The use of self-storage facilities in the shipping industry has grown drastically over the past few years in the UK, as space becomes more of an issue and consumers want to store and transport more goods, and hence the demand for self-storage containers has also increased.

At these sites, which offer self-storage facilities, customers are allowed to house their precious goods in a safe and secured manner for as long as they want and the facilities are usually hired by the container-load. Convenience is an important aspect in utilising self-storage facilities. It should not be too far away so you or your business representative can get to your self storage container whenever you like. The terms that govern self-storage should be flexible. It is desirable that short and long term contracts are available at these sites.

Access should be available round the clock - 24 hours a day, and seven days a week – or at least, whenever you want by prior arrangement. It should be suitable for both large as well as small vehicles. The premises need to be hard standing and securely guarded with devices like CCTV. Enhanced security measures in form of the gate controlled by unique code access that allows you full flexibility is also desirable. Convenience and safety of operations are the two critical factors in the choice of self-storage facilities.  Be sure that the self storage container you use is secure and safe.

Sadly, the English summer time is fast approaching it’s conclusion – even though many of us are wondering if we have even had a summer as yet!

With this, is a transitional period which makes the journey from summer ultimately into winter a much smoother affair. The short sleeve shirts and shorts start to make way for the jumpers and the raincoats as the focus descends on to Christmas which comes all too quickly.

As a result, many of the local cricket teams are forced into placing the stumps and equipment away until the spring where they will be dusted off ready for the start of a new season.

With this in mind, the equipment needs to be safely stored and placed in a manner which will keep them in pristine condition over the winter months. Storage containers therefore provide the ideal way in which you can store your equipment in a safe manner and one which will guarantee that you are ready for action at the start of next season.

It is normal that two keys will be cut for the structure – one to be held by the captain, and the other for a responsible member of the team who will not lose it over the summer months!

Think carefully about your winter storage requirements and do not hesitate to ask us any questions which you may have.

We have previously highlighted many of the roles which storage containers can play in today’s society. As part of this we have looked into the benefit these can have on a local community both financially and also in terms of the added opportunities which they provide.

However, depending on the function of the container, we would advise that in certain circumstances extra special care is taken.

The case in point refers to a little boy in a Manchester nursery who was locked in a container which was being used as a toy store. Benjamin Sangi became locked in the container for several hours before anxious parents and staff members found him.

When employing storage containers to benefit young children, particularly within a nursery or school setting, then it is imperative that you make certain that nobody is still inside the structure when you come to lock it. Due to the properties of the structure small containers make struggle to make the required amount of noise to indicate that they are still in it, and therefore you should conduct a thorough check that it is empty before leaving.

A little common sense in using the containers will mean that these continue to play a safe and valued role within every setting possible.

We all seem to spend most of our time working in one capacity or another ,and as a result many companies are encouraging what is called a work-life balance.

This can embody anything from flexible working hours, to a programme of events and programmes which help you to switch off from the pressures of work and take some well deserved rest.

One popular way of doing this is to go for a night out at the theatre – and this country is blessed with a large number of both local and national groups who regularly perform eclectic and interesting plays.

However, one thing which many local organisations are short of is space – maybe not performing space , but certainly storage space.

This is where effective use of storage containers can help your local community in a pertinent and worthwhile way. Many groups of actors rely on people’s garage space or lofts to store costumes and props, and when the shows are over, far too much is confined to the scrap heap when with a little thought, these could be preserved for generations to come.

If this sounds like a problem which you are experiencing then do not hesitate to contact us with your exact requirements and safeguard your items forever.

Storage containers, as we have already seen, can be used in a variety of diffent ways, and give added financial potential to many clubs and events.

For a relatively small fee, the amount of income which could be generated from one of these structures, if employed in the correct way, is amazing. Many groups and organisations have already experienced the benefit of this and much of the time this has had a significant effect on their long term dreams and aspirations.

At this time of year it is common that summer fetes and barbeques are occuring up and down the country. For many places, particularly close knit villages, this provides the focal point of the year, when many of the inhabitants join together in a communal event which everybody can enjoy regardless of age.

In this regard, storage containers can help the event become an even bigger success. These can be employed as a cafe area or a games room for example which can help generate a substantial amount of profit to aid the whole event.

In a way the only thing which will constrain the functionality of the structures themselves is your own creative imagination. So whether it be cream teas or playstation competitions, let your imagination come to reality with a storage container unit.

