When your neighborhood is unkempt, it can be tough to be prideful of where you live. From litter on the streets to excessive yard clutter, a messy town can leave you feeling defeated. But what if you could take the revitalization of your neighborhood into your own hands? Thankfully, you can make a difference in how your neighborhood looks, acts and reacts to the things around it. If you want to transform your neighborhood, Safeguard Self Storage Garfield, NJ, has five ways to make it happen.

5 Ways to Revitalize Your Neighborhood

Clean up the litter.

Litter hurts everyone and everything—especially the planet. It's an eyesore and not only damages the landscape but paints a negative picture for those visiting the area. Do your part by cleaning up the litter and keeping your neighborhood clean and beautiful.

Start a neighborhood watch.

Want to help with crime prevention? Get your neighbors together to form a watch group. With more eyes on what's going on, you'll deter criminal activity in your neighborhood.

Take time to meet your neighbors.

Not enough neighbors take the time to meet up and introduce each other. Taking the time to greet your neighbors not only creates a union with those around you but also makes the community stronger and more capable of dealing with misunderstandings as they occur.

Be active in neighborhood associations.

You can sit in your home doing nothing on a Wednesday night—or, you can take part in a community organization. If you take the time to be part of your neighborhood's function, you can make a greater difference and help the community grow and flourish.

Keep yard clutter to a minimum.

Keeping the community clean starts by reducing the clutter in your own yard. If you have old tires propped up against your house or toys thrown about the side yard, clean it up. You can even put old clutter in a storage unit for safekeeping if you don't want to throw it out. Transform your yard into what you hope your community can be, and everyone else may follow suit.

How Self Storage Can Help

Transforming your neighborhood for the better not only helps with the overall aesthetic but also crime prevention. Our team at Safeguard Self Storage wants to help make Garfield, NJ, clean with affordable, secure self storage units that keep clutter stored away. Whether you're keeping your yard or neighborhood park clean and clear, we can work together to make a positive impact on the entire city.

You daydream about power walks across Ben Franklin Bridge and speed biking along Cobbs Creek. You imagine sunny yoga sessions under blue skies on the Schuylkill Banks.

Once the weather warms up, you can exercise outdoors and stash excess equipment in self storage. Our Philadelphia, PA winters don't last forever, so start planning now for packing up the home gym and taking your workouts outside.

Prep and Store Like a Pro

Break out the microfiber cloth, give everything a good cleaning, and size up how much storage space you'll need. Check out square footage options online to determine which storage units are the best fit for your fitness gear. Use these six power tips to prep and store workout equipment like a pro.

Follow Your Treadmill Manual

Reference your owner's manual for details on cleaning the treadmill motor and lubricating parts. Keep it covered in storage, and resist the temptation to stack boxes on its walking belt.

Detail Your Stationary Bike

A little detailing keeps stationary bike parts stable in self storage. Apply spray lubricant to the chain, handlebars, seat posts, pop-pins, and pivots. Don't forget the flywheel where it makes contact with brake pads.

Clean Weights Carefully

Clean metal weights with warm water and dish soap. Polish chrome surfaces with WD-40, and let everything thoroughly dry. Climate-controlled storage is always best for metal weights.

Balance Heavy Kettlebells

Their heavy weight and round shape can make kettlebells unstable in storage. Keep them safely balanced on racks and trees designed specifically for this type of strength-training gear.

Stabilize Balance Balls

Climate-controlled storage units protect balance balls from temperature fluctuations and high humidity. Keep them stable by nesting them in piles of old sheets away from other items with sharp edges or corners.

Round Up the Small Stuff

Ab wheels, pull-up bars, jump ropes, and resistance bands don't take up much room, but why leave them underfoot? You're finally recovering floor space, so round up the small stuff and stash it in storage. Use freestanding hat racks to organize ropes and bands.

We're Here Regardless of the Season

While you wait for warm weather, keep on working out and daydreaming. You'll get to move your gear and reclaim your home turf before you know it. We're here to make it happen with seven locations and the best storage units in Philadelphia, PA. Regardless of the season, you can always count on us here at Safeguard Self Storage. Reserve a unit online today!

A facility just down the road doesn’t automatically make it the best choice. A cheap leasing agreement doesn't guarantee value for your money. Location and cost are big factors when you're looking for storage units in Miami, FL, but you also want something that fits your individual needs. Let us help with this guide to choosing the ideal storage facility.

