Owning a storage unit to enjoy additional space for individuals, families and the business can be an incredible option. Sometimes, you might just want to downsize your home or office, or perhaps you’re moving to another location and need a place to store your belongings during the transition. Regardless of the reasons, owning a self-storage unit at any storage facility is meant to make your life easier. However, if your storage unit becomes messy, dirty and unorganised, you might end up more stressed. To keep your storage space clean and tidy, here are some tips on what you may want to consider working on.

Label your belongings

It can never be said enough: always label your belongings. When you first move into your storage unit, it’s easy to remember what is in every box. However, as time passes, remembering the location of each item will start to become more and more challenging. To make it easier for your future self, always label the boxes and belongings you are storing. This way, you can easier retrieve any items you need when you visit the storage facility in the future.

Clean your belongings before storing them

It is important to clean and dry your belongings before you store them in your storage unit. Do not put dirty, smelly, or damp items into your storage unit. Storing dirty, smelly or damp belongings into your storage unit makes your storage space a hotbed for pests, mould, and mildew. What is worse than this is the unpleasant and stale smell that might build up over time!

Use boxes or containers

When placing small or medium-sized items into your storage unit, make sure they are in sturdy boxes or containers. Simply putting them into plastic bags is not enough as the place will get disorganised over time. Boxes or containers help with your organisation and allow you to stack, maximising the space you can use. They will also assist in keeping moisture, dust and pest away from your belongings. If you are looking to purchase boxes for your items, you can always consider getting them from us! Our Box Shop offers a variety of storage boxes size to suit your every need. Alternatively, if you are already planning a trip to Ikea, why not look at some storage box options in-store.

Do not store perishables

Be careful of what you store! Some items are not allowed to be stored for a reason. Things like food or perishable product tend to go bad and turn mouldy. On top of that, they can even attract unwanted pests into your storage unit and damage all your belongings.

Cover your furniture

Dust is inevitable everywhere, especially in places that have been untouched for a long time. To protect your furniture against dust, make sure that they are covered with tarpaulins made of cloth. These cloth tarpaulins help to prevent dust from scattering everywhere. While you may consider using plastic tarpaulins, they tend to wear down over time and are not advisable as a cover for wooden furniture. If you don’t have tarpaulins, you can also consider using old blankets. If possible, it’ll be even better if you can wrap your furniture with a plastic wrapper before covering them with tarpaulins.

Visit your storage unit at least once a year

While we tend to just store and forget, it’s good to visit our storage unit at least once a year to allow some air in. During your visit, it is a good idea to bring along some wipes, sprays and cloths to clean and wipe down all surfaces to ensure that they are dust-free.

Re-evaluate all stored contents

Your storage unit may seem spacious when you first walk in. However, over time, items can pile up quickly, requiring you to move to an even larger unit. While this can be an option, it should not always be the case. You should not be accumulating items without periodically going through them. It’ll only make sense to get rid of things as time passes. Sort your items out into three different piles; Keep, Discard, and Donate. For those who find it hard to part with any items, you can create another pile: a Wait-and-See. By donating and discarding any unneeded possessions, we can free up more space in the storage space.

An ExtraSpaceCares initiative

At Extra Space Asia Self Storage, we care about the community we work and live in. We are glad to be able to work alongside ItsRainingRaincoats (IRR) to support their meaningful cause by sponsoring the use of our storage unit. With the newly added storage space, IRR will also bring in more items such as raincoats and home appliances to help our migrant worker community without worrying about the lack of space. ItsRainingRaincoats (IRR) is a social initiative set up in 2015 to raise awareness for migrant worker welfare. IRR also aims to improve the lives of migrant workers in Singapore by strengthening their integration into our community, city and country. They have also employed different strategies to help improve the quality of workers’ lives and make them feel valued, appreciated, safe and welcome in Singapore. Learn more about ItsRainingRaincoats (IRR) here.

Image: IRR sharing with their Facebook followers about their new storage space and their first stored item – Raincoats!

Image: ItsRainingRaincoat’s Facebook post sharing the delighted smiles of our migrant workers and their volunteers.

Relocating from one location to another, whether it is for family or business, is never easy. It can be complicated planning where to store your items during the transition periods and comparing prices of self-storages, movers, and interior designers. As such, it is much more convenient to choose a company that can provide more than one service to save the customer the time and hassle of finding one after another.

