Posts

What To Consider When Moving With a Pet

/in /by
Travelling with Pets

What to consider when moving with a pet

At our self-storage facility, many of our staff are proud pet owners. It got me thinking—what should we consider when moving with our beloved furry friends or simply taking them out during these scorching summer days?

Preparing for pets is crucial because they need extra care to ensure they’re comfortable and safe, whether moving homes or enjoying a day out. As the temperatures rise, it’s essential to be equipped to keep your dog cool and protected. Here are some essential items to have on hand for your dog this summer:

  • Collapsible water bowl: A lightweight and portable option for keeping your dog hydrated during walks, hikes, or any outdoor activity. Easy to clean and store, ensuring your dog has access to water wherever you go.

    Giving a pet some water

    Taking care to hydrate pets

  • Water bottle: You won’t always have access to water, so carry a full water bottle for you and your pet.
  • Dog-safe sunscreen: Protect their skin from harmful UV rays, particularly on sensitive areas like noses and ears.
  • Cooling vest or bandana: Helps regulate their body temperature in hot weather, ensuring they stay comfortable.
  • Paw wax or booties: Shields their paws from hot pavements and rough terrain, preventing discomfort or burns.
  • First aid kit: Include essentials such as bandages, pet-safe antiseptic wipes, and tweezers for any minor injuries or emergencies that may occur during your adventures.

Having these items ready ensures your furry friend stays happy and healthy throughout all your summer outings. Most of these items can be picked up at your local pet store.

Pet with life jacket

Pet with life jacket

Additionally, when near bodies of water, like rivers or lakes, it’s crucial to check for blue green algae before letting you pet into the water. This algae sits on top of the water and is seriously toxic to both you and your pets. If it’s safe to let your pet swim be sure to check your pet’s ears for any debris that could have gotten lodged during their cooldown.

Where do you prefer to take your pets to cool down?

~ Roberta Gordica

~ Sue Sage

 

Spring Cleaning Reinvented

/in /by
Spring Cleaning

Spring Cleaning Reinvented

Ah, spring — the season of renewal and rejuvenation. As nature awakens from its winter slumber, so
does our desire to refresh our living spaces. At Medicine Hat Storage, we understand the importance
of refreshing your living space and it all starts with Strategic Decluttering. After all it’s so much easier to
clean away the cobwebs if there isn’t a lot of stuff in the way. Let’s explore some innovative ways to
make cleaning easier and maximize your living space with the help of self-storage solutions.

Seasonal Rotation:
Maximize your living space by rotating seasonal items in and out of a self-storage unit. Discover the
convenience of storing winter sports gear, holiday decorations, and bulky winter clothing during the
warmer months. Then when things cool down in the fall you can swap these items out and put your
summer sporting gear into the unit. This makes for effortlessly seasonal changes at home.

Creating Functional Spaces:
Need a home office, a playroom, or a workout space? Reclaim and live in every square inch of your
home and discover how storing rarely used items, such as off-season recreational equipment or
clothing, can open up new possibilities for organizing and decorating your home.

Renovating

Couple checking out plans

Home Renovation Solutions:
Are you planning a home renovation project? Self storage offers the ideal solution for safeguarding your
belongings during construction. Explore the peace of mind that comes with knowing your furniture,
electronics, and valuables are secure and protected in self-storage until your renovations are complete.
This April, embrace a clutter-free lifestyle by incorporating self-storage into your long-term organization
strategy. Discover how self-storage units provide a convenient solution for storing seasonal decorations,
sentimental keepsakes, and items with future use potential. With flexible rental options, you can enjoy
peace of mind knowing your belongings are safe and accessible whenever you need them.
Say goodbye to clutter and hello to a more organized and spacious home with Medicine Hat Storage.

  • Are you cleaning due to a move and change in location? Don’t forget we have self storage offices in Lacombe and Drayton Valley

Protecting Items In Storage

/in /by
Using a drop cover for protecting storage items

Protecting Items for Storage

You’ve made the decision to place your items in storage and now that you have everything
ready go, here are some simple tips to protect what you are storing:

Confounded Condensation
Depending on the weather extremes and humidity in your area, it is possible for condensation
to build up on your stored goods which can cause water and mold damage. A good option to
avoid damage from prolonged moisture exposure is to put a plastic drop sheet on the floor of
your storage unit before placing items in the unit. Using pallets to put your belongings on is
even better, especially if you are storing goods for longer periods of time. Also, leave some
‘breathing space’ (about two finger widths) between stacked items so fresh air circulates
between your belongings.

If your furniture has had its issues already before storage, https://kleenway.ca/residential/residential-upholstery-cleaning specializes in green friendly residential upholstery cleaning.

Don’t Over Stack
When placing boxed items in storage, the temptation is to stack as high as you can reach. Boxes
are only designed to take so much weight and over time might give way under the stress of
over stacking. This can result in entire stacks toppling over. If the items in those boxes are
fragile… well, you get the point. You also need to consider your safety. For this reason, stacks
should only go as high as your natural reach…or the natural reach of the shortest adult
accessing the storage.

