Attention all artists, graphic designers, doodlers and the all around creatives, we need you to design our water bottle! Moving is hard work, that’s why we always have a cold water available to our tenants when they need to quench their thirst. Want to see your artwork on water bottles across all U-Lock Mini Storage locations? Submit your design for a chance to win!
The design is totally up to you! You can create just about anything your crazy imagination can conjure up.
Contest Rules:
Your design must be an original design (do not use copyrighted material, trademarks, service marks, or artwork)
Include the U-Lock Mini Storage logo.
Please design your artwork using the water bottle template (download below):
You can either print out the template and hand draw your design or submit any of the following formats:
PDF (preferred)
Adobe InDesign
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Acrobat
The U-Lock Mini Storage Water Bottle Design Contest will run from now until July, 15, 2020. Please submit your artwork to contests@selfstorage.ca or drop-off your submission to any U-Lock location. The winner will have their design printed on water bottles that will be handed out across all U-Lock Mini Storage locations and be rewarded with a stainless steel water bottle with their design on it!
Once all entries are received, our staff will pick and vote for their favorite. The design that receives the most votes will be named the winner. The winner of the contest will be announced on after July 15, 2020.
U-Lock Mini Storage logos!
Need some inspiration to get started? Check out the designs from our last contest winners!
Are you getting ready to move your belongings into storage? To help you save time and stress, and ensure you get the most out of your storage unit, here are a few common self storage moving mistakes to avoid:
Not labelling your boxes
Amidst the rushing around and chaos that is moving, many people often skip labelling their boxes to save time. Fast forward a month later when you need to grab something from your storage unit, but you have completely forgotten where you packed it. There is nothing more frustrating and time-consuming than having to rifle through every box to find what you came for. Save yourself a lot of time and stress in the future and label your boxes. We recommend labelling boxes by room with a number and keeping a detailed record of all the items that are in each box. That way, you can reference your inventory list and quickly find what you need when you need it.
Trying to reserve a moving truck the day of your move
The most common days people move are the first and last day of any month, which means reservations on moving trucks fill up fast. More often than not, people wait until the last minute to book a moving truck only to be told that there are none available in their city. Don’t wait until moving day to start finding a moving truck. To get the time slot and moving truck you want, start your search 1-2 months before your moving date.
Not giving yourself enough time
Not giving yourself enough time to organize and properly stack your items in your storage unit will make it a nightmare to access. You want to be able to access your storage unit without having to rearrange it every time. If you leave everything to the last minute on moving day, you’ll likely find yourself tossing boxes and furniture into your unit in a rush – potentially damaging your belongings, hurting yourself, and creating a cluttered disaster. Do yourself a favour and plan your moving day well in advance. Check the hours of the storage office and storage facility and make sure you plan to give yourself and/or movers enough time to get your storage unit properly organized and accessible.
Not getting the right boxes
Whether you’re storing your items short-term or long-term, it’s important to pack your belongings in the right boxes. Using weak boxes that aren’t designed for absorbing weight won’t up stand up well during the move or in storage as they can bulge, tear or collapse. Instead, invest in moving boxes designed for moving and storage. Try to stick to 1-2 different sizes of boxes so you can efficiently stack your boxes and utilize your storage space to the fullest. Use larger moving boxes for lighter items and smaller moving boxes for heavier items. When stacking, be sure to place heavy boxes at the bottom and lighter boxes at the top.
Avoiding Self Storage Mistakes
Need a few more storage tips? If you’re getting ready to move your items into storage and need some expert advice, contact your nearest U-Lock location and our storage specialists would be happy to answer your questions and set you up with the right storage unit that best fits your needs.
The IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s is Canada’s biggest fundraiser for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, taking place in more than 400 communities across the country. In 2019, Canadians participating in the Walk raised an amazing $6.2 million. These funds go toward local programs and services that improve the quality of life for people living with dementia and their families in our communities and support awareness and education about dementia.
U-Lock Mini Storage is pleased to be a sponsor of the Alzheimer’s Walk this year. The Walk was originally to take place on May 3rd but has been rescheduled to May 31st at 9:30 am. Due to COVID-19, the Walk is now a Virtual Walk in which participants can follow virtually or create their own walk (i.e. around their house, around their neighborhood).
Don, from our White Rock location, and his team are raising money in support of the Alzheimer Society of B.C. by participating in the online IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s on Sunday, May 31.
If you can, please donate today and help Don and his team reach their fundraising goal! By supporting their team, you are helping the Alzheimer Society of B.C. continue to make a difference in the lives of people affected by dementia.
