An ExtraSpaceCares initiative

At Extra Space Asia, we firmly believe that the youth represent the cornerstone of our society’s future. Throughout the years, our unwavering commitment has been to provide support, resources, and to nurture a culture characterised by compassion, empathy, and social responsibility within our organisation. This year, we had the privilege of spending a meaningful afternoon with our youth friends at Club Rainbow (Singapore). The session took place at Club Rainbow Centre @ Sandbox, a purpose-built space where children and caregivers can attend programmes and services organised by the nonprofit in a safe environment defined by autonomy and social inclusivity- two fundamental aspects of quality of life. During the session, we engaged and collaborated with youths aged 13 to 20, gaining insights into Club Rainbow’s mission and the diverse activities they host at Sandbox. The highlight of the day was the engaging “OrderUp” game, which offered both fun and educational experiences for the beneficiaries. Through the game, they had the opportunity to learn how to recognise various food ingredients, enhance their sequencing skills, organise tasks efficiently, and manage money. Each Extra Space Asia team member partnered with a youth individual to prepare a main course, appetiser, and drink for their friends, fostering teamwork and camaraderie. Laughter filled the room as everyone wholeheartedly participated in various activities, ensuring the beneficiaries had a memorable experience. Club Rainbow (Singapore) is a non-profit organisation established in 1992 to support and empower children with chronic illnesses and their families. They achieve this by providing compassionate and relevant services, aiding these children in their journey toward an enriched life. The beneficiaries at Club Rainbow (Singapore) range from newborns to youths up to 20 years old. Club Rainbow employs a holistic approach, addressing their needs in five core pillars: Social Work Intervention, Therapy Intervention, Education Support, Arts Development, and Vocational Development. Here’s a glimpse of how our meaningful afternoon unfolded with our friends at Club Rainbow:  

Image: The day started with icebreaking activities that instantly filled the room with laughter.

Image: “OrderUp”: A Game of Learning and Fun

Image: Everyone suited up in PPE to prepare the food for the beneficiaries.

Image: Doing some crossword games to earn some money to order their food.

Image: Doing some crossword games to earn some money to order their food.

Image: Everyone enjoying their 3-course meal that their friends have prepared.

Is your home filled to the brim with belongings, making it challenging to find what you need when you need it? If so, you’re not alone. Many of us accumulate possessions over the years, leading to cluttered spaces and a sense of overwhelm.

Thankfully, there’s a solution – decluttering and organizing your home. Here, we’ll provide you with valuable tips on how to reclaim your home’s serenity effectively.

Understanding the Importance of Decluttering

Clutter can negatively impact our lives in various ways. It can lead to increased stress levels, reduced productivity, and a sense of chaos within our living spaces. By removing unnecessary items and organizing what remains, you can create a peaceful and spacious environment, giving yourself peace of mind.

Start Decluttering

Embarking on a decluttering journey might seem overwhelming, but with a well-structured plan, it can easily become achievable.

Start by setting clear goals. You would want to define your objectives for decluttering each room before you begin – do you want to create more space, improve organization, or eliminate items you no longer need or use?

Next, sort and categorize your belongings into categories such as keep, donate, sell, and discard. Here, you will have to be honest with yourself about what you truly need and cherish.

It is also essential to declutter one room at a time. Tackling the entire house in one go can be daunting and stressful. Instead, you can focus on decluttering one room at a time to stay focused and motivated.

Lastly, involve your family. If you share your living space with others, involve them in the decluttering process. It fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility for maintaining an organized home.

Efficient Decluttering

Now that you’ve started the decluttering process, here are some practical tips to make the process smoother!

The Three-Box Method: When sorting your belongings, use three boxes – one for items to keep, one for donations, and one for items to discard or recycle.

The Marie Kondo Approach: Follow the famous KonMari method by asking yourself if each item sparks joy. If it doesn’t, let it go.

