The FreeUp Storage Blog

Leasing Space for Your Business: Cost Saving Tips for Business Owners

When your business starts to grow, it’s an exciting time, but it can also come with some tricky problems, like needing more space. Whether you’re just starting your business or making a current one bigger, costs can add up fast. Renting space for a business can be expensive, and buying a building costs even more. Thankfully, using this guide, you can find office, retail, or commercial space that fits your needs and budget. Assess Your Business Needs Before signing a new lease, it's important to think about what your business really needs. If you plan for too much, you might spend more money on overhead expenses than you must. But if you plan for too little, it might be more difficult to grow your business. Analyzing Your Current Space Usage To assess your business needs, it’s best to start by looking at the big picture of your office space and how you’re currently using it. Are parts of it messy, not being used much, or is it set up in an old-fashioned way? Sometimes, a bit of cleaning up, moving things around, or even using vertical storage solutions to save space can make a big difference. Determine the Type of Space You Need All types of businesses have different costs and benefits associated with the space they need. For example, if your business requires customers to walk in and out, then a retail space will work best for you. Prepare for the pricier side if you want to be located in a high-traffic area. If you’re a business owner needing a place where employees and clients can meet, then an office space for lease with a flexible layout is ideal. As for businesses needing a place where they can ship products, then a warehouse or industrial space is just what you need. Finding Cost-Effective Leasing Options After you understand what type of office space your business will need, it’s time to do the actual hunting and find a commercial space lease. It's important that you find ...

FreeUp Storage
March 25th, 2025

Which Sports Trading Cards Are the Most Valuable?

Self Storage

If you or someone you live with is a sports fan, you may be sitting on a stash of trading cards that’s worth more than you may think. In recent years, the sports card market has surged in value, with some cards fetching millions of dollars. But what makes sports cards valuable, and how can you tell if your own collection is full of hidden gems or cards you can stick in your bike spokes? The pros at FreeUp Storage are here to help you understand everything to know about rare sports trading cards. This guide will break down the main factors driving card value, including everything from player status to historical significance. With our insights, you can decide which cards are worth keeping in your collection or listing on the open market. What Controls Baseball Card Values? Identifying the most valuable sports cards requires considering several key factors. Beyond player status, one of the most significant elements is rarity. Cards with limited print runs, unique designs, or exclusive player signatures or relics are usually harder to find, which drives up their value. Another factor is card quality, as any valuable sports card will need to be graded before being sold. Understanding these variables helps collectors focus on cards with lasting value. Types of Sports Trading Cards There are various types of sports cards, each with unique features that influence their aesthetic and monetary value. Here are the 10 primary types of sports cards and what makes each of them special. Base Cards Base cards are standard cards that make up the majority of most packs. They are typically less valuable unless they are part of a complete set. Rookie Cards Rookie cards are from a player’s first season and are often more valuable, especially if the player has had a successful career. Short Prints Short prints are cards printed in limited quantities, making them more difficult to find and, therefore, more valuable. Parallels Parallels are versions of existing cards that include an added visual element, such as a colored ...

FreeUp Storage
February 28th, 2025

How To Move on After Divorce: Navigating the Transition

Divorce is one of the most challenging life changes, bringing a lot of emotions and tough decisions. Besides working with your divorce attorney, you’ll need to split your belongings, adjust your living situation, and decide what to do with your stuff. Knowing how to move on after divorce is an emotional process, but thankfully, good organization and self storage can help you start over. Divorce and Reasons: The Emotional Impact From Belongings If you feel like you're going through a roller coaster of emotions, you’re not alone. According to Mental Health America, many emotions can accompany divorce, including sadness, anger, exhaustion, frustration, and confusion. It’s OK to feel them, especially when sorting through belongings that hold special memories. With some memories being happy and some painful, sorting through your items may feel overwhelming. Each tells a story, and deciding what to keep, give away, or store can feel like an impossible task. But you can help ease the emotional pain and stress from handling your possessions by following these tips. Start Small To avoid being overwhelmed by the emotional weight of decluttering or packing after a divorce, focus on one room, drawer, or category, like clothes or books, at a time. Tackling a smaller area makes the process easier and helps you avoid feeling intimidated. Begin with items that don’t carry much emotional weight, saving sentimental belongings for later when you feel more ready. Define Boundaries Limiting yourself while sorting your stuff is important when going through a divorce. Keep things that make you happy or are useful, and toss those that bring you grief. You should decide what's important to you and stick with your choices. Use clear categories to make the decision-making easier and avoid second-guessing. Involve Professionals Divorce can be tough, especially if emotions are high. Whether you choose to work with a divorce attorney or a mediator, they can help arrange your divorce fairly. You can get assistance with asset division, legal rights explanations, and conflict reductions. Even therapy can provide emotional support if you ...

