+44 (1227) 250254
T: 01227 751673
M: 07841 260500
Opening Times:
Mon – Fri 7.30am – 6pm
Saturday 8am – 1pm

How To Store Your Valued And Fragile Items

We all work hard for our possessions and don’t want to see them damaged or stolen. Clients looking for Self Storage in Kent that are concerned about the safety and security of their fragile items need to keep a few things in mind.

Make Sure You Choose A Secure Self Storage Facility

First off, does the facility have proper security measures in place? Is the facility fully monitored 24 hrs on cctv? Surveillance cameras, proper lighting, alarms, lasers and high tech security measures are all important to keeping your stuff safe. You wouldn’t want to spend untold hours and energy carefully packing and storing your belongings only to find that they’ve been unceremoniously removed without your consent. Good lighting is also important when you want to store or remove items. It’s hard to be safe when you can’t see where you are going. All of these security measures and more come as standard at Need A Space.

Use Heavy Duty Boxes

Secondly, you will want to be equipped with all of the best packing materials available. Obtain heavy duty cardboard boxes or plastic containers. Low-quality cardboard will dent or cave in easily. Worse yet, if several non-sturdy boxes are stacked, they tend to fall over. You will want plenty of packing fillers, paper, bubble wrap, and packing tape. Furniture and mattress covers will protect from scuffs, tears, and dust. Your Self Storage at Need A Space offers high-quality packing supplies. Bear in mind at Need A Space we offer a full range of packaging materials and boxes for our clients.

Moving In To Self Storage 

Our top tip here is never overload your car with those valuable, fragile or breakable possessions, as tempting as that may seem to save time and money. When moving in to Need A Space self storage, we offer the option of a free move in van for longer bookings, or introductions to specialist removers at low rates. Consider also our vans feature moving equipment such as trollies as well as essential blankets.

Package Items For Protection

Lastly, you will want to make sure to properly pack your fragile items. Use bubble wrap on the legs of antique furniture to protect from nicks and scratches. Double-wrap any mirrors or paintings with wrapping paper. Store them vertically at all times. Put packing fillers on the bottom of boxes and wrap china in paper. Don’t leave any void space in boxes. You want your items to remain securely in place. Use ample tape on the top and especially the bottom of your boxes. Double the amount of tape that seems needed. Better to use more tape than to have the bottom of a box full of glass fall open. Consider packing heirlooms in a box all to themselves. Do not put too much weight in your box. It may make sense to keep your lovely set of first edition books together, but that box will rapidly become too heavy. Always clearly label your boxes. When storing your items, be sure to put heavy boxes on the bottom and lighter boxes on top. China can be stored together, but avoid stacking these boxes on top of each other. Need A Space offers trollies and all storage at ground floor level to help you safely move your items. Make sure you have a plan to transport your items safely from the vehicle to your unit, if in doubt ask in our office.

Consider Optional Insurance 

As well as having industry leading standards of security, we also offer optional content insurance for your posessions, to give you extra peace of mind. Ask at the office about our extremely low insurance rates and rest assured we have you covered.

We are members of the Self Storage Association which promotes and ensures best practice in the self storage industry, ensuring additional peace of mind for you. Do not hesitate to Contact Us at Need A Space sending a message, or call us on 01227 751673 to discuss you self storage requirements or even to arrange a no obligation site visit.

Self Storage Helping Elderly Relatives Downsize & Declutter

 Self Storage for when loved ones are downsizing, going in to care or just urgently need to declutter.

One of the hardest challenges is when a transition time comes for parents or elderly relatives. The need for emotional sensitivities is as important as ever. Often a lifetime of collecting possessions may mean a home is simply too cluttered, but when downzising, moving on or otherwise you may well be faced with an extreme reluctance to declutter.

This is where self storage comes in, a half way point between disposal and your relatives knowing that their items are merely relocated for safe keeping. At Need A Space we have huge experience in space planning and assisting you with your storage requirements. We also offer Free Move In Vans for longer term bookings  as well as introductions to removal services where needed.

Have you noticed your elderly relative’s home slowly becoming more and more cluttered? Throughout life some people tend to collect items, valuables or just plain old dust collectors. This can often be common within the elderly community, especially because they’ve had many years to build up a collection of items.

You may be considering moving your elderly parent into care home facility. Or you may just want to declutter their home prior to when that time does come or they downsize. This can be a difficult task to do, that’s why we’re providing you with some great decluttering tips to make it as easy and stress free as possible.

Why do elderly people hang on to their stuff?

