Tips

For the second year in a row, Access Storage and its subsidiaries will participate in the 12 Days of Giving Event. We will be collecting clothes to do our part in assisting Kamloops following the recent flood.

​Toy Mountain is an annual event held to collect gifts for less fortunate children in your community. You can donate a new, unwrapped toy, teen gift, or cash donation to the Toy Mountain Campaign.

​It is with great pride and patriotism that StorageVault Canada/ Sentinel Storage announces our partnership with Team Canada. StorageVault is excited to support Olympic athletes on their journey to the podium and through all of life’s journeys. With the same gold medal service that we provide our clients, we’ll be there for athletes every step of the way.

It is with great pride and patriotism that StorageVault Canada/ Access Storage announces our partnership with Team Canada. StorageVault is excited to support Olympic athletes on their journey to the podium and through all of life’s journeys. With the same gold medal service that we provide our clients, we’ll be there for athletes every step of the way.

Help us fill a storage locker full of food!

As the world builds up rather than out, more and more of us are downsizing, moving into condominium buildings in downtown city cores. It’s in the downtown of large metropolises where life is most convenient – where you have the most access to shopping areas, employment opportunities, entertainment, networking, social groups, etc. – it’s a popular place to live, and for good reason.

Have you been with your significant other for a while now, or have you just united and see a bright future together? Whether you’re newly connected or have been together for a while, you’ve recognized the benefits from moving in together. However, there are a number of things you should consider and prepare yourselves for if you are going to move in with each other.

Appliances are not inexpensive household items. They’re a costly expense, so if you’ve upgraded your appliances or are moving homes, then keeping the old appliances in self storage is probably a wise idea – at least until you can arrange a buyer for them.

When one considers self storage, it’s a simple concept: a safe space for you and your family. It is simple. It isn’t rocket science to move items into storage safely. That doesn’t mean mistakes aren’t made during this process though, and some are mistakes that can have a detrimental and lasting effect on your storage belongings.

When family and friends need help, it is always a good thing to step up and offer them a hand. That is, at least, as long as this help you provide doesn’t cost any great expense. Always provide help if you can, of course, but be sure to understand any consequences you may be faced with when offering this help. This is important if you have friends or family asking you to share space in your self storage unit.

Admittedly, it’s a sad time of year when Christmas decorations need to be cleaned up, packed away, and returned to their place in storage. They bring so much joy to the house, creating bright colours and movement, such that it is always a bit painful to take them all down when January 6th rolls around (yes, that’s the official day Christmas decorations are supposed to be taken down, coinciding with the day the Three Kings are said to have arrived in Bethlehem).

Whatever your moving or self storage project entails, cardboard stands up as a superior material for packing your belongings than plastic. This is significant to take note of when preparing for a move as you would want to remove your items from storage in the same condition they went into storage. Cardboard proves to keep your belongings in better condition, especially for extended periods of time, and remains the choice material for moving jobs.

Tetris – yes, that video game of fitting blocks together the ancients is what you should really have in mind when it comes time to load your truck or storage unit with your belongings. Your storage items come in many shapes and sizes, just like Tetris blocks, and just like the best way to beat Tetris, fitting them together as tightly as possible is also the best way to optimize storage. In other words, it’s the best way to save space and prevent your items from shifting and being damaged.

If you’re in a transition and have enlisted the convenience of a self storage unit for your moving project, then we know how much can be involved in a project like this. There are many arrangements that need to be made and a tonne of organizing, packing, wrapping, and moving to be done.

The most exciting moment of your life is on the way; you’re having a baby! Is it a boy or a girl? How much will they look like you? What will you name them? Wait – where will they sleep? Where will they play? Do we have space for a cradle and stroller? What about all the toys? Oh, we need a car seat! And where will we put all the diapers?

It is a common misunderstanding that a self storage facility’s building insurance covers the contents of their tenants’ storage belongings; this is not, in fact, the case. While the facility requires insurance to protect the building, so do the tenants require insurance to protect their belongings contained within the facility.

It’s a solution to so many problems. You’re moving, renovating, decluttering, storing off-season equipment, adding space for your business’ inventory, protecting your car for the winter, or a thousand other possibilities, but whatever your project, self storage offers an economical solution.

When Thanksgiving dinner is almost upon us in Canada, Canadians tend to reminisce about the times in the sun we were sharing only a few months ago, while we start dreading the winter season about to hit us. To be prepared, we also start putting away our gardening tools and swimwear in self storage, and start taking out our shovels and snowblowers.