FreeUp Storage
January 31st, 2025

Out With the Old, in With the New: Planning for New Year’s Resolutions

New Year's Resolutions Ideas New year, new me! Well, at least that’s what many hope for. Of the millions who set New Year’s resolutions each year, only 9% of Americans follow through on their plans. As many as 43% even give up their goals by the end of January. Whether cleaning your home, beginning a fitness program, or prioritizing mental wellness, making a resolution and sticking to it can do wonders for leading a fulfilling lifestyle that pours back into you. FreeUp Storage has compiled a list of the most common New Year’s resolutions, in addition to concrete tips and tricks on how you can realistically develop habits and accomplish your set objectives. This New Year, take action to become the best version of yourself while prioritizing your well-being. Keeping a Clean Home When creating a baseline for the new year, the best place to begin is where you start and end your day: your home. Living in a messy space can heighten stress levels and make concentrating harder. It’s also linked to being less active. Starting the year in a clean and organized place can help improve your mood, energy, and overall well-being. A few steps for cleaning your home include: Plan a deep cleaning day. Choose a specific day to focus on a thorough clean-up of your home. Dedicate time slots for organizing, work on one room or area at a time, and divide tasks into smaller steps to keep it simple. You can also group your items by category for easy sorting. Donate what you no longer need. Sort through your belongings and decide what’s worth keeping. Old clothes, unused decor, and untouched gear can be donated or recycled to free up space for fresh memories. Remember to check your pantry and bathroom for items past their expiration date. Develop an organization system. Use bins, baskets, or carousels to arrange your belongings while improving your home’s look. Add shelves, wall hooks, or over-the-door organizers to maximize vertical space. Declutter ...

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December 20th, 2024

Preparing Your Items for Storage This Winter: Common Mistakes To Avoid

Storing your belongings through the winter can be problematic if you’re not mindful of how you’re treating your things. Without the proper care, items like clothing, furniture, and electronics can suffer significant damage as a result of cold temperatures, changes in conditions, and even pests. Taking the time to prepare your things for storage can make all the difference in keeping them in top condition until you need them again. This guide from the pros at FreeUp Storage will explain how you can invest in more storage space, including advice on how to prevent mold and more winter storage tips. 1. Starting Too Late One of the biggest storage mistakes people make is waiting until the last minute to act. Rushed packing leads to misplaced items, poorly packed boxes, and an overall lack of organization. By starting early, you can give yourself the time to sort through your items, clean them, and carefully pack them away. 2. Not Cleaning Your Stuff Another common mistake is neglecting to clean your belongings before they go into storage. Dirt, grime, and other residues left on belongings can worsen over time, especially when kept in storage during winter. Take the time to clean and air out everything you’re moving into your unit to ensure you exercise clean and dry storage habits. This will help keep your stuff in good condition until the next time you need to access it. 3. Not Knowing How To Prevent Mold Mold is one of the biggest threats to your stored items, especially in cold winter storage climates. If moisture is trapped in your storage containers, it can quickly lead to destructive mold growth, so learning how to prevent mold is essential. Always start by completely drying off your items, and consider placing moisture absorbers around your things to sustain a dry storage environment. 4. Overlooking Protective Covers Protective covers might seem like something you can do without, but they’re a crucial part of proper winter storage. Covers keep dust and dirt off your ...