Create a Decluttering Timeline: Establish a realistic timeline for decluttering each room. It prevents procrastination and helps you stay on track.

Start Small: If you find the process overwhelming, begin with a smaller space, like a drawer or a closet, to build momentum.

Making Use of Self-Storage 

While decluttering will significantly reduce the number of items in your home, there are still possessions you might want to keep but don’t need daily. Consider using self-storage in this case, as you will be able to have the best of both worlds – keeping your possessions that you don’t need daily while effectively decluttering your home!

A self-storage facility is a great place to store your personal and business inventory. Items such as antiques, appliances, books, clothes, collectables, furniture, and business documents can be all stored in your storage unit to keep your home and office clutter-free. However, there are just some items that you should not store in your storage space. Most of these items are usually ‘banned’ from the storage facilities. Do take some time to ensure that you follow this list and read your contract at the time of rental. Storing any of these items may result in you getting banned or even fined. Here are some common items that are not allowed in your storage unit.

Flammable or Combustible Materials

All self-storage facilities in Singapore will not allow you to store any flammable or combustible materials. Even some household cleaners may fall onto this list if they are particularly flammable. You may also be surprised that batteries fall under this combustible materials list. While batteries are usually safe, they may cause injury if they have design defects, are made of low-quality materials, are assembled incorrectly, or are damaged. In Singapore alone, as many as twenty-seven fires were caused by power banks between 2018 to 2021. On top of this, in February 2018, the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission found that batteries were involved in over 25,000 overheating or fire incidents over just five years.

Radioactive, Hazardous, and Toxic Materials

Another item that all self-storage facilities in Singapore will not allow you to store is any radioactive, hazardous and toxic materials. These items are very dangerous and could easily cause a fire or chemical accident in the storage facility. Do note that self-storage facilities are subjected to searches, so any illegal items will not be safer in storage facilities than in your home.

Plants and Living Items

Your storage unit is not your apartment, and plants cannot survive in an environment without sunlight, water and fresh air. Furthermore, plants may attract pests, potentially creating more problems for your belongings. Likewise, your storage unit is also not the place to store any animals or pets. Not only is this strictly prohibited, but it would also endanger the animal’s life. In Singapore, neglect of pets is considered animal cruelty, and those guilty can be fined up to $15,000 and/or jailed for up to 18 months for first-time offenders. Subsequent offenders can be fined up to $30,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 3 years.

Perishable Goods and Food

Most storage facilities in Singapore typically disallow perishable food items like processed meat/fish, as well as raw fruits and vegetables. If these items are left unattended for a prolonged period of time, they can attract pests that could destroy stored belongings in the entire facility. Secondly, expired food will emit unwanted odours, creating unfavourable conditions for bacteria and moulds to grow and spread in your storage space.

Image Credits: Channel News Asia

Personal Mobility Devices (PMD)

PMDs are not allowed to be stored at storage facilities as they contain combustible batteries. In 2019, the number of fires involving PMDs hit a record high of 73 between January and September, causing one death and 36 others injured.  

The need for a reliable self-storage solution has increasingly become apparent in today’s fast-paced world, where living spaces are getting smaller, and possessions are ever-growing.

Amidst the plentiful choices available, Extra Space Asia remains the preferred self-storage solution provider, with its reputation for excellence and a commitment to customer satisfaction.

Here are some reasons to consider utilizing Extra Space Asia’s self-storage solution for your storage needs.

Unparalleled Security

Security is paramount when it comes to storing your precious belongings. At Extra Space Asia, we understand this concern and have gone the extra mile to ensure the safety of your items.

Our facilities are equipped with cutting-edge security measures, including but not limited to 24/7 CCTV surveillance, individual storage PIN code access, and well-trained security personnel.

With our robust security infrastructure, you can know that your items are in safe hands.

Clean and Well-Maintained Facilities

When storing your belongings in a self-storage facility, cleanliness and maintenance of the storage facility are critical.

