You’ve taken the first step, and have rented your first self-storage unit. If you’re like most people, you’re in it for the long run, perhaps on a 6-month basis or up to a year or more! For some, renting a storage unit and keeping their belongings would undoubtedly mean ‘out of sight, out of mind.’

 

We at Extra Space Asia are all about hygiene and cleanliness, especially in times like these. This is why our premises are regularly sanitised and kept clean by a team of professionals frequently.

 

However, the cleanliness of your own unit falls outside our purview as we have no access to your unit. It’s crucial to clean out your own unit every now and then as dust will build up and can lead to serious health complications. Studies have shown that the accumulation of indoor dust contains numerous chemicals that are harmful to one’s health. So, we’ve come up with 3 tips to help you keep your unit clean and safe!

 

Psyche yourself up for the task

 

Tidying up seems to be a daunting task, which may lead to further procrastination. But instead of being overwhelmed, you can stop and visualise just how satisfying it would be if you get it done! After all, storage units can be seen as an extension of your home, it could give you the same sense of satisfaction once it’s clean and neat! Set aside some time to complete the clean-up, but do remember to give yourself ample time. If the allocated clean-up time is limited, you might feel pressured to get it done and would probably not do a good job in the end. As the saying goes, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day.’ Rome wasn’t built by one person alone too. So, bring along a friend or family member for that extra mental support!

 

Making a list of every item in your unit

 

It may have been a while since you last stepped into your unit, and it’s not uncommon to forget what you’ve stored there. While it’s a good practice to always keep an inventoried list of items, there may be times when we don’t update this list accordingly. So, note and take down every item in your unit before cleaning, as it’ll give you a better sense and idea of how much time you would need to clean.

 

“Does it spark joy?”

 

The next step here is where we take a page out of Marie Kondo’s playbook. Hold up each item individually and ask yourself, “Does it spark joy?” If yes, keep it! If no, extend your thanks and gratitude to the item and remove it from your unit. While it may not be practical to actually do this to every single belonging in your storage unit, it’s a good mentality to practise. Because if you’ve stuff in there that you’ve forgotten about, it shows that these items might not be as valuable and useful to you anymore. It could come in handy for others, especially the less fortunate should you decide to donate it to charity! For the items that you’ll be keeping, dust them down either with a wet wipe, towel, or a microfibre duster. To prevent too much dust from getting onto your larger items, you can also use a cover to drape over them. Cloth tarpaulins are a popular choice here, amongst other options such as plastic wrappers or even old blankets!

 

Cleanliness is an important element in our lives, be it our personal hygiene, our homes, cars, and so on. The same emphasis we put on cleanliness applies to your storage units as well. If you ever need any advice, don’t hesitate to reach out to us! Many of our staff are fellow storers as well and can give you their own personal tips and tricks.

 

Till then, stay clean and safe!

 

 

By: Kenny Ng

First impressions are everything in this day and age. In an ever-crowded environment, it is hard to stand out, but stand out we must! That’s where fashion comes in. As the saying goes, “Clothes maketh the man”. What you wear will instantly influence someone’s perception of you. So, stock up your closet and dress sharply! Wait, your closet and drawers can’t hold any more clothes? Fret not, we’re here to impart some life-changing hacks and tips on how to organise and store your clothes the right way! Read on to find out how to maximise your closet space!

Empty out your closet

First things first, empty and clean out your closet! Yes, you read that right. With an empty closet in front of you, you’ll be able to survey and have a clearer picture of the space you are working with. Don’t forget to give your closet a deep-cleaning once you have emptied it out. After all, it is home to what you wear on your body every day, and hygiene is of the utmost importance, now more than ever.

Separate your clothes by category

Looking at that mountain pile of clothing can be daunting, but don’t let that get you down. Sift through it and categorise your clothes into piles such as pants, tops, outerwear, and innerwear. Once separated, go through each clothing individually. There will definitely be some clothes that you will not have worn in years and have completely forgotten about its existence. Toss it out, or better still, donate it. Not only are you doing yourself a favour by decluttering your closet, but you’re also doing a good deed by giving away your pre-loved belongings to those in need.

Hang anything expensive (or delicate)

Hang items that crease and crumple easily or cannot be folded, such as your coats, suits, shirts, and skirts. This saves you the hassle of having to iron these items all the time before wearing them. Face them all the same way for a neater and organised look.