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November 15th, 2024

How To Maximize Space in a Small Kitchen

Many homes revolve around the kitchen, where meals occur, memories form, and families spend time together. But only some have a big kitchen. If you have a small kitchen, finding enough storage and making it easy to use can be tricky. The good news is that simple small kitchen organization ideas and smart storage solutions make any space useful and stylish. At FreeUp Storage, we’ll provide helpful tips for organizing and working efficiently in a small kitchen. 1. Declutter To Create Space Before tackling kitchen storage solutions, decluttering small spaces is important. Small kitchens can easily become crowded, making them less functional and stressful. To get started, follow these steps: ● Purge what you don’t use. Begin by going through your cabinets and drawers, pulling out items you no longer use or need. Do you really need three pastel-colored spatulas or that unused Star Wars waffle maker? Donate or toss anything that hasn’t been used in the past year. ● Optimize your gadgets. While kitchen gadgets can be handy, they can also occupy valuable space. Instead of separate slicers and choppers, use multifunctional tools like a food processor that can handle multiple tasks. ● Limit countertop items. Countertop space is a precious commodity in small kitchens. Try to store appliances, like blenders or toasters, out of sight unless they’re used daily. 2. Maximize Cabinet Storage Vertical thinking can help you use your kitchen space more efficiently. Cabinets are great for storage, and you can make the most of every shelf with the right tricks. ● Install shelf risers. Using shelf risers can double the space in your cabinets. They help you stack things better, turning space above your items into additional storage. ● Use cabinet doors for storage. The backs of cabinet doors are often underutilized. Hang small racks or hooks to ...

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October 1st, 2024

Stress-Free Traveling: How Self Storage Simplifies Traveling Between Destinations

Whether you travel for work or are an avid vacation lover, anything that can be done to simplify the traveling process is a huge win. Loading up every nook and cranny of the car and exceeding the 50-pound checked luggage limit gets old fast. But with some help from self storage, your frequent trips to lake houses and out-of-state offices don’t have to be so burdensome. Explore how using storage units as convenient travel storage solutions can help you more easily navigate the distance between destinations. Benefits of Self Storage for Travelers Renting a self storage space at your travel destination may seem like an odd step to add to your itinerary, but for frequent visitors, your journeys can be greatly simplified at an affordable price. Read on for some of the key ways storing belongings between destinations can help you maintain peace of mind while avoiding lugging loads of luggage through the airport. Traveling Lighter With Self Storage Have you ever gone on a road trip where you can’t see out of the rearview mirror because bags block your view? Or have you incurred unexpected costs at baggage check due to your belongings weighing more than the allotted amount? If you are heading to a destination for a long period or are the sort of person who needs to travel with their whole closet, then having a dedicated space to keep excess belongings at your journey’s end will certainly spare you some stress. With a dedicated self storage unit, you can secure a dependable space to store coolers, lawn chairs, bedding, and whatever else you’d hate to haul to and from your home over and over. And if you’re a traveling professional who finds themselves in Dallas time and time again, creating a destination spot for business storage will help open up room in your workspace and back home. Self Storage for Belongings You Leave Behind While having belongings in order at your destination is a must, ...

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September 2nd, 2024

The Benefits of Self Storage During Renovations

The Benefits of Self Storage During Renovations The rush of beautifying a bedroom or color-coordinating your kitchen is exciting, but don’t forget about protecting your belongings during home renovations. You can cover your furniture with plastic, but there’s a better option that shields your couch from paint and creates more space: self storage. With self storage, you can put worries of construction dust or wood varnish stains on your favorite armchair to rest and create a clutter-free work space for yourself or contractors. Learn more about the benefits of renovation storage solutions with our team today! How Self Storage Supports Your Renovation Plan Self storage gives you more space to work in, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. If you have family members helping out or contractors bustling around, you need to create a safety zone where children, pets, or other vulnerable individuals aren’t allowed to enter. If you don’t have a designated safety zone–or zones–your renovation project could be put on hold for an emergency room visit. In 2020, researchers noted a spike in emergency room visits related to DIY home improvement projects, with more than 24,000 injuries requiring a hospital stay. With self storage, you can use the space your belongings take up to create a safety zone with clear exits and walking routes without cramming and potentially damaging furniture. Self Storage Can Ease Your Renovation Stress Renovations can be stressful, especially when it comes to keeping track of your belongings. Self storage offers peace of mind because it gives you peace of mind that your belongings are tucked away from dust, paint, and other potentially damaging aspects of a renovation. When you proactively remove your furniture, clothes, and other property from the workspace, you can focus on renovation tasks. Renovation Storage Solutions Are Accessible and Convenient Self storage facilities cater to convenience, offering flexible rental options and seamless access to your belongings. If you have a renovation project you’re breaking into phases, you can even store tools and supplies in your storage unit ...

