For convenience, security and support, many seniors are choosing an assisted living facility for the next chapter of life. But this decision also requires seniors to downsize their current home and belongings to accommodate their new living space. Before moving into an assisted living facility, seniors must first decide what to do with household items they will no longer need or have space to store. This requires giving belongings away to friends and family, donating to charities, or storing items in a self-storage unit. This article offers tips for helping downsizing seniors move while saving time and money along the way.

Give Belongings Away

After determining which items will be moved into their new home, the next group of belongings for downsizing seniors are those that will be given away to friends, family and neighbors. These household items typically include family heirlooms, or those items with sentimental value. This could also include furniture that will no longer fit into the new living space. Large dressers, dining room tables, or couches could be given away to family members who have needs for them. Other items like yard equipment or decorations could be given away to neighbors while downsizing into an assisted living facility as well.

Donate Items to Charity 

Donating household items to charities is an opportunity to help others while also helping to organize the new living space at the assisted living facility. By taking an inventory of closets, basements and attics, quality items could be found to donate to a charity. Clothing, hats or winter jackets that are no longer worn, for example, will be gladly accepted by a donation center. Toys that grandchildren used to play with that occupy space in the basement are another example of household items that could be donated while seniors are downsizing.

Storing Items in a Self-Storage Unit

Consider a self-storage unit  for seasonal items, or belongings seniors would like to keep but do not fit into their new living space. Seasonal items could include clothes or decorations, for example. Items that you plan to give away in the future, like furniture or lawn equipment, could also be placed in a storage unit. Similarly, important documents like titles or deeds that are accessed infrequently could be stored in a self-storage unit as well, along with print photos or albums.

STORExpress offers the self-storage solution you need. Whether you’re looking for household, contractor, business storage, or anything else, contact  our customer service team today. We will help answer your questions and find the self-storage unit that works best for you and your stage of your life.

The post Tips for Helping Seniors Move into an Assisted Living Facility appeared first on STORExpress.

Refer someone who rents a storage unit between now and June 31, 2017 and choose either a Referral Reward based on your current tier level, or receive a Family Fun Package valued at $80.

 The Family Fun Package includes:

• Your choice of a $50 gift card to Laser Storm or a $50 gift card to Three Rivers Paintball Park
• $20 gift card to Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt
• $10 gift card to Wildwood Highlands Family Fun Center

Check out current tier levels here.

Questions about what tier you are currently in? Call our corporate office at 412.449.123.

Referral Rewards Program may change at any time and are subject to availability.

The post Have Some Fun this Month with June Referral Rewards! appeared first on STORExpress.

Wander around the halls of 448 Studios in Etna, and you will see many paintings by Tom Mosser, the former Pittsburgh Pirate Parrot who parlayed his love of sports and art into a very creative and prolific career.

His newest project entitled “Museum Series,” features animals and people in museums, gazing at paintings. Mosser’s newest painting in this series will be of particular interest to Pittsburgh residents who are rooting for a Penguins win. The painting is called “Penguins at the Museum,” and shows five penguins looking up at a painting of the Stanley Cup.

You can read more about Tom Mosser and his work in this article that ran recently in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The post 448 Studios Artist Spotlight: Tom Mosser appeared first on STORExpress.

Filming for Gone, a 12-episode police procedural starring Chris Noth (Sex and the City and the Good Wife) took place this week at our Turtle Creek location.

Gone will be filming in various Pittsburgh locations between now and September and will air in Germany and France.

Click here to read more about the series.

The post New Television Series Filming at STORExpress Turtle Creek appeared first on STORExpress.

You said yes! Now what? Time to plan your wedding!

Planning a wedding, regardless of how big or small, can be very stressful. Utilizing a storage unit during the planning process will save you some stress and keep the clutter out of your home so you can focus on enjoying your engagement.

Here’s some suggestions to keep the process as smooth, stress-free and affordable as possible:

Wedding Planning: When you’re planning your wedding keep everything in a central location. If you’re buying linens, fake flowers, chairs, or doing DIY wedding projects like center pieces, keep them all together so you know exactly what you have and what you need to get. You can even have your gift registry delivered to your storage unit.

Booze It Up: Open bars can run up to $7000 depending on where you are in the U.S. If your venue allows it, you can save some money by supplying your own alcohol. If you are having beer, wine, or spirits at your wedding reception, figure out how you want to serve it and buy a new case every few weeks. If you are supplying beer, think about having kegs and serving the beer on tap. Store the beer and wine in a STORExpress wine storage room.

1 Wedding, 7 Parties: Many people forget about the celebrations leading up to their big day. With all of the pre-wedding celebrations, you will receive of a lot of gifts to celebrate your engagement. Store all of your presents in a storage unit until you’re ready to sort and move them into your home.

