Different State, Different COVID Restrictions

COVID restrictions differ among the 50 states, with some states imposing strict stay-at-home orders and other states barely changing the way residents move about. Trying to relocate to large cities such as Atlanta, St. Louis, and San Francisco might present a considerable challenge because of strict lockdown orders. The first item on your COVID relocation to-do list is to gain a thorough understanding of the COVID restrictions imposed by the state where you plan to move. You should also understand how the city where you plan to move has implemented mitigation measures.

View Properties Via Virtual Tours

Many realtors embraced virtual tours before the pandemic because the technology saves both money and time. In 2020, virtual tours have become a fact of life for both prospective renters and homebuyers. After you speak with a property manager or a realtor, you should ask for a virtual tour to view the property. Here are some of the important features to view during virtual property tours:

Security system
Garage
Appliances
Closet space
Window views
Type of flooring
You should also ask to speak with the realtor or property manager via a platform like Zoom.

Research Local Resources Before You Move

Knowing about the local resources in the community where you expect to live is savvy planning before relocation. In the era of the Coronavirus, it is an essential step in the relocation process, especially in states that have closed non-essential businesses. Knowing where the local restaurants, grocery stores, and pharmacies are should ease the stress that is commonly associated with an out of state move.

Make Your New Home Wi-Fi Ready

Because of COVID restrictions, getting around your new home out of state might be difficult to do. This means having a flawlessly operating Wi-Fi service working in your new home on day one is critically important. Schedule installation of a Wi-Fi system before you pack up your things for relocation.

Select a Safety First Mover

The moving company that you decide to hire should follow every COVID-19 safety precaution. From sanitizing the entire moving truck to movers wearing CDC-approved masks, you want to protect you and your family from contracting the virus. Store extra sanitation supplies like Lysol hand wipes in your vehicle and follow the six-foot social distancing recommendation as much as possible.

To make relocation in the era of COVID-19 easier to take, consider moving into a furnished home or apartment. Look at relocation as a transition in which a furnished unit allows you and your family to ease into living in a new city and state. You know you need to move, so where do you start? This blog has talked a lot about helpful tips for a move, what you should avoid, or beneficial plans to save a dollar or two. When it comes to a move though, few things will help you like experience. You can read a hundred helpful tips and still feel as if you are overwhelmed or have no idea where to go or what to do next. This blog is going to give you a few less tips and a more comprehensive step-by-step guide to help orient yourself during a confusing time.

First and foremost, think about where you are now, and where you are about to be. How big is your current home and how big is the home you will be moving into? That’s an excellent place for anyone to start. If you are moving from a larger space into a smaller one, then obviously that presents a set of complications you might feel overwhelmed by. Moving from a smaller space into a larger one, however, can be similarly daunting for the opposite reason. Of the two, the first is probably the more challenging, so let’s start there. When you downsize, you may be tempted to tough it out and put everything into boxes, or even hand furniture off to family and friends ‘for now’. That can ultimately prove to be a huge mistake, as there’s no telling when ‘for now’ is over.

During a move, short-term solutions present themselves all the time, and it can be tempting to take them. Packing everything down tight into a mere handful of boxes quickly turns unpacking into a nightmare, and can leave your new home in disarray during the entire ordeal. It’s much easier and quicker to rent a storage unit for only a month or two in order to fully transfer items than it is to struggle with packing and unpacking things as efficiently as possible, only to accidentally stick yourself with a challenge later. Peace of mind immediately might never be worth the long term headache you give yourself.

Now what about the other side? What if you are moving into your first ‘real’ home out of an apartment? Well that still presents challenges, just not the ones you might think. Your new home will quickly become cluttered as you, freed from your smaller abode, quickly fill it with all manner of furnishings. Instead, careful planning is still required to allow you to make the most of your new space. Clutter can quickly fill any space, even a much larger home, if you allow it. When moving into a new place, it can help to move only what you absolutely need, and leave everything else in a storage unit at least for a brief time. Acquaint yourself with the new space in which you will live, set your furniture where it needs to go, and then slowly but surely fill in the empty spots with only what you need. This ensures your new living space will feel truly your own, and you will not accidentally make what should be a fresh start into more of the same old, same old.