Today, at Extra Space Asia, we offer both storage services and moving services with the aim to provide all customers with an all-rounded service from moving to storage.

Here is why you should choose us today when you are about to move and need both moving and storage services.

  1. Credible and reliable Singapore brand

Self-storage was introduced to Singapore more than 15 years ago, and one of the few dominant self-storage brands is Extra Space Asia Self-Storage. Today, we have 11 storage facilities across Singapore. Being one of the self-storage pioneers in Singapore is important because we know how to prioritise our customer experience and deliver reliable expertise for peace of mind.

In 2018, Extra Space Asia Self-Storage was awarded Singapore’s Number 1 Self-Storage Brand in the Superbrands Award. Superbrands is the world’s largest independent arbiter of branding, paying tribute to the strongest and most valuable brands around the globe. Our consistent pursuit of excellence won us yet another Superbrands Award in 2022 – we are now the only self-storage brand to win this award five years in a row!

  1. Provides both self-storage and moving service

Looking for a self-storage to temporarily store your items while in-between homes or expanding your business? If you are moving many things, it is also a valuable option to choose a professional mover to assist you in your move, whether for personal or business purposes. To save the hassle of finding two different providers and comparing quotes, why not choose Extra Space Asia, where you can enjoy both moving and self-storage services? Coordination should be effortless and the least of your worries.

With our newly launched e-Move service, we can assist you through your moving process. Feel free to WhatsApp 83 452 452 today to receive a quick mover’s quote or find out more about our e-Move service. You can also fill up the enquiry form here if you want us to email you the details. You can also book and secure a moving slot simply by WhatsApp.

  1. Enjoy the convenience of a trusted 2-in-1 service

For all new customers at Extra Space Asia, upon signing up, simply WhatsApp our e-Move service, and they will be able to provide you with a free quote for the items you plan to move into the storage unit.

If you are an existing Extra Space Asia customer, you can also engage our e-Move service to help move your stored items to any location of your choice. This option will come in handy when you move out of our storage units or if you plan to move many items to different locations.

Did you know that our e-Move service is not only limited to our Extra Space Asia customers? Yes, that’s right! If you are planning to relocate your items from your home to your office space or another location without engaging in our self-storage service, our e-Move service will also assist you accordingly.
By: Michelle Lee

Some of the most difficult items to store in your storage unit are fragile items such as antiques, glassware and mirrors. To prevent damage during transportation and storage, you will want to pack the items in the most suitable manner possible.   Here are three tips on packing and storing your fragile items to ensure that they are protected during transportation, storage, and retrieval.  

Pack in a Suitable Box

Boxes come in all shapes and sizes, and selecting the right box is of utmost importance. The three most important aspects to consider are size, type, and quality.  

Size

Always choose a box of an appropriate size to fit all your items nicely. Think twice before over packing a box with fragile items as they will get crushed during transportation and while in storage. Similarly, never leave too much ‘wiggle’ room as the items might shift around and be vulnerable to damage.  

Type

Choose the right boxes for the right purposes. For example, we have a wine box designed for the sole purpose of storing wine bottles. With specialised packing cartons, you can rest assured that you have provided your items with superior cushioning.  

Quality

Did you know that not all boxes are created equally? Boxes of higher quality usually have better cardboard strength. The durability of a box directly impacts the amount of weight it can handle. For your fragile items, consider getting boxes of a higher quality to prevent punctures or collapse during storage.

Add protective materials for extra support

It is important to use bubble wrap, stretch wrap and packing paper before putting your fragile items into boxes. These protective materials will provide additional support for the items.   Consider adding layers of bubble wrap in between your items, as well as on the top and bottom of the box to act as a cushion. This will prevent your items from getting crushed if a heavy box gets accidentally placed on top.  

Mark the Boxes as Fragile

Once the boxes are fully packed, mark them as fragile to ensure that they will be handled with care. Do remember to avoid stacking boxes on top to avoid crushing them. And if the boxes must be kept upright, mark them as such – placing some items sideways, or upside-down may result in damage.   If required, pack them separately to ensure that they are light enough to be handled with care.

Battling with your wardrobe and falling clothes every day due to a lack of space and proper organisation? Here are three ideas on how to keep your clothes, shoes, bags and accessories organised and maximise your wardrobe space.

