Tag: Spaces and Places

The word ‘zero’ might sound unachievable but that is far from the truth. Zero waste living benefits the environment as well as your health, mind and bank balance. Here at Spaces & Places, we are keen to cut down on the waste we create and so, here are our top tips on cutting out the excess in your home.

Refuse the free stuff

Learn to say no. Junk mail, freebies, business cards, testers whatever it may be, they are examples of things you can say no to. Every single time somebody takes one, the demand to create more increases. Not only will this help declutter your home without extra waste, but it also puts into perspective how many resources we are wasting on a daily basis.

Reuse what you have

Not only is reusing your own belongings one of the easiest principles, but it also saves you a lot of money whilst making a massive difference to waste levels. Swap plastic bottles for refillable, use cloth napkins that can be washed rather than tissue and take reusable bags to the supermarket.

Reduce your intakes

Start with your first grocery trip. The less you buy, the less you waste – simple! Keep your items to a minimum and see what you need more than what you want. Also, reduce the clutter of your home. If you decide to get rid, take it to the charity shop. Not only will it help somebody else, but it will also allow you to see what you actually have to hand already and prevent you from buying extra.

Recycle as much as you can

Not only will reducing your items help waste less, but it also helps recycle more! Buying items like fruit and vegetables in bulk rather than lots of small packages means it is easier to recycle. Avoid plastic and choose cardboard and metal that can be recycled in your designated recycle bins adhering to your city’s policies.

Rot any thrown out food

If there is no option but to throw food, ensure you have a compost system in place. This allows your waste to be put to good use and nature around you to be greener with its nutrients too!

Waste levels are rising by the second so however you choose to become a zero-waste home, the time to do it is now.  It doesn’t have to be difficult, just follow the tips above and you’ll be down to zero in no time.

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At the hottest time of the year, as you might expect, the use of storage units and general moving is reduced while we all try to stay cool and out of the baking outside air. But in fact, storage units can be at their most popular in summer – for good reason. Here are our summer storage tips for how hiring a storage unit can improve the season.

1. Safe for the holidays

A storage unit doesn’t just prove its use for long-term containment; if you’re planning on jetting off on holiday, you might want a safe and secure place to keep those valuables, to ensure they are safe while you’re sunning it up on some beach abroad. With school holidays and sunny weather, we travel more in summer – and storage is what you need to ensure our valuable possessions are safe when you’re away from home.

2. Put away your winter wardrobe

Step away from the skis – if your wardrobe or hall cupboard is taken over with thick winter coats and boots that you couldn’t even imagine wearing in the summer, especially with these heatwaves, then away they must go. Save storage space by opting for a separate unit to keep those winter staples safe and sound, without you tripping over them every time you reach for the flip-flops.

3. The summer clean

Forget spring cleaning – summer cleaning is just as big when it comes to making your home cleaner, fresher and airier. Whether it’s removing that heavy furniture or replacing a stifling leather couch with a sofa that’s a bit more seasonally appropriate, cleaning out your home is one of the things that summer is great for. After all, when else can you use your outside space for room shuffling without risk of rain?

4. Keeping your possessions cool

A house full of people and even simply a tumble dryer running in a home in the middle of summer can mean the difference between your valuable items being safe and cool or ending up with damage. This is especially the case with antique furniture or old paintings, where a cooler climate is needed. Often, a storage unit can provide that neutral space, ensuring your favourite items are safe from the weather

5. Moving dates

From University students heading home to those embarking on their new adventure in home ownership, summer is a popular time to move. You’re less likely to get rained or snowed on, so even if you get too hot it’s better for your furniture and moving boxes, after all. A storage unit is a perfect place to keep furniture and items you’re in the process of moving, or that need to be stored temporarily til next term.

If you’re looking for a storage unit of your own this summer, Spaces & Places has room for you. Contact us today to find out more about our units, and to get a free quote on our services.

The UK is a nation of entrepreneurs; with 99.9 % of businesses classed as Small-to-Medium Enterprises (SME) and 76% single person businesses. For many SME’s the running costs of the business can be challenging, which is why more and more are utilising the benefits of self-storage in order for their business to grow.

The main benefits of using a self-storage unit are:-

  • Additional space for less cost
  • Flexibility
  • Safety and security

A self-storage unit offers businesses additional space for less cost, it allows these businesses the opportunity to buy, create, or store more stock. Low-cost storage space, also allows companies to save money as they are able to buy products in bulk. This is a great way to prevent stock shortages which can quickly damage the reputation of a small or medium sized business.

With storage spaces, businesses have the option to free up office space to accommodate a growing workforce without the hassle of upgrading offices.

The flexibility of a self-storage unit is particularly useful for seasonal businesses that can benefit greatly from a more flexible arrangement. A great benefit of self-storage is it can expand or downsize to fit your business, which is a vital factor for business owners of small or medium businesses. Self-storage units come in a variety of different sizes, meaning business owners are only paying for the space they need.