Thank you again for your generous commitment and support!
We wish to advise you that we remain open at this delicate time.
U-Lock Mini Storage takes the health and well-being of our staff, customers, and tenants very seriously. As such, we continue to monitor the COVID -19 situation very closely. We are following all federal, provincial and local advisories and doing what we need to keep everyone safe.
We have increased cleaning in all areas of our facilities and offices, paying specific attention to areas that are frequently used by our customers including but not limited to pin pads, doorknobs, elevators, and handcarts. Rest assured we are doing everything we can to stop the transmission of the illness. We have implemented a special contingency plan for staff and offer them the support to stay home if they are not feeling well to prevent the spread of any viruses.
Please remember that payments can be made over the phone or via our website www.selfstorage.ca. If you require any assistance with accessing your account online please contact us.
We wish you well and ask that you stay safe, enjoy time with family and support each other as well as our local community and businesses.
Imagine a world in which your computer desktop has a minimalist, pristine background, your files are perfectly named and easy to find, and you have useful file folders that actually have the files you were looking for! In honor of Clean Out Your Computer Day, here are a few tips to help you organize your digital world and get your computer running more smoothly!
1. Declutter Your Desktop
Our desktops are always the most cluttered area of our computers. They are a catch-all for files that don’t yet have a home, like screenshots, duplicate files, or digital sticky notes. First things first, go through all these files and drag those that serve no purpose (aside from taking up memory) and move them into the trash. To make sure your desktop stays tidy and organized, here’s a few tips:
Don’t use the Desktop as your default save location. Instead, save all your new files to your “Downloads” folder.
Use your desktop as a temporary working area and only save files to your Desktop for as long as you need them. For instance, your Desktop is a convenient place to save files while you’re working on them, but once you’ve completed the task or project, move those files to the folder they belong to.
Backup your computer. It makes it much easier deciding which files or documents to delete if you know you’ve backed-up your computer’s data to a physical hard drive.
2. Empty Your Downloads Folder
When was the last time you looked through your Downloads Folder? If it’s been a while, chances are it’s packed full of unnecessary files, like images, memes, screenshots, media files, and documents. Over time, these files can accumulate and take up a lot of memory on your computer. Drag files you no longer need into the trash and delete them. If there are files in there you can’t make a decision on right now, make a “To Be Sorted” folder and move those items into there for a later day.
3. Delete Useless Apps
Do you have apps on your computer that you downloaded and never opened? Or gave up on years ago but it’s still installed on your computer? If there’s an app on your computer that doesn’t bring joy or value to your life, delete it. You’ll be amazed at how much storage you can clear up.
4. Organize Your Files & Folders
Now that you’ve sorted through your digital clutter, it’s time to organize the files you are keeping into folders. You have documents for work, school, personal, as well as videos and photos, but these files should be kept separate. The system of organization you choose is totally up to you, but the best way to start is to create large, main folders and organize them by category, like “Personal,” “Work,” ”School,” or “Finances.” Once you have all your files in the appropriate main folder(s), you can now take your organizing a step further and create sub-folders within each main folder. For example, organize your videos based on dates taken or school work by class or subject. Once you’ve done organizing your files into the proper homes, create a universal naming system and stay consistent so you can always find what you need quickly and conveniently.
Almost every room in the home has at least one clutter zone – the nightstand full of odds and ends; the desk drawer packed with unopened mail; the mountain of shoes stacked in the entryway; the infamous junk drawer piled with all those knick knacks you have no idea what to do. Often just casualties of daily life, these areas are clutter magnets for anything and everything. With the new year upon us, it’s time to put a few minutes aside and transform these out-of-control clutter zones into clean-and-tidy spaces!
Completely empty out the spaces and organize everything into piles.
Throw out anything that belongs in the trash or recycle.
Put anything that belongs elsewhere back in its proper spot.
Try out a few different arrangements for your contents to find the one that’s right for you and stick with it.
#2 Wardrobe Update: Declutter Closet and Dresser Drawers
It’s super easy to accumulate clothing that you don’t wear anymore. As the years go by, our styles change, we outgrow things and we keep a lot of “just in case” or “back-up” options. Whatever the case may be, if you have clothing that’s uncomfortable to wear, haven’t touched in the past year, or hate the way it looks on you, donate it. If it’s stained, unusable or just falling apart, throw it away. To figure out what stays and what goes, try asking yourself:
Have I worn it in the past year?
Does it fit me?
Do I like the way I look in it?
If you answered “no” to any of the above questions, then you have some clothes to get rid of!