It happens too quickly: those long summer days you spent lounging on your patio in the sun suddenly start to turn into short days where pants are required, leaves are falling, and patios start appearing in the rearview mirror. When fall is upon us, we need to start thinking about cozy comforters and days spent indoors by the fireplace. So, what to do with all your patio furniture? How do you set yourself up for a cozy life inside?

Whether you’re travelling for an extended period, renovating your house, downsizing, decluttering, storing your boat or RV for the winter, adding space for your business’ inventory, a contractor storing supplies and equipment, or requiring extra space for a whole host of other reasons, you’re on the market to rent a self-storage unit.

Oh September! We always lament your arrival. You mean the end of summer. You mean the beginning of the school year. You mean the end of baseball, golf, lacrosse, tennis, surfing, scuba diving and every sport that’s played under the summer sun. In many ways, you kind of mean the end of fun, and the beginning of getting serious again. And you wonder why we lament your arrival?

If you’re a business that’s running out of space to store your products, supplies, equipment, or any other items, then this is probably a good problem to have, as your business must be heading in the right direction. Whether good or bad, a problem is something that requires a solution, and for this problem, the best solution you can find is self-storage.

Often, self-storage is considered a useful resource for households looking for additional storage space during a move or renovation, or a whole host of other reasons. One of the newest uses for self-storage though has come from the business sector: more and more companies are turning to storage facilities and portable storage solutions to increase their space in an economical manner.

If you’re about to move into self-storage, we bet you’re dreading the moment when you need to start physically moving all of your belongings. The back-breaking pain of moving furniture and boxes all day long is not something you should be ashamed of not wanting to do: unless you’re used to this sort of work, you are certainly in for a long day.

Are you about to move? Do you have items you need to store? Are you renting a self-storage unit for your belongings? An important part of the process is the – yes, we know – annoying task of having to pack your items in boxes. The trick to packing boxes well is...

There are many reasons why you may be needing long-term storage. You may not want to get rid of your parents’ antique wardrobe or the dresser you have been saving for when your son moves away, but your house does not have space for it either. You may be traveling for an extended period, or you may be wanting to keep collectibles in a safe space as their value increases. It could be a countless number of other reasons, but regardless of the reason, you know you need self storage for the long-term. If this is your situation...

This is the question on everyone’s mind. And while we’re certainly not still living in the outrageousness that was the market of 2017, you’d be hard pressed to find enough evidence to support a projection of a total crash any time soon. It appears as though most experts are saying 2019 will be a sluggish year – nothing more, nothing less.

Are you planning to move to a college dorm soon? If so, then you might already have started gathering your belongings, and other necessities you would need to move into your new place. If you are like some of the prospective college students, then you are probably planning to store all your miscellaneous items temporarily in a storage unit near your dorm. Check out the following tips on storage for you:

Granted, determining that you need to rent a storage unit to safely store your belongings is as simple as recognizing you don’t have any more space in your garage, home or office building. However, the same cannot be said about booking a storage unit that needs to be placed in a moving truck to be transported. If you were to rent the first storage unit you come across, then there would be issues of establishing whether the truck is big enough to require a single run.

​Winter is almost over, and it’s time to spring-clean. There is so much junk we no longer need once it begins getting warm out. From our winter clothes and boots, to our snow tires and skis, we all know how expensive proper winter equipment can be. We don’t want to find our clothes moldy, or our sleighs rusty once it starts to get cold again, so it’s very important to know how to store your winter equipment to avoid damages.

The first step is to figure out exactly what you want to keep in your home, what you want to transfer to your storage locker and finally what you can throw out or donate. Do you really need that summer dress taking up space in the middle of winter?  You can carefully place all of your summer clothes into a box and then put them into yo Parksville, Victoria, Kamloops, Coquitlam, Surrey, Langley, Vernon or Mission personal storage locker for the winter months.

When the seasons change it is a great time to get organized, you can begin to free up some space in your home by placing items you no longer need in Parksville storage, Victoria storage, Kamloops storage, Kamloops North storage, Coquitlam storage, Surrey storage, Saanich storage, Langley storage or Mission storage facilities.

A moving container is an excellent alternative to the standard moving truck option. Instead of only having one day to pack everything up and get it all from point A to point B, you can rent a moving container and take your time with the moving process. With a moving container, there’s no need to rush. The container can be delivered to your home at your most convenient time and picked up on the day you need to move it to your new location. With the additional time you have, you can make sure you pack your container efficiently and ensure your move is as seamless as it can be.