Colour-code your wardrobe

Tedious as it sounds, it will be rewarding. It will look incredibly aesthetic and visually pleasing, and may even merit a slot in your Instagram or Pinterest feed. More often than not, we often have a mental image of the look we’re trying to achieve when picking out clothes to wear. Thus, this will make colour-pairing and matching your clothes even easier!

Organise your drawers in the order you get dressed

What’s the first thing you put on in the morning after your shower? Put that in the top drawer to make your morning routine much easier! Now, dressing up can be done on auto-pilot where you go drawer by drawer, from top to bottom. What a revelation, innit?

Choose Extra Space Asia to store any excess clothing

For some of you, the shopaholic in you is strong. Even after donating clothes that you do not want anymore, there may still be a lack of space in your wardrobe to fit everything you own. That’s where we come in! You can even turn our storage unit into your own personal walk-in wardrobe. Moreover, you can also store your seasonal clothes with us too, such as your winter wear and sports gear. Worry about moulding and heat? Nah, not at Extra Space! We have air-conditioned units that are climate-controlled and kept at a cool temperature to ensure low humidity at all times.

Take the time and effort to go through with this task, and you’ll thank yourself in later days to come. Your wardrobe is an essential part of life, and like all other aspects of your life, it should be organised and be a pleasant part of your day.

 

 

 

 

By: Kenny Ng

How are y’all holding up? With the Movement Control Order implemented by the government, most of us are confined to our own homes. We know it ain’t easy, but hang in there. It’s for the greater good! This is also the best time to do what we’ve always been putting off – spring cleaning! Spring cleaning may seem tedious and at times overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be so! We’ve put together some tips that will aid in your spring-cleaning journey.

 

Prepping the right tools

First things first, having the right tools at your disposal before embarking on your spring-cleaning task will smoothen and hasten the process. As the saying goes, “Failure to plan is planning to fail.” Get yourself a heavy-duty sponge, durable trash bags (as the last thing you want is your trash bag to break down on you after throwing your rubbish in), rags, buckets, gloves, broom or vacuum, and the list goes on and on. Once you have procured this equipment, you are now prepared for war! But wait, lest we forget the most important tool of all! A family member or friend for mental support. Decluttering and throwing out preloved stuff may not be easy, and having someone there will definitely work wonders for your willpower.

 

Ensuring everything has its own place

As the proverbial saying goes, “A place for everything and everything in its place.” More often than not, we find ourselves too lazy to return something we use back to its original place. We may think that “I’ll do it later”, but deep down we all know “later” will never come. The vacuum cleaner that you used to clean out your car last week is still by the front door, until the next need for it arises. By ensuring a home for everything in your home, it helps you to be more organized in life! Moreover, by doing so, you’ll then be able to identify those items that you have no place for – thus helping in your decluttering process!

 

Bid adieu to duplicates

We’re all guilty of overindulging at times and buying in excess of what we need. There’s no need to feel bad about it, it happens to the best of us. Moving forward, it would be best to practice owning at most two of the same items, with one as back up. This will help free up tons of space you never knew you have! Bid farewell to the 5 combs you have but only ever use one, the tons of phone cables lying around, and so on. If there’s no home for it, it has to go.

 

Breaking up with your unloved items

As Marie Kondo aptly puts it, if it does not spark joy, toss it. Humans are emotional creatures. We tend to hold on to things that are of sentimental value, even if they are not practical. However, we have to be disciplined in this matter and only keep those that truly do spark joy and are useful to us. Harsh, but such is the cruel nature of the world. If it’s too hard to immediately toss it out, try putting these items into a box and leave them aside for a couple of months. After that, if you find yourself not digging through the box, it truly is time for it to go.

 

Using self-storage to store

Often, we find our homes lacking space to store stuff that are of larger nature or are simply items that we do not use often. If this happens, fret not! There’re always self-storage providers that you can turn to, namely us at Extra Space Asia! We offer flexible terms and have a large variety of sizes to cater to your every need! Not to worry, if you have any questions, our friendly staff who is at hand to answer your every query is just a call away! Store your belongings with us and you’ll never have to worry about security, they’re in good hands. This should free up space at home and who knows, you may now be able to fit your dream pool table in your own home!

 

Tedious as it may be, spring cleaning actually has many benefits! Various studies have been conducted and spring cleaning has been proven to improve the quality of our lives. Procrastinate not, and make a change today! In the meantime, stay safe and practice good hygiene. Better days are sure to come. Till then.