At Extra Space Asia, we offer clean, well-lit, and well-maintained storage units. Our dedication to cleanliness ensures that your items remain in the same condition as when you store them.

Flexible Storage Options

Everyone has a different storage need, and we understand that. At Extra Space Asia, we offer a wide range of storage options to cater to your various requirements.

Whether you need to store boxes, furniture, or even your business inventories, we have the perfect storage unit size and type for you.

This flexibility allows you to pay for only the space you need, making it a cost-effective solution.

Outstanding Customer Service

A company’s commitment to its customers is a crucial deciding factor when it comes to choosing a self-storage service provider. At Extra Space Asia, we pride ourselves on our exceptional customer service.

Our customer service staff are always ready to assist you, helping you find the right storage solution and addressing any concerns you might have. This dedication to customer satisfaction sets us apart from our competitors.

Convenient Locations

Location also matters when selecting a self-storage provider, especially if you need regular access to your stored items. At Extra Space Asia, we boast a network of conveniently located facilities across Singapore, making it easy for you to access your belongings whenever you need them.

Is your home due for an upcoming Home Improvement Programme (HIP)? This programme is typically done to refurbish parts of an ageing home, especially if it is showing signs of wear and tear.

In Singapore, under the HDB HIP, this usually comprises three components—essential, optional, and Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) improvements. The HIP can take an estimated ten working days or more if any rectifications need to be done together with the full upgrade, including the toilets.

During this HIP period, there are several things you should note and prepare accordingly so that the cleaning process after the HIP can be less tiring. Here are five tips to help you prepare for an upcoming HIP:

1. Start decluttering

Upon receiving the letter of notification that your home’s HIP is due, take some time to declutter your home. Clear out common HIP spots like your living room, master bedroom and kitchen area. These areas usually get very dusty, and the workers will move in and out frequently, so clear out as many things as you can to provide more walking space.

Start your decluttering journey by cleaning, throwing and donating your items according to their condition. If you have items in good condition, consider donating them through the monthly donation drive in your neighbourhood.

2. Pack everything in boxes

After disposing of items, pack the remaining ones in boxes. It’s important to label the boxes appropriately so that you know what’s in each box, making unpacking easier.

During this period, you can also explore renting a self-storage unit to store boxes, furniture pieces, and seasonal items that you rarely use but are still in good condition. There are many self-storage facilities in Singapore, and you can rent a unit near your home or one that has the best storage deal.

Before signing any storage contract, visit the storage location to see its various on-ground features, such as security, accessibility, storage size availability, and storage plans. By renting a self-storage unit, you’ll be able to protect fragile items and keep more items away from dust during the HIP period.

If you’d like to find out more storage information, you can always visit Extra Space Asia Self Storage or give us a call at 6771 3100. If you need any moving service, you can also WhatsApp our e-Move service at 8345 2452.

3. Put up dustproof covers around your home

During the HIP period, your entire home will inevitably become dusty and messy due to the construction work and hacking activities to remove the older items in your home. To minimise dust contact with your furniture items or boxes, try to put up as many dustproof covers as possible around your home and on items that you wish to protect from dust.

Ensure that the tapes are used to cover all areas and tall cabinets so that dust will not penetrate the covered area. For fragile items like glassware and television sets, put some bubble wrap around them before covering them up.

4. Look for alternative accommodations

During the HIP period, your home may become too dusty and dirty to stay in, with daily hacking and drilling activities. To top it off, you’ll not have direct access to your home toilet unless you opt for one temporary toilet to be placed in your home.

Therefore, it’s best to look for alternative accommodations during the HIP period. You can search for hotels that might offer good deals for HIP customers or stay with family members. Do note that you may need to visit your home once in a while during the HIP period to speak to the workers if needed.

5. Engage a professional cleaning company

Once the HIP is successfully completed, the workers can assist you in removing the dustproof covers first. The dustproof covers and protection sheets may not completely protect all parts and furniture from getting dusty and dirty. Therefore, some dust may still be present, and you’ll need to clean the newly renovated areas of your home, including the newly constructed toilets, floor tiles and walkways.