Mini U storage can help find you an affordable space to help keep you organized. You can reach Mini U Storage online at customerservice@miniustorage.com or by phone at (866) 916-4648 Climate controlled storage is a pretty big deal for those who live in places where it gets cold. Not only can climate control protect your belongings from melting or warping during the height of summer, it can also keep them safe during the cold winter months. Heat often brings humidity along with it, but in areas where it rarely gets cold enough to snow or freeze, winter is the ‘wet’ season of the year. Both extreme cold and generally high humidity can cause lasting damage to things kept in your garage, but the same is true of any ordinary self storage unit as well.
If heat can warp, melt, or bend your items, excessive exposure to the cold tends to shrink, crack, or warp items in other ways. Even if your belongings are packed tightly, or kept off the ground in even sophisticated insulated containers, extended periods of storage in cold temperatures will still have adverse effects. All it can take is one night of particularly low temperatures to cause irreversible damage to your belongings. In warmer areas, winter usually means rain, and even in the warmest parts of the country, overnight temperatures can often reach extreme lows and produce frost from all of the condensation present. High humidity can cause a lot of damage on its own, to a wide variety of items, but combine that with temperature fluctuations? Even furniture that isn’t very susceptible to abrupt temperature changes can bow, split, crack, or dry rot if exposed to humidity in combination with a shift in temperature.
Even if you don’t believe you really need climate controlled storage for most of the year, it can be invaluable during a season of extreme temperatures. Month to month leasing allows you to shift your belongings from one unit to another, so you can enjoy all the benefits of climate control only if you feel it is necessary, and not have to pay for it when the weather changes again. For those of you with delicate belongings that will certainly need the protection virtually all year, however, climate controlled storage is a necessity. Because of that, we are proud to offer climate control in a variety of unit sizes, so that you can find what works best for you. This doubles up on benefits for clients with a lot of belongings to store. You can keep only your delicate belongings like paperwork, antiques, or heirlooms in a smaller, climate controlled space, while the bulk of your belongings find their home in one of our larger, warehouse-style units. This allows you to have the best of both, and keeps you under budget.
When storing things for a long time, even in mild climates, you should strongly consider climate controlled options year-round, to increase the quality of care your belongings will receive for years to come. If you’d like to browse our selection of climate controlled options, click on the location nearest you, or if you have any questions about our climate control options, just give us a call. Contact us today to see what we can help you accomplish today! You can reach Mini U Storage online at customerservice@miniustorage.com or by phone at (866) 916-4648 Moving can be a pretty stressful effort in anyone’s life, and it’s for that exact reason that anyone can benefit from a fast move. It may at first seem like you won’t need a whole moving truck, especially for smaller moves. Maybe your furniture can be easily disassembled or is relatively small or light. You moved these things into your home without a truck, right? Why would you need anything more than your SUV, or maybe a friend’s pickup truck, borrowed for the weekend. Even if you’re only moving a single apartment’s worth of things, maybe only a dorm room, renting even a small truck can help significantly.

Imagine the move day, you go to load all of your things into your vehicle, and then you drive to the storage, to your new home, to your destination, and then you unpack. Then you make another trip, and another, and another. Before you know it, the sun has set and you have spent the entire day just getting from point A to point B. Does anyone actually want to do that? It can be especially frustrating if you are using your days off from work, as well, you’ve kissed this Saturday goodbye, all so you could make several unnecessary back and forth trips in your motor vehicle of choice.

Many storage companies offer on-site truck rentals for you to take advantage of, they are almost always incredibly affordable, and come in a selection of sizes. If you are anxious about driving a big truck for the first time, you can always rent a smaller truck, perhaps even just a van. Depending on how much you need to move, those alone can turn a repeat trip into more free time. Time spent unpacking, or getting your bed put together for a well-earned rest. No matter how you look at it, it’s practically never worth the time and aggravation to tough it out and try to do everything yourself.

If you really want to see how much time you can save, consider a storage business that offers on-site supplies as well, like Mini U Storage does. You simply rent your truck, purchase the supplies you need, then take them with you to your home, office, or apartment. Now you have everything you need to get moved into your new storage unit and it only took one round trip. That’s not just efficient, it’s a huge pain off of your back. Worried you don’t know exactly how many boxes you might need? Our packing supplies are inexpensive, so you can afford to stock up, excess can always be used later, it’s not as if a cardboard box goes bad right? Once you have everything packed and have your rental truck full, you can unload, return the truck, and go home.