Elderly people avoid tossing stuff out, giving stuff away or using self storage for many reasons. This could be because of; sentimental value, sense of loyalty, history and memories and loneliness. As well as not trusting others with their valuables and possessions.

For these reasons, helping your elderly relatives to declutter can be a very difficult and slow task. However, follow a few simple decluttering tips and you’ll have their house cleared in no time. With the knowledge that their items are not being disposed of but starting off in self storage can be a great reassurance.

Practical Help & Emotional Support For Relatives Decluttering.

Whether this is an enforced move, such as a move into care, or the need of space or downsizing, they may just need your practical help and emotional support.

Decluttering your relative’s home can be a very sensitive task to do. Simply throwing large amounts away is not usually the answer. Depending on how severe their hoarding issue may be, or the size of their collection of sentimental and valuable posessions. The task of sorting through stuff, throwing stuff out, boxing stuff up and giving stuff away can be time consuming and messy. The best decluttering tip is to take things step by step, slowly but surely.

When they are ready, don’t do anything at all until you have gone round their home just as it is and taken lots of photographs, and even a video of not only possessions but of things like how pictures are laid out on the walls. Those photographs will act as a lovely keepsake and it may ease your parents’ minds to know that all those special memories won’t fade to nothing.

Once they have mentally said farewell to all those keepsakes and possessions, then they maybe ready to declutter or move home. Knowing those possessions are safely in storage will remove anxiety and leave them reassured it is always there when they need to see things.

Plan Ahead & Fully Utilise Self Storage Resources.

Before getting started it’s best to come up with a plan. Where are you going to put everything? Are you going to throw it away or store it? Are you going to store it at another family members house? In this case, self storage would be your best option. Renting a self storage unit is not only an affordable solution, but also a convenient solution. This way you can avoid throwing out less possessions which will definitely keep your elderly relatives happy.

Furthermore, hiring a storage unit with a little more room than needed is highly regarded. This will be beneficial when the time comes to move your parent into a Care Home or downsizing, as you will already have storage space ready to go. Your relatives will also feel relief with Self Storage as they feel they have not had to part with possessions or burden anybody.

Choosing A Self Storage Facility.

Make a rough estimate of how much space you will need for storing possessions. Once you have a rough idea, start looking for self storage and what your best option would be. Consider things such as access, location, price and security.

At Need A Space, not only do we have many years experience, we offer easy access just off the A2 between Canterbury & Faversham, the latest high tech security systems, all units on the ground floor level as well as the lowest rates around.

Check out our previous blogs where we cover everything you need to know when choosing a storage provider, or see why Need A Space in Kent is such a popular choice. You’ll then be ready to begin decluttering once you’ve chosen your provider.

Where to start.

Organising and decluttering are both time consuming tasks. Set out a schedule of when and what you’ll begin sorting through first – start with the least sentimental items.

A great tip is to spread the task out over a few weeks with one or two cleaning sessions a week. This will help to ensure you don’t miss anything or throw out any valuables. As well as avoid overwhelming your elderly parent or relative.

Start the decluttering process.

As mentioned above, starting with the least sentimental items is a great decluttering tip. That way you can start throwing out unwanted items that are easier to part with. Start with items such as old towels, sheets and appliances. Then move onto items such as old clothing, tupperware and kitchenware.

After this, begin on the more sentimental items. Maybe even designate a space or room where you can pile the items up that will be kept and moved into storage. Once you’ve finished sorting through these items purchase some packing materials so you can prepare them for storage. Items like boxes, book cartons, sticky tape and bubble wrap will be essential packing materials.

Most importantly, ensure you label boxes prior to placing them in storage. This will make it easier when looking for items once they are stored, especially when using long term storage.

Move possessions into self storage.

Once you have everything packed correctly, it’s time to move their boxes and belongings into the chosen self storage unit. During this process, ensure you do everything you can to keep items in their best condition. As well as use the space as best as you can to get the most out of it. Make sure you stack boxes/items with the heaviest and more durable on the bottom. Then begin to add the lighter boxes. Avoid stacking boxes too high as this could cause them to be off balance and unstable.

Another important tip is to store your most important items in the easier access spots. This will help when you need to access certain things more often than others.

Finally The Freed Up Space.

Making the decision to declutter your relative’s  home can be a difficult thing to do. However, in the long run they will appreciate it and it will make it easier when the time comes to relocate. To make the process stress free and simple, all you need to do is follow the decluttering tips provided. As well as ensure you choose your self storage options wisely.