Man with moving boxes

Protect Your Belongings

Dreaded Dust
Nobody wants to open their unit and find that everything inside is now dust covered. All that
cleaning you did to prepare your goods for storage has been potentially wasted – and let’s face
it: dust is inevitable. So why not use a couple of inexpensive plastic drop sheets to help protect
your items? Drop sheets should be draped loosely around items to encourage air flow but offer
protection from fine dust.

By using these three tips, your stored goods should remain intact, dry and dust free. Be sure to
check out the retail items available for purchase at our locations to assist with your packing needs. We are here to help you through every step
of your rental process.
You can access more information on our blog site such as the importance of cleaning before you store, as well as make use of our handy
storage calculator to determine the correct unit size for your needs.
Ron Heizelman – Site Manager, MHS

Porch Pirates, Are They Real?

/in /by

Keep Your Packages Safe
Pirates have always been something that appears in story books. But lately piracy has become
very real for a lot of online holiday shoppers. The name Porch Pirates sounds cute and maybe
you’re thinking of all the kiddies showing up on your doorstep at Halloween, but these are not
your neighbor’s children in costume. Porch Pirates steal packages from door steps and porches.
Sometimes these thieves will even follow a delivery vehicle and scoop the package right after
it’s been dropped on the doorstep.

As of Sept of this year, nearly one quarter of online shoppers have felt the sting of porch piracy.
The average value a stolen package is about $113.

Some shoppers that have fallen victim to Porch Piracy before have taken it upon themselves to
fight back. People are putting out boxes full of glitter, dog poo or the cat litter to “be taken.”
While we admire people’s creativity why even give thieves a chance?

Between 2010 to 2017, there was a 581% rise in reports of packages stolen off doorsteps. With
porch piracy on the rise, we’d like to offer a solution for keeping your packages safe.
Our office is insured to receive your online orders and we offer this service free of charge to
everyone on our community. It’s our way of helping you have a happy holiday season. You can check out our Facebook page for other ideas and community happenings: https://www.facebook.com/MedicineHatStorage/

How Do You Use This Free Service?

Step 1
When you are online shopping use our office address as the shipping address for your package:
Medicine Hat Storage: 3183 Gershaw Dr SW, Medicine Hat, AB T1B 3N1

Step 2
Call our office and let us know your name, your phone number and when the package is
expected.
Medicine Hat: 403-529-2646

Step 3
When the package arrives, our office will text you a pic of the package, text back a day and
time when you can pick it up.
Need to keep the package away from prying eyes? No problem, we can hold the package until
you need it. Just let us know how long you need us to hold it. (Please keep in mind our holiday hours)

If you could use other hacks and ideas for Christmas, head over to our other Christmas blog: 

Make Renovations Easier with Self Storage

/in /by

Is it time to spruce up your home? Are you planning to renovate the kitchen or basement? If you are, you are not alone. Over 50% of Canadian homeowners plan to do some sort of renovations in the next couple of years.

Almost everyone dreams of a renewed living space. But, almost no one talks about the stress of renovating — the dust, the delays, the trades people coming and going, the spilled or splattered paint. . . .Don’t let these things stop you from improving your living space, but give serious thought to minimizing the hassles of remodeling. One underutilized tool that can ease the pain of renovating is self-storage. Whether it’s a quick paint job, a major kitchen update or an addition to the home, self-storage is a low cost way to solve some challenges home renovators face. Read more

How Self-Storage Can Help an Expanding Family

/in /by

Is your family expanding? Space in your home becomes scarce when you are expecting a new addition to the family, or you are in a blended family situation. Ideally, it would be nice to move into a larger home, but is your budget ready for that? If it is, great! If it isn’t, self-storage could be the solution. Self-storage is a cost effective way to maximize the space in your home.

Do you have a bedroom in your home that looks like a storage locker? Maybe it’s time you put those treasures into self-storage, so you have room for the new people coming into your life. What is the cost savings of using a storage unit versus moving from a 3-bedroom home to a 4-bedroom home? On average, that extra bedroom would increase your mortgage by $200/month versus a 5×10 storage locker which averages about $65/month. Moving from a 3-bedroom home to a 4-bedroom with a garage increases your mortgage by $300/month versus a 10×10 storage unit averaging about $100/month. Read more

Things You Should Know When Shopping for Self Storage

/in /by

Moving, downsizing, de-cluttering, or expanding your business? A storage unit can provide solutions to many life changing events. Here’s what to watch for when looking for self storage.

Watch For Hidden Costs.

  • Is the price reasonable after any “move-in promotional discounts” have expired?
  • Are there any hidden add-on deposits or fees such as security deposits, accessing the unit outside normal business hours, multiple daily visits, or move in/out charges?
  • What happens if you miss a payment?What happens if you cause damage to your unit? (E.g. furniture scraping walls.)

Read more