Which is the best lock to use when securing my self storage unit?

You have done the research, the storage facility is chosen, you looked for all the things that mattered to keep your property safe and secure - individually alarmed units, CCTV security, fencing and swipe or pin card access gates - now it comes down to the last item on your security list, the lock.  

There are so many different locks available for purchase and you may be tempted just to bring the one lying around idle at home but keep in mind that it is the last barrier between your property and potential theft no matter how secure your facility.

 All locks have pro's and con's and we look at a few options so you can find the lock best suited to you.  

Disc Lock 

For durability and ease, for me this comes out top every time!

Pros:  

• They cannot be be removed using bolt cutters
• They are highly durable
• You will need the key to open and close your lock meaning you cannot leave your key locked inside your storage unit!

Cons:

• More expensive than other locks (but less expensive than replacing property)
• It may not fit on the door (always check with your facility first what size the doors will take)

Standard Combination Locks

These are my least favourite, the most easily removed.

Pros:

• No key required
• You can easily give others access to your unit if needed
• Cheap

Cons:

• Easily cut with bolt cutters
• You can forget the code
• Shoulder surfing, someone may see the code as you are opening the lock and break in later

Standard Padlock

Pros:

• Easily re-keyed
• You can easily give others access to your unit if needed
• Cheap

Cons:

• Easily cut with bolt cutters
• You can lose your keys
• Easily picked

Other things to consider:

• The size of the lock, make sure it fits - but bear in mind, the larger the lock the more secure your belongings.
• If you have a storage unit outdoors, make sure you choose a lock designed specifically for outdoor use.  
• Always choose brass or steel keys, they are far less likely to break than aluminium.

And remember, above all, always insure and choose your facility wisely, its better to be safe than sorry.

How self storage in Auckland can benefit small business

For the small business owner 'small' can be a funny term!  You may only employ a few staff but the ever increasing amount of stuff that needs to be dealt with can be overwhelming.  Typically of enterprising Kiwi's your business may have started in the spare room or garage of your home as your business increases it is not always possible to sustain even the simplest of companies (or your marriage) in limited space. As you get larger, increased rent costs for business mean that self storage and mini storage facilities are becoming more and more necessary for storage of important business documents and items critical to your business to ensure smooth operation. Self Storage can save you $$$$ for your business The costs of renting additional space in todays commercial market will easily start at $1500 per month.  Consider instead a self storage or mini storage unit for $100 or less per month to store items such as business records or sales material that you don't need everyday access to. Safety for your business records A major advantage of a self storage facility is that they are often an environment less prone to water, fire and theft that can occur in a normal office environment.  The IRD alone requires that records are kept safely for a minimum of seven years and for your safety as a business owner, it is a great idea to protect your records offsite where they are safe.  This also protects you from accidental employee damage to records. Save your office and retail space for expansion Choosing store outdated records and excess stock where your business is located is always the obvious choice.  But the fact of the matter is that this takes up valuable space that prevents you from employing more staff, expanding your retail space and even adding a boardroom for customer interactions in many cases.  The bottom line is that it is far more cost effective solution to rent off-site space for un-neccessaries which will not only save you on rental but on heating and electricity as well.   So what kind of businesses often store?

Small Publishers  Independent publishers and businesses that publish material in the form of magazines, brochures, pamphlets or books often have an excess of physical stock which needs to be stored before being sent out to readers, subscribers and customers.   A self storage or mini storage unit is the perfect place for anyone publishing materials to store their stock before sending it out as you can upsize and downsize units as you need to and a good self storage or mini storage facility will let you ship product straight to your storage unit. Local Contractors and Landscapers

If you value your family relationships, home is not always the best place to accumulate and store everything business related, especially when it is in the form of industrial equipment such as drills, saws, forklifts, chainsaws etc.  The space in your vehicles is not infinite and as your business grows the demand for space will grow too.  A self storage or mini storage unit can be a great solution as you can set up the unit so your employees have access too and you can work on the business not just in the business!