Keep Your Dress Under Lock and Key: Literally. If you’re worried about your future spouse, family and friends sneaking a peek at your dress before your big day, storing it in a climate-controlled storage unit can keep it safe from prying eyes.

Shacking Up:  Blending two houses is not easy. Use a storage unit to store duplicates of items like beds, sofas and dining room furniture.

When it’s time to plan your wedding, contact STORExpress. We have 10 convenient locations and hundreds of unit sizes to fit your needs.

The post Using Self-Storage for Wedding Planning appeared first on STORExpress.

If you and your guitar are taking an extended break there are a few things you should keep in mind when storing it. You can’t just throw your guitar into the garage and expect it to be in good working order when you pull it back out.

Here are five tips to follow in order to make sure your guitar still plays like a hot knife through butter just like it did prior to long term storage.

Get a Good Case. Protect your guitar from dust and dirt that can damage it by investing in a good case. The case also protects the guitar from getting scratches and it keeps the color of the guitar looking new.

Avoid Extreme Temperatures. Guitars should be stored in a climate-controlled unit so the paint and strings don’t get damaged. Guitars are very delicate and any extreme temperatures could be detrimental to the life, longevity and function of your guitars.

Keep It Away From Humidity. Moisture can damage your guitar. Typically you should try to keep it at an average of 40-50% humidity. High humidity can cause your guitar to swell. If you can’t control the humidity levels use a dehumidifier. If you’re storing long term it’s important to put a silica pack in the case to help absorb moisture.

Keep Tension in Mind. When the strings that are on a guitar are tuned and tightened they put tension on the guitar’s neck. If you are going to store your guitar long-term, let some tension off of the neck so that your strings don’t move, snap or damage your guitar. Just make sure they’re not too loose!

Check on it periodically. Check on your instruments from time to time. That’s the best way to see how they are doing and if you need to adjust any of your storing techniques. Checking up on your instruments and playing them periodically will make the guitar last longer.

Looking for a place to store your guitars? Check out one of our climate-controlled units!

Are you and your band looking for a rehearsal space? Tour one of our band rooms at our Etna, South Side, McKees Rock or South Hills locations! We have the perfect rehearsal space for you!

The post How to Store a Guitar appeared first on STORExpress.

Everyone has a little hoarder in them. Although we may not be at TLC’s Hoarding: Buried Alive level, we all are guilty of keeping something that we know we should either throw out or donate. Maybe these items have sentimental value, you’re planning to sell them or give them as gifts in the future. No matter what the reason is, deep down you know that it shouldn’t be in your home. Here are some excuses for why people keep things they don’t need.

Excuse #1

Future Need. “I’ll use this one day!” Clothes that don’t fit, make up that you never use, and basically anything else that you haven’t used in the past 1 year, get rid of it! People think that saving stuff will stop them from having to buy it in the future. Only keep the essentials and what you absolutely need. If you haven’t used it in the past 1 year, chances are you’re never going to.

Excuse #2

Guilt and Sentimental Reasons. Yeah, I’m looking at you wedding and prom dresses! Vintage clothes that your mom gave you that you’re never going to wear, concert t-shirts, special dishes or glasses from a loved one that you don’t have space for. In order to declutter these items you have to first understand that it’s okay to let go. Getting rid of these items doesn’t erase the memories that are associated with them.

If you keep everything from your past, you won’t have any room for your future. Take a picture of the things that you know you should get rid of but keep anyway. Then, donate the items to charity or resell these items to someone that you know will take care of them. That way you know that your items are going to a good cause and you will feel better about giving them up. If you’re adamant about keeping some of these items, put them in storage so that they aren’t cluttering your everyday life.

Excuse #3

Plan to Sell. Another common excuse when it comes to keeping items that you know you should throw away is because you think you’ll eventually sell them. If this is the case, what are you waiting for? Put those items up for sale on Craigslist, Ebay, Offer Up or Let Go. You can even have a garage sale.

Excuse #4

Give As a Gift. When you’re cleaning and trying to declutter your home, it’s easy to find things that would be great gifts for someone close to you. Sometimes those gifts never make it to the person and ultimately keep taking up space in your home. Be honest with yourself about your intentions. Did you really want to give these items as gifts or was it just another excuse to keep them? If you really want to give them to someone, set a date! Call them up and go out for coffee or a walk around your neighborhood and then give them the gift. It’s a great way to reconnect with that person, while getting rid of the items that are cluttering your home.

Excuse #5

Oh that’s the good (Insert item here). So many people only use certain items during special occasions like dishes, silverware, china, and crystal. While it’s enjoyable to be able to celebrate milestones by using the good dishware, every day you wake up should be a celebration! If you keep waiting for the perfect moment to use that crystal your grandma gave you or the china you received as a wedding gift, you may wait too long and never be able to use them. Harsh, but true.

Don’t let excuses clutter your life! For more information about storage options visit www.storexpress.com Stop by any one of our 10 locations for a tour to find the storage unit that best fits your needs!

The post Why Do We Keep Things We Don’t Need? appeared first on STORExpress.

Self-storage facilities are great for contractors looking to go into business for themselves or expand their company. Generally, contractors look into leasing or buying their space which makes self-storage a great affordable alternative that’s often overlooked.

Here’s some reasons why you should to maximize your business investment by using a self-storage contractor unit at STORExpress.

Affordability. Finding affordable commercial space is difficult. Commercial spaces can run anywhere between $200,000 and $6 Million to buy. Commercial property for rent can run $5-$23 per square foot a year. Leases typically last 2-15 years. So, at 1000 ft² you’re looking at $5000-$23,000 per year for the term. Contractor units at STORExpress run from $200-$900 a month with no strings attached.Save the capital expense! There are no long-term leases to worry about and you’ll find a space that fits your business and budget. STORExpress makes renting even more affordable by offering a free truck and gas to help with your move-in, plus the utilities and Wi-Fi are on the house!

Flexibility. There are some warehouses that make you sign a long-term lease just so you can use the space. If by chance, you decide going into business isn’t for you after the first year or two, then you’re stuck. Month-to-month contracts let you stay in control! You can determine how long or short you want to stay. You’re not locked into a commitment, so upgrading or reducing the size of your contractor unit is easy! STORExpress provides free consultations and tours with storage experts to help you make the best decision for your business.

Personalization. Make it your own and create a space that fits your needs! Add shelving, hooks, and whatever else you need to make your business run smoothly! Personalize your work schedule by enjoying 24/7 access via keypad entry into your unit.

Safety. You’re already aware that tools aren’t cheap. You also know that missing and stolen tools on a jobsite isn’t uncommon. Protect your business and tools by keeping them off site and locked in a safe place. STORExpress offers around-the-clock surveillance to ensure that your items are secure.

Drive-In Buildings. Have you ever loaded up your truck in the brittle winter, a thunder storm or blazing heat? You won’t have to anymore when you rent a contractor unit from STORExpress! Drive-in buildings and loading docks make your business more efficient by making loading smooth. You can even save money on vehicle storage for your work truck by storing it inside of your contractor unit.

Use the Office Spaces. Keep your business professional! Business meetings are unavoidable, that’s why STORExpress offers conference room access and office space for all of the behind the scenes deal-makers.

Keep your business on your terms by calling 412-449-0123 or stopping by a STORExpress location to get more information on our free consultation service and to schedule a tour of your contractor unit today!

The post Contractor Storage appeared first on STORExpress.

Want to know how where and how to store your vehicle? Read on!

Where Can I Store My Vehicle?

Indoor Storage. An indoor climate-controlled facility is ideal for long-term vehicle storage. Your car, RV or boat will be protected from the elements decreasing the chances of any damage to your vehicle. When you rent with STORExpress you can touch up, polish, check up on and run your vehicle whenever you like! There’s even a car club where you can mingle with other car enthusiasts and check up on your vehicle right from your mobile phone.

Outdoor Storage. If you can’t store your car indoors, you can still make the most of outdoor storage. STORExpress offers safe and secure facilities that are monitored around the clock.

How Do I Keep My Vehicle From Damage While in Storage?

After you choose where you’re going to store your vehicle, you need to take the proper precautions to protect your vehicle from the elements.

Clean Your Vehicle. Prep your vehicle for long-term storage by giving it a good wash, wax and shine. Wash all of the bugs, dirt and debris off so that you can start fresh when you’re ready to take your vehicle out of storage. Cleaning your vehicle helps to keep the paint job looking nice and stops dirt from getting into the delicate electrical system.  Dirt on your vehicle can also trap moisture which can lead to engine issues, rust and other problems. Also, clean your vehicle on the inside so bugs aren’t attracted to your car. Throw away any open food containers and vacuum in the interior and the trunk to make sure any crumbs that could bring in pests are gone.

Prepare the Fuel System. Having a full tank will help prevent moisture from building up on the walls of the tank. After your tank is full, add a fuel stabilizer product. According to Popular Mechanics, “drive the car long enough to really warm up the engine and mix the stabilizer with the fuel—at least 30-40 miles.” If the directions are followed correctly the stabilizer should extend the lifetime of the gasoline to 12 months.

Change the Oil. After adding stabilizer, you’re ready to change the oil. It’s important to do this to prevent gunk in your engine. Run your vehicle for a few minutes to let the fresh oil circulate through the engine.

Take Care of the Battery. When you’re ready to store your vehicle, disconnect your battery and bring it inside. Connect it to a float charger during the time that your vehicle is in storage. Inspect your battery for any deterioration. If you’re storing indoors at STORExpress, you can leave the battery in your vehicle and attach a trickle charger to one of STORExpress’ trickle charger outlets. Your battery will stay charged because it has a continuous amount of energy running through your vehicle.

Pack Your Exhausts. If you’re storing outside in an open lot, place clean rags or aluminum foil into your tail pipe to protect the engine from any bugs entering into your engine.

Cover Your Car. Regardless of where you store your vehicle, covering it will add an extra layer of protection.

Looking for long-term car storage? Stop by any one of our 10 STORExpress locations for outdoor vehicle storage. If you’re looking for indoor climate controlled vehicle storage check out our Etna, McKees Rock and Turtle Creek locations. Call 412-449-0123 for more information and to set up a tour!

The post Vehicle FAQ’s appeared first on STORExpress.

Vino, vin, wein or wine, no matter how you say it, you know you love it! You adore it so much, you want to collect it! According to National Geographic, wine has been around since the Stone Age. It comes in an array of characteristics varying in sweetness, dryness, acidity, body, and fruit. It’s no wonder why we still obsess over it to this day! If you’re a wine enthusiast interested in creating a noteworthy collection, here’s some tips to kick off your wine collection:

Budget. You don’t have to be rich to have a collection you’ll love. Set an amount that you want to spend on collectible wine for the year and stick to it. Generally, the higher the price the more collectible the wine is, but don’t let that discourage you! You can find great wine at budget prices.

Storage. In order to keep wine long-term, it has to be stored in the proper conditions of 55 °F at 50% humidity. This allows the wine to age properly and aids in cork, box and label protection. Make sure that you have a number in mind of how many bottles of wine you’d like in your collection. If your collection grown beyond that, be sure to have a storage plan for those bottles as well. STORExpress offers wine storage for collections ranging from 40-400 bottles.

If You Drink It, Collect It. You’re collecting wine because it’s something you enjoy. While it’s great to have a diverse wine collection of wine, your collection should reflect your personal taste.

Research. Why have 1000 bottles of wine if you don’t know anything about them? Be sure to ask questions, talk to other collectors, read reviews and learn more about the wine you are collecting. Joining wine collecting forums and groups is a great way to expand your knowledge and meet people who share the same passion for wine as you.

Buy more than One. Get more than one bottle of the wine that you want in your collection so you can see how the taste transforms as the wine ages. Plus, just because you’re collecting wine doesn’t mean you can’t drink a bottle now!

Looking for wine storage? Check out STORExpress South Side at 200 South 22nd Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203 or call 412-431-5625 to schedule a tour!

The post Tips for Beginner Wine Collectors appeared first on STORExpress.

It happens to all types of writers eventually: the dreaded writers block. While it can be frustrating to be in a creative slump (especially when the rest of your band is churning out amazing work) there are ways to pull yourself out of it.

Forget about perfection. Always striving for perfection can cause writers block.Instead, focus on the creative process and let the words come naturally. Once you get the lyrics down on paper or in your computer, take a breather. Revisit the lyrics in a day or two and tweak if needed.

Rip – off another song. Have you ever watched a movie, hated the ending, and thought to yourself “If I would’ve written that movie, I would’ve done _______.” You can do the same thing with a song. Pick a song that you think could be awesome if only __________ and rewrite it. Just remember not to record or release the song. Getting nailed for plagiarism is no fun!

Finish a shelved song. Like most writers, you probably have notebooks filled with unfinished songs. Pull those notebooks out and go through them. You may find inspiration in something written years ago.

Stop writing. Sometimes your brain just needs a break. Occupying yourself with other activities like meditating, taking a walk or lying in bed and letting your mind wander can spark a creative firestorm! Be sure to carry a small notebook or voice recorder so that you can jot down your ideas before they flit away!

Explore the unexplored. Are you a black metal songwriter who writes songs only on a guitar? Try switching it up! Write a cold wave song on a keyboard or an indie pop tune on a bass. Doing this will help you avoid “muscle memory,” and you’ll find that the choices you make will be different from the automatic choices you tend to make on your default instrument.

Writing about a writer’s block is better than not writing at all.” – Charles Bukowski

The post 5 Ways to Conquer Songwriters Block appeared first on STORExpress.

Students come home from college and boarding school, families are moving, and couples are getting married. The summer season is a very unique time to use storage facilities. You should use self-storage if you are:

Selling, Moving and/or Renovating Your Home. When it comes to selling moving and renovating your home, using a storage facility in the interim is the best way to go.

•  If you’re selling: Cleaning out the home you’re trying to sell is a great way to kick off the selling and buying process. Move your personal items and clutter into storage so that you can stage your home to let potential buyers get an idea of how big the home is and how their items will look.
• If you’re moving: Move all of your belongings into a storage unit so that you can clearly see what you want to move into your new house first. It’s great to store your items when you’re in between homes to make the process easier.
• If you’re renovating: It’s important to keep your home clutter free and clear if you’re still living in your home while the renovations are taking place. Clutter during renovation is not only a hassle but can also be a safety hazard and prolong construction.

Getting Married. Getting engaged is a big and exciting step! Use a storage unit to store your engagement and wedding gifts. You can make the transition go smoother by using a storage unit through your wedding planning and when you move in together. Use a storage unit to help bring you and your future spouse’s items together and compromise on what will be moving into your home and what will be thrown away.

Own Seasonal Tools and Equipment. Summer means that it’s time to take your lawn mower and rakes out of self-storage and swap in your snow blowers, shovels, salt and other winter necessities. You can also safely house dangerous outdoor tools like chainsaws, and weed whackers in a secure storage unit.

Decluttering, Downsizing or Need Extra Space. Everyone can use more space! Move personal items that you don’t have room for and you don’t want to get rid of into a storage unit. If you’re downsizing from a house to a condo or apartment, you’ll keep them safe, have easy access to them and free up space in your home.

Moving Home From College. Keep your parents happy and their home clutter free by moving your items into a storage locker. Using self-storage is the best option for you because it’s short-term. STORExpress offers month-to-month rentals. You’ll also be at ease knowing that your items are safe and secure and that you can access them when you want.

There are many other reasons to use self-storage in the summer. If you’re looking for a unit that will fit your needs visit www.storexpress.com or call 412-449-0123 for more information and to schedule your tour!

The post Reasons to Use Self Storage in the Summer appeared first on STORExpress.

Holidays are stressful if you’re hosting friends and family in your home. You want to make sure the food is just right, your home looks like something out of a magazine and your overnight guests are feeling welcome and comfortable. Now throw in sparklers, fireworks, grilling on the barbecue, children running around, and playing games in and outside of the house, broken decor and spills and you get the Fourth of July barbecue.

It’s always awesome to see your family and friends together in your home but accidents do happen with a lot of people under one roof. Here’s some advice to keep your home in tip top shape this Fourth of July even with a full house.

• Clean up any clutter. Clean up your home as you would for any other holiday. Make sure you have all of the rooms in your home clean, top to bottom. This also helps to reveal any clutter or junk that you may have in your home that you can either throw away or put in storage until the next fall and winter seasons.
• Plan it out. If you have family coming over, where are they sleeping? Figure out where guests can utilize air mattresses, pull out beds or futons. You can easily make room for more out of town relatives and friends by clearing fragile and expensive tables and furniture. By putting these items in storage you can stop the possibility of it being stained or damaged during the Fourth of July fun.
• Get ahead of the game. Decorating in advance takes the burden off of you on the big day. In order to save time and money each year, save and store your decorations in a marked container. If you want to change it up every year use the stored decorations and add a festive statement piece to your home every year.
• Give a tour. It doesn’t matter how many times someone has been to your home. Give them a mini tour. They need to know where they can find the glasses, silverware, extra towels, restroom, blankets, etc.
• Get creative. If you have children staying with you and you’re looking to free up space while keeping them busy and entertained, let them “go camping.” Clear out a space in the house and they can “camp” indoors. If you don’t feel comfortable with that, after everything is cleaned up in the yard and they’re finished watching the fireworks, pitch tents in the backyard. Throw in some s’mores and a bonfire; they’ll love it!

Be sure to use self-storage to your advantage this Fourth of July. Create more space in your home and protect your valuable and fragile home decor by renting out a storage unit from STORExpress! You can also take one more stress away from your holiday by reserving our FREE truck for move-in!

The post Tips for an Awesome 4th of July appeared first on STORExpress.

Are you a company that keeps too many files in your office? Do you want to go digital but still need to keep hard copies as back up? Gain more space and keep your records secure by storing your sensitive documents at STORExpress.

Here are 5 reasons why you should store your documents at STORExpress:

It’s economical. Self-storage is a cheaper option. At other offsite document storage facilities you have to pay for every amenity: moving into the facility, labor, gas, retrieval, monthly administration fees, box destruction and permanent withdrawal. Even digitizing document records can cost tens of thousands of dollars a year, not to mention the cost of labor. Save money by storing your documents at STORExpress! Take advantage of our free truck and gas for move-in, shelving and labels, indexing system, and record storage consultation. You can even skip the retrieval fees that other companies charge and access your documents free of charge 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Confidentiality. Safeguard your documents in self-storage. Only you handle your documents when you rent with STORExpress. Keep your documents under lock and key in a storage unit where they will be under 24 hour video surveillance. Our record storage system makes it so only you or trusted associates know what is in each box.

Organization. Use the free of charge record storage consultation service to tailor your unit to fit your needs. Keep your documents organized by adding shelves and labels to your storage unit. The STORExpress Indexing System allows you to easily locate and manage your files by compiling those boxes into an easy to use spreadsheet.

Location. Store your documents at any one of our locations around the Pittsburgh Area.  If you’re looking to keep your documents off-site but close by, we have a location that will work for you!