Convenience like this enables you to get everything you need to get done as quickly as possible. Careful planning and foresight are worth every penny, but without your storage business offering you the supplies you need to get your move done there isn’t a lot you can do. Contact us today to see what we can help you accomplish today! You can reach Mini U Storage online at customerservice@miniustorage.com or by phone at (866) 916-4648. Self storage is so simple, so easy, and so convenient that it’s surprisingly easy to find yourself overthinking it. What size unit do I need? This question gets asked by everyone considering self storage sooner or later, and the answer is unique to each and every person. When you’re considering what you need, start with what your goals are. Do you plan to move, and need enough space to keep everything in your house stored for a month or more? Maybe you’re a student looking at moving into a dorm but can’t fit everything you need in your new, smaller living space. Perhaps you’re on an extended trip for work, and keeping everything in a hotel room just isn’t possible. Whatever the need, big or small, if you start from a larger goal and work backward, you can solve problems as they appear. The next issue you may have to tackle would be concerned over how delicate the items you’re planning on storing are. Stacking cardboard boxes full of things is all well and good, but if you aren’t careful, over the years a heavy box can slowly crush a lighter or less full box stored beneath it. Careful planning and foresight will save you no end of trouble when preparing for long-term storage. Furniture can often be adjusted, set upright on its side, stacked, or otherwise made to fit in a smaller space or serve to hold up other objects you wish to keep stored. Incredibly sensitive or delicate items might require climate controlled storage, especially papers, documents, or books. Antique furniture and other such heirlooms too should be kept in a fairly open space to allow airflow, so it’s not recommended to pile too many things together. Over-stuffing a storage unit might seem like a good idea in the short term, but you can quickly find out the hard way that leaving things squished together for several months or years doesn’t always turn out well. Consider measuring the rooms in your home, a tape measure and a few minutes is all it takes to find out how many square feet of space your closet already holds. From there it’s easy to get a solid idea of exactly what kind of space you really need for storage. A closet alone can sometimes be enough to fit several boxes, even a couple small pieces of furniture, and what may be a ‘small’ room in your home is in itself large enough to fit several rooms’ worth of belongings in. What you may fear will turn into a money sink can actually be money-saving, once you realize that you don’t need a giant storage unit to keep everything you wish to store in. Careful estimates and planning will show you just how manageable your goals might actually be. Finally, once you’ve figured out how much space you need, you can always rent a smaller or larger unit depending on how things actually shake out. Mini-U offers month-to-month rentals, so there’s never a long-term commitment or unwanted bills for months to come. Online reservations are available now, so come store with us, and find out exactly how much free space you really have in your home. When it comes time to move, you might be tempted to hire a third party service to help you get from A to B. While this offer is tempting, how can you be certain it’s the right option for you? That’s just it, you can’t be certain. Even a well-reviewed mover can let you down, or you can feel like you probably paid more than a bit too much for a service you didn’t ultimately need. If you want to avoid feeling burned by your local moving company, here are some helpful tips to get you out of one place and into another.

Even the most experienced movers might not be prepared to handle certain fragile or heirloom furniture. Old fashioned furniture can be far heavier than modern furniture, though this is often a marker of quality, sometimes it can just be a pain. Many moving companies can tack on an extra fee for overweight or ‘delicate’ items. If you have any friends, neighbors, or family, offer them some pizza, coffee, or other treats and make a little moving party out of getting your stuff out of one home and into another. You’ll find that moving with people you know helping you can be much less stressful than strangers insisting on handling everything themselves.

Renting a moving truck can be intimidating, but you’d be surprised how simple modern moving trucks can be to handle with a little awareness and preparation. Even if you feel that you are not up to the challenge, you can, once again, rely on friends or family, talk to your coworkers and simply ask if they’ve ever driven a moving truck before. Many self storage companies offer moving truck rental from their locations, including Mini-U, this can be your easy-in to renting a truck that fits your needs.

Moving trucks actually come in a variety of sizes, they can be large or small, as small as a conventional pickup truck or an ordinary van. If you’re anxious about driving a ‘moving truck’ you can always consider these smaller options. Perhaps you only live in a studio apartment and you can easily get everything you need in one or two trips with an ordinary van, but don’t have one available to you. That can be easily handled by simply talking to the storage experts at your local storage company, and seeing if you can bundle your moving vehicle with a small unit, or simply renting a vehicle from that location.