Also, remember that donating unwanted things that are still of use to charity is a much better option than  simply throwing away. Once you have your relative’s items into storage, time can be taken over working out which items are to be treasured and which items may be suitable for donating to a good cause.

Call us at Need A Space on 01227-751673 to arrange a site visit or have a discussion with us where we can advise and guide you with all your potential self storage requirements.

 

Big Storage Space, Small Prices

Space. It is one of the most sought after commodities these days, but it can feel like it costs an arm and a leg to get it here in Kent! 
We have all been there, needing somewhere to store furniture, office goods, or just ‘stuff’ while moving or trying to figure out what to do with beloved items that no longer fit in the spare room or garage at home. At that point, we are stuck with a big decision: donate/throw things away or find a way to store the items. This is where self-storage is the perfect solution because the right option can cost you as little as a coffee a day!
It’s good to do your research and compare like for like, but many of our clients at Need A Space tell us that the peace of mind they have from using and knowing our facilities is the most important factor in that decision. Clean, secure space with easily available access removes any fuss and anxiety over possible damage or loss when using the garden shed!  Check out the most frequent questions we are asked on our FAQ page which is full of great info at a glance.
Need A Space between Faversham and Canterbury offers the lowest rates around and minimum stay periods, plus we don’t charge nasty hidden fees or excessive deposits, we are all about simple and affordable storage solutions – great space for affordable pricing, plus friendly, family run customer service. Let us tell you more about our Self Storage affordability.

We Help You Reduce Your Moving Costs Too!

Need A Space also offers a FREE Move In Van for longer bookings to help you with your moving needs so that you don’t have to pay removal fees. We even throw in packing blankets, trolleys, and ropes, which means you save money on packing materials too!
If you need boxes, tape, and wrapping paper, we have all your storage needs available on-site making us your one-stop moving shop and saving you time and money.

Easy Access To Your Stored Possessions!

Need A Space offers all ground floor level access to your storage unit or space, so when you decide you need that spare couch or want to dust off the sideboard, you can nip around and grab your belongings without a hitch.
We know all too well that moving can be a daunting process, so we can offer tips, tricks, and expert advice to ensure your items are packed safely so that you can access them with ease. Our goal is to guarantee you have the best possible experience when using our service and we also have a list of removal companies who will take extra care when handling your possessions. We’ve done the work for you to help save you time and money for a little extra peace of mind.

So, when you want a reliable and affordable Self Storage option, Need A Space has you covered. Contact Us or call our friendly team today on 01227 751673

Easy to find and convenient for Canterbury, Faversham and East Kent towns, located between Faversham and Canterbury.

 

How to work out the amount of self storage you need.

Naturally, there is a big difference in price between a small and large self storage unit. This can be significant, whichever self storage company in Kent you choose.  That makes it even more important to carefully consider how much storage space you actually need. Before renting a storage unit,  whether for a month or long term, do take a browse through this handy blog. At Need A Space we are the local experts on self storage planning. Do not hesitate to draw on our experience and friendly advice when choosing the amount of space required.

Figure Out The Amount Of Storage Space You Need

Regardless of whether you need temporary storage whilst doing home improvement, downsizing or simply decluttering, you need to be organised and plan properly. In this blog, we share some practical tips on how to answer the question of “how much storage space do I really need?”

It’s very easy to get bogged down when looking at everything around you at home, but at that moment it’s all spread out. Once you start organising and packing what you want store, it won’t be anywhere near as much. Here are a few important steps to take when figuring out how much storage space is enough.

moving home

 

Compile A Written List Of Your Belongings

The first step to finding out how much storage space you need is to see how much stuff you have. That means decluttering properly and putting things aside that are destined for self storage. Count all of your boxes and identify larger items such sofas, tables and bookshelves. Remember to write everything down so you can refer to it later and label everything accordingly.

Check the use of available space at home

After you’ve decluttered and made an inventory of every room, check that you’ve used all the available storage space in your home and garage. The risk of not doing it could result in renting a bigger and more expensive storage unit than what you need. At the same time, don’t force things into the spare room or home office just to save space as you also don’t want a cluttered house.

Contact Need A Space to discuss Your Required Storage Space

Now it’s time to find the right storage unit size and that means measuring your belongings. When choosing a storage unit, you’ll want to have one of two measurements:

Space Calculator Square feet (sq. ft.)

To measure the square footage, multiply the length and width of your belongings. If they make a pile that’s 5 x 5 feet, you will need a storage unit of at least 25 square feet.

Space Calculator Cubic feet (cu. ft.)

To measure cubic feet, multiply the length, width and height of your belongings. If the pile measures 5 x 5 x 5 feet, you should opt for a storage unit with at least 75 cubic feet.

