Uncategorized Archives | Kangaroo Self Storage

If you’ve found yourself in a position where you’re considering renting out a self-storage unit, the next question you need to ask yourself is how much self-storage space do you actually need?

Whether you’re going through a house move or decluttering, are a student moving back home from university, or you need somewhere to keep your business inventory – there’s a ton of reasons why people need self-storage. Storage units come in various sizes, from small lockers to huge rooms. It’s wise to figure out how much storage you need beforehand to avoid renting too much or too little space.

How to Determine How Much Storage Space You Need

Before you start looking for a storage unit, take some time to work out exactly how much stuff you have that needs storing. It helps to look at everything you want to put in storage once it has been organised and packed away, not when it is all spread out.

For example, let’s say you’re a student and need somewhere to keep your belongings outside of university term time. Pack up what you can in your room first, and you’ll soon see that the physical space your things take up is far less than it was when everything was out in your room. This will help you make a more informed decision when choosing self storage unit sizes.

Make an inventory of everything you want to put in self-storage – this way, you’re less likely to forget about something, and it can be used as a reference if you’re going to discuss your storage needs with the staff at the self-storage site. Making a list is also a great way to keep track of all your belongings whilst they are being moved between locations.

Measure Your Belongings

If you’re able to organise everything you want to put in storage into a pile or stack, you can measure the stack to determine how much space you’re going to need. You can measure both the square footage and the cubic footage:

To determine the square footage of your belongings, multiply the width by the length of your stack. For example, if your stack is 6ft x 6ft, you’ll need a storage unit that is at least 36 square foot.
To determine the cubic footage of your belongings, multiply the length, width and height. For example, if your stack measures 4ft x 4ft x 4ft, you’ll need a storage unit that is at least 64 cubic feet.

This method is great if you’re storing boxes of things that are easily stackable and measurable. If you’ve got bulky, oddly shaped items like pieces of furniture, and you’re struggling to visualise how they will fit into your storage unit, try measuring the items individually.

You can always take your measurements to our household storage in Edinburgh, Glasgow or Dundee, and the staff at Kangaroo will be more than happy to advise on what size unit you need.

Storage Unit Size Guide

So, you’re got your measurements – but what do those numbers equate to? Here’s a quick summary of our most popular sizes of storage units and what would typically fit inside them.

16 ft²Unit

This storage locker is suitable as overflow space for small items that don’t fit in your home. It’s an excellent option for people looking for student storage in Dundee, Glasgow, or Edinburgh, who just need a little more space than what’s available in their university halls, or for anyone looking to safely store small amounts of archived paperwork or back-up disks.

25 ft²Unit

These units will fit contents equivalent to a small transit van or garden shed. It’s a great option for people looking for storage of seasonal items like gardening tools or Christmas decorations.

50 ft²Unit

A 50ft unit offers enough space to store large, bulky pieces of furniture or the contents of a small flat. If you’re redecorating a room, these units are a good choice for temporary furniture storage.

100 ft²Unit

Offering roughly the same amount of space as a standard-sized garage, these units are a good option for long-term equipment storage, seasonal furniture, bikes and small office moves.

150 ft²Unit

If you’re moving house, this is a good unit size to opt for as you’ll be able to fit the contents of a three-bedroom house inside.

200 ft²Unit

These units can hold enough furniture to fill a four-bedroom house and are an excellent option for businesses that need to store stock or large amounts of archived paperwork.

These are just a handful of popular storage unit sizes – here at Kangaroo, we have everything in between, all the way up to 500 ft²Units. Knowing what size unit you need, will save you money and a lot of stress when the time comes to move items into your unit.

We hope you found this information useful. Of course, if you’re still scratching your head over which unit is suitable for you, give Kangaroo Self Storage a call on 08000 121528 or fill out our enquiry form for honest, straightforward self-storage advice for our Altrincham self storage and other locations.

Whatever you collect – records, figurines, comic books, trading, vintage toys or anything in between, your collection is probably your pride a joy. Memorabilia collections are the culmination of years of searching, haggling and patience and most people want to keep their collectables in mint condition whenever possible. Today we’re going to explore how to store some of the most popular collectable items out there to ensure they stay pristine, whether that’s at home or in a self-storage unit.

Storing Vinyl Records

Vinyl records have seen a significant resurgence in recent years, and with many artists only pressing limited runs of their music on vinyl, records have become increasingly sought after. There will also be many people who have a vast collection of older records that they want to preserve for years to come. The way vinyl records are stored can greatly impact their longevity as vinyl is a delicate material easily damaged by temperature and humidity.

Vinyl records should be stored in a dry environment that is neither extremely cold nor very hot. It may be tempting to keep them in your loft or attic space; however, the attic can often reach high temperatures as the heat from your house rises. Continuos storage in a hot environment can cause the vinyl to warp. If you have a cellar, this can be a good choice for vinyl storage, as long as you are monitoring moisture levels in the air. If you don’t have a suitable room or cellar in your house, consider moving your vinyl collection to a self-storage unit like our household storage in Dundee.

Keep your vinyl out of direct sunlight and away from ultraviolet light as these can both damage your records slowly over time. If your records are housed in paper sleeves or cardboard covers, it’s sensible to invest in plastic outer sleeves to keep dust out and provide maximum protection. When considering long-term vinyl storage, try not to stack too many on top of one another as the pressure can warp the disks. Stand your records upright in whatever storage you’re stacking them in, and use dividers to keep them upright.

Comic Books

There’s a golden rule to abide by when storing comic book collections, and that’s ‘bagged and boarded.’ Several types of bags are designed explicitly for preserving comic books, ranging from polyethene, polypropylene, and mylar. Bag size varies depending on how old the comic you want to bag is, but ultimately, it doesn’t matter which material you choose; so long as your comics are bagged, they won’t be at risk of fading.