Local Theatre 

Our local theatres (in West Auckland we have a couple) put on some incredible shows, but with that comes sets, costumes, props and many other items that will need to be stored in a safe environment for shows at a later date.  Self storage facilities also give theatres the flexibility to divide their storage into smaller units to easily categorise items by show to make it easier to track down those much needed items when needed.

Online Businesses

When online shops find success, they will often find their inventory growing faster than the space they have available to store it.  Self storage and mini storage can really help out here as you can also get containers shipped directly to your self storage facility for MAF clearances before you unload saving you a lot of valuable startup cash.  

Sales Reps

Sales reps will often find their customer base is on one side of the city and their head office is a good hour or two drive away.  A self storage unit is often a great solution to store samples in closer to your customer base, making you more available to your clients and enabling greater sales.  A great storage facility will often offer you a place to drop in for not only you inventory but also a space to sit down, have a coffee and access to wifi to prepare for you next meeting.

So what to take away from this?  Invest in growing your business, making use of the available capital that can be saved by storing items smartly and thinking outside the square.  

Keeping your antiques and art safe in self storage

Whether you antiques and art are retained for precious memories or they are collectibles, when storing and transporting, you need to use extra caution to protect from damage and theft.

How to keep your antiques safe when packing

• Aquire a valuation for any good going into storage, you will be required by your storage company to purchase insurance while storing and may need to list some of these specific items on your insurance.
• Clean and dry thoroughly, this prevents airborne dust particles and mildew from staining and damaging your antiques whilst in storage.
• Treat each piece before storage e.g. for wooden antiques use a proper wood conditioner before storing to protect the integrity of the piece.
• Remove any loose or fragile parts to be wrapped separately and tape mirrors and glass.
• Only use acid-free paper when wrapping antique items
• Use layers of acid-free paper between layers of clothing and linen and where possible do not fold.
• Roll silverware individually in soft cotton clothes to protect from tarnishing.
• Cover or wrap furniture in a  protective layer and store each item separately.
• After items have been wrapped put extra fragile items into crates for extra protection.
• Remember you cannot go overboard with use of corrugated cardboard, bubble wrap or polystyrene peanuts to keep fragile items safe.
• Label everything and indicate correct orientation (this way up arrows).

How to properly pack art pieces

• Wrap every piece of art in acid-free polyester plastic specifically designed to store artwork.  
• Avoid using bubble wrap as the first layer as it may leave marks on your artwork.  
• Where possible use acid-free boxes specifically designed to store artwork. For expensive and fragile artwork it is worth the investment of custom built crates.
• Label all items correctly and indicate orientation, this is critical as framed painting may otherwise become dislodged and damaged.

Extra safety and security measures

• Choose a self storage facility that has individually alarmed units and pin code entry on security gates.
• Spend the money on purchasing a heavy duty lock.
• Ensure your insurance will fully cover your antiques and art while in insurance against theft, fire and flood damage.
• If unsure how to look after any antique or art items pop into a local dealer such as Antique Alley where they will be able to advise you on storage of each individual item. 

Lastly ... rest easy knowing you have done everything you can to keep your memories safe for future generations.

Vehicle storage - keeping your car safe and secure in storage

Trains, Planes and Automobiles .. The quarter acre dream has passed, garages are often non-existent and you have run out of room for your polished piece of joy.  What to do?  Store it!  

What are your options?

Some self-storage and vehicle storage facilities will provide outdoor parking only, while others will provide covered space or fully enclosed units.  Look for additional facilities available for vehicles either on premise or close including wash-bays and petrol stations.  

Before you put your vehicle into storage:

Measure - I always measure my car (plus me - so I can get in and out) before I drive it into a self storage space.  A unit can often look bigger than it is, so it does pay to check that you can easily drive in and out without causing damage to your car or the unit.  