 Do a proper spring clean of your wardrobe

Before you start organising your wardrobe, you should declutter and consider donating your clothes that you no longer use or wear. We recommend this routine every quarter if you have a small wardrobe space. This will help create more space in your wardrobe for your new clothing or those clothing lying on your floor and around your room.

Trying the KonMari folding method

If you hastily fold your clothes before putting them away in your wardrobe, not only will they look wrinkled, you will also be wasting your precious wardrobe space unnecessarily. When it comes to folding hacks, people would recommend the KonMari folding method. The KonMari folding routine includes folding your clothes into neat bundles that can stand on their own so that you will be able to see everything at one glance. Her space-saving techniques will be a lifesaver if you have many clothes but insufficient space to store everything. This folding system includes many tutorials on folding various clothing like tops, socks, sweaters etc., that you can try out.

Get creative with organising your wardrobe 

You should try organising and arranging your wardrobe based on your personality and personal habits. For example, you can organise your clothing based on colours, seasons, garment type or even the order of how you get dressed.

For those seasonal items that are bulky and take up a lot of space, you can also try using a clothing vacuum bag that will help to pack your items into tightly sealed bags and minimise the overall storage space required to store them.

If you are looking for extra space to store your seasonal items or items that you hardly use, try storing them in a self-storage unit. Some perks of using a self-storage unit include the freedom to store more than your personal belongings. This dedicated space can also be used for your collection hobby, business inventory — you can even share spaces with your family members to fully optimise the storage unit.

It is also like your home where you can access any time, any day, 24 hours. At Extra Space Asia, we also offer climate controlled and air-conditioned storage units to store your temperature-sensitive items in peace. For more storage enquiries, you can also contact Extra Space Asia Self-Storage today at 6771 3100 to learn more about our various storage solutions. Feel free to also visit any of our 11 storage facilities located around Singapore today from 9am to 6pm (Monday to Friday) or 9am to 1pm (Saturday) to learn more about our various storage solutions.

 
By: Michelle Lee

With Chinese New Year right around the corner, most people are planning to start their spring cleaning activities to welcome the lunar New Year. If you still have not started your CNY spring cleaning, here are three spring cleaning hacks to speed up the cleaning process.

Create a cleaning plan

Never start without a plan. If you are short of time, gather your family and divide the workload to cover different parts of the home. Each family member can clean and handle their personal room for a start. For common areas such as the living room and kitchen, each family member can handle any one of these cleaning objectives: decluttering, mopping, and vacuuming. They can also plan to do it on different days of the week when they are free.

With a cleaning plan and schedule, you will also know who is in charge and how much time is required. This strategy will help reduce the time needed to figure out who and what to do, especially if you are short of time.

Seek professional help

Really busy (or too lazy) to do the cleaning yourself? Don’t fret. You can always seek professional help. There are many part-time cleaners that you can engage in Singapore. Just check out companies such as Helping, HomeFresh, HelperGo etc., who will provide professionally trained housekeepers at an affordable cost starting from $18/hour.

If you are new to these cleaning services, you might even enjoy a first-time promotion which could be a good time to try, especially during the Chinese New Year period.

Declutter and organise your home

Planning for your small reunion dinner or gathering at home this year? Start decluttering your home so that your loved ones can enjoy more space. It might also be a good time to recycle or donate items of good condition to people or organisations in need, so you can also share the blessings with them while making more room at home.

For individuals or families who are looking to store their seasonal or festive items and hardly used furniture sets, you can also rent a self-storage unit to store all of these items. These self-storage units can come in handy as they are like an extension of your home space which you can access 24 hours, any time, any day.

This Chinese New Year, be the first 20 new customers to sign up for any walk-in unit with a minimum of 6 months storage duration, you can also enjoy more perks on top of existing discounts such as:

Call us today at 6771 3100 to find out more about our various storage options available.

Click here to learn more about our Chinese New Year promotions today!
By: Michelle Lee

Running a business from your home? We understand that it can be tough when your workspace is also your living space. It will be more challenging if you have a limited space to work with too. Here are three smart ways on how to store your business inventory at home.

Stack vertically

If you have limited floor space, it would be good to stack your boxes of items vertically upwards. This way, you will be able to utilise the space all the way to the ceiling. A good sturdy shelve can also be installed to provide more storage space for home business inventory too. You should also label your boxes as you stack them to minimise the time trying to find a particular item without rummaging through every box.