The kitchen pantry often becomes of hotspot of clutter. There’s a lot of things in there you don’t need – half eaten chip bags, numerous canned vegetables, opened boxes of cereal, snack bars and suspiciously old spices, to name a few. We often see these things on the shelf so often that we stop thinking about them, accumulating more and more. Not anymore! The new year is the perfect time to give your pantry a much needed makeover. Throw out stale or expired items, donate anything you’re not going to eat to your local food bank and if there’s anything in there you don’t remember buying, probably safe to say that can go too.
Paper accumulates in our homes fast. Our drawers and cupboards are full of receipts, unopened mail, take-out menus, instruction manuals and flyers. If you’re sick and tired of dealing with piles of paper in your home, here’s a few ways you can cut down on paper clutter:
Godigital. Change receiving your bank and utility statements and notifications from mail to email. Most banks and major utility companies will offer this.
Cutdownsubscriptions. Recycle your stacks of magazines and newspapers and switch to digital.
Buy a shredder. We often hold onto paperwork we don’t need because we’re worried about privacy. A small shredder is a simple solution for getting rid of that sensitive paperwork you don’t need.
Scaneverything. Notes with information you want to keep, old photographs or artwork from your children are a few of the paper items you can get rid of but still keep forever. Scan everything you can and save them on your computer, external hard drive or cloud storage. A scanner is a relatively low-cost option that will help you cut down on a lot of paper.
Wanting to clear up more space in your home? U-Lock Mini Storage has convenient storage locations across British Columbia and can provide the storage unit and services you need to enjoy a clutter-free lifestyle.
Looking for new ways to celebrate the holidays with your friends and family? Here’s a list of our top picks of fun holiday activities to get you into the holiday spirit!
Parksville
Take your family and friends over to the Morningstar Farm for a good ol’ fashioned Christmas celebration. There will be wagon rides, live music, storytelling and crafts. The Knockananna Grill will be serving fresh poutine, cheese & wine samples and pairings, free popcorn, marshmallow roasting, and hot chocolate.
When: Saturday, Dec 14th from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm.
Cost: $5.00 | Children under two: FREE
Walk the lighted grounds of the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre and enjoy a fabulous display of laser lights, hot chocolate and even a visit from Santa himself.
When: Fridays & Saturdays Dec 6th – 21st from 6pm – 8pm.
Cost: Adults: $5.00 | Children (under 12): FREE. Admission is by pre-purchase only. Buy tickets online.
Nanaimo
Check out this annual family festival of lights and music in the Gardens. Wander lighted trails through the forest and visit the Teddy’s Bear cottage, Santa’s Den, and Gingerbread House display. Visit the Milner House and discover the Storytelling Room, Christmas Gift Shop, the Camellia Tea Room, and listen to local musicians in the Dining Room.
When: Dec 6th – 8th | 13th – 15th | 18th – 22nd from 5pm – 8:30pm
Cost: Entry is by donation.
Enjoy special lighting & decor in this magical skating event happening at the Oceanside Place Arena in Parksville.
When: Dec 14th – 31st
Cost: Click here for the public skating schedule of free skating events.
Join Nanaimo Parks & Rec in a skate with Santa, prizes, draws and some hot chocolate and treats.
When: Dec 18th from 6:30 – 8:00 pm at the Frank Crane Arena
Cost: Regular admission rates apply
When: Dec 20th from 3:45 – 5:15 at the Nanaimo Ice Centre
Enjoy 12 nights of holiday magic aboard the Christmas Express, a 1910 locomotive, and travel through thousands of twinkling lights across 100 aces of woods at the BC Discovery Centre.
When: Dec 6th – Dec 8th | Dec 13th – Dec 15th | Dec 18th – Dec 23rd
Cost: Adults: $14.00 | Children: $12.00 | Children 2 and under: FREE
Victoria
The Festival of Trees is happening until at the Bay Centre in Victoria, BC. Tour a forest of hand-decorated trees done by local sponsors, businesses and organizations. Donate to vote for your favourite tree and help raise money for the BC Children’s Hospital.
When: Now – Jan 6, 2020
Cost: Click here to donate to the BC Children’s Hospital
Join us in helping BC’s kids by donating to our fundraising campaign by donating online or texting TREE014 to 45678.
Stroll through the Twelve Days of Christmas display, have a cheerful time under colorful lights, sing along with carollers, or lace up your skates and step onto the outdoor rink. Then warm up by the fire with a hot chocolate at the Coffee Shop.
The first-ever Lights of Wonder takes place at Centennial Square. This outdoor event features themed light exhibits, four interactive light tunnels, and a 40-foot festive tree. With free admission and for all ages, Lights of Wonder offers live entertainment, warm nibbles, and magical light displays.
