Moving Made Easy With U-Haul

Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or wide-eyed novice, moving is stressful for everyone. Tight timelines, fitting knick-knacks into boxes and frantically recruiting friends to help you pack up all add anxiety to the process. To save money, many people opt for DIY (do-it-yourself) moving rather than hiring a professional service. While this can be an economical solution, it often causes much more agony than necessary. Rather than trying to handle everything yourself, using U-Haul offers flexible, budget-friendly moving solutions, saving a lot of time and hassle in the process.

When you’re moving farther than a few blocks, having a large moving vehicle reduces the number of trips needed to transport belongings to your new home. Especially when moving across state lines, the ability to fit boxes and furniture in one load is essential. When you consider the time and money spent repeatedly trekking across town in a small truck, U-Haul rentals are a better option for transporting goods quickly and safely.

Many DIY movers have also made the mistake of thinking that all trucks are created equal. If you’ve ever looked into the back of truck beds, you’ve likely noticed that utility boxes, wheel wells and other features reduce the depth and carrying capacity of many vehicles. Rental trucks are designed specifically with your moving needs in mind, featuring low docks for easy loading, securely latching doors and conveniently stored hand-trucks.

U-Haul also covers you for the unexpected. Too often, moving day arrives with the realization that you don’t have moving blankets, boxes, tape or people to help you load up your furniture. Fortunately, U-Haul offers all these supplies, including resources to help you pack up vehicles if needed. Whether you choose to make a reservation ahead of time or rent a trailer last-minute, you won’t need to worry about making extra trips for supplies.

In addition to boasting optimal carrying capacity and materials to help with loading and packing, U-Haul also offers customers a wide range of vehicle sizes to choose from, so you can choose a truck or trailer based on what you need to move. With additional options for insurance, you can cover the goods that you’re carrying and protect against any potential liability claims that might result from a collision during your move.

From fleet choices to insurance coverage, U-Haul gives you efficiency and protection that DIY moving generally lacks. Especially for long distance moves, choosing to use a rental truck allows you to complete your move in a single trip, saving time, money and stress. To learn more about U-Haul trucks in Salinas, please visit this website.

Moving Countdown Checklist

Make moving go smoothly with a checklist that breaks the big list down to smaller, more manageable tasks. When you spread them out over a few weeks, your moving day can be stress-free...read more

Seeing Green: Simple Ways Self-Storage Operators Can Celebrate the Earth Every Day

Much like Christmas or Halloween, Earth Day only occurs one day of the year. Still the impact it makes on that day, April 22 this year, can have long-lasting affects for everyone, including self-storage operators… read more

How to Prepare Your RV for Storage

When the warm seasons wind down, it comes time again to prepare your RV for winter storage. There are numerous steps which go into protecting your vehicle, both in terms of the interior as well as the exterior.Follow this checklist for best results when storing your RV for the cold season.

Start From the Inside

After clearing all food items out of your RV, be sure to clean the refrigerator thoroughly and defrost the freezer. Leave doors open and position open boxes of baking soda in compartments for odor absorption. Turn off the liquid petroleum gas supply valve on the tank as well.

In addition to fridge doors, leave cabinets and drawers open for ventilation. Cracking open your overhead vents will also provide improved air circulation when the RV is being stored in a covered area. Keep windows covered to limit sun exposure which can damage furnishings and floor surfaces.

Outside Preparation Process

Give your RV a full exterior washing including the roof. Perform an inspection of all major seams and seals for cracks or imperfections. If repairs are needed, your RV dealer should be able to recommend sealants which are suitable for the job.

Try to store your RV in a covered setting to limit sun and elemental exposure. It’s not advisable to park it under trees or in wooded areas, however. If it must remain in the open during storage, consider investing in an RV cover made from breathable materials.

Mechanical Preparation

Finally, take a few steps to protect the components which power your vehicle. For long-term storage, remove your RV’s batteries and keep them charged until the vehicle’s ready for use again. Change out your oil and filters on the engine as well as the generator.

Check your owner’s manual to verify the correct type and concentration of antifreeze is present in your radiator. Double-check your fluid levels including brakes, transmission, power steering, and windshield washer solution. Finally, top off your gas tank and add a fuel stabilizer according to manufacturer’s recommendations.

For more information about RV storage, please visit this website.

Moving Checklist

Get a head start on your moving checklist several weeks out so your moving day goes off without a hitch. Less stress means more time to enjoy your new home.

Tips for Organizing Your Storage Unit

Renting a storage unit is a great solution for somebody who is living in a small home. Whether it is a temporary or long term situation, it can help maximize your space. However, it is important to make sure that you are organized when you put your items in your unit. If you put things in there randomly without any rhyme or reason, you may find yourself needing to dig through endless boxes finding an item you need. Because this can be easily prevented with a little organization, it makes sense to take the time to make sure things are put in your storage unit in an orderly manner.