You’ll need to clean the newly renovated areas of your home. This includes the newly constructed toilets, floor tiles and walkways. If time is tight, consider getting help from a professional cleaning agency to give your home a deep clean-up after this HIP. This will help to get rid of the first layer of hard-to-clean dusty areas and spots.

 
By: Michelle Lee

Are you in need of a self-storage solution that goes above and beyond just storing your items? Consider choosing a self-storage facility that offers a loyalty program. Here are some reasons why:

Earn Rewards for Your Loyalty

With a loyalty program, you can earn points for every dollar you spend on your storage rental fees. These points can be used to offset future rental fees, redeem gifts, or even receive discounts at partner merchants. By choosing a self-storage facility with a loyalty program, you can make the most out of your storage rental expenses.

Enjoy Peace of Mind with Secure Storage

Choosing a self-storage company with a loyalty program doesn’t mean compromising on security. In fact, many self-storage facilities with loyalty program offer top-notch security features, such as 24/7 surveillance cameras, individual alarms, and on-site security personnel. By storing your items in a secure facility, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing that your belongings are protected.

Support a Business That Values Your Loyalty

By choosing a self-storage facility with a loyalty program, you are supporting a business that values your loyalty and wants to reward you for it. This can lead to a positive relationship between you and the company, which can ultimately result in better customer service and a more satisfying storage experience overall.

At Extra Space Asia, we understand the importance of loyalty. That’s why we have created the Yes! loyalty program, which rewards you with points for every dollar you spend on storage rental fees. These points can be redeemed for rewards from over 50 participating merchants.

Choose a self-storage facility that values your loyalty and provides you with additional benefits. Contact Extra Space Asia today at 6771 3100 to learn more about our Yes! loyalty program and how we can help you with your self-storage needs.

Renting a self-storage space is an easy and affordable way to clear the clutter while still keeping the belongings in your home and office.

 

However, before renting a self-storage space, avoid making these common mistakes that might cost you more in the long run.

 

Choosing the wrong storage size

More often than not, one of the main factors for monthly storage rental is the storage size. Choosing the wrong size can often lead to problems and unnecessary expenses.

 

If you’re working with a tight budget, ensure that you have taken the proper measurements so that the rented storage unit can fit all your items nicely.

 

Do note that you should not aim to cramp all your belongings into a smaller-sized storage unit as it can potentially cause damage. Likewise, you should not choose a unit that is too big as you will end up paying more money and wasting space that you do not actually need.

 

Accumulating more items

Just because you have decluttered your living space doesn’t mean that you should start accumulating more to fill the void. Essentially, this defeats the purpose of decluttering.

 

Remember, if your aim is to downsize to live a more minimalist lifestyle, you should try not to bring in too many excess items after decluttering.

 

Storing without a strategy in mind

When storing your belongings, it’s easy to stack and pile everything up quickly without much thought. However, when you inevitably need to retrieve something in the future, it’ll take you hours of pulling apart your hard work.

 

As such, always organise your items strategically. Store items by type and label all boxes accordingly. This will make finding items that much easier in the future when you can simply read a label to know what each box contains.

 

It might be time-consuming at the start, but you’ll thank us when it’s time to retrieve your belongings!

 

Not taking up insurance for your storage unit

Typically, self-storage facilities are not responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged belongings. As such, you’ll require insurance for all your stored belongings. You might think that it’s safe. However, what if there’s a fire?

 

A smart storer understands that accidents can happen. They also know that in the event of unforeseen circumstances, their belongings would be protected if they were insured.

 

Consider taking up insurance or a protection plan in case anything goes south during your storage rental period. This is especially crucial if you’re storing any valuables or expensive items.

At Extra Space Asia, it’s compulsory for all storers to undertake insurance during their storage rental duration, covering fire, lighting, and/or extraneous perils.

