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.

Creating Space in a Small Bedroom without a SpaceX rocket!

Renovation costs in Auckland are rising and so are property prices so we need to be creative as we move into smaller spaces to accommodate our stuff.  Our bedrooms are often last on the list as they are the room seen least, but as the room we spend a great deal of time in, we really need to think about this space.  

My bedroom is my haven.  It is not particularly large but every inch is used to its best advantage.  When I was renovating I made sure I bought relaxing big space ideas into my little sanctuary.

Remove the Excess - Use a Storage Box 

The more you have in your small space the more cramped it is going to feel.  I made a tough decision to sell many items and the rest I put in a storage box or removed into Self Storage.  This instantly created an illusion of space and calm in my room.  

Choose the right furniture and storage

I was lucky enough to have the option to build my wardrobes in with drawers to negate the need for a dresser or amoire.  This was one less challenge to deal with.  However, what I found was space was created by choosing furniture that was slim but high and rectangular not curved.  Nightstands with space underneath also greatly increased the illusion of space.  Perhaps the biggest space was created though with a bed that had storage underneath.  Storage baskets are a godsend for small spaces.

Make your bed the focal point

In a small bedroom your bed will more than likely be the focal point.  Size your other furniture and decor to fit the size of your bed so your room is well proportioned.  A large mirror can also add an illusion of extra space and bring a romantic feel to the bedroom.

Make room for a reading chair

Not only does a reading chair and lamp make your room so much more relaxing, but it can be multifunctional in getting more use out of your small bedroom and for throwing the odd piece of clothing on when you just want to crawl into bed for the night!

Choose your colours and artwork wisely

I used light muted colours in my small space and bought the darker and brighter colours in as accents.  Not only did this give the illusion of a larger space but it utilised the natural light to its best advantage.  Artwork will have the same effect, so plan carefully to ensure your haven stays as just that - your haven.  

Greenpeace activists scale parliament - tips to make your home eco friendly

 As Greenpeace activists scale parliament to deliver solar panels we look at how to make your home more eco friendly and save on the rising winter power bills!

Eco homes aren't just the domain of ageing hippies nowadays, as we have become aware of the environments impacts and the health of our children more and more people are trending this way.  However people are going to change their habits just to save the environment, we need to see the cost benefits too.

Recycle Furniture

Save your lungs and some rain forests long term and buy furniture that is second hand, antique or made from recycled materials.  You also get the added bonus of statement pieces at cheap prices.  Or pop some of your furniture in storage and rotate it for different looks.

Go Clean Green

Switching to green cleaners reduces chemicals in the air and contributes to better control for asthma and allergy sufferers.  Keep an eye out for plant-based products or even better make you own.  Wendyl Nissen has a great book out on homemade cleaning recipes. 

Meat Free Mondays

My favourite - Meat Free Mondays.  It is time to get creative in the kitchen, be kind to your health and the environment.  Adding one meat free meal a week for a family of four has the same environmental impact as changing to driving a hybrid car.   Jamie Oliver has a wealth of recipes on his site for inspiration. Paul McCartney has a website and book dedicated to this as well.

Insulate

Most of our heat is lost through the walls and the ceiling.  As heat rises we watch our dollars do a slow drift into the sky.  Where ever possible use natural or recycled material, Energywise can also help in in some cases with funding for insulation in older home, but generally you can recoup the cost of insulation within two to three years, sooner if you calculate the health benefits too!  Draft guards on doors and window also work a treat.

Save some Electricity

Check those power plugs.  Any household item that is plugged into an outlet is using energy even if the item is not on.  Hang the washing out, put times on those heaters and replace bulbs with LED's.  For an even better eco solution, put solar panels in, I shaved a good couple of hundred dollars a month off my power bill when I installed solar panels and haven't regretted it for a moment.

And last but not least, enjoy all your cost savings!

Your own Princess Charlotte on the way? Tips to create space for a new addition to the family.

With another baby on the way, the excitement has started to give way to the reality of creating space for another little bundle of joy.  Luckily for us it's not the first time but with a big gap between kids we are having to think creatively about storage and space.

Creating the space

The spare room is being gutted and our oldest is making the big move downstairs, it may be that like us you will need to turn the guest bedroom into a playroom or a home office or storage space into a nursery.  We have gone vertical to create extra storage space in the bedrooms after losing some space and put the rest (especially the bulky items) into storage units.  The space under beds is often ignored, but there is often great opportunity to use plastic boxes with lids or decorative baskets to store often used items in.

Starting small and thinking big

If it is your first baby or you haven't had a little one in the house for a while the list of what new babies may need can seem overwhelming.  The reality is newborn babies need very little other than a warm cosy place to sleep, a lot of kisses and cuddles, more clothes than you anticipate you will need (for those days when you just cannot keep up with the washing) and clean nappies.  

The internet is tempting with all the items you could purchase so start with a few, you can always purchase more once your baby is born.  

If you have been given more baby gifts than you know what to do with, consider using them in a decorative but functional way.  

This picture from interior designer Claudia ZinZan shows this in a really beautiful way

Create Zones

If one thing in life is certain it is that babies and toddlers may be small, but the mess they are capable of creating is not!

Ensure all the places you will change your baby, burp your baby and feed your baby are wipeable.  If you have the room, create a minimal adults only space where you can escape the chaos that only appears with little ones in the house.

Early on create an art-space to save your precious walls.  For my daughters 6th birthday I painted a huge purple butterfly on her bedroom wall with blackboard paint.  If I had only known earlier how many walls it would save from her ballpoint pens (carefully hidden by me but always found), I would have done it from the day she was old enough to hold a piece of chalk.  

Prepare to create space in your heart

More than anything else the biggest space created is the one in your heart, be prepared for more love, laughs, tears than you ever thought humanely possible and enjoy!