Factor in Your Location

Here in the Miami metropolitan area, we take care of you with nine Safeguard Self Storage locations, and we're adding to your options with brand new facilities in Allapattah and Miami Shores. How do you choose the best storage site for you? Consider these factors:

• Business storage works best between home and the office, making it accessible from either place.
• If you're in sales, multiple units along regular routes save valuable time.
• For residential storage, store for the shortest trips necessary.
• Sharing a unit with friends or another business is easier with a central location.

Figure Out Preferred Features

The best storage facilities offer a wide range of features and unit sizes. Take into account what you want to store, when you want to store it, and what kind of access you expect.

• Climate-controlled storage units work very well for business inventory.
• Drive-up units make it easier to store big items like lawn equipment and furniture.
• Many storage facilities allow extended access hours to units, backed up by advanced security systems.

Expect the Best Customer Service

You have many choices in self storage facilities, so expect the best customer service from on-site teams. When management shows a sincere interest in taking care of your storage needs, you know you're working with industry professionals.

• The best storage pros answer your questions and don't mind explaining details.
• Count on expert advice about specific unit types and sizes for your budget.
• On-site teams make sure the facility stays clean from front offices to the back lot.
• Management always answers phone calls and email with a quick response.

We recommend exploring your options online first. Narrow down your choices, visit several locations, and take a look at different units. You want a storage facility that's just right for you, and you deserve the best.

We're Always Ready to Help

We're proud of our reputation as a national storage company that seeks a local feel at all of its facilities. You're invited to drop by and meet our hardworking teams all across Miami, FL. Be sure to check out our new Allapattah and Miami Shores locations too. Here at Safeguard Self Storage, we're always at your service, and we're always ready to help.

When you think of Baton Rouge storage units, a ghost encounter may not be the first thing that pops into your head, but that may be because you haven’t heard about the Guaranty Income Life and Broadcasting Building. Located on Government Street, this building once housed the Baton Rouge General Hospital, and the bottom floor was the site of the hospital morgue. Now an office complex, the bottom floor is used for business storage. The facility is known for its chilling paranormal activities and is considered one of the most haunted places in Baton Rouge.

No Climate Control Here

When the hospital was renovated into an office building, the old morgue freezer was transformed into a file storage facility, and the rest of the bottom floor now houses a few office spaces and a cafeteria. Even though the freezer is no longer in existence, security guards have reported nighttime temperature drops on the bottom floor only. It is widely believed among paranormal investigators that this “cold spot” phenomenon is an indication of ghostly activity. Adding fuel to the supernatural fire is the fact that bizarre sounds can often be heard coming from this area, and the elevators have been known to operate on their own after building occupants have left for the day. Because of these frightening occurrences, security guards rarely visit this floor. 

Baton Rouge Self Storage

While you may want to visit this haunted storage facility for a little spooky fun this Halloween season, when it comes to your own storage needs, you’ll likely want to keep the goose bumps to a minimum. For a decidedly less spine-tingling Baton Rouge storage facility, consider Safeguard Self Storage. Instead of giving you chills, we offer air conditioned and heated storage units, computer controlled access, individual storage unit door alarms, digital video recording, convenient access hours, moving and packing supplies and a helpful staff dedicated to meeting all of your storage needs.  Contact us today to learn why Safeguard Self Storage is the premier Baton Rouge self storage company. Don’t Just Store It. Safeguard It!

Safeguard Self Storage expanded its presence in the New York metropolitan self-storage market again with the opening of its newest location, a 57,000 net rentable square foot addition to its existing facility on Bronx Boulevard in Bronx, New York about four miles northeast of Manhattan. Safeguard opened its 63rd store nationwide and its 23^rd store in the New York metropolitan market today.

Safeguard Bronx II Self-Storage

Safeguard Self Storage, a provider of premium self-storage solutions, opened its twenty-third operating location in the New York metropolitan self-storage market. This facility, conveniently located at 4323-4327 Bronx Boulevard in the Bronx will continue to help provide this community's growing demand for high-quality storage units and self-storage space.

Safeguard has a deeply established presence in the New York market, now with 23 open locations. Less than three months ago, Safeguard Self Storage opened its 21^st operating location on Utica Avenue in Brooklyn, New York and acquired its 22^nd location in Thornwood, New York (about 20 miles further north) a month later.  As is typical of Safeguard's 63 stores nationwide, the Bronx II self-storage facility is designed with security, convenience and customer service in mind. Amenities at this location include: heated and air conditioned space, a convenient drive-up loading area, computer-controlled access to the building and digital\video recording of the property.