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August 3rd, 2024

How To Store Your Tools and Equipment

Organization plays a fundamental role in ensuring operational efficiency, safety, and the longevity of valuable assets in maintenance and repair services. Proper tool storage practices are crucial for smooth operations, impacting seasoned professionals and beginners alike. Embrace organization and efficiency by prioritizing tool storage to maintain a seamless workflow. Importance of Storing Tools and Equipment A well-organized tool and equipment storage system goes beyond simple workspace tidiness. Organizing tools is essential for the following reasons: 1. Maximizing Workspace To optimize workspace efficiency, efficient storage of tools and equipment is essential. This approach facilitates more effortless movement within the workspace and enables quick access to necessary tools. Embracing effective storage practices leads to a well-preserved tool inventory and streamlined operations, ultimately cultivating a more productive workspace environment. 2. Preventing Damage Properly storing tools prevents damage and reduces repair and replacement requirements. By ensuring correct storage practices for tools and equipment, businesses can safeguard them from wear and tear and prolong their life span, minimizing the frequency of replacements. Investing in proper storage techniques ultimately leads to prolonged tool usability and cost savings for businesses. 3. Enhancing Safety Proper tool and equipment storage is essential in a work environment to prevent accidents. By storing tools in designated areas with secure placements and clear labels, businesses can mitigate potential hazards and enhance workplace safety. Effective storage practices play a key role in fostering a workplace safety culture and significantly reducing the likelihood of accidents. 4. Improving Efficiency Storing tools logically and within easy reach enhances task efficiency, saving time and effort. Beyond just streamlining workflow processes, well-organized storage systems minimize downtime typically spent searching for tools. Investing in effective storage practices ensures tools are easily accessible, promoting seamless operations and fostering a highly efficient work environment. Tool Storage Tips for Maintenance and Repair Workers Implementing efficient storage solutions is essential for maintenance and repair professionals who rely on their tools daily. The following storage tips will help you organize tools effectively, resulting in improved efficiency, safety, and overall workflow optimization: 1. Invest in Quality Toolboxes ...

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July 1st, 2024

Using Self Storage for Overflow Inventory and Expansion Plans

Self Storage

Expanding your business is easier said than done. For greener companies that aren’t yet Fortune 500s, you may lack the resources to lease a warehouse or custom-build a commercial space. While this may seem like a roadblock to growth, the solution is simple and likely right down the street from you. With over 52,000 storage facilities nationwide, self storage for businesses and inventory can be a handy resource when seeking support for expansion initiatives. But how can you benefit from the commercial storage solutions offered at these facilities? Read on as we dive into how business self storage can be a flexible, cost-effective solution for managing overflow inventory and accommodating growth for your business. Storage Shouldn’t Be Set in Stone It may seem odd at first to entrust an external company with storage for business equipment. Why not allocate your resources to acquire a warehouse instead? For starters, expanding business storage is just that—expanding. It can be difficult to project just how much your company will grow and how much more storage capacity you will need down the road. While whatever facility you custom build may seem huge initially, outgrowing it before you have the resources to find more room would be a costly mistake. Not only are self storage facilities affordable, but they are notoriously non-committal. Many self storage companies rent their units on a month-to-month basis so their clients aren’t tied down to lengthy leases if they need to move or gain additional space. The national average monthly cost for storage unit rentals is around $185, which includes units of all sizes and climate-controlled storage. Because you’d only be paying for the space you need, your growing business can dodge having to worry about any long-term costs that come with property management, maintenance, and taxes. An Airtight Spot for Overflow Inventory When it comes to overflow inventory storage, you want something that will ebb with the industry's tides. It is essential to your growing business that your expanding capacity meets demand, and ...

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June 1st, 2024