The most common and fearsome to move furniture piece of all time might just be the dreaded couch! Couches can be found in homes all across the country in a variety of shapes, styles and sizes and when used correctly, can add a lot of depth, unity and comfort to a room. However, the dreaded couch can rarely be moved alone, is a pain to navigate through doorways and becomes even trickier to move when stairs are involved. For many, the thought alone of moving one can flood the mind with knuckle scraping, floor scratching, back-breaking memories. Let’s face it, the classic couch move will never be a feel-good time, and not all drawbacks can be avoided. However, the process can certainly be made safer, simpler and more comfortable with a few techniques. So no matter how long you may need to store your couch, keep the following quick tips in mind.

Clean Your Furniture Prior to Moving

An excellent way to start things off is by cleaning your couch. Through vacuuming and removing the cushions (where possible) not only might you find some loose change laying around, you’ll also get to know its parts and construction a bit better which might provide you with some ideas on how to better preserve your couch while in storage. Closer inspection may also give you an idea of how heavy it is, and you may even notice that the legs screw off which might add an extra inch or two when removed to help through by those pesky doorways!

Make a Moving Plan

After the clean, you should now have a clearer picture as to the best strategy for a move. Whether you end up hiring a professional mover, recruit a friend or even get some of those simple furniture sliders and get this thing to the front of your place all by yourself, the extra time you spend thinking out each scenario will go a long way. Measure the doorways, measure what your couch would look like without the legs and cushions, measure its length if it were turned on its side. Thinking out these details in advance will not only minimize the amount of time and effort spent, but it will also reduce the time spent lifting and stress on your back while attempting ideas that aren't feasible.

Wrap and Protect Your Couch

Now that you’ve got a game plan in place and your couch is clean make sure you wrap up any loose cushions or parts that could scrap the walls or doorways on the way out. Using items like shrink wrap or drop clothes is a good practice. Covering your couch in old sheets or drop clothes will not only help on the way to storage but also while placed in a self-storage unit.

Make Sure You Have the Proper Storage Unit

When selecting the proper unit for your couch, there are a few things to consider. You’ll want to make sure there is enough to space for the couch to breathe and be moved in and out freely as you don’t want to pile up a bunch of other boxes and furniture on top and end up damaging your couch. Depending on your geographic location, you may also want to consider a facility with heated units available as couches are best designed to last in our living rooms – not in our garages, sheds or other outdoor environments. If you have any questions on what size might be best for your needs or what options are available, please call Storage Centre at (416) 679-1000, and one of our knowledgeable and friendly staff members will help you out.

For many, New Year’s follows the joyous celebrations of Christmas, ‘tis the season of giving, after all. And with the New Year we take the time to reflect on our future, past and present resolutions and not surprisingly a common theme keeps appearing -- organization! Particularly organization regarding material items that come with the holiday season.

Whether you need to make room in the mancave for your new dream pool table, extra space to roll out your new yoga mat, or are simply hoping to declutter your home of less frequently used items, a new self storage unit can help you towards your goals.

Listed below are a few suggestions to start the new year off with a well-organized bang!

• Inventory the items in your home and reflect on how often they were used in 2018. If you find they are taking up space but rarely being utilized, consider sorting them into sections such as donate, sell or place in self storage.

• Depending on how involved you are over the holidays consider packing up and placing your ornaments, lights and festive themed decorations safely in storage until next year.

• If you happened to receive a large gift but are unsure where to place it in your home in an organized spacious fashion, consider decluttering the space by moving items into storage.

These few suggestions will not only help with your organizational goals but by bringing clarity to your space it will improve your ability to focus on tackling your other resolutions. Out of sight, out of mind as the old adage goes.

Storage Centre wishes you a Happy and Prosperous 2019!

The holiday season is best when filled with joyous festivities shared amongst family and friends. All of this joy, however, can come at the cost of juggling multiple family get-togethers, navigating busy shopping malls, putting up lights, decorating trees or merely living a hectic schedule. During these times a little stress reduction can go a long way. Here are a few benefits a self storage unit at Storage Centre can help over the holidays.

Making Space For Family Visits

Having the maximum amount of space can make your event much more comfortable when you are clutter free. If you happen to be throwing a dinner or holiday get-together consider making space by placing some items in storage, especially summer gear which you won’t be using until the coming seasons. And that extra space will come in handy especially if uncle Bill consumes too much eggnog and needs a place to stay for the night.

Organizing & Decluttering Your Holiday Decorations

Whether you’ve already put up your decorations or are simply planning ahead to when you’ll take them down the amount of space needed for such items is usually much more significant than we think. Storing these items away at Storage Centre in an organized fashion will bring you peace of mind and simplicity moving into the New Year.

Hiding Presents From Your Children

Another great benefit of renting a self storage unit around this time of year is having a place to hide your child’s presents. No matter how good you think you are at hiding presents nothing can stop the sheer will and determination of a child on the hunt for their dream dollhouse or triainset. Having their gifts safely stowed away inside a self storage unit will guarantee that they’ll be impossible find.

Our list of available storage units can be found here at https://storage-centre.ca/reserve/ or better yet, give us a call at 416-679-1000 and we will be pleased to assist you.

Happy Holidays!

For many drivers in Ontario the transition from fall to winter means it’s time to switch to seasonal tires. Unlike the province of Quebec, the use of winter tires isn’t mandated, but the data is clear. A study conducted by the ministère du Québec showed a 5% reduction in winter collisions after the law was passed, with 574 fewer people injured. Additionally, many insurers will reward drivers for making the switch by lowering their monthly rates, so make sure to check in with your provider to see if you’re eligible.

One major drawback to swapping to safer tires is finding the space to store them. In this case a self storage unit could be the best solution for you. Storage Centre has the perfect option in a 5’x5’ unit that will fit 4 (or more) tires and additional items if you so choose. Our latest promotions can be found here, or better yet, give us a call at (416) 679-1000 and we will happy to assist you. Stay safe out there!

Cycling is enjoyed by thousands of Canadians living in the GTA. Toronto alone ranks as one of the most bikeable cities in Canada according to the CBC, in fact some of the toughest Torontonians will even bike all year round! However, if you’re amongst the majority of seasonal cyclists in the city you may be wondering where the best place to store your bike is until the sunny skies and warm weather return. We have listed few options below.

Installing Hooks

If you have some wood beams in your home or apartment one option is to buy some hooks from a department store and install them in your place. As long as you don’t mind drilling holes in your home and provided you have high enough ceilings this is a relatively simple technique that tends to work with all bike types as they typically hang from the wheels.

Using a Tarp

One outdoor option is to lock up your bike and cover it with a tarp. This option is relatively simple and easy to execute as long as you have somewhere outside to keep it. Drawbacks include less security and your bicycle being exposed to various degrees of freezing temperatures and potential rust if the tarp isn’t fully secure.

Using a Stand

If you have enough space indoors and don’t wish to install hooks in your ceiling or perhaps would struggle with getting the bike up there in the first place, a good option would be using a bike stand. A bike stand is small, simple, portable and can be folded away when not in use.

Self Storage Rental Unit

We’ve covered a couple indoor options and one outdoor, each having their own set of pros and cons. Utilizing self storage benefits include:

• Maximizing space and functionality at home

• Having the highest level of 24-hour security

• Heated, secure units ensure your bike will not be damaged or rusted by the elements

The best option for you will depend on your own individual circumstance and scenario. If you’re interested in looking at self storage unit rentals we have many options available that won’t break the bank. Make sure to take a look at our units listing for our latest prices and promotions.