Ultimately your decision is up to you, of course, and a moving company can be your only option if you’re not a terribly social person, but you do have options, and it’s always wise to consider them. Contact your local moving truck rental location today for a quote, compare prices, give it some thought. If you need it, Mini-U offers competitive pricing on truck rentals so you can get where you’re going faster and easier. Equipping For Your Next Move

So, you’re planning a move some time in the near future. It’s not time to start packing all your things just yet, but if you put it off every day until then, it will be time, and then a crunch. Here’s some good advice for your everyday life; plan ahead. Moving can quickly become very stressful and you won’t be in a great place to make too many snap-second decisions. Look at your home, think about how there are pieces of furniture which could become a pain. Try to imagine that you’re moving ​today. What would be in your way as you begin shifting furniture around? What small items need to go into boxes, and which are going to be carried loosely? Should you have some of those fragile decorations specially prepared for the move?

None of these are questions you want to have to answer on the day you plan to move. It might be daunting to think about now, but it will only be more daunting the longer you let it sit. In the weeks or even months leading up to a move, try packing even a single small box of things a day, little decor from around the house. Avoid buying too many groceries in advance. If possible, begin moving things into your new home in advance, like your refrigerator, or, if you don’t own one of your own, consider buying a mini-fridge to keep essential perishables portable and cold. Dry or canned goods can easily go into a box or bag, just like a trip to the grocery store, but do you really want to have to dedicate space in your move to groceries?

Last but not least be sure to pick up the packing supplies you need ahead of time, packing away small boxes of non-essentials will show you just how few ‘spare’ boxes you might have in your home.  Preparing for the move can reveal the packing tape you bought last time you moved might not be where you left it. All the little things you think you know for sure in the back of your head can be put to the test.  If you really are prepared, great! Less stress when the day comes. If you’re not, you can save your future self a lot of headaches.

                Packages, Boxes, and Bags

 The first thing you should be asking is; do I have enough packing materials for everything I own? Sure, there are plenty of boxes in the garage or attic – many of which may still have things from the last time you moved. Boxes are made of very sturdy paper, after all, so ambient humidity can spell disaster. You may find those extra boxes you had have become warped or fragile from being left empty or laying about  in your garage. You may simply need more boxes! Either way, many modern storage businesses,  including Mini U, offer you a wide variety of packing and moving supplies, so you can be certain the boxes, tape, markers, packing peanuts, bubble wrap, or other things you may need are always within reach. 

  A Parting of the Ways

Looking through all that stuff in your attic, basement, or garage might be making you wonder; how big a  truck do I need for all this? Maybe not as big as you’d think. It might be time to take a long hard look at all these boxes of things you never unpacked and ask yourself why you’re holding onto them. There will always be things of sentimental value that you just can’t part with. Everyone has those things. Most people don’t have several dozen boxes’ worth of those things. Critically examine what it is you’re packing, what was already packed, and if it needs to come with you this time. In the weeks leading up to your move, it may be time to start downsizing. If you find you really do want to keep everything, storage is a fantastic way to keep boxes stored so you can go through them at your own pace as you move into your new home.

Take Your Time

The beautiful thing about planning ahead is that you now have plenty of time to sort through your belongings and make sure they are packed neatly and carefully for the move. If you are lucky enough to have a window for your move – say a couple of days where you won’t need to vacate your old home, and can take time moving into your new place, it may benefit you to move things in little bits, day by day. As  your new home begins to fill up, you may be able to really put your new home together in a cozy  comfortable way on your own time. In the event you don’t have that luxury, renting storage for a  month can be a lifesaver. You can move everything into your storage in one day with a large rented truck, and then use your normal vehicle to move your belongings from the unit to your new home piece by piece, giving you all the time in the world to unpack at your own pace. 