This is just one way of measuring your stuff as there’s no right or wrong answer. One way of doing this is to put everything into a pile and measure the stack. Another method is to individually measure the length, width and height each item. No matter what you do, the important thing is to get the square or cubic footage.

self storage packing advice

Choose The Right Storage Unit

Once you measured everything, it’s time to figure out whether you need a small, medium or large storage unit. Not all facilities will offer the exact same sizes as at Need A Space, here is a breakdown of our Space Estimator. To make is easier for you, each unit is in square foot and indicates the equivalent van load, size of storage space required and the cost per week.

  • 10 square foot (3 x 3 ft cubed) – Ideal for student lockers or storing boxes
  • 20 square foot (5 x 4 ft cubed) – Half transit van load
  • 40 square foot (5 x 8 ft cubed) – Full transit van load
  • 80 square foot (10 x 8 ft cubed) – Luton box van load
  • 120 square foot (15 x 8 ft cubed) – Large Luton box load
  • 160 square foot (20 x 8 ft cubed) – 7.5 Tonne truck house contents
  • 200 square foot (25 x 8 ft cubed) – Large removal lorry contents

How To Pack Your Storage Unit

Once you’ve decided on the right storage unit, it’s time to wrap, pack and stack everything. Here are some handy tips on packing things properly.

  • Use good quality labelled boxes and not old or flimsy ones lying around the garage
  • Store valuables or breakables in bubble wrap, tissue paper and plastic boxes
  • Don’t overfill boxes and distribute weight evenly to make stacking easier and safer
  • Label each box so you know what is inside and easy to find for you
  • Maximise storage space by disassembling beds, desks and tables
  • Cover all furniture with protective sheets or at least dust sheets.
  • Mirrors, glass and picture frames should have their corners protected with foam or cardboard

Indoor Storage Rooms, Crates or Container Storage Units At Need A Space

If you’re busy renovating, moving or decluttering, consider Need A Space for renting a self storage unit. It’s one of the best and most affordable ways to keep your home clutter-free and your belongings safe. At Need A Space, we can offer you all the storage space you need with all our self storage on the ground floor level, 24-hour CCTV and alarmed security, easy access and the option of insurance for your possesions.

If you are still unsure about how much self-storage space you need,  do contact us to arrange a site visit and to discuss your space requirements.  Please give us a call on 01227-751673 or use the contact us form to get in touch and request your quote . We’d be happy to answer any questions you may have.

How To Find The Best Storage Unit Near You

Best Storage Unit Near Me

You may be typing into Google, “best storage near me”, but do you have clear guidelines yet as to what is the best self storage for you? If you are considering a self-storage unit in East Kent, then you need to conduct the suitability checks to make sure that you choose the best storage unit for your needs. Equally and perhaps more importantly, for the safety and security of your possessions or stocks.

This is an important decision; after all, if you were not overly concerned about your physical items, then you would just throw them away, which is why you should take some time to find the perfect self-storage facility near to where you live. Need A Space offer an excellent central location for Canterbury, Faversham as well as Whitstable and Herne Bay self storage clients.

How Easy Is It To Access The Self-Storage Unit?

One of the considerations that people often overlook when choosing a self-storage unit is accessibility. This is not in reference to the unit itself, but rather the physical process of getting to and from the unit. Is the location in an area where traffic comes to a grinding halt during rush hour? Need A Space is located between Faversham and Canterbury and just off the A2 for easy access.

Does visiting the self-storage facility involve a significant detour from your home or office?

These are two crucial factors to consider because with all the best intentions in the world, if going to the unit to collect or drop off your property is a frustrating and time-intensive experience, you are much less likely to go, which ultimately makes the self storage unit a less valuable proposition.

How Easy Is Gaining Access To The Unit Itself?

Another factor to consider is how easy it is to gain access to your self-storage unit. Let’s assume for a second that you are an online retailer and the sole purpose of the unit is to store your stock. In the vast majority of cases, you will not need access in the middle of the night, which aids us in site night time lockdown security. However you will require long access hours and Saturdays which we indeed offer at Need A Space. Are you able to gain access to the self-storage unit at these times, or is the facility only open during business hours?

How Secure Is The Self-Storage Facility?

The entire purpose of using a self-storage facility is the ability to store your property safely and securely. When you go to visit any potential self-storage unit, ask about the security measures they have in place. Is there CCTV in operation both within the units and outside? In addition to the latest cctv systems, Need A Space features extra monitor measures including laser alarm zones, motion sensors, electronic gates and much more.