Added Amenities. We give our business storage customers added amenities by allowing them access to: conference room space, fax and copy machines, free utilities and Wi-Fi, unlimited truck use for move-ins to your unit and drive-in and drive-up buildings.

Looking for document storage? Schedule your free consultation at one of our locations! For more information, call 412-449-0123 or visit our website.

The post Business Records Storage appeared first on STORExpress.

Are you stressed at work? Is your anxiety getting to you? Break out that adult coloring book and some colored pencils for a quick stress reliever! The colors you use will say a lot about your subconscious and will offer you more insight into the adult you! While you should leave the art therapy to the professionals, coloring offers a lot of positive mental health benefits.

Here are 5 reasons why you should start coloring:

Meditative properties. Coloring allows you to redirect your attention and exercise mindfulness. Clearing your mind of clutter is necessary for de-stressing.

Stimulate Both Hemispheres. Your brain is split down the middle into the left and the right hemispheres. The left side of your brain is responsible for the logistics and organization. The right side takes care of creativity and emotion. Coloring stimulates both sides of the brain because you are problem solving by figuring out colors that are attractive together, balancing out the pictures and imagining how you’d like your piece to turn out.

Encourages Positivity. Coloring helps to rid the mind of negative thoughts and replaces them with positive ones. It also takes you back to your childhood, which usually was the most stress-free time of your life.

Self-Expression. Even if you buy the same coloring book as someone else, the colors and designs you create will be different because it’s a reflection of you. Combining colors that look attractive together, making the piece symmetrical or asymmetrical, coloring in or outside of the lines and using fine motor skills all let you express yourself creatively.

Bond with Others. Make it a group activity with family and friends. Coloring is beneficial alone but even better when you can share it with someone. Throw a coloring party where the guests color a picture and then gifts it to someone else. It’ll be gratifying to know that someone appreciates your art as much as you do.

You’re not limited to a coloring book! Finding a way to express yourself artistically can improve your creativity, fine motor skills, self-expression, reflection and your mood!

Are you an artist? Check out our Art Studios!

The post Color to Relieve Stress appeared first on STORExpress.

If you’re expecting or adopting, now’s the time to start thinking about how you’re going to create the perfect home for your child.

Here’s 5 Tips to baby-proof your home: 

Live Clutter-Free. The best way to get ready for your baby is to remove anything extra in your home that could serve as a hazard. Clean out every room in your home so that you only have the necessary items. Remove small movable objects from reach. Put furniture and other items that can be dangerous for baby in to a self-storage unit to get it out of the house.

Gates. Place gates in your home to separate the baby from pets and other areas that are off-limits. Install them at the top and bottom of stairs, hallways, the living room, entrances, the porch, the garage, and pool.

Batten Down The Hatches. Secure movable furniture and electronics. Mount the TV to wall, secure drawers and cabinets around the house with locks, put away and lock up chemicals, keep small appliances unplugged and put away when not in use, and bolt dressers and other heavy furniture to the wall.

Inspect Your House. After you take care of the obvious dangers, go through and inspect your home top to bottom. Look for potential dangers that you might have missed like table corners, or uncovered electrical outlets. Find places where you might need a nightlight or two to prevent tripping hazards.

 Organize. Organize and stock up on the items for baby. Figure out where you will store your pack-and-play, swings, mats, and other large baby items when they’re not being used. Have a laundry plan ready and keep the baby’s clothes and diapers in size order for easy access. Put the bottles and other feeding items on the kitchen counter.

Bringing a new baby home is exciting! To find a STORExpress location near you, click here.

The post How to Baby-Proof Your Home appeared first on STORExpress.

When you have a lot of things all in one space it tends to get overly cluttered. Once this starts happening a garage sale is never a bad idea. Instead of keeping all the junk you have laying around, why not sell it and make some money?

Here are some tips to stand out from the crowd:

Save up! Whether you run a garage sale every week or every season it’s important to stock the items that you want to sell.  Store the items in a storage unit so that you will have a centralized space to store your garage sale items without cluttering your home. If you document the items you want to sell when you move it into storage, it’ll help keep you organized and save you preparation time when it gets closer to your garage sale.

Time It Right. Timing is everything. If you have a garage sale at 9 PM on a Sunday night, it’s highly unlikely that you have a large number of customers coming to look at what you’re selling (especially if your garage sale is in Pittsburgh during Steeler season, you’ll be highly disappointed— again, timing is everything). Picking a day in advance that doesn’t conflict with holidays is the best way to go. Popular days to have a successful garage sale would generally be during the weekends. Most of the time, it’s best to start in the morning, that way you have all day to sell your items.