 

By: Kenny Ng

With the recent Circuit Breaker implemented by the government, many of us are confined to staying in our homes. There’s no better time than this to do what you’ve always been putting off, reorganizing your kitchen. The kitchen is an essential part of your homes, it’s where the magic happens. Whilst not all of us can be the next Jamie Oliver, we do try. It’s crucial to ensure that this space is well-organized and neat as cooking can be quite hectic and chaotic at times. Here are some tips and tricks to bring out the inner gourmet chef in you!

 

Marie Kondo your Kitchen

The first step is to rid and purge yourself of all unnecessary items and utensils that you do not need. Many a time, we succumb to our impulse and get suckered into purchasing a gadget or device that ultimately is not necessary in our daily cooking lives. Do you really need that ice-cream maker? What about the pasta-maker you bought on a whim? Ask yourself if this is what you use in your daily cooking life. Box up what you do not need and store it safely somewhere else in your home. In the event you do not have enough space, you can always reach out to us at Extra Space Asia to store your unneeded effects! Decluttering also have a positive effect on our mental health! Read here to know more.

 

Positioning is Everything

As the title says, make sure all that you need is within reach! Especially items that you use the most often, these should be within eye-level and easily reachable. This will make the workflow of your cooking a smoother process, thus more enjoyable. Also, using clear containers will definitely come in handy when storing food such as cereal and rice as you’ll be able to identify and see them clearly!

 

Create Work Zones

If space permits, you should define the kitchen into a few different zones, so as to maximize efficiency. There should be the prep zone, the cooking zone, the clean-up zone. Each zone will have a certain set of tools or utensils that is dedicated for that zone. For example, the preparing zone will be where you have your cutting knives, chop board, and so on and so forth. This way, it would make it easier if someone were to offer to help you out in the kitchen! Stay in your zone!

 

Try out these few quick tips and see how it works for you! As always, keep at it and improvise where needed. What may work for us may ultimately not be the best solution for you! You do you. In the meantime, stay safe out there and practice good hygiene. Till then.

By: Kenny Ng

What a year 2020 is turning out to be. With the dreaded coronavirus spreading its deadly tentacles around the world, more and more businesses are starting to implement contingency plans that involve remote and home-based working arrangements. A welcoming change for most of us – no more long commutes, flexibility, no dress code! However, for remote work to be successful, one has to maintain individual performance level to be as high as an average day in office. Thus, it is crucial that your temporary home office is configured to maximise your efficiency and productivity! Here’s how.

Choose the Right Spot

First things first, allocate a space for your home office. If possible, choose a room so as to have some sort of privacy as well as a boundary from distractions at home, such as your family members, pets, television as these can all hamper productivity. Do keep in mind the space you choose should be well lit. A report conducted by Centre for Performance at Work at City University London notes that lighting is one of the factors that elevate productivity.

Work in Comfort

Having an ergonomic chair and table will actually increase productivity. Select a chair that feels comfortable for you, as you will be using it for hours on end every day. Your butt deserves the best! Splurge a little, as a quality ergonomic chair will go a long way. Your back will also thank you in years to come. An interesting alternative is a standing desk. These desks have been growing in popularity in recent years, and the key to avoid standing fatigue is to alternate between standing and sitting throughout the day.

Declutter

Having a clean and tidy space around you can help one think clearly. Clutter is actually pretty distracting and will definitely have a negative effect on your productivity. Take some time to sort what you need to keep at home, and you can choose to either donate your extra stuff or store them with us here, at Extra Space Asia! You will be amazed at what you can actually live without and the amount of space you actually have at home! Besides, decluttering is also said to improve mental health! Now, that is a win-win in our book.

We’re praying hard that these challenging times will blow over soon, and we’ll be back in our offices reunited with our favourite colleagues! In the meantime, remember to practise good hygiene and stay safe out there!

By: Kenny Ng

First and foremost, congratulations on the new home! While this is cause for celebration, a long journey lies ahead. It will not be a smooth one, speed bumps are to be expected. During this transition, the biggest hurdle you may face is finding a place to store your belongings and furniture. That’s where we come in!