House and Home

 When you’ve got all your plans laid out, an inventory checklist of everything in your home fully filled out, and a good idea of what the floor plan for your new home is going to look like, it comes time to really settle in. This is when you get to enjoy the fruits of your labors. A leisurely and well-planned  move-in can be the difference between a move being one of the most stressful events you confront, and  being a satisfying victory along your life’s journey. It’s liberating to see all the spacious, empty room your new home has to offer, and what makes it a home is that feeling of comfort and safety. Once you begin moving in, you may find that you don’t want to fill the space all the way up like you’d planned.  That’s okay! You have that unit you picked up to leave excess things in for the time being. Just like that, you’ve made your new house a new home.  Storage businesses can be intimidating, you wonder what could be worth yet another monthly charge? At the end of the day it’s very simple. When you rent storage, you are paying for not just a warehouse-style space or a locker, but peace of mind. When you have a storage area to call your own, it is often just enough space to truly change how you store your belongings at home. At the end of the day, that is what storage is for. Allowing you to have the space you need in order to make your home more livable. 

When you have so many things storing them will always be an issue, and of course, much of it may not be your fault, inheriting belongings from family, or finding yourself forced to downsize into a much smaller home due to economic reasons can leave you feeling overwhelmed and powerless. There’s no shame in renting storage so you have the time you need to decide what to do with all your belongings. 

In the event that you do decide you need storage for all your belongings, you have options. There’s no need to feel overwhelmed or anxious about the space left in your home. Here are a few telltale signs you may simply have ‘too much’ stuff and need a storage area to alleviate some of the pressure on your home, and yourself.

Spare Rooms That Aren’t Spare 

  You moved into a bigger space because you planned on using that extra room as an office right? But now there are boxes stacked to the ceiling and you can barely walk in or out of that room without feeling like you could trigger a box avalanche at any time. What happened to your vision of a quiet room with a few framed paintings and a lovely desk for you to relax in? Life’s plans often get waylaid with the reality of the situation, and when that happens, sometimes renting storage to help manage those things is your only option. Chances are this only happened because your attic or basement just wasn’t as large as you had anticipated. 

No Longer Being Able to Park in Your Own Garage 

  Have you given up on storage because your garage has all the space you need? If you opened your garage door would things come tumbling out? What if all that was unnecessary, what if you could have the space you need and still fit your car inside your garage? Even if you still wish to use your garage as a  storage space, keeping the things precious to you in your own home, a small, cost-effective storage space not much larger than a closet could be all you need to make enough space for you never to need to leave your car outside overnight again. After all, your garage is primarily for storing your vehicle, not a dozen large boxes that just won’t fit anywhere else. 

      Downsizing 

  Perhaps you realized your monthly rent was just too much for you to keep up with? Maybe you no longer have a roommate, or perhaps things simply didn’t work out the way you hoped. Whatever the cause,  you’re shrinking from a three bedroom to a two bedroom, from a house to an apartment. Now you have seven room’s worth of things, and only four to keep them in. There is no shame in admitting you simply don’t have a place for all your belongings to go, and of course, no shame in renting a small storage space to help you find a place for all the things that you want to keep. Whether you’re looking for a place to keep personal belongings, or if you have something more than won’t fit in your home, like a trailer which used to rest comfortably in a garage you no longer have, storage is the right move for you. 

Stress 

Whether it manifests in the form of you feeling like every room in your house simply has too much in it,  or if you have an entire room dedicated to clutter, having too much stuff and not enough space can really stress you out. Even if you have things well managed, and can move about your house freely, sometimes you might have a garage lined with boxes, cabinets full to bursting, your child may be moving away from home soon, or you might need to plan for a future where you have more things than you know what to do with. There are a hundred reasons why someone might need extra storage space, more than their home can possibly offer. No matter what the reason, you can be certain that getting a few things out of your  house for a bit will let you think more clearly and sleep more easily, maybe even help you decide what to  do with those things. When moving, whether it’s across the city, across a state, or across the country, it’s important to think  about where you’re going, not what you’re leaving behind. Often when you arrive at your new home you  have a lot to worry about. Moving furniture, discussing room layouts, getting friends to assist on the  move. Even if you have a month long storage rental, you won’t want to waste any time. Once you get  moved in though, then what? You might find your new home or apartment is smaller than you thought.  Maybe you have found having a more open floor plan just makes you a little more comfortable. Keeping  even a small storage locker can make moving things in and out of your home easy, especially in rented  spaces where you may not have a basement or attic to keep anything in. 