Air Conditioning - Set the air conditioning to 're-circulate'.  This will shut the ventilation system off to the outside and prevent little nasties from entering.  If you are storing in an area when this is a worries seal off the air intake and tail pipes as well, rubber gloves are great for this.  

Spic and Span - Clean both the interior and exterior thoroughly, whether stored inside or out this will help protect your first love from mildew, rust and rodents.  Silica or moisture absorbers are also great inside the car to protect from moisture and odour buildups.  A good storage facility will take measures to protect against rodents, but do make sure to check as rodents will often chew electrical wiring and anything else they deem edible inside stored vehicles.  

Fuel Systems - When storing for a long time replace all fluids including transmission fluid, oil, antifreeze, power steering and brake fluid.  A fresh tank of fuel and a fuel stabiliser are also recommended to prevent corrosion in the fuel lines.  

Battery - Either disconnect the battery or complete remove from the car (this prevents leakage).

Tyres - Ensure tyres are at there full pressure, this will avoid flat spots on a car not being driven for a long period of time.

Brakes - Dis-engage parking brakes and leave manual cars in neutral.   Use vehicle blocks to stop movement.  This will protect your brake drums from sticking.  

COVER COVER COVER - If you are storing outdoors, cover your vehicle to protect from moisture (rust prevention) and other elements.  Even if indoors a cover will also help to protect from dust and any other damage if you have other items stored in your unit.  Choose your cover carefully, it is worth spending extra money on a cover that won't trap moisture or scratch an expensive paint job.

When in storage what will be required of me?

Insurance - Your storage facility will not be covered for theft or damage to your vehicle while in storageCheck with your insurance company whether your car is covered while in storage, you may need to take out additional or different insurance during this period.  Your storage facility may also be able to provide insurance options.

Current WOF and Registration - You will be required to show a current warrant and registration (or exemption paperwork).

Your car will be required by a storage facility to be in working order and you will need to show identification and proof of insurance.

Most self storage facilities will not allow vehicles to be worked on in storage, check with your storage facility first if that is your intention.

Last but not least

Take your baby for a drive, show it some love and let it know you are coming back!

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Protecting your precious items in storage

It is moving day! Your stuff is packed, your boxes are labelled beautifully and of course colour coded and the storage unit has been rented.  Then the little devil on your shoulder puts the golli-wobblies up you and the panic sets in - will my stuff be safe in storage?

The Good News :)

If you have picked a great self storage facility you are 90% of the way there.  The best storage facilities will have the following features (make sure you ask when you call).

• Individually alarmed units
• CCTV
• Security Gates
• Pin Code Access
• Great lighting

... the other great news is that storage theft is very rare.  However good facilities will insist that you are carrying separate storage insurance.  Your household contents cover does not usually cover goods in storage and although can may be able to get policy extension it is usually cheaper and easier to get insurance through the Storage facility you are renting from.  Be aware that the facilities insurance will not cover your goods for theft, fire or flooding damage.  

To ensure you are fully protected make a list of what is in your storage unit and ask your facility to keep this on record for you.  A good facility will do this as a matter of course.

Locks

A great lock is a must, most storage facilities sell these or you can bring your own. A tip that has been useful to me was to ensure I had two sets of keys and/or a combination I wouldn't forget.  

That extra protection 

• Wrap everything with appropriate packing materials
• Store fragile items appropriately 
• Pack clothes and linen with anti-moth inhibitors
• Pack books flat
• Thoroughly clean everything, especially food storage items such as refrigerators to protect from rodents

And for peace of mind

Periodically check your storage unit and the lock, or get a trusted friend or family member to, take insurance out and remember only you have access to your storage unit so staff will not have access and will not be able to check inside.

Madonna, Paris Hilton, Michael Jackson - Celebrity Storage Units Exposed

They have multi-millon dollar sprawling lavish Mansions with copious room to store their stuff, but celebrities still use storage space to store precious items to be safe while they travel the world playing at concerts and acting on film sets.

Celebrity storage unit contents have been exposed over the years with auctions after death or non-payment of units.  Here are are few of the items exposed.