Here’s why you should store with us at Extra Space Asia:

Flexible Storage Options

We understand that renovations can be unpredictable. Delays have become the norm, anything that’s ‘on time’ can be considered a miracle. That’s why we offer flexible storage options in terms of storage period as well as storage unit size! It’s like selecting from an ala-carte menu, with options to customise your meal. Store with us for as short as 14 days to as long as a year or more! Upon completion of the renovation, should you wish to continue storing with us, you can choose to downsize your unit as well! Feel free to access your storage unit any hour of the day, any day of the week as you have access to it 24/7.

Clean and climate-controlled environment

Our storage facilities are always kept clean and spotless as we have dedicated cleaners who are constantly making their rounds. You won’t have to worry about your furniture and belongings getting dusty if you store with us. Everything here stays safe, sound and clean compared to all that chaotic and messy renovation works going on. If you have items that cannot be kept in a warm and humid climate, fret not! We provide air-conditioned units, where temperatures are kept at 23 – 25 degree Celsius at all times.

Safe and Secure Environment

Here at Extra Space Asia, safety and security are of utmost importance. When you sign up with us, you will receive a personalised pin code that will grant you access to the facility. On top of that, you can also use your own lock and key for your unit. Furthermore, we have round-the-clock security guards as well as CCTVs in place too!

We hope we’ve done enough to convince you to take that first step to smoother processes and making room for more at home. Look no further! Start now and here, with Extra Space Asia.

By: Kenny Ng

It’s the time of the year again. Shopping malls are all decked out in red and the music being played is all too familiar, on an endless loop no less, “Gong Xi Gong Xi Gong Xi Ni Ya!”. This can only mean that the Chinese New Year is here!

New year, new beginnings. Exciting times ahead indeed. According to the Chinese zodiac, the year 2020 is the Year of the Metal Rat, and it marks the start of the zodiac’s 12-year cycle.

What does the year ahead hold for us? We’ve consulted our in-house fortune teller (who moonlights as our Head of Operations – wait, or was it the other way around?), and here’s a sneak peek of what to expect in the coming months!

Career

This is the year to be decisive and act! Carpe diem! It’s a good year for professional opportunities, be it climbing the corporate ladder or landing that dream job you’ve been eyeing for a while. Of course, it’s not going to be as smooth-sailing as speed bumps and obstacles are bound to crop up. However, take these obstacles not as a hindrance but a challenge and opportunity to bring out the best in you. Be confident and determined in following your goals, and we have no doubt that you’ll definitely achieve them. We’re rooting for you! (so are those who are expecting bigger red packets from you)

Love

To those who have yet to find their other half, Chinese New Year gatherings and reunions are indeed a dreaded time. Brace yourself for countless interrogations and well-intentioned matchmaking services from your relatives. It’s a good time for love connections, as it is predicted to be a peaceful year for love. Relationships with your loved ones, your significant other or friends and family will be harmonious and also breed goodwill. As in all relationships, communication is key. So, be honest and truthful with one another, and thy love shall blossom.

Lifestyle & Health

2020 calls for a radical lifestyle change – it could be as drastic as a move abroad or simply changing your daily routine. Being too stagnant in life is not a good thing, so make that change happen this year! It could be something as small as deciding to take the public commute to work instead of driving, to giving up a bad habit (such as smoking), or even something as major as moving homes! Just saying: should you choose to move houses and need a temporary storage solution, do reach out to us at Extra Space Asia and know that you’ll be in good hands.

In terms of well-being, good health is expected all-year. Sports, in particular, has been highlighted as a good way to maintain good health for the Year of the Rat. Incorporating sports into your life will not only improve your quality of life, it has also been proven to enhance your quality of sleep and boost higher productivity. Keeping active, that’s a win-win-win all year!

Looks like it’s shaping up to be an exciting year ahead! Changes are bound to happen but take them in your stride, and 2020 will be your best year yet! To those who celebrate, “Gong Xi Fa Cai” from us all at Extra Space Asia! May the year ahead be filled with success, happiness and prosperity!

By: Kenny Ng

Ho Ho Ho!

First and foremost, a very Merry Christmas to each and every one of you! ‘Tis the season to be jolly! We hope your year has been as good to you as it has been for us. In the blink of an eye, the end of 2019 is fast approaching. After a long year of hard work, what better way to close out the year than with a festive cheer. It is a day for fun, love and happiness with your friends and family. For us at Extra Space Asia, what family means to us, are you – our beloved customers! Whilst it is indeed a time of joy, it is also a time to reflect upon the year and be thankful for all things good.