Advertise Everywhere. If you want customers to come to your garage sale, advertise it around your neighborhood and surrounding areas. You can print out flyers to distribute and make posters to staple to poles. Post advertisements in popular places where they are sure to get attention. Make your posters visible enough that someone passing by in their car can see the vital information. The most important information to have on your advertisements is the address where your sale will be held, and the date and time. If you have big ticket items that you’re selling for a low price, include them in the hand held advertisements. Be sure to utilize the businesses in your area. They’re usually happy to advertise community events including garage sales. You can also advertise your garage sale on sites like Craigslist, community websites and on social media. Don’t forget to take down the posters, signs and online ads after the yard sale.

Presentation Matters. Make sure all of your merchandise is clean and in order. This allows the customers to easily see what you’re selling. If you want to take your sale to next level, decorate your selling space. You don’t have to go all out but having a table cloth, a few balloons and signs to let customers know that they are in the right place goes a long way. If you have kids, selling lemonade and baked goods is a great way to bring in customers. You can even browse clever yard sale signs on Pinterest that are sure to grab attention!

Price Your Items Right. In order to have a successful garage sale, customers need to know the prices of each item. Price each item with a sticker before your sale. Make sure that the price is always right by not overcharging. Realize that people come to garage sales to find great things for cheap prices. Don’t cheat yourself though! If you feel that something is worth a certain amount, mark it that price. Some customers will try to negotiate you down and you can choose whether or not you will take them up on their offer.

Discount it. In order to get more stuff off of your hands, offer some sort of promotion. Bundle deals or a free gift with a purchase is always a great option. For example, if someone buys 2 things from you they can get a third free or if they purchase 3 or more items they can have 20% off of the ticketed price. Many retail and grocery stores offer promotions like these because they get customers’ attention and entices them to buy more items.

Join Forces. Try having a multifamily garage sale! More families means a wider variety of items to sell. This especially helps alleviate the stress of doing all of the work by yourself. All you have to do is make an inventory and price list and initial what items belong to what family. When something gets sold, check it off. After the sale review the list and distribute the appropriate amount of money to each family.

Left Over Merchandise? If you don’t want to donate left over items or you happen to live in a neighborhood where garage sales aren’t popular, consider setting up a table at a flea market. If there’s a farmers market nearby contact them and ask if they would permit you to sell your items and under what regulations. As an alternative, sell your items on Ebay, Craigslist, Offer Up, Let Go, Facebook’s Marketplace or to consignment shops. Or, you always can save left over items for your next garage sale!

If you follow these tips you’ll rock your garage sale!

Looking for a place to store your garage sale inventory? Stop by and check out our storage facilities! We have a storage unit that will accommodate any storage needs, big or small! For more information visit www.storexpress.com or call 412-449-0123!

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You finally bought the bike of your dreams! Now you have to make the important decision about where to store your bike when you’re not out riding. Choosing a reliable place to store your motorcycle can prolong its longevity and keep it running in tip-top shape.

Decide on Indoor or Outdoor Storage:

Outdoor. Outdoor storage is generally cheaper because your motorcycle isn’t climate-controlled. You can keep your motorcycle protected from elements by purchasing a high quality motorcycle cover. Stay away from parking your motorcycle outside of your home for long periods of time. This can attract thieves and puts your motorcycle in danger of other vehicles accidentally hitting it.  At STORExpress your vehicle will be protected by 24 hour surveillance, and electronic-gated access.

Indoor Storage Facility. When you store vehicles inside you want to look for a place that is climate-controlled so your motorcycle won’t be exposed to moisture. If you rent with STORExpress you can touch up, polish and check up on your motorcycle throughout the winter season. Our climate-controlled facilities offer trickle charge outlets and month-to-month contracts. For a premium storage experience, rent a space in our car club, where you can mingle with other car and motorcycle enthusiasts and check up on your motorcycle from your mobile phone.

Putting Your Motorcycle in Storage:

Clean Your Motorcycle. Wash all of the bugs, dirt and debris off so that you can start fresh for next season. Cleaning your bike helps to keep the paint job looking nice and stops dirt from getting into the delicate electrical system. Dirt on your bike can also trap moisture which can lead to engine issues and other problems. Be sure to dry your bike after you clean it to prevent rust from forming.

Prepare the Fuel System. Having a full tank will help prevent the moisture from building up on the walls of the tank. According to Ride Apart, in order to prevent rust, gunky gasoline and engine problems, drive to the gas station when you’re ready to store your motorcycle. After you fill ‘er up, add a fuel stabilizer product. The stabilizer will circulate through your motorcycle during the ride home. If the directions are followed correctly the stabilizer should extend the lifetime of the gasoline to 12 months.

Change the Oil. After adding stabilizer, you’re ready to change the oil. It’s important to do this to prevent gunk in your engine. Run you’re your bike for a few minutes to let the fresh oil circulate through the engine.

Check the tires. Don’t forget about your tires! Make sure they are fully inflated to the maximum pressure in order for them to be completely aligned. It’ll also reduce the chances of them deflating over the winter season and save you a headache when you take your bike out of storage.