Madonna

The queen Pop entrusted her assistant Melissa Crew to hire a storage unit on her behalf and when Crew defaulted Madonna's unit was auctioned off for a paltry $150.   When the anonymous bidder got access he discovered a trove of personal photos, screenplays, photo negatives and a total of 17 diaries.  The items quickly went up for auction of eBay but Madonna's lawyers convinced eBay that she was the rightful owner and the items were returned.

Whitney Houston

When Whitney defaulted on her storage unit payments - $200,000 of unpaid rent over 2 years - 400 items in her storage unit went up for auction.   The items included one off evening dresses, bustiers and couture by Versace, Dolce & Gabbana and Armani.  In addition there was a custom made Schimmel grand piano, alone valued at nearly $300,000.

Paris Hilton

The contents of Paris Hiltons storage unit made one action bidder a very happy man!  The 6000-foot storage unit was sold at auction for $2,775 and its contents opened up a Pandora's box of steamy photos and videos (but not the famous sex tape) as well as bank statements and phone numbers which were then on-sold for $10 million to Bardia Persa.  Persa then used the contents to create ParisExposed.com which charged a fee for those wanting to access Paris Hiltons secrets.

Burt Reynolds

All Burt Reynold's movie memorabilia was stored including items from "Deliverance" and a horse carriage built by Dolly Parton.  There was so much stuff in his storage units that the winning bidders of the auction opened up a museum (now closed) in Florida.

Michael Jackson

The father of Michael Jackson, Joe Jackson had a storage unit with over 250 unreleased Michael Jackson recorded stored in it.  The recordings haven't gone public to date, but they were done at a time when there was no recording contract with a specific company.

The kids have moved out, without setting fire to it, what do you do with their stuff?

Have your kids moved out and left chaos in their rooms resembling World War Three?  The experts would say that by leaving everything behind the kids are communicating that the stuff isn't that important to them, but I wonder as you feel the burden of the mess have the kids actually considered that their stuff could be destined for a skip bin?

There are a number of choices about what do do with all this stuff and I think that often it comes down to whether you think your kids may be back (especially with Auckland Property prices going through the roof) or whether they are gone for good.

So what can you do?

1.  Box it up and store it

It's the path of least resistance other than shutting the door and pretending it doesn't exist!  Place everything into labelled storage boxes and store it in the garage, the attic or at a Storage Facility.  This has the added benefit of being able to immediately reclaim the space and avoid the argument of 'what if I need that stuff again'.

2.  Only keep the things of Value

As a parent you usually have a pretty good handle on what's important to your kids in their rooms.  If you can bear the thought of going through their stuff, keeping what you deem to be valuable to them and binning or gifting the rest.   Once you have done this, as my Mum did to me, present them with the valuables as a housewarming gift!

3.  Give the darling's a deadline

It would seem now that your little cherubs (now slightly bigger) have moved out, they are no longer being confronted with their precious belongings every day and no matter how many times you ask nicely appear to be unmotivated to do anything with their stuff, whilst in the meantime you feel like a hostage to it.  Let them know they have a deadline before you will be going through and donating everything to charity and STICK TO IT.  If you don't follow through, you will begin to develop negative feelings towards their stuff and them and its a great lesson in responsibility.  

Now the fun bit, it is time to re-purpose that room.  There was a great article in Stuff.co.nz about New Zealand's best online interior stores if you need some extra motivation to get the kids stuff boxed and moved on.  Let Liv, Green with Envy, Perch Homewares, Shut the Front Door and Superette Store are a great place to start.  

Once that is done, you can sit back and enjoy the lack of clutter and the company of your kids when they come to visit and stay.

Don’t turn Inside Out, things to do in Auckland during the School Holidays

It is July in Auckland, what some would say is the most beautiful month of the year in the best city in the world.  When else to you get to sit with friends over long meals and a glass of wine in front of a roaring fire or rug up in layers of clothes, using all your fabulous accessories to their best advantage?