Organise and categorise by type of inventory 

Compartmentalising your items is also very important as this will be helpful during stock-taking or times when you are packing items for your customers. Sort and organise your business inventory by type and store similar products at the same location or shelve. You should also use numbers or letters on your labels for easy identification. For storage and retrieval, the order of items should also be first in, first out so that your items will not be dusty at the point of retrieval for your customers.

Label your shelves accordingly 

During the initial home business layout stage, it is important to have enough shelves for in-house storage, shipping and also for incoming stocks. This way, you will be more organised on where to store your items should they come in big bulks or when you need to pick up items and prep them for delivery. Store your popular and most frequently sold items in the area that is the easiest to access. This will help to cut time finding them.

Consider a climate-controlled storage facility like Extra Space Asia Self Storage

If you have temperature-sensitive business inventory, it would be better to store them in a climate-controlled storage facility like Extra Space Asia. By storing them here, you can be assured that temperatures are kept constant all day round.

For those planning to grow the business further, renting a self-storage will also be a good call. Firstly, you will be able to enjoy extra space to bring in more goods for your business. If you rent your storage unit at storage providers such as Extra Space Asia, you will also be able to upsize and downsize your storage unit at any time, depending on your storage needs at the point of time.

This will be cost-saving for businesses, and business owners are also not tied to any long-term storage agreement. By renting a storage unit, it will also allow you to enjoy more space at home for administrative work or team and client meetings when needed.

If you have any storage enquiries, you can always call Extra Space Asia at 6771 3100 or visit any of our 11 storage facilities to have a physical tour.

 

 
By: Michelle Lee

An ExtraSpaceCares initiative

2021 has not been the easiest of years for many. Many of our fellow citizens are going through hardships, and our heart goes out to them. In an effort to ease the burden of the less fortunate, Extra Space Asia has partnered up with Realm of Tranquillity for the second year in a row to distribute provision care packs to households across different parts of Singapore. Special thanks go out to Realm of Tranquillity, who helped identify households that required our assistance. For this effort, Extra Space Asia sponsored 333 care packs, which consisted of cooking necessities,  groceries, and beverages distributed by volunteers from the company itself to those in need. We hope this small measure of goodwill will help them as nobody should ever go hungry, especially during the holiday season. Realm of Tranquility is a non-profit organisation with the sole objective of “Encouragement of Good Deeds.” Its vision is to promote social responsibility and help the poor, needy, elderly and less privileged. They provide free Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), food rations to the poor and needy island-wide.

Image: Extra Space Asia staff going door to door to deliver care packages to our friends to enjoy this festive season.

 

Image: Bags of provisions waiting to be hand-delivered to our beneficiaries in Marsiling, Wellington Circle, Boon Lay, Commonwealth Crescent and Marine Terrace.

 

 

An ExtraSpaceCares initiative

The ongoing COVID-19 has affected every part of our society and the way we live and work. With the safe distancing measures, social interaction has also been minimised, changing many of our society’s traditions and habits before the pandemic. For this year’s Season of Giving, Extra Space Asia wanted to show our community and local small businesses some love and support. We are delighted to partner with Xin Yuan Community Care, where we prepared halal and non-halal food care packages for our friends living around the Toa Payoh area. Each food pack consists of various food items such as rice bento sets, desserts, and fruits that our friends can enjoy with their family members in the comfort of their homes. Together with volunteers from Xin Yuan Community Care, we delivered these care packs to over 180 households in the Toa Payoh area. We were glad to brighten someone’s day with a care package delivered to their doorstep while supporting small local food businesses this festive season through this meaningful food distribution event. Xin Yuan Community Care is a non-profit organisation established in May 2005. The charity provides regular financial assistance and daily therapeutic, health and educational support to over 250 needy elderly and 40 underprivileged children from low-income families in the Bishan-Toa Payoh area. From the Extra Space Asia Team, we wish all a Happy New Year!

Image: Extra Space Asia teams coming together to sort and pack the food care pack for our friends.

Image: Extra Space Asia’s food care packs consisting of rice packs, bak zhang, kueh and fruits, which were sorted accordingly to halal and non-halal sets.

Image: Collage of our happy Extra Space Asia’s staff all ready to set off to various parts of Toa Payoh for the food care pack delivery.

Image: Extra Space Asia’s staff assisting in the distribution of the care packs to various households around Toa Payoh area.