When: Dec 13th – Dec 30th
Cost: FREE
Vancouver
The eight tallest Christmas trees in the world?! – the 30-ton Douglas firs of Treetops Adventure receive the star treatment. Be amazed by hundreds of thousands of lights throughout the Capilano Suspension Bridge, Treetops Adventure, Cliffwalk, the rainforest and canyon.
When: Now – Jan 26th, 2020
Cost: Family Passes (at the gate): $109.00 | Buy online: $99.00.
The 10th Anniversary Vancouver Christmas Market features more than 80 huts of German sweets, treats, and treasures.
When: Now – Dec 26th
Cost: $8 Early Bird Admission (at the gate) on Weekdays before 2pm | Buy tickets online.
Experience Canada Largest Winter Festival at Hastings Park/PNE. Escape to a hidden village with a beautiful skating rink, a tube park, massive light displays, a Christmas Market, amusement rides, food gardens, magical characters, and much more.
When: On select nights now through January 5, 2020 (closed on Dec 3, 4, 10, & 11th)
When moving out of one home to another, a self storage unit is a perfect storage solution for many things, but there are a few items that for safety and legal reasons, cannot be stored. Like any other rental space, there are limitations in your lease on what you can store, and if you fail to comply with these policies and regulations, you could be responsible for any potential damage that may occur. To save you time and stress when you are in the middle of your next move, here’s a list of things you should never put inside your storage unit.
1. Food & Perishables
Storage units cannot be used as a pantry. Food and perishable items left for a prolonged period of time can attract unwelcome critters like rodents and insects that can not only destroy the items in your unit, but in neighboring units as well. Secondly, expired foods will rot and start emitting unwanted odors, creating favorable conditions for bacteria and mold to grow and spread inside your unit. To avoid these issues, simply keep perishable food items out of your storage unit.
2. Animals
Goes without saying, right? Never leave a pet or any animal inside a storage unit! Storage units cannot serve as kennels for your pets, or a holding space for exotic animals. If for whatever reason you can no longer care for a pet after a move, leave your pet with a family member, trusted friend, or adopt them to another person that will provide the loving home the animal deserves.
3. Plants
Storage units cannot provide the three essentials plants need to survive: sunshine, water and fresh air. Furthermore, plants can attract pests and insects, potentially creating more problems. If you cannot find the space for your plants in your current residence, consider storing your leafy friends with family, friends, or giving them away to interested people who want to take care of them.
4. Wet Items
Before you put your items in a storage unit, whether it be heated storage or non-heated storage, make sure they are 100% dry. Moisture will create the right conditions for mold, mildew and bacteria to spread in your self storage unit, causing serious damage to your possessions.
5. Dangerous Materials
Any items that burn, explode or corrode can pose serious risk to human health, lead to costly property damage, and are forbidden by law. Strongly prohibited hazardous and combustible materials that cannot be stored inside a storage unit include: fuels, chemicals, acids, gases, pesticides, liquor, fireworks, and medical waste. If you are unsure about the items you are storing, always inquire with your storage company first.
6. Cannabis
With the legalization of cannabis, you may be wondering if you can store it inside a storage unit. The simple answer, no. You cannot store or grow cannabis inside a storage unit.
7. Unregistered Vehicles
Only vehicles that are registered, fully operational, and have storage insurance may be stored at a storage facility. This includes cars, trucks, boats, trailers, RVs and motorcycles.
8. Irreplaceable Items
While storage companies take many precautions to keep their sites safe and secure, a storage unit is not an ideal place to store valuable, one-of-a-kind items such as money, jewelry or important documents like passports, birth certificates, or family photos. It is recommended you keep such items in a safety deposit box in your bank or invest in a high-quality safe for your residence.
Insure your belongings
Now that you know what can and cannot be stored in your storage unit, it’s time to look into the proper insurance you need for your belongings. Storage companies are responsible for maintaining the safety of the site, but are not responsible for your personal belongings. Getting proper coverage for your items will ensure your belongings are protected in storage and give you peace of mind.
With an array of sizes available, a storage unit is a great option to keep your book collection safe when you are in-between moves or trying to make more room in your home. It’s easy to simply throw your books into a box and toss it into storage, but if you don’t want your books to be potentially damaged from things like mildew, warping or staining, here are a few precautions you can take to protect your paper and hardcover books.
Clean
Packing your books away covered in residue dirt and dust can lead to soiling or staining.