Okay okay we get it though, with the rug-rats on the school holidays, the rain pouring down and a vicious chill in the air can be rough!  But whether July brings out your best or worst we can all agree it is a unique time in the city, so wrap the kids up warm, buckle their seat-belts because it is time to enjoy all the school holiday events Auckland has on offer.

Natty Navy Knotters

At only $3.00 this is a bargain!  Catch the ferry to the Navy Museum, Torpedo Bay in Devonport (a event all of its own) and learn how to make you own Natty Navy Knotter.  Kids will learn to use the reef, half-hitch and thumb knot to make a cool Natty Navy Knotter to hang from their bag.  Afterwards they can explore the Museum and North Head.  

Be a Captain for a Day

Still in the nautical them, visit the Maritime Museum (Free for NZ citizens and residents) and become a Captain for a day.  Follow the Jack Tar trail and uncover the greatest sea captains from New Zealand's maritime history.  Gather round to hear the tall tales and create your very own Captains hat and seaworthy vessel.  For an additional charge you can also go sailing like a real Captain too!  Since you are in the city you can wander over into Silo Square and explore all the nooks and crannies for kids, the cool converted storage containers and Mum or Dad can have a well deserved coffee.

For the Science Lovers

Motat has the Science Roadshow holiday experience on, with two great live shows and over 60 interactive exhibits.  In the Discovery Dome there is so much to learn about electricity and the one I am most excited about, you and the kids can get hands-on with OZOBOTS, a brand new hi-tech robot toy, teaching the kids all about static electricity.  

And remember .... the Zoo is just down the road

The Zoo has so many experiences on these holidays one of the best in my view being a day where the kids can book in to learn how to be a Junior Keeper for a day.

For more great things to do

One of our favourite sites is Auckland for Kids which has events on every day of the holidays whether you are West, South, East or North of the Harbour Bridge.  

Arataki Visitor Centre in the Waitakere Ranges, West Auckland will provide you with a wealth of things to do for the whole school holidays as well.

What ever you do, the best part about School Holidays has to be the extra time you have to kiss, cuddle and laugh with your kids and just love them.

Could you put a Property Price on these 7 Weird and Wonderful homes of NZ?

When the mood kicks in it is always great to escape out of Auckland and do a road trip.  When you take your time I have always been astounded by the scope of weird and wonderful architecture in unexpected pockets of the country.  

A home fit for a princess

When I was little I always wanted to be a princess,  with its own turret I could have pretended to be Rapunzel in Larnach Castle, a real castle right here in New Zealand.

Star Wars

My little brothers however were far more into Star Wars and this home which was feature of a recent Trademe Competition would have created a space of their own and  transported them to a galaxy far far away.  

Old Mother Hubbard could have lived here

The boot house down in Nelson is a dream come true for all the little kids who dream of living a nursery rhyme life.  A house like this deserves to be full of happy laughing children climbing all over the top and sliding down the sides!

 The life of a Gypsy

When I got a little bit older it the travel bug kicked in and I would have dearly loved one of these gypsy house trucks to live the life of an adventurer to travel the length of New Zealand.

The Hobbit Hole

Down in Rotorua we discovered a hobbit lover has built their own wonderful hobbit hole to while away the days in.  Lucky for us our son has never seen this or the star wars house or I think we would be forced to pack up a moving van and move out of Auckland in a heartbeat!

The famous Tirau Dog

It's not a house but if it ever came up for sale the Visitor Information centre in Tirau would make the most incredible house for all the dog lovers out there, whenever we drive on through I quickly distract my dog loving daughter so we are forced to stop and take the never ending doggy photos.  

Oh to live a life by the sea

Home to the poet Sam Hunt for many a year, when I used to travel regularly to Wellington for business often, I always coveted the charming boatsheds all around the Wellington Coastline.  Though years later I eventually got my wish to live by the sea in the wild west coast of Auckland, I would have much preferred on of these to a sterile hotel room any day.