The comic book storage board is used to keep the comic crease-free and is inserted into the bag along with the comic. You should look for boards made of acid-free materials. Many people opt for a hard case for really special comic books – these are more expensive, but they do guarantee to stop any creasing or damage to the comic.

Much like vinyl records, when being stored in boxes or containers, comic books should be stood upright rather than stacked on top of one another. If you’ve bagged and boarded them, you will find they stand upright nicely and without flopping. Wherever you store your comic book collection, be it in your home or at a self-storage uni like Kangaroo’s household storage in Glasgow, ensure to elevate your boxes off the ground using things like milk crates or wooden pallets.

Antiques and Vintage Toys

Whether you’re a full-blown antique collector or you just have some precious family heirlooms you want to keep safe, keeping your vintage toys, games, and other antique collectables is essential, both for sentimental reasons and if you hope to one day sell them.

The first thing you should do is to ensure your antique and vintages pieces are clean. This may require some research to ensure you have the correct cleaning product – you may need wood polish or wax if you’re dealing with old wooden toys or specialist oil for metals. Always wear gloves when handling old, valuable items.

When it comes to storage, avoid stacking antiques and vintage items on top of one another. If you have an extensive collection, shelving that allows the things to be upright without touching anything else is ideal. If you need to pack your antiques into boxes, wrap carefully to protect them from harm – but be wary of using bubble wrap if they are going to be stored for long periods. Plastic wrapping can restrict airflow and encourage mould growth. Cloth and sheets are much more preferable when considering long term storage for antiques.

Antiques and vintage items are often valuable, so storing them at a self-storage unit like our household storage in Edinburgh is a wise idea, as they will be housed inside a secure, locked storage unit with 24 CCTV.

Storing Small Collectables – Trading Cards and Coins

Small collectables like trading cards, coins and stamps are often kept in binders, books, or in individual casings specifically designed to house that particular item. For example, individual trading cards that are particularly rare may first be sleeved in a thin plastic cover with the open end towards the bottom of the card, then inserted into a rigid plastic sleeve called a Toploader. The primary sleeve and the Toploader combination ensure that absolutely no dust can get in and the card cannot become damaged.

Coins also have their own custom-made casings, called coin capsules. These can be used to encase particularly rare or unique coins that you don’t want to keep inside a regular binder. If you want to keep your collection of trading cards or coins somewhere safe and secure but feel it would be a little excessive to fork out for a large storage unit, why not consider a storage locker?

We hope you enjoyed this brief look at how to correctly and safely store many of the most popular collectables. If you’re thinking about putting your memorabilia in a storage unit, contact us today and see how we can help.

Christmas is just around the corner! If you haven’t realised it already, you definitely will as you make your way in and out of the brightly decorated shops, all lit up to celebrate the festive period.

The festive period is an extremely busy time of year for retailers, and we don’t just mean how long it takes to get the shops looking like Santa’s Grotto. It’s one of the busiest times of year for sales, and getting orders fulfilled on time is essential to ensuring success.

Did you know that our self storage units at Kangaroo are used to host a number of businesses (and their inventory)?

We offer flexibility, low cost and short-notice periods, which makes storage very appealing easing the seasonal strain. Whether utilised just for the festive season or throughout the entire year, storage can be incredibly useful to your business.

Below, we take a look at all the ways storage can make things a lot easier for your business during seasonal peak periods.

Seasonal Business

Seasonal businesses can really benefit from using storage. Our ‘easy in, easy out’ agreement allows you as much space as you need and for as long as you need it – you can even have your stock delivered direct to the store.

Our helpful team will take delivery for you, so you don’t have to be on-site; they will notify you when your goods arrive and store it in our secure holding area. And if you need additional storage at short notice – we can increase the size of your unit without any penalty.

As soon as the Christmas rush is over, you can simply choose to give us notice and close the unit, as you’re not tied down to a long-term contract.

Studio

Looking for the perfect place to record your Christmas podcast, latest YouTube video, or the next big film? Our storage units can make the ideal location for your studio. For small businesses that are unable to afford a big studio, a storage unit could be the perfect alternative.

Available in different sizes, we’re positive that our units are big enough to meet all of your requirements. You simply choose your space, decorate it as you wish and then get on with filming or recording.

Warehouse

If you run your own online business, you’ll be very aware of how quickly inventory can build up and take over your home. Storing your products in a self-storage unit is the ideal way to store your things securely, whilst ensuring easy access.

With Christmas being such a busy period, even retailers can benefit from renting out a unit. Self-storage allows you to easily store all in-demand inventory – be it seasonal items or an influx of popular products you can’t keep in your shop – so you’ll never run out of floor space.

Archive Room

The festive period can mean a rise in paperwork for some businesses and, therefore, an increase in the need for space to store it all. Self-storage units allow you to safely archive important records and data, including confidential and sensitive documents. Tax returns, invoices or receipts, for example, are often required by law to be kept for years in physical form, so cloud storage is not an option.

Instead of spending a lot of money on upgrading to a bigger office, why not rent a storage unit as an archive space, rather than using a spare room in your office?

How Can we Help?

Kangaroo provides safe and secure self storage in Edinburgh, self storage in Glasgow and self storage in Dundee. Your business will benefit from not only a secure storage unit but a flexible contract – there are no long-term leases, meeting rooms, as well as delivery and collection support.

You can also choose to use our free collection service, where we agree with you a time to collect your stock and bring it to store. You load the van or trailer, we deliver it to store and you unload it into your storage unit. It is self-storage after all!

With a large range of unit sizes to choose from, we have the right storage unit for your business storage in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee. Simply call our teams or get a quote online.

How to Determine How Much Storage Space You Need

Measure Your Belongings