Monthly Archives: July 2012

Dorm Organization 101

  My nephew is heading off to college in a few weeks and he asked me if I could give him some ideas of what he will need in his dorm room. I was flattered that he thought I was so young that I would remember college dorm life so well. Not so much, he tells me. His mom told him that I research organization as part of my job, so maybe I could do it for him. Nice. I am a great aunt, if I do say so myself, and I think that a lot of us know someone who is in a similar situation… or will … [More]

District Managers Drive Hybrid Cars Where They Count Most

  Rural areas are great for many things, like large backyards graced with hammocks and armadillos crossing the road, but I don’t think they’re the best places for hybrid vehicles to have the most impact. While driving a hybrid in a rural or suburban area helps somewhat with gas savings, the car may still create nearly the same amount of pollution as a completely gas-powered car. That’s because generally when hybrid cars are driven at speeds exceeding 40 miles per hour, the internal combustion engine, not the electric motor, typically takes over.   We all know how gasoline-powered engines create carbon emissions, right? Yet, in major metro areas, where … [More]

Winning Pinnings Two: Chemical-Free Cleaning

  We interrupt our regular blog post programming to bring you more Pinterest. Are you on it yet? Have you seen our Pinterest page? This month, I’ve been favoring the Chemical-Free Cleaning boards from our Extra Space Storage page. I am a little late on the Spring Cleaning this year, but something about chemicals in my cleaning products in the hot summer feels extremely suffocating. I know there are a lot of ways to keep a clean home, but now I have some of these ideas collected in one place.   Citrus     Apparently, the reason so many store-bought cleaners smell like citrus is because the oil … [More]

Tankless Water Heaters: Conversation Killer but Energy Saver

  Some of you may remember the awkward moment on Ashley’s Hebert’s season of The Bachelorette when contestant Ryan Park talked about tankless water heaters on what turned out to be his final date with Ashley. Though that topic of conversation seemed to be the nail in the coffin, he did bring up some good points. (Go to minute 6:20 to watch the drama unfold)   A traditional gas-fired storage-tank water heater uses natural gas to heat water. As the water temperature drops, the system kicks on the heat to bring it back up to the appropriate level. This is an ongoing process – always happening whether you … [More]

Drowning in Paper–Digital Organization

  You know what drives me crazy? Old receipts. They are in my desk drawers, in my wallet, on my kitchen counter, on my dresser, in my pockets, coming out of my ears. Well, it feels like they are coming out of my ears sometimes. Do I throw them away? Should I file them? Save them for returns or warranties? Track my spending more thoroughly? It’s not just receipts. It’s also bills, paystubs, contracts, notices, reminders, all types of documents and paper. I will amend my earlier sentiment. What really drives me crazy is PAPER! Here we are living in this incredible digital age and yet I feel … [More]

Make a Desktop Tech Protector for Keeping Cats Away

  In a perfect world, cats wouldn’t be attracted to inappropriate surfaces like the tops of routers or desktop computers, but here we are, and I have a project to help. I’m calling this project a tech protector, but in reality it’s more like a cat scatter! In case you’re living in a feline-free household, let me explain. Cats adore warm areas off the ground. That makes desktop computers, external drives and routers prime targets for cat lounging. And it makes life difficult for cat lovers who happen to admire their tech gadgets too. Just read this hilarious post on Reddit about a guy who received a decoy … [More]

Brightening up Storage with Solar Muscle

  You might have heard that Extra Space Storage is going green. So, I’m trying not to hit you over the head with a big green bat, but I’m excited to tell you more about our progress with solar power. As the second-largest self-storage company in the U.S. with facilities in 34 states, we take our commitment to sustainable energy seriously, as you’ve probably figured out.   See the Power in our Infographic Last year, we created a solar power infographic to help shareholders, customers and all interested eyes visualize our journey down the bright solar path. You can take a look at it here. Since we created … [More]

Blog Finds for Living a More Organized Life

  Albert Einstein once said, “To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle, requires creative imagination and marks real advance in science.”   To which I conclude that bloggers are advancing science every day. Seriously, have you seen some of the creative new angles that people share on their blogs? Amazing, I tell you. When it comes to regarding old organization problems from a new angle, there are some great ideas floating around the ol’ blogosphere.   Here are some of my recent favorite finds on living an organized life.   Cabinets! There are so many ways to maximize your cabinet space … [More]

How Storage Auctions Work

“Oh. You work at a Self Storage company? You must see a lot of crazy auctions, right?”   Over the past few years, there have been some very interesting and entertaining shows on cable centered around self storage auctions. I admit that I have seen them and there are a few characters/buyers that I cheer for more than others. Of course, my work is more aimed at helping people store their extra items, not having other people bid on them.   But sometimes, it happens. Some storage units remain past due or have been abandoned and in accordance with state self-storage lien laws, we need to clear them … [More]

Digging Ourselves Out from More Trash Than Ever

  Let’s talk trash. Err, that’s municipal solid waste, but I prefer simply calling it trash. Have you wondered about the trash generation rates of today compared to the last 30 years? How about the recycling rates?   I can’t tell you about the trash of 2012, or even 2011, but the EPA has examined the trash generation and recycling rates of Americans for 2010.  And guess what? Americans are recycling more now than ever, but we’re also generating more trash to be recycled!   Here’s the breakdown for trash generated and percentage recycled: In 1980, Americans generated 151.6 million tons of trash, and recycled and composted just … [More]