Self-storage offers businesses safety and security. Self-storage units have a wide range of great security features, to keep business stock safe and secure within the unit. This is also very beneficial for businesses who store important paperwork or documents.

If you have any questions about Business Storage, or you are ready to maximise the benefits of self-storage get in touch with your local Spaces and Places site today!

The self-storage market in the UK is booming, as it is increasingly becoming more popular for British residents to rent self-storage space.

A recent survey indicated that UK residents rent four times more self-storage space than the French, and nine times more than people in Germany.

In fact Britain is now home to almost half of all of Europe’s self-storage units, but demand is continuing to outstrip supply. During 2016 alone, 24 new sites opened in the UK.

Two thirds of self-storage customers are aged between 40 and 65 years old, and divorced or separated people are also more than twice as likely to use self-storage as a single person.

So why is self-storage becoming more popular in the UK? There are a number of reasons:-

  • A change in lifestyle- sometimes divorce or bereavement can lead to people moving into temporary or smaller accommodation. Self-store can provide a space to store these items until a later date.
  • Preventing household clutter building up- a modern trend is to keep the home clutter free as it is more relaxing and restful, as well as it being easier to keep clean. Storing seasonal items and clothing is particularly popular.
  • Requiring more space – through our lives we accumulate a lot of ‘stuff’, but where to store it can be a problem particularly in modern homes. A recent study by the Office for National Statistics shows the average house size of properties sold in England and Wales last year was 90 m2 . This is smaller than in many other European countries and considerable smaller than new homes in the United States.
  • Storing precious items of sentimental value – we all have things we wish to keep but do not necessarily have a place or space for them in our homes. E.g. family heirlooms. A storage unit is prefect for keeping these items safe and secure without being in the way

Are you ready to see the benefits of self-storage?

Get in touch with the friendly team at Spaces and Places to find out more.

If you are a small growing business, increasing and maintaining high levels of productivity is essential to your development.

Research has shown that a brighter, neater and more flexible office increases employee engagement and productivity.

Here are a few top tips for organising your office to encourage your team to go that ‘extra mile’

Space – an office with high ceilings creates a feeling of space, making it light and airy. Circulation of air is important to keep the team alert and focused. The presence of plants in the office also helps to keep oxygen levels in the room high as well as adding a calming atmosphere.

Design – choose furniture carefully and arrange it in a way that encourages collaboration. Rounded and curved furniture is more inviting rather than rectangular tables in rows.

Get creative – studies have shown that productivity increases when employees have ownership of their own work area. Encourage your staff to personalise their own area with posters, pictures or plants to make it a space that inspires them and that they want to spend time in.

Organisation – encourage everyone in the office to keep all documents and stationery in drawers or cupboards and have an ‘in tray’ on their desk to store documents they are currently working on. A clutter free space will help to keep everyone calm and focused on the task at hand.

As a business grows and develops it may require extra space for storing products or documents, but it may not be practical to allocate more space in the office.

A self-storage unit could be the perfect solution. At Spaces and Places, we offer affordable, flexible and practical solutions for any business. Keep your office organised and tidy by storing documents in self-storage. With 24/7 access and CCTV surveillance, you can have peace of mind that your documents are safe and secure.

So, if your business is looking for extra space, get in touch with Spaces and Places.

As we go into the month of November, we are officially on the run down to Black Friday and Christmas and it is essential for businesses to make the most of this busy time of the year.

Black Friday has turned into a massive day in the UK since 2014 and £1.23 billion was spent on Black Friday in 2016. It is crucial for small businesses to have plenty of stock, particularly popular items, available to ensure maximum sales and profit. With customers having plenty of other options to buy what they want, they are not going to wait around while you reorder.

However if you are a small business your premises may struggle to house all the extra stock making your stock room overcrowded and difficult, even dangerous, to use. Plus there is the added risk of products getting damaged.

However there’s an easy solution to toppling piles of box, take advantage of a flexible short term business self-storage unit.

Spaces and Places offer a perfect solution for small businesses that require extra storage.

  • They provide affordable storage in 3 locations across the North West.
  • Rental agreements are on a short term or monthly basis
  • There are various ways to pay
  • There are different sizes of unit so you won’t be paying for space you don’t require.
  • Storage is dry and clean in steel containers.
  • Your stock is safe and secure, we have 24/7 CCTV security.
  • You can have access to your unit at any time.
  • Once your stock is organised in your unit, you’ll be able to locate individual items with ease.

An additional bonus is once the festive period is over, it will be easy to see what stock is left and organise it for the January sales.

If you need extra storage to hold your merchandise, contact Spaces and Places and secure a unit today.

 

 

Whether you are a large or a small business sometimes your premises just don’t have enough space. However moving into larger premises may not be practical or cost-effective, but renting a self-storage unit can be very beneficial to a business.

