It’s the one thing you dread moving: the 100 pound, colossal mirror. If you’ve never moved a large mirror with a moving truck before, every little bump in the road will make you second guess the thickness of the sheet you wrapped it in. But, with just a few tips, you’ll be ready to go.

Tape

This step is especially important for larger mirrors. You’ll want to tape across the mirror, horizontally and vertically. Create all kinds of crisscrosses. If your mirror breaks during the move, the pieces won’t shatter all over the place. Instead, the tape will keep the shards in a somewhat better position to dispose of without injury.

Bubble Wrap

It’s just essential. Bubble wrap will protect the mirror from edges and corners, bumps and boxes. Bubble wrap the mirror as many times as you want. The more you have the better, right? Just don’t pop the bubbles until after the move.

The Best Box

Invest in a mirror carton. It’s a box specially made for mirrors. The mirror carton is divided into four parts that interlock and move to fit the frames of most mirrors. In conjunction with the bubble wrap and tape, you won’t have any problems moving any mirror.

And best of all, you won’t have to worry about breaking them. Who needs that kind of luck, anyway?

Quilts are valuable because they’re made and inherited by family members, and their significance only increases as time passes. It can be worrisome to store them for long periods of time. Most people know not to store quilts in direct sunlight. But what about storing quilts for several consecutive months? Follow these tips to keep your quilts in pristine condition.

Store in a Temperature Controlled Unit

Transitioning from an extremely cold to an extremely hot environment can cause condensation to accumulate. And quilts will act like sponges to this build-up of water. Eventually, the moisture will eventually dry out the fibers that hold these quilts together.

But you control the temperature changes in a temperature controlled unit. So it’s best to get one to store your quilts in. Just keep the temperature consistent, and you’ll be fine.

Don’t Store in Plastic

Quilts are known to sweat in air-tight containers. It’s because the cotton fibers need oxygen to maintain their structure. You may think plastic is the best container to prevent a rodent infestation. But it won’t help the longevity of your quilt.

If you store your quilt in a plastic container, it may gain spots.

Store Your Quilt Rolled-up or Flat

Instead, find a reputable self storage facility, like Infinite Self Storage, and roll up your quilt in a furniture cover. Either suspend the rolled up quilt from the ceiling or find a space long and wide enough to lay it flat on the ground. Folded quilts can acquire permanent creases which will breakdown the fabric. So it’s best to either store your quilts flat or suspended.

Infinite Self Storage has a packing supplies store at most of its facilities. Contact your local Infinite Self Storage professional staff for more information on storage techniques and self storage unit availability.

We all know this experience. You go to the car wash. You pay for a nice shine. You vacuum the seats and floors. And after a month, not only has the shine faded, but it looks like a dump on the inside. Follow these tips to maintain a clean interior throughout the winter.

Trash Cans

This idea might seem unappealing at first. Who wants a trash container to take up legroom in the car? And won’t it smell? But, especially if you don’t want to clean out your car every time you drive it, a secondary benefit of a trash can is to get you in the habit of cleaning out your car. Even if it means just taking out the trash once a month.

But obviously the primary benefit of having a trash can in your car is it eliminates the garbage. And it won’t take up too much space. Buy a small 3 or 5 gallon trash can with a lid. Once you get in the habit of taking the trash out of the car, you can get rid of the trash can.

Organizers

Invest in a good car organizer. Then purchase some car wipes to keep the interior shiny and clean. Also stock up on some baby wipes for any messy passengers. Place these cleaners and any objects or tools in the organizer.

With the trashcan and organizer, what else can be in your car? Once you get organized, cleaning will be the easiest part of owning a car. Even if you have a family, an organizing box will hold toys, crayons, books, and anything else you’ll need.

Now that the floor is clean and the dashboard wiped, the interior of your car will stay as clean as it came out of the factory.

Some storage units have as much storage space as a three-bedroom home. Some are even larger! One consequence is more stuff can get lost or forgotten about. Don’t leave your things in the dark. Start a self-storage inventory today.

Categorize

The easiest way to begin organizing your storage is to begin at the beginning. When you drop off an item, write it down. Some of us like the motto, “Why do today what can be done tomorrow?” But procrastinating certainly won’t help you organize your storage. And it won’t put you in a good position to plan and be ready for unexpected events.

Categorize different items you put in storage. Then create a map of your unit’s layout. If you need something in a bind, you’ll at least know the general area in which to look. To go further, if you’re using boxes, number them, and take note of the contents of each box. Don’t be looking for that replica quill James Madison used to sign the constitution at one in the morning. Especially if you collect replica feathers. And you have thirty boxes of them.

Receipts and Photos

As you’re logging, naming, and categorizing the things you put in storage, review your insurance or protection plans. Take pictures, compile receipts, and store all the information you’ll need in one place. If ever you need to make an insurance claim, having everything in one place will significantly expedite the process.

Google Sheets

An easy way to create, update, and manage your inventory is by creating a Google Sheet in Google Drive. This simple tool will give access to your inventory across all your devices. And it works much like a Microsoft Excel document.

Creating an inventory of your storage is a good way to stay organized and expedite claims. It also might save you a few hours, if you need something from your storage unit in a bind. Contact one of our storage professionals today to learn more about creating a storage inventory!

Moving is always an exciting experience. It can be stressful, however, if you don’t prepare. These three tips will help you put your best foot forward on move day.

Packing

Begin packing for your move a few weeks in advance. Pack clothes you won’t wear soon first, a few weeks ahead of the move. Then follow up with rare-use items. Those candles you haven’t lit since last year? Wrap them in your extra towels. Leave day-to-day stuff for the final week before the move. Preparing for your move early ensures a less stressful move-day experience.

Donate or Sell Unwanted Items

When you begin packing, you’ll notice some things you would rather leave behind. This is why it’s important to get a head start. Take all the unwanted stuff to Goodwill or make a few bucks hosting a yard sale. Whatever you do, it’s a good idea to lighten your load. Fewer boxes mean fewer things to move. And it also means more space for new stuff in your new home!

Label Boxes and Pair Items

As you look around at all the glassware you own, don’t worry about getting newspapers or bubble wrap to pack with. Use things you already have handy and need to store anyway. For instance, clean sheets, blankets, towels, and clothes work just as well to create layers of separation between glassware. There’s no need to get fancy.
And while you’re putting that all-purpose cleaner and dish detergent into boxes, be sure to label them appropriately. Then you won’t have your friends asking every few seconds, “Where does this go?” The less you need to explain when you get to your new home the less time it will take to setup your living room and watch Netflix.