Your foyer is the very first thing you see when you walk into your home and therefore it should receive the same amount of care and consideration as any other room in your home! Those first few steps inside can seem to get away from you so easily- suddenly there are mountains of shoes and jackets everything and you can’t seem to find your keys. But with a little work, this space can become anything you want it to be- and keep your keys in plain sight at all time.

Your house is your home, but sometimes there’s a couple of areas in the house you have no idea how to use, and you wish they didn’t exist altogether. But it’s all in what you do with what you have. Turn those seemingly useless and awkward spaces into unique corners of your home that make you smile every time you pass by them.

Moving can be an overwhelming process. But unless you are able to live in the same house you grew up in for all your years, moving is guaranteed to happen at least once in everyone’s life. Though moving can be daunting, there’s good news- if you go into it prepared, it can be an exciting time in your life and even possibly a fun one. Follow these four steps to make the most of your move and make the experience a fond memory instead of a nightmare you hope you never have to do again.

After much thought, you have decided that a storage unit is right for your needs! But just like most things in life, there is no “One size fits all.” You might be left wondering how do I pick the right sized unit to fit my needs? A few factors need to go into your decision making. For instance, what do you intend to store? For how long? Can you foresee the need for storage down the road? It can seem pretty intimidating but picking the right size of storage unit doesn’t have to be when you follow these steps.

With the holiday season upon us, you probably have a lot on your mind! Parties, family time and of course, presents, it can be one of the most exciting and stressful times of the year. One of the best ways to alleviate some stress during the season is to use self-storage. Self-storage can be your most valuable weapon in combating the holiday rush. So here are the best ways to use Self-storage during the holidays!

Whether you are living with a partner or by yourself, there never seems to be enough space to store all your belongings in your closet. A tidy and well-kept closet can save you extra minutes in the morning when you are frantically trying to get dressed and rush to work. Dividing up your clothes into seasonal items frees up your closet space and allows you to be more organized – not to mention it can also save you time, space and money.

When you think of self storage, you usually think of a place to put your overflowing belongings or unused seasonal valuables. However, this is just one way to use self storage. Some people have come up with creative and out of the box ideas and discovered alternative ways of getting the most out of their storage unit. From work spaces to extended rooms you can’t fit at home, your self storage unit can be so much more than a place to put your old couch and dining set.

Part three of a series of three: This series will cover the topic of tiny homes, a new form of living being embraced around the world. In part three, the blog post explains the potential hidden costs and challenges of tiny house living.

In last last article of this series we examined the first step in preparing for a basement renovation: understanding your basement’s function and materials. This week, we’re moving on to the next step in any successful basement project - mapping the space.

As we approach the cooler weather and the changing of the leaves, the last thing you want to be looking at is your summer items. Love or hate the cooler weather; it’s going to come! What better way to make more room and save the wear and tear of your summer goods than with a storage unit. Here are some ways to make the most of your storage unit during the fall.

Tossing items into a self storage unit seems like the perfect “quick fix” to cleaning up your household, but it can quickly add up to a time-consuming mess and wasted space. Using a storage unit to its maximum potential comes down to one thing: keeping it organized. The more organized you can keep your unit, the more you can increase your productivity while visiting.

Moving can be one of the most exciting and stressful times in anyone’s life. With so many things on the go, most people welcome ways to make life more manageable. This is how self storage is one of the best gifts you can give yourself. By having a place to put your belongings during your transitions, self storage allows you to focus on your move or renovations.

With real estate prices climbing steadily in many markets across the country, Canadian homeowners and homebuyers are looking for ways to add value or much-needed living space to their homes. A steady diet of home reno shows has created a booming home renovation industry, and to many Canadians the opportunity to renovate can be one of the most exciting aspects of owning a home.

Shelving can be a pertinent tool in keeping your home clean and organized. It can also be used to improve and enhance the aesthetic of your home. Nowadays, shelving is common in many rooms for both function and design. There are many different types and styles of shelving to choose from. Use this list to help you decide which shelving is best suited to your needs.

In today’s world, where technology seems to be growing and adapting with each passing day, the generation entering the workforce have a unique opportunity in the flexibility of how and where they work. Nowadays, it’s not uncommon for the option to work remotely to be presented. With this new form of freedom, millennials can put more thought into where they want to put down roots and what city or town they want to call home. There are many factors to be considered when choosing where to live as a millennial. Though there is the freedom to work from home or the local coffee shop, there needs to be access to the internet, available cell service, access to transportation for potential travel to the company or clients if necessary, as well as affordability among other necessities. In Canada, five cities stand out as the top 5 to check all the boxes for work and play.

