardboard breaks down over time, and some pests love it. Cardboard cartons also soak up moisture which in turn encourages mold growth. Instead, choose to use a durable box or specifically designed bag for your tree. Or purchase a new box that your tree will fit into, from 5A Rent-A-Space. We have a large selection of different sized boxes.
6. Put your tree away in an appropriate location: Find a place where it is dry and clean. Ideally, you will want to store it horizontally. If you need to store it vertically, then try to tuck it into a corner. An ideal spot is in your self-storage unit at 5A Rent-A-Space in Foster City.

Enjoy Your Tree Each Season for Years to Come – 5A Rent-A-Space Can Help

You won’t dread getting the tree out next holiday season when you take steps to pack it properly and store it in a rental unit at 5A Rent-A-Space in Foster City. Not only can you stow away holiday decorations, but you can also place seasonal sports equipment or other rarely used items in your space. We offer a range of unit sizes to fit your needs. Not sure how you will transport your belongings? We can move you in with our free van when you rent from us. Check our promotions page from time to time for specials!

Reserve your self-storage unit online now. Call 5A Rent-A-Space at 650-338-0016 or toll-free at 1-800-5ASPACE (1-800-527-7223) to learn more. Not sure how much space you will need? Use our online Space Calculator to estimate the best unit size for you.

Tips to Load a Storage Unit for Speed, Convenience, and Safety

People use self-storage units for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it is to store seasonal items. Other uses include putting school stuff back between semesters, cleaning out a garage, and storing items between moves. Whatever the reason, we all face the same perplexing question. What is the best way to load all my stuff so I can get to it when I need it? Finding the answer to this one question can save you time, energy, and maybe keep you a little safer when entering your unit.

Pack your self-storage unit expertly, and you will not dread pulling things out later when you need them. Start with the right size storage unit. At 5A Rent-A-Space, we have a wide range of sizes to fit your needs. We also sell packing supplies and drive-up storage spaces to make unloading a breeze. There is no need to dread “going to the storage unit” for items when you rent from us.

6 Tips to Effectively Load Your Storage Unit

Utilize these tips to ensure you can find your stuff quickly, easily, and without the worry of tumbling boxes when you open the door:

1. Label Each Box with its Contents: It is best if you use a heavy black marker to identify what is in each container. You may want to label each side so that no matter how it is stacked, you can easily tell what it contains. For your breakables, add “Fragile” or “Glassware,” as well as which end is up. These steps can save you hours of searching when you want your summer clothes or Christmas decorations.
2. Wrap Fragile Items Including Mirrors and artwork in Padding: You never know when things might shift. By enclosing fragile items in padding or bubble wrap, you reduce the odds of finding broken glass. If you need packing supplies, visit our 5A Rent-A-Space location near Maui, where we have a wide variety of boxes, bubble wrap, and packing tape, and monthly specials from time to time. 
3. Disassemble What You Can: Some pieces of furniture do not need to be kept fully assembled. To save space, breakdown bedframes, tables, and chairs if you can.
4. Load Your Unit Around the Edges and Leave a Path in the Middle: Nothing is more frustrating than climbing over “Mt. Boxmore” to grab something from the back! A simple fix is to stack items around the sides and leave the center clear. 
5. Use Heavy Boxes as Your Base: A container full of books can crush a cardboard box full of expensive china. As you stack boxes, consider the weight of each one and place the heavy ones on the bottom.
6. Be Creative on Using Up Space: Use drawers and refrigerators to store items like books and videos. If using a refrigerator, be sure to leave the door wedged open to allow airflow, so you do not get mold growing inside.

Pack Your 5A Storage Unit Right

You can feel secure that your things are safe, when you properly load your 5A self-storage unit. We can assist you in finding the right size to meet your requirements and your budget, and we have a large assortment of packing supplies available. Call us today and free up space while decluttering, transitioning, or any other reason you need more room in your home or office. Check our promotions page from time to time for specials!

Reserve your self-storage unit online now. Call 5A Rent-A-Space at 808-745-1616 or toll-free at 1-800-5ASPACE (1-800-527-7223) to learn more. Not sure how much space you will need? Use our online Space Calculator to estimate the best unit size for you.

4 Ways to Make a Fresh Start in 2020

January is a great time to make significant changes to how you have been doing things. The categories you can focus on are many, such as school, work, relationships, hobbies, community service, and your home. Taking the steps necessary to reboot your life is not hard, though it may take deliberation on your part. For example, if you want to lose weight, you may want to start a food and exercise journal to track your progress. What about your home? How can you make it tidier, cleaner, and more attractive? It may start with decluttering and storing seasonal items in a self-storage unit.

Make more room in your house and garage when you utilize a 5A-Rent-A-Space unit near Maui. We offer a variety of sizes to accommodate your temporary or long-term storage needs, including monthly auto parking. Give us a call at (808)669-5200 for details. Get a new lease on your goals!

Simple Tips for a Fresh Start this New Year

If it seems like it’s easy to get stuck in a rut and hard to make needed changes to attain your goals. Here are a few tips to help you begin the process:

1. Take a moment to assess what your life looks like currently: Look at different aspects of your life. How are you doing? Are you satisfied with all areas – relationships, living quarters, health, etc.? Is there a specific area you wish to change? Are you caught up in too many activities to devote adequate attention to those categories of your life you are dissatisfied with?
2. Decide on an area you would like to work on first: It is easier to begin if you start on one goal, rather than disbursing your limited energies on ten different goals. So, pick one and work toward that goal. For example, if you want a tidier home, then focus on that, even if you also want to read more. You may find that as you get going on one goal, the others fall into place.
3. Break down that goal into smaller steps: Having the grand idea of a picture-perfect house is fantastic, but just like Rome wasn’t built in a day, having that ideal home will take some work. Visualize what your end game looks like and then work your way through the needed steps to get there. For instance, you will probably want to tackle one room at a time. You may need a storage rental unit to stash seasonal items or as a temporary holding place of items to donate as you declutter.
4. Schedule time to work on your goals: It is all well and good to establish what you want to accomplish over the next year, but you cannot stop there. It would help if you made consistent progress. That is where scheduling time helps. If you are cleaning out the garage, schedule a Saturday to do it. If you want to exercise, put it on your calendar. Make your goals a priority, just like you do with brushing your teeth. 

Accomplish Your Fresh Start with a 5A Storage Unit
Don’t let another year go by without accomplishing your goals. If you are ready to rid your home of clutter so you can set up an exercise or yoga room, or accommodate an aging parent, then call 5A Rent-A-Space today. Free up space, lose weight, or house your surfboard for your new hobby when you take advantage of our self-storage units. Check our promotions page from time to time for specials!

Reserve your self-storage unit online now. Call 5A Rent-A-Space at 808-745-1616 or toll-free at 1-800-5ASPACE (1-800-527-7223) to learn more. Not sure how much space you will need? Use our online Space Calculator to estimate the best unit size for you.