Keep the Battery in Tact. If you are storing indoors, all you have to do is attach a trickle charger to your bike.  This will keep your battery charged for the duration of the bikes stay in STORExpress indoor vehicle storage. If you’re storing your motorcycle outside, take the battery out of your bike and place it in a dry location attached to a trickle charger.

Storage is an important investment (right under your helmet and riding gear) for your bike.  Keeping your bike in the best condition is critical to your safety as a rider.

If you’re looking for a place to store you bike, check out our outdoor vehicle storage and one of our indoor vehicle storage facilities at our Etna, McKees Rocks, and Turtle Creek locations. Schedule a tour and reserve your space today!

The post How to Store Your Motorcycle appeared first on STORExpress.

Finally taking the plunge and going to your first storage auction can be overwhelming. If you’re beginning a new hobby or side business from buying and selling units that are up for auction, follow these few tips so you don’t make rookie mistakes:

If you’re going to your first auction, leave your cash at home. Use this as an opportunity to see how auctions work. Storage auction winners will most likely be willing to talk to you if you ask them a few questions. Observe the tactics used by people who win big and pay attention to what can be improved for those who didn’t end up as lucky. Leaving your cash at home will also contain your bidding excitement.  When you think you’re ready to start bidding after your first visit to an auction, bring cash. Most facilities will not accept credit, debit, or checks.

After you get familiar with the auction process, it’s your turn to start bidding. Be sure to attend the viewing portion of the auction and make sure that you have a flash light so you have more visibility in the dark storage units. Remember, you can look but don’t touch.

Make sure that any unit that you bid on is a unit that you want. The worst thing that can happen at a storage auction is getting stuck with a unit(s) that you don’t want. Don’t get caught up in a bidding war. Set a limit for each unit that you see and stick to it. Bidding on every unit that is being auctioned off and trying to bid up the competition on a unit that you don’t want is a recipe for disaster. Avoid this at all costs.

Leave the distractions at home (ahem, ahem your kids). The person who brings their significant other, two and a half kids and their dog to the auction has R-O-O-K-I-E written in red across their forehead. Bringing your family to a storage auction is the easiest way to make your experience unpleasant. Auctions are sometimes long, and your family can get restless, irritated, grumpy and bored.

Auctions aren’t very glamorous so dress comfortably. You’ll be on your feet a lot, walking to different storage units and moving heavy items. Make sure you wear comfortable closed-toed shoes and dress appropriately for the weather.

While you have no way of knowing what you’ll buy, be prepared to have a place to store your winnings. Most storage facilities will charge you a $50-$100 deposit and give you a 24-48 hour grace period to remove the items you won from the storage unit. If you fail to remove the items during this period you’ll run the risk of having to rent out the storage unit that you bought for the next month.

If there aren’t any units that catch your eye or they’re selling over your budget, it’s okay. Walking away from a storage auction without a unit isn’t a failure. It’s better to not bid on a unit you’re not sure about than spend money and be disappointed with what you bought.

Check us out for more information on upcoming storage auctions at STORExpress!

The post Going to Your First Auction? Read This First! appeared first on STORExpress.

You’ve practiced day in and day out and you think you’re ready to hit the stage. The only problem is, you don’t have a place to perform. If you’re a musician or band looking to book your first gig, expand your fan base or you’re just ready to take music to the next level follow these tips:

Network. It doesn’t matter how talented your band is if no one else knows how awesome you are. The easiest way to get your name out there and get gigs booked is to network with other musicians. You will be able to share experiences, gain insight and get advice on who to talk to and which places are the best to perform at. You can even team up and pitch two or three of your bands to a venue, like a package deal.

Find Venues. While you’re networking, research and talk to owners of the venues where you would like to perform. Compile all of the venue information into a collection. Make sure you get as much information on that venue as possible. If you’re really interested in a particular venue, ask other musicians if they played there before. You might find out some new and interesting information.

Show Off Your Talent. If you’re trying to book at a reputable venue, they will probably ask you for a demo. Luckily, we live in an age where you can create a professional looking demo for next to nothing. Tackle this project like a music video or a highlight reel. Hire a videographer or have one of your aspiring filmmaker friends record you on their iPhone, the choice is yours! Upload the video to YouTube so venues can easily see what you are all about!

Market Yourself. Even if you’re not a mainstream musician you still need to market yourself. Create a media kit for your band. Be sure to include a biography, pictures, contact information, upcoming gigs, and a summary page.  Be present on social media so that all of your fans know where your gigs are. Even if you’re not promoting a gig or event, fan interaction is huge. Once you make your demo and post it on social media, your fans might be compelled to share it and BOOM, you’re an overnight internet superstar!

If you’re a band serious about your music, rent a sound-resistant rehearsal space at STORExpress. Take you and your band to the next level by being prepared for any gig that might come your way!

Take a virtual tour of our Etna/Sharpsburg band rehearsal rooms:

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