Part two of a series of three: This series will cover the topic of tiny homes, a new form of living being embraced around the world. In part two, the blog post explains various reasons how you can live and function in your own tiny home. Tiny home living can sound daunting. The idea of having to fit all your belongings into what is ultimately one medium sized room is no small feat. Accepting that you will quite possibly need to downsize your closet and shoe collection is perhaps an even tougher task. But don’t be too afraid not to consider the concept of having a tiny home; there are many ways to make your tiny home fit to you just as much as you will fit into it. How you ask? Here are a few tips and tricks for making your tiny home perfect for you.

If you’re using your storage unit long term, it can be very easy to pack up your belongings and walk away from the unit until you need it again. However, it’s important to clean and maintain your unit for the sake of your belongings. Keeping your unit clean helps to ensure you find your belongings in the same condition in which you left them. If it’s been awhile since you’ve seen your unit, it may be time for you to revisit your belongings. Follow these steps to a clean and well-kept storage unit.

The housing market nowadays is stocked full of homes waiting to be bought up. So how do you make yours stand out from the rest? Why make any changes to the house when you’re just going to sell it and move on to your next home? Sometimes, it’s necessary to do some renovations on your house in order to sell it, hopefully with a better price tag attached to it. Certain renovations can increase the value of your home, allow you to appropriately price your home at a higher value on the market. You may need to fix and update some appliances, or maybe you just need a fresh coat of paint to brighten up the room. By knowing your market and what people are looking for, you can make your home appeal to the potential buyers and make it move in ready for the next family who gets to enjoy it.

Moving in with someone is a big step, whether it be with your significant other, your friend or an acquaintance you just met for the purpose of having a roommate. Whatever the situation, it is essential to know what you’re getting into and be prepared for what’s to come. Going in prepared will help make the transition smoother and having a roommate much more enjoyable.

You’ve found your storage unit and are ready to pack in all your belongings to be stored away for the season. You start to bring in all the boxes of items to be put away and begin to pile them as high as you can in whatever order you grab them. But wait. There is actually a strategy to the packing process. Make your life easier when it comes to packing and unpacking your valuables to ensure you get back exactly what you put away, in the condition you left it.

Part one of a series of three: This series will cover the topic of tiny homes, a new form of living being embraced around the world. In part one, the blog post explains various reasons why tiny home living can benefit your lifestyle.

Living in Canada, we all know winter is inevitable. Maybe you’re escaping the cold and travelling somewhere warm till the snow melts or perhaps you’re making room for the winter jackets in your closets and the snow plow in the garage. Either way, here are some tips to help you prepare your items for hibernation.

Whether you’re a start-up quickly taking off, a stay-at-home parent turning your hobby into a side business or an established company working seasonally, self-storage can help your business.

Many self-storage companies out there advertise that they have climate controlled storage units. But the truth is, the definition of climate control fluctuates and varies across the industry. A lot of companies offer units that are temperature controlled, not climate controlled.

Moving out-of-province is much different than moving between neighbouring cities. Here are some tips to help you make the move as easy as possible.

Here are some tips to get your landscaping headed in the right direction with your new home’s outdoor spaces.

There are a few key things to consider prior to deciding whether to rent or purchase a home. There are many factors at play, but here are a few key questions to ask yourself.

You have likely thought about the reduced cleaning time, lower property taxes, and less grass to cut. These are all great things, but there are many things to consider prior to downsizing.

The day you move into your new home will likely be both exciting and stressful. Here is a checklist to follow to guide your first hours at your new home.

There is no right or wrong way to organize a kitchen, but most people have preferences as to how theirs is organized. Here are some tips on getting your kitchen unpacked.

Did you know that you can pack up your plants just like you pack up your household items? Here are some tips on packing up and transporting your plants.

If you pack efficiently, you will have the added benefit of being able to unpack efficiently! Here are some tips on how to get the process done quicker and smarter!

Think of it like your carry-on bag, but for moving! These are your essentials that you need for your first night in your new home.

Here are some tips on how to get your security deposit back.

No matter what kind of pet you have, moving can be even more stressful for them than you, because they have no idea what is going on. Here are some tips to help them adjust to their new home.

It is key to invest in the right person for the job as they will spend plenty of time in your home and will be working on your dime.

Packing your books and clothes may seem simple, but packing your electronics can take some extra time and care.

If you are moving more than a few hundred kilometers, there are additional challenges that you may face. Here are some tips to get you ready for the move of a lifetime!

There are likely many real estate agents in your area to pick from so you may be wondering how to pick the best person to suit your needs.