Clean the cover using a soft chemical-free or magnetic cloth by holding the book tightly shut and wiping from the spine outwards towards the edges of the pages.
Take your cleaning a step further by turning your book upside down and vacuuming the book’s edges with a dusting brush attached to your vacuum. Make sure to remove the book’s dust jacket before vacuuming.
Cleaning and dusting your books before putting them into storage will ensure they stay in good shape.
Air out
Books that have been shelved or stored for a long time can start to smell musty. Make sure your storage unit doesn’t end up smelling like an old bookstore by airing out any musty or damp feeling books in a dry room for at least 24hrs. Damp books are very likely to mildew if packed away still damp, even in a heated storage unit, so make sure to thoroughly air out your books before packing them away.
Protect
Dust jackets. You know those outer covers on books that you find ever so annoying? Those are dust jackets and they’re actually very useful in maintaining a book’s value! Dust jackets are a book’s first line of defense and protect against scratches, tears, scuffing, dirt and dust. It’s always recommended that you store your books with the jacket on.
Wrap your books
Wrapping rare or limited edition books is an easy way to provide extra padding and protection. When wrapping your books, consider the following:
Do not use plastic bags. Plastic traps moisture, which can lead to mold and mildew that can damage the book terribly.
Do not use newspaper. The paper is acidic and the ink that can cause damage to the book.
Remove any bookmarks or pressed objects from the pages in the book to prevent wrinkles, stains, and other forms of damage.
Instead, use acid-free archival paper to wrap your books. This material is durable, prevents yellowing, and can be safely used for long-term storage and preservation.
Store
Cardboard moving boxes are great for short-term storage. Choose boxes designed to protect paper products, like acid-free archival quality boxes, for long-term storage.
Pack your books into several small to medium boxes so they won’t be too heavy to move.
To avoid warping of the spines or cracking of the hinge, don’t pack your books with the binding or spine pointing up. Instead, lay the books flat inside the box and stack large to small.
Pack your books tight enough inside the box so they don’t shift and damage in transit, but at the same time, don’t pack your books really tight together as this may lead to bending or warping.
Always keep your boxes off the ground so they are not vulnerable to flooding or moisture from the concrete. Once in storage, try to check on your book collection at least once a month.
Putting into Self-Storage
When choosing a storage unit for your book collection, seek a heated or climate controlled storage unit. These units will provide a clean and dry space that can protect your books against extreme temperature fluctuations and humid conditions that can lead to yellowing, wilting and other damage to sensitive print materials.
If you run a business, you know how quickly space can fill up and how expensive commercial space can be. Not all equipment, materials, and inventory are needed for every job, so where do you keep it all? A storage unit may be the solution you’ve been looking for. Here’s a few reasons why:
Storage units cost significantly less than commercial space.
Commit to a month-to-month agreement instead of being locked into a long-term lease.
Month-to-month payments allow you to grow or shrink your business on your own terms.
Storage facilities often accept package deliveries on your behalf so you can keep all your correspondence and deliveries conveniently in one place.
E-commerce
Buying and selling items through an e-commerce website like Amazon, Etsy, or eBay requires a lot of space and storage. Handcrafted, vintage, or merchandise items can accumulate fast. A storage unit can provide a dedicated space for your entire inventory to free up space in your home so you can focus on the day-to-day operations. Look for storage providers that offer monthly lease agreements so you can upgrade or downsize your unit based on the needs of your business.
Sales Representatives
Keeping stock samples and promotional materials in your car, garage, or home is not ideal for any sales rep. Storage units offer an off-site location where you can easily access your products and supplies on-the-go. Take advantage of the extra space and store large display items for events like signs, tables, and tents. Eliminate the hassle of having to be present for your packages by finding a storage facility that will accept and receive deliveries on your behalf.
Contractors
House, landscaping, and construction contractors manage expensive tools, materials, and equipment that require a lot of storage that trucks and trailers can’t adequately provide. Store items like this in a secure storage facility that has passcode entry, video surveillance, alarmed and monitored units, and high-security cylinder locks.
Cleaning Services
Expand your cleaning business while keeping costs down by storing your cleaning supplies in a storage unit. Find a storage provider that offers flexible hours of access so your employees may access the unit anytime they need to during your business hours.
Realtors
If you’re a realtor, you know the struggle of finding a place to store the abundance of promotional materials required when selling a home. A storage unit is a simple solution for yard signs, promotional handouts, signs, and lockboxes.
Interior Designers
Store and receive furniture, decorative items, and other household items between house sales in a clean environment with a heated storage unit. Look for a drive-up access storage unit so you can load and unload furniture with ease.