As we look back upon our year, we realize that at times we may have taken certain things for granted when in actual fact, we have so much to be thankful for. It’s important to pause and take stock of our lives every once in a while. We’ve put together a list of what we should be grateful for lest we forget.

Friends and Family

When the going gets tough, it’s our closest friends and family who will always be at our sides, in good times and bad times. We should always be thankful and grateful for their constant care and support, as there’s no better support system than friends and family. Granted, we may not always agree and see eye-to-eye on everything, but at the end of the day, we will always love and support one another.

Health

More often than not, we are so caught up with work and our daily lives, that we neglect our health. It’s only when we fall sick that we start to notice how much our health has deteriorated while we were busy working and what not. Always remember to get plenty of sleep, work out when possible and eat healthy! Your body will thank you in the later years to come.

Internet

Whilst many are more than happy to point and blame the Internet as the root for many of our social issues today, we should be grateful for its existence. The Internet is an amazing tool as you can find incredible resources online. You can everything you need to know on the Internet, from cooking recipes, to how-to dummies when it comes to building just about anything. It truly has helped us be a smarter and more knowledgeable generation.

Mistakes

Nobody is perfect. Everyone makes them. Often in life, things don’t go according to plan. We are strong subscribers to Murphy’s Law anyway, which states that “Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.” We should not beat ourselves up when we lose our footing and stumble. It is only then we are able to pick ourselves up and come out stronger than before.

Customers

For us at Extra Space, it is you, our customers that we are truly grateful for. Without you guys, we will not be who we are today. With that being said, we have a little something for you guys to show how much we appreciate y’all! This Christmas, we’re giving away 300 vouchers! Here’s how you can stand a chance to win:

All in all, make sure you have a good time and enjoy yourself thoroughly this year end! Let’s close out the year with a bang!

By: Kenny Ng

Most people think warehouse space is the same as self-storage – they are not! These two are actually very different. Warehousing is usually catered for industrial and commercial purposes, while self-storage serves personal and small business needs. But who’s to stop you from choosing one over the other? There are no fixed rules for storage choices. It depends on your requirements among a few other factors. Here’s an overarching comparison of these two options. We hope it’ll give you more insight to make the right decision. Location Warehouse Warehouses are typically found in industrial areas, as their primary customers are manufacturers, wholesalers and exporters alike. Not the most ideal place if you don’t fall under this customer category. Industrial areas are also a little too ‘ulu’ and out of the way, don’t you think so? Self-storage For personal use, self-storage facilities are a better choice as they are strategically located across town for easy access. Extra Space Asia gives you the luxury of multiple locations across the country. Simply find a facility nearest to you here! Storage Features Warehouse When you read the term ‘warehouse’ the first thing that comes to mind is big old buildings, forklifts and so on. Right? You’re not wrong. Not only are warehouses larger in general, but the ceilings are also much higher to accommodate industrial goods. If you don’t have much to store, save that space and opt for something more suitable. Self-storage Here at Extra Space Asia, you can choose from a variety of storage space sizes. State-of-the-art CCTV work to monitor the facility round the clock and customers can only enter their storage unit with their unique access PIN. Add your own personal lock on top of all that, and you’ll enjoy full peace of mind knowing that your belongings are kept in a safe place. Privacy is also a priority here. This is why Extra Space Asia has zero access to your storage unit – 100% privacy guaranteed! What’s more, you’ll have the freedom to visit your storage unit any day, any time at your convenience. No more rushing to beat the closing hours anymore. Pros and Cons Still unsure? Let our pros and cons table help you out.  

  Warehouse Self-Storage
Pros Large facilities, high ceilings   May come with fulfilling, handling and transportation options       Variety of sizes, catered to your needs (choose to upsize or downsize any time) High-end security, round-the-clock CCTV monitoring Various strategic locations (multiple outlets) Ease of access (enter at any time of the day) Privacy guaranteed On-site assistance from our team of dedicated Customer Service consultants
Cons Limited access   No flexibility (leases are generally year-long) Responsible for own packing, loading, and transporting Facility size may be limiting, as the ceilings are not high

  So warehouse? Or self-storage? We think it all boils down to what you need. Like all decisions, each choice has its advantages. Which perk benefits you more? Visit Extra Space Asia today and let’s explore more possibilities together!

By: Kenny Ng