The benefits of businesses using self-storage are:-

Flexibility – it is possible that a business only needs extra space for a short period of time e.g. while relocating, or decorating their current premises. Or to store seasonal products and furniture. Restaurants/bars may have furniture they use outside during the summer but do not require in the winter, shops may have extra stock ordered in the late summer months for the Christmas period that needs to be stored. Most self-storage companies offer short term contracts. At Spaces and Places, we make renting our units as simple and straightforward as possible.

Cost effective- for home-based businesses and those in small business premises, renting a self-storage unit is much cheaper than relocating to bigger premises.

Improved productivity – trying to work in cluttered surroundings is very demotivating and can be dangerous too.

Security –if your business involves having to archive and store confidential documents, self-storage units offer dry, clean secure storage. Many of the best storage facilities invest thousands of pounds in alarms, CCTV, boundary fencing and lighting, meaning that your stored items are often far safer in a self-storage unit. At Spaces and Places, we have 24 hour CCTV surveillance plus other high tech security systems in place.

When you need that extra space to store documents or products securely Spaces and Places has the perfect solution for long or short-term storage space.

We offer low cost, high-security self – storage units in 3 superb locations – Manchester, Winsford and Nuneaton. We have high security steel containers and traditional brick built premises that have easy-assess roller shutters, power and light, enabling them to be used for a wide variety of purposes.

Get in touch with Spaces and Places to discuss the best options of storage unit for your business.

Last month we covered a few of the reasons why we are drawn to storing clutter and why we continue to do so.

If you missed part I, check it out here.

Read on for part II….

Parents Influence

Many children follow in their parent’s footsteps, with or without realising. If your home was always neat and tidy then you subconsciously adopt similar behaviours. However, if your parents were collectors, workaholics or had a creative flare then your home would be more busy and unorganised.

You may have adopted your parent’s habits or rebelled against then, either way, they have had an influence on how you choose to fill the space in your home.

Life changes

You may have moved into a smaller place than what you were used to or even used the spare room you once had to start a business; life changes affect the way we use our space. If you feel all your items are crowding your room and suffocating the way you live, it is time to make some changes.

Loneliness

When you are lonely, you tend to try and fill a void. Many people turn to food or shopping to keep themselves entertained. However, overconsumption can have consequences and before you know it, the space you once had is now full of new purchases.

Personality

If you are a creative person you may make a lot of impulsive buys. Coming across items you feel you can restore and sell due to the potential you see in them or even purchasing unique items as nobody else will have them will be a regular occurrence!

Letting go

Having emotional attachment to items makes them harder to throw away. You will feel guilty and suddenly miss the item once you make the decision to say goodbye. The same goes for items that you feel may come in handy one day. Old jeans that are too big/ too small, an outfit you have worn once and even magazines/books that you will not read again suddenly pile up and you have no intention of throwing away.

Whether you are looking for extra space to work on a project or you would like a safe and secure place to store your items, a storage unit is the answer. Business storage and personal storage are options available at Spaces and Places.

Get in touch and start making your home a peaceful and relaxing place to live in today.

There are many misconceptions about self-storage being out dated, expensive, insecure and limited in their use – in general not a good option, but the reality is very different, there are many businesses and private individuals who find self-storage very useful. We feel it is time to put some of these myths to rest and look at the benefits of self-storage

  • Myth 1 – It’s of limited value.

Many businesses rely on self-storage units for holding stock, equipment and documents. Also individuals use storage units to keep furniture, and valuables that they cannot store at home, or when temporarily living abroad or moving home.

  • Myth 2 – It’s expensive to store belongings.

Storage units come in different sizes and costs are tailored accordingly. However it is worth remembering that the cost of storing valuable antiques, documents and items of sentimental value may be money well spent.

At Spaces and Places we will discuss with you your requirements and provide a storage unit to suit your personal needs.

  • Myth 3 – It’s not safe

People frequently worry that their belongings could go missing or be damaged

At Spaces and Places we take security very seriously. We know our customers want to be assured that their prized possessions are stored securely.

We provide you with the best German and Italian manufactured locks. All of our storage locations have additional security features including secure fencing, security lighting, Cor-Ten steel units, Smart Water and CCTV.

  • Myth 4 – Contracts are either too short or too long

At Spaces and Places we are very flexible to make sure using our self-storage units are as easy and cost effective as possible.We simply take a month’s rental in advance, and any days that are unused are refunded to you, after the unit is vacated, clean and clear. To cancel using the unit you simply give us a call.

  • Myth 5 -It’s difficult to access belongings

At Spaces and Places access to your self-storage unit can be gained 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

  • Myth 6 – It’s stressful to organise

It may seem difficult to use self-storage; how do you get your belongings to the site? How do you sort all your belongings? What will it cost monthly?

Since 1998, Spaces and Places have provided excellent customer service. If you are unclear about any aspect of self-storage, just give us a call.

At Spaces and Places our aim is to make self-storage easy to choose and easy to use.

Get in touch for further information about Spaces and Places self-storage units. Call 0800 124 4363 or email hello@spaces-and-places.co.uk