What does anyone need to gain access to?

Is it a keypad system, a fob, or a key? It is these small but important things that every self storage unit renter should think about.

At Need A Space we have continually invested in every aspect of our self storage business. We have state-of-the-art security systems in place, secure and individual access systems, and our location was strategically chosen for ease of access for all our clients, business or personal.

We are a local, family owned and operated company and committed to the security of your goods and possessions. If you came across our blog while searching for “the best self-storage unit near me,” then we believe you have just found the company you were searching for, assuming you are Kent based.

Being one of the longest established self storage facilities in Kent we are alo in a fortunate position to be able to offer the assurance of the lowest storage rates around.

Give us a call today on 01227-751673 and receive a no obligation quotation.

Why Self Storage Is the Perfect Solution For So Many Of Us

Whether you live in a nearby town or city or a secluded rural area, there will probably come a time in your life when self-storage could be the right option for you. Space (or the lack of) is a problem for most people at some point and because of a universal need for space, it’s not really surprising that self storage is so popular and ever increasing in popularity and demand.

You will more than likely have gotten along well without self storage at many stages in life, but once you have experienced the convenience of it, you will struggle to understand why you have never used it before.

If you’re unsure about self storage then here at Need A Space, we thought it may be useful for you to read about why it is such a good idea so we have put down a few reasons below.

It Is An Essential Rather Than A Desirable

It may have crossed your mind that self storage, as it is paid for, is a luxury that isn’t necessary. However this simply isn’t the case for many people that use it.

Homes are shrinking every single year as new properties are built with smaller and smaller dimensions to squeeze as many as possible into the smallest amount of space and very few people have the option (or indeed the finances) to upsize at the drop of a hat when circumstances change.

Because of this, self storage is actually necessary for a lot of people. It is in fact particularly necessary in cases where a family is extended unexpectedly, or where relatives have to come and stay without warning. In this case your priority is ultimately going to be making space for the people, not keeping the items in that space.

It Works Around Your Circumstances

Self storage is incredibly flexible, which means pretty much anyone could find a use for it if they wanted to. Units can be rented for a month or for years and rates can often be agreed depending on how long you plan to use the service for. It’s a service that meets the needs of most people, which is why when a person needs it, no matter what the reason is, they can find a suitable unit to meet their requirements at Need A Space.

So Much More Than Just Physical Benefits

Self storage has psychological benefits. Space in the home promotes space in the mind, and there aren’t many psychologists, life coaches or interior designers who wouldn’t promote clutter free living. There are few people alive who wouldn’t benefit psychologically from a clutter free home and self storage enables us to enjoy clutter free living without having to pick and choose between items we love, as when and if we find an immediate need for them, a trip down the facility means we can quickly get them back.

Easy Organised Access When You Need It

We all lead incredibly busy lives, so the ability to access our items at any hour of the day is important. Most storage facilities are not open 24/7 but we offer extremely flexible opening times because we understand that most people don’t run on a 9-5 schedule. This means that should you find on a Saturday you need the ladders that you placed in storage, you can simply hop in the car and go and get them and on the Monday when you are finished, pop them back into the storage unit. Simple!

The Ultimate Low Cost Space And Non-committal

Self storage is incredibly cheap and Need A Space won’t bind you into a contract. So if your circumstances change quickly, or you suddenly can’t afford the unit, you can opt to stop using it straight away if you need to. This lack of commitment means that self storage is not a financial burden.

So Easy for Anyone To Utilise Self Storage

Self storage is easy for anyone to use because you are completely in control of your access to your unit. You don’t need to sign in to a unit or collect your keys every time you visit. Once you have booked your unit you usually have gate code access via your phone, as well as your unit keys. When you hire a unit you are shown how to use all of the facilities available to you and help is on hand if you need it.

It Is Confidential

Whatever you keep in the unit is completely private and confidential which means that you can rest assured that whatever items are in self-storage, they are going to be safe and not browsed through, which is often ideal for business use and archiving.

It Is Safe And Secure

If you’ve chosen to use Need A Space then you can expect a high level of security surrounding your unit. Expect security cameras, security lights, alarm systems and various passcodes to enable paying unit owners to get in, and to keep potential thieves out. Security is often the number one concern, along with location, so by choosing carefully you can make sure that your items in self storage are going to be totally secure. Need A Space are also conventiently located just off the A2 between Faversham and Canterbury.

Contact Us at Need A Space today and discover how our friendly, family team can assist you with your storage requirements.

By using this website you agree to accept our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions