Spring Cleaning and Storage

That time of year has arrived when the days get longer, and it becomes easier to do something about the carpet stains, dust and stale air that have built up during the last few weeks and, perhaps, months. Finally, you can throw open all of the windows and let in the fresh air without freezing. Now, get ready to revitalize your home with a good spring cleaning.
Whether you conduct a full-house cleaning once a year or once a month, you may want to consider renting a self storage unit to get things out of the way during the process. In addition, cleaning and organizing easily can turn into redecorating. Self storage facilities are great places to store items for the long-term that do not fit into your updated home design scheme but that you are not ready to toss, sell or donate.

Spring Cleaning Tips

1. To keep track of what you have already accomplished, clean from the top down, dusting and washing ceiling fans, light fixtures and corners first. Then wipe and wash walls, windows, counters, furniture and floors.
2. A similar philosophy works with windows. Try cleaning the inside from left to right and the outside from the top down. This will make it easier to tell which side has streaks, if either.
3. Replace smoke detector batteries, test the smoke detectors and give them a good wipe down.
4. Clear counters and shelves and wash them thoroughly. Wash knick-knacks and dust books. If you have accumulated stacks of papers or bills, now is a good time to file the important documents in your self storage unit. Recycle junk mail, outdated magazines and used envelopes. Shred old bills and other papers that contain personal information.
5. Pull out appliances and wash the sides and floor. Clean normally hidden spills and wipe the walls.
6. If you plan to paint or thoroughly shampoo the carpets, consider moving your furniture into a self storage unit. Many companies will rent units for as little as a day. Mobile storage companies will even bring a storage unit to your house and remove it when you are done with it.
7. When cleaning mattresses and other furniture, consider laying down a tarp and leaving the bedding and upholstery outside on the driveway for a few hours. Some strong sunlight and ultraviolet radiation can help eradicate microscopic creatures that are trying to take up residence there. A thorough steam cleaning may leave your furniture feeling and smelling fresh, also.
8. Sort through seasonal clothes. Wash or dry clean them, and sew on buttons or stitch up minor tears. A wardrobe box with a hanging rod will help keep clothes looking good and can easily be placed into your storage unit. Remember to look critically at your garments. Get rid of overly worn garments and things you never wear.
9. As you clean the nooks and crannies, you may find leaky faucets, broken door handles or cracked tiles. Take time to make these repairs now to prevent them from becoming more serious or costly problems later. Get seldom used tools out of the way when you are done with the repairs by placing them in your self storage unit.
10. Remember the small stuff. Sweep the corners where you vacuum does not reach, wash down air vents, clean the dirt from the tracks in your windows and patio doors, and wipe crown molding and window frames.
11. Don’t forget the outside of the house. Use a power sprayer to remove grime, empty wasps’ nests and spider webs from exterior walls and windows. Spray down the garage floor while you are at it to rid the space of fluid leaks and road salt or sand that can easily be tracked inside and stain your carpet.
12. Remove lawn furniture from your basement, garage or self storage unit. Clean it. A good spraying with the hose will usually do the trick. Replace the furniture with snow blowers, snow shovels and winter toys like sleds and snowboards. These bulky items can get in the way when stored at home. As these seasonal items don’t need to be removed often, you may find that when you tuck them away in a self storage unit you have taken a very practical step toward keeping your home free of clutter.
13. Trim bushes, aerate the lawn, lay down fresh mulch, maybe even plant a few flowers. Garden tools can be bundled together and placed in trash barrels in your self storage unit when they are not needed.

Spring cleaning may be a lot of work, but the payoff is a brighter, safer home. That can give you a new perspective and prepare you to meet life’s other challenges.
To find self storage facilities for your bulky out-of-season gear, tools, and other odds and ends or to protect your goods for a few days while the house is in upheaval, use www.Plantationstorage.com or www.StorageFront.com

Stor Smart Insurance - Make sure you are covered

All of the Plantation Storage stores that are owned by Southeast Management offer storsmart insurance.  If you are covered, thank you for taking advantage of the insurance and rest easy knowing you are covered.  If you have not purchased an insurance policy please think about adding one today.  For as little as $8/month, you could have a policy covering $2,000 worth of your valuables.  Our facilities do not offer any coverage outside of these policies if one of our facilities is hit by any natural disaster or even a man-made disaster.

Call your local Plantation Storage ASAP to add insurance coverage to your rental!

Blufton - 843-815-8000
Columbia Hardscrabble - 803-865-8535
Columbia Sparkleberry - 803-699-6600
Myrtle Beach - 843-903-7100

STORSMART INSURANCE

At storsmart insurance, they are committed to providing you with

an easy contents insurance solution with great coverage and

affordable prices for your valuables.

They cover loss to your valuables caused by the following:

Note this is only a partial list of their coverages. Please consult
our Certificate of Insurance for additional coverages and details.

Martin Luther King Day

Looking for a Way to Celebrate the

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday in Columbia?

There are several special activities planned to celebrate the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday this year.  The University of South Carolina is kicking things off in the days prior to the holiday with a legal symposium, slated to take place at the university’s law auditorium, beginning at 7:00pm on Thursday, January 17^th.  That event will be followed on Friday, January 18^th, by a 7:30am celebratory breakfast and awards ceremony at Williams Brice Stadium, at which Governor Nikki Haley is scheduled to speak.  The annual MLK Gospel Fest—featuring musical groups such as:  The USC Gospel Choir, The Latta R. Thomas Singers of Second Calvary Baptist Church, The Bethel AME Church Choir, and The Word of God Church Choir & Men of Praise—will take place at the Koger Center at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 20th. 

On the actual King holiday, events begin at 8:30am with a special prayer service and inspirational salute to Dr. King at the historic Zion Baptist Church in downtown Columbia.  Next, attendees will be invited to join the SCNAACP’s 13th annual King Day at the Dome march from the church to the South Carolina State House, where march organizers are expected to once again call for the removal of the Confederate Battle Flag from the State House grounds and press for the expansion of racial equity throughout the state.  According to the SCNAACP, this year’s rally will have a mental health focus, in response to the growing number of instances of gun violence that have taken place around our country in recent months.

            In keeping with Dr. King’s vision of different people coming together in peace, to help and support one another, this year’s celebratory events will conclude with a day to service.  The King Days of Service project, spearheaded by the United Way of the Midlands and the University of South Carolina, will take place throughout the coming days.  Several different service projects are slated for completion across the city during this time.  To register as a volunteer or learn more about service opportunities in your area, visit www.uway.org or call 803-758-6987.  For more information about The University of South Carolina’s Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration, feel free to call Carl Wells (803-777-3854) or send him an email  (wellscr@mailbox.sc.edu).

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