Figuring out the amount of storage you need is an important first step. Assess everything you are planning on putting into storage and use that to determine which size is right for you. If you get a storage unit that is too small, then you may find yourself trying to shove things in that don’t fit into which can be dangerous and lead to broken items. At the same time, you don’t want to get a storage unit that’s too big because you don’t want to be paying for extra space. Deciding which size is best for you beforehand can help solve these potential problems.

After you have decided which size of storage unit is best for you, make a list of the boxes you are planning on putting in your storage unit. Take note of the things that you may need to access frequently and the things that you probably won’t touch. When you do this, you can figure out which items need to be the most easily accessible. Things like seasonal clothing and decorations are items that you know you will need to access at some point. On the other hand, memory items or outgrown clothing may be items that you can put more toward the back. Figuring out what needs to go where beforehand will help make things easier for you later.

Make sure you pack your items in an organized manner. Each box should be well labeled with a detailed list of what’s inside. A good tip is to number each box and have a master list of what each box contains. When you move into your unit, draw out a map of where you are putting items in your unit. Keep your map with your master list in a safe place so you can have easy access to it later. Following these tips will help you keep your storage unit organized. For more information on self-storage in Salinas, please visit this website.

Live From the 2015 ISS Expo: David Blum Talks About the Expanding International Self-Storage Market

In this video, filmed at the 2015 Inside Self-Storage World Expo, David Blum, president of Better Management Systems LLC, discusses the growing international self-storage markets, including those in Latin America and Southeast Asia… read more

Choosing the Right Size U-Haul Truck for Your Move

When it comes time to relocate or place items into storage, you can save a bundle by performing the heavy lifting on your own. A rented moving truck is an ideal way to transport large items while limiting the need for numerous round trips but determining the right size can be tricky. Reference these tips to make your move as painless as possible.

Standard Needs

U-Haul box trucks are available in a wide range of sizes. For small-to-midsize moves or relocations taking place over shorter distances, a 10’ truck will accommodate about 1-2 rooms of furnishings and possessions. Consider a 17’ truck for 2-3 bedrooms with the added benefit of seating for three in the cab.

Trucks for Smaller Moves

If only you’re moving the contents of a single room or studio apartment, consider a 9’ cargo van which will provide ample capacity plus enclosed coverage just in case it rains. For even smaller trips, boat towing, or other specialized needs, an 8’ pickup truck is efficient, affordable, and easy to load.

Big Trucks for Big Jobs

When transporting your belongings over long distances, select a larger truck to ensure that everything will fit in a single run. A 20’ truck will support a 2-3 bedroom move while 24’ is ideal for most 3-4 bedroom homes. Upgrade to a 26’ truck for 4+ bedrooms to avoid making multiple trips.

As an additional benefit, U-Haul box trucks feature a towing package to reduce unnecessary back and forth travel. After all, your move is already plenty complicated—why make it more challenging? For more information about U-Haul dealer in Salinas, please visit this website.

Document Storage Tips

Protect your documents by storing them in a climate-controlled storage facility. This will keep them safe from humidity and moisture.

The Essential Supplies for Your Next Move

Moving involves plenty of planning and preparation. You’ll definitely require boxes along the way, but there’s plenty more that goes into a well-executed move. Be sure you’re equipped with everything you need for a frustration-free moving process.

Boxes and Beyond

Containers aren’t limited exclusively to cardboard. Consider utilizing bags for delicate garments as well protecting mattresses and bedding. When it comes to cardboard boxes, make sure you have all the right sizes. Oversize containers may be needed to accommodate your flat television set, artwork, or other items with broad dimensions.

Signed and Sealed

Do yourself a favor and stock up on wide-tip permanent markers to label boxes in order to ease loading and unloading processes. Be sure also to secure boxes using the right kind of tape—proper packaging tape will offer the right kind of strength so the bottoms of your boxes don’t give out under the weight of contents.

Other Supplies

Ensure that you have the right kind of packaging material to protect fragile goods such as dishes and glassware. High-performance packing materials are designed to limit shifting of goods during movement, absorbing impact to keep breakable items safe. For larger items, moving blankets and similar padding may be necessary.

Packing up your home is only half the battle, so don’t let a lack of supplies slow you down. Assemble everything you need ahead of time for a quick and easy packing process that will start your move out on the right foot. For more information about moving supplies and packing peanuts in Salinas, please visit this website.

Misinformation About Self-Storage From Valet-Storage Company Makes Me Mad!

Self-storage facilities are in scary neighborhoods, have long-term contracts and rate hikes, and jam-pack their customers’ stuff inside dirty, dusty storage units… read more