  Once you find yourself settled, you commute to work, you see the new highways, and get used to new  byways, and everything on the main stretches of road between points A and B. But how much do you  really know about the new town you’ll be living in? Even if you used to live nearby, moving into an area  can really change your perspective. Here are a few good tips to help you get settled in and used to your  new home! 

Hunting and Gathering

  One of the most obvious places to start is with local restaurants and major chains. Maybe you used to stop  at McDonald’s every morning, but now a Wendy’s is what’s closer to you, perhaps the burger place down  the street is now on the other side of town. Locating the restaurants closest to you, even locally operated  businesses, is important. Oftentimes moving from place to place can make you want to drive a ways to  find a business you recognize, when a better local option is right down the street. Using the internet, with  apps like Yelp, can vastly improve your odds of finding a new favorite place to get good takeout. 

     Furnishing Your New Living Space 

    When it comes to long moves you may have left some things behind. Large heavy furniture can last a  lifetime if well constructed, but it probably won’t fit in the back of your car. You can locate nearby  furniture wholesale outlets, or pick up on local signs for garage sales if you pay attention to handmade  signs around your neighborhood. Friends and family may have furniture they no longer need, as well,  don’t hesitate to bring it up in casual conversation, you never know what others may have just laying  around.    

  Don’t Let Life Pass You By 

   On your drives to and from work, the gas station, the grocery store, you may never notice that there’s a  public park just a block or two away. There may be world famous bars, restaurants, or vacation spots only  a short drive away, and because you’re unfamiliar with the area, you might not realize how close you  really are. Take a day off to explore, either by using a map or two, or by just driving off the beaten path.  You never know what favorite spots you may find tucked away just beside your home or business, and it  can make the stress of a move that much easier to bear.   

 Make New Friends 

  Getting used to a new location or job can be intimidating, don’t wait for others to invite you to come  along with them after work, find a new hotspot and invite them. Having a good friend or co-worker to  help acclimate yourself to the new environment is an important step in feeling like you’re properly moved  in at your new home. It can also help you feel more welcome at work. If you find yourself working from  home, you will find local establishments often attract crowds of similar tastes to yourself. There is  nothing wrong with becoming a regular at a local restaurant or coffee shop, it can help you feel more  connected and at home in your new place.

We have watched cars go by with a dog sticking its head out and soaking in the smells and sounds of whatever it passes by. We have seen cats sleeping under a ray of sunlight in the front seat of a car. All signs lead to pets loving car rides, except in one instance.
When the time comes for you and your family to move.
Animals possess a keen sense of what is to come and with moving, that sense is typically not a good one. However, you can do a few things to ease not only your pet’s angst, but also your own stress and anxiety.
Simulate Your Pet’s Safe Space
Most domesticated animals find solace in a certain area of your home, whether that is on a doggie bed or at the top of a cat tree. Since most moves involving a pet unfold in your car, simulate the area of your home where your cat or dog finds the most soothing comfort. The safe space can be inside a crate or flopping over several blankets.
Know the New Rules and Regulations
Moving your pet to a new home requires you to brush up on the rules and regulations that cover having a pet inside of your home. Local ordinances to know include leash laws, licensing guidelines, and the limit on the number of pets per household. You should also get acquainted with state law as it pertains to pets. If you are moving into an apartment, you need to know what restrictions the property owner places on pet owners. Don’t forget about health paperwork, such as obtaining a rabies tag for your pet.
Safety First
The time has come to make sure your pet is updated on the devices that keep it safe. Make sure the ID tag attached to the collar reflects your new address, as well as the best phone number to reach you. Microchip your pet to be integrated into the pet recovery system operated by your new town. Keep a photo of your pet handy in case you need to show it to people. Now is a good time to buy a new leash and collar to ensure your pet remains within your sight during a move.
Getting from Point A to Point B
Most pets recognize a big change is coming when the boxes and suitcases begin to pile up next to a moving truck. Recognition turns into sheer panic when a pet sees the family house emptying. Driving your pet to a new home requires plenty of patience, as well as a driving plan that includes stopping at night for a break from the road. Buses and trains do not allow pets, and the stress of being isolated in an airplane can be life threatening. Unless you hire a professional service that relocates pets, you can count on driving your pet to a new home.
Moving should be a new chapter in the book called your life. It also should be a pleasant new chapter for your dog or cat.