National Day, a cherished occasion in Singapore, represents the spirit of unity, pride, and progress. As we celebrate this momentous day, Extra Space Asia joins hands with ACE Seniors, a Singapore-based social enterprise, for the fourth consecutive year to bring joy and cheer to the hearts of those in need. This year’s NDP2023 volunteering is a continuation of our mission – of making a positive impact on the lives of elderly residents in nursing homes and community hospitals. The heart of this noble endeavour lies in the enduring partnership between Extra Space Asia and ACE Seniors. In the spirit of giving back to society, Extra Space Asia generously pledges to sponsor over 600 care packs for elderly friends residing in Peacehaven Nursing Home and Lion’s Home for the Elders. This longstanding collaboration has evolved into a cherished tradition, symbolizing our team’s dedication to serving our communities.

Care Pack

Every care pack is thoughtfully curated to bring comfort and happiness to the elderly recipients. Filled with nutritious food items, delightful treats, and essential hygiene products, these care packs are designed to cater to the specific needs of our senior citizens. To promote sustainability and eco-consciousness, all items are carefully packed into reusable tote bags, proudly adorned with the Extra Space Asia brand.

Representatives from Peacehaven

Aligned with this year’s NDP theme, “Onward As One,” our volunteering efforts reflect a forward-looking and resilient nation, ready to face any challenges that lie ahead. We understand the power of unity in achieving collective progress. The volunteering efforts of Extra Space Asia’s dedicated team members exemplify the significance of standing together and supporting one another. We firmly believe that nurturing a sense of community and solidarity is vital to creating a brighter future for all.

Volunteers from Extra Space Asia

As we move forward, we remain steadfast in our dedication to making a positive difference in the lives of those in need. Through such initiatives, Extra Space Asia continues to live its ethos of community-centric giving.

Delivery to Lion Home

As we celebrate National Day, let us remember that the true essence of this special occasion lies in embracing the spirit of togetherness and nurturing a caring society for all. Together, as one united nation, we can confidently look forward and move onward in building our shared future, where joy, love, and harmony thrive. Stay safe and stay healthy. With love, The team at Extra Space Asia.  
By: Kenny Ng

Is your closet overflowing with clothes, shoes, and accessories? Or do you find it difficult to locate items in your wardrobe due to the clutter? If yes, it’s time to reclaim your wardrobe space and make it more organised. In this article, we’ll share some tips and tricks to help you do just that.

Sort through your clothes

The first step to a more organised wardrobe is sorting your clothes. Start by taking everything out from your closet and segmenting them into work clothes, casual wear, sportswear, and formal wear. This way, you’ll have a better idea of what you have and what you need.

Keep only what you need

Once you have sorted your clothes, it’s time to eliminate items you no longer need. Be ruthless and honest with yourself. If you haven’t worn an item in the past year or two, chances are you won’t wear it again. Donate or sell the items you no longer need.

Use wardrobe organisers

Wardrobe organisers are a great way to maximise your closet space. Use hangers, shelves and drawer dividers to keep your clothes and accessories in order. You can also use hooks and hanging organisers to store items such as scarves, belts and handbags.

Consider self-storage

If you still don’t have enough space in your wardrobe, consider using self-storage. With self-storage, you can store your seasonal clothes, shoes, and accessories in a secure and convenient location. This way, you can free up space in your wardrobe at home while being able to access your items whenever you need them.

Label your items

Labelling your clothes and accessories is another great way to stay organised. You can use labels or tags to identify different categories of items, such as work clothes, casual wear and sportswear. This way, you’ll be able to find what you need quickly and easily.

By following these tips and tricks, you’ll be able to reclaim your wardrobe space and keep it organised all year long. Remember to sort through your clothes, keep only what you need, use wardrobe organisers, consider keyless smart self-storage, and label your items. With a little effort, you’ll have a more spacious and organised closet in no time.