We have previously documented the fact that storage containers are incredibly versatile structures and as a result they are employed in an eclectic range of different ways. If you take a trip around your local town centre and make a conscious effort to notice all the storage containers which you come across, then you will be astounded by the sheer number which you see.

One common way in which storage containers are employed is within the sports industry. Here, containers can be used as a clubhouse, a club shop or even dressing rooms. This is particularly popular at ambitious non league football teams who are able to provide facilities which are above that experienced at other teams in their league.

The advantage of this of course is the fact that for a relatively small expense, the club will be able to utilise the structures in a way which they will generate a vast profit from their investment.

This is very something which is important to look in to if your team aspires for future development as the potential return on the investment will be well worth the spend, as well as enhancing the matchday experience for players and fans alike.

Storage containers are predominatly used within business and in particular the merchant shipping industry where they are employed in an abundance. However they can prove to be an ideal resolution to your own self storage needs.

We all have a vast amount of belongings which we dont really know what to do with, but just cant bear to see them been thrown away. This can range from mementos from throughout your life to items which reflect your own hobbies and interest which take up an excessive amount of space within your house.

Self storage units as well as storage containers can provide to be a cost effective method of solving your domestic requirements in a safe manner.

Obviously you will need to think carefully about many of the issues which we have raised within other articles, however the main question will be the location of the structure. You may think that you do not really have anywhere to place the structure, however with a little thought and creativity you can successfully resolve this problem.

If you have an excessive amount of belongings which you really dont have the room for within your house, then you should think very carefully about moving these into a structure which will provide you with safe and reliable storage, not to mention a great deal of free space at home.

As always, should you have any questions or queries, then please do not hesitate to contact us.

One question which we are frequently asked here at Boxtainer, is whether or not storage containers are liable to experience problems with condensation. This is particularly relevant within the closing months of the year where the general levels of this are higher.

The short answer to this is no, the storage containers which we provide should not have major problems with condensation. You do have to remember though that the vast majority of items which you will store within the container will embody some level of water. As a result, on a particularly warm day, this water is going to become heated and evaporate as a gas. Once the external temperature falls again, then this gas is going to condense around the edges of the structure. It is the degree of this which can potentially cause a problem, depending on the goods which you have stored.

Please do ask us about your exact requirements and we can advise the best way to minimise the threat of condensation. Within some storage containers for example, moisture traps can be implemented. These last for approximately three months and represent non toxic devices which can be recycled.

Further to this, should your situation require it, the ceiling can be covered with Grafo coating. This absorbs the majority of water vapour and therefore represents a  more long term solution to condensation issues.

It is a sad fact of reality that in today’s world pretty much all of our belongings need to be insured. You can literally insure pretty much everything, and for some people this even includes body parts!

In terms of storage containers and portable storage then this is very important to consider, as you could potentially be leaving a lot of high value items within these structures, and require some additional piece of mind.

Whether this be as part of your business, or self storage facilities, insurance is certainly an area which you should seriously look into. This is also an area which we can help advise you on when you inform us of your exact specifications. However you do want to check your existing insurance policies and what they cover.

There are so many different insurance policies out there and it is imperative when considering how to properly insure your goods, that you are aware of exactly what your existing policies offer. This may mean that you read over your household contents insurance policy or your business insurances as you may find that you are already covered.

One question which we are often asked surrounds the security of storage containers. Obviously if you are going to be storing an amount of stock or products within the container, then you need to know that the structure is secure and the chances of theft are minimal.

This is one area which you need to clarify with us when you make your purchase as we can advise several different ways which will put your mind at rest with regard to this. However the first thing which we would suggest is to think carefully about where you place the container. Some locations will hold a greater risk than others and it is important that you consider this as soon as possible.

Secondly, you need to check what levels of security are already present as part of the container. For example, the facility to lock the structure using a padlock is fairly standard and it is important that this is one of the things you make sure of at the very least. Should you require further security, then it is a good idea to employ a steel lock box to the doors of the structure. This will make sure that the lock cannot be tampered with and that your storage is fully secure.

Finally, check where the nearest CCTV camera is and make sure that you place the required documentation of this on the structure.

Once the above has been satisfied then you can rest assured that your container and the contents of it are safe and you can relax safe in the knowledge of this.