"Safeguard's strong development ability enabled the company to acquire the land and design and build this exceptional 57,000 square foot facility in a densely populated area to help serve this market.  This new store complements the company's development and acquisition of new locations.  The company owns four other properties in development, two of which are in New York and one of which is also in the Bronx and two of which are in South Florida.", reported Allan Sweet, Chief Executive Officer of Safeguard Self Storage. 

"This new store expands the company’s presence and adds to the critical mass that the company has developed around the Safeguard brand in the New York metropolitan area", said Mark B. Rinder, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. 

"The Bronx Boulevard location, like all of our New York facilities, is designed to provide an exceptional customer experience and is tried and true for the company.  Safeguard built the Bronx I store on the same street, nearly immediately adjacent to this new store and opened it in 2005.  Thus, we know this market well.  With this new store open, we continue to move full speed ahead on the company’s West Farms location in the Bronx and expect to open that store next year” said James Goonan, Senior Vice President of Development who has been leading the development activities of Safeguard portfolio for 13 years. 

Ken Finlay, Senior Vice President of Operations added, "Its convenient location (immediately off the exit ramp from the Bronx River Parkway), the plethora of amenities and the company’s dedication to providing outstanding customer service, makes renting with Safeguard the best storage option in the Bronx and the surrounding area.  What makes Safeguard unique is the relationship that we develop with our customers--they are very important to us.   We look forward to continuing to serve the residents and business people of the Bronx that we’ve gotten to know over the past eight years. It's a great community and we're proud to be part of it."

Bronx II, NY Location: 
Safeguard opened the Bronx II, NY self-storage location on August 14th, 2013. This facility has 893 storage units in 57,000 leasable square feet with a variety of unit sizes currently available. The Bronx II store team is led by the same team which Walter Mejia, Facility Manager and Denise Hardy, Assistant Manager, and Andrea Wallace, Assistant Manager.

Mark B. Rinder - Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Safeguard Self Storage | Atlanta

What can I put in self storage?

This is a common question which should be explored thoroughly prior to moving items into a self storage unit. Self storage units provide a temporary home for the items of individuals who are experiencing this thing we affectionately call “life”. Find a self storage location with plenty of amenities so you will enjoy peace of mind during the time your items are in storage. But before you let your imagination get away from you, there are some definite dos and don’ts to self storage. 

The Dos:

When deciding to store, understanding the way in which you will access the unit is very important. If you plan on making frequent trips, you should double-check your facility’s hours. Safeguard Self Storage offers 7 day-a-week access hours to your storage units. Most locations offer extended hours and some offer access 24 hours a day to business customers.

Make sure adequate airflow reaches delicate fabrics and that fragile items are spaced out accordingly. Stuffing your storage unit to the brim just to save a few coins could cost you more in damage to your storage items. If in doubt go a bit bigger when selecting storage sizes. A larger unit will also allow easier access to your items saving you time and effort during each trip to the storage unit.

Some items do not do well with fluctuating temperatures and moisture. Be sure to choose air conditioned and heated units or indoor storage where temperatures are regulated when storing sensitive items. Safeguard Self Storagespecializes in indoor 

storage but also offers outside accessible units at some locations based on our customer’s needs.

What are some good items that belong in self storage?

Any item that is not perishable, explosive, corrosive, flammable or harmful make for great storage items, but the list doesn’t stop there.

The Don’t’s: 

Weapons are widely prohibited in self storage for reasons of security and safety. Ammunition and/or explosive materials could go off inside the self storage unit. Other hazardous materials such as gas tanks, corrosive liquids or harmful chemicals are not appropriate for self storage. The rules and regulations that prohibit the storage of harmful items are for your safety, the safety of your items and the safety of all other persons and items at the storage location. 

Although some storage facilities offer state of the art security, it is not advised to store extremely valuable items such as delicate family heirlooms, expensive jewelry or irreplaceable photos.

What are some items that don’t belong in self storage?

Weapons, explosives, gas tanks, corrosive liquids, harmful chemicals, expensive jewelry, family heirlooms and irreplaceable photos do not belong in self storage for safety purposes.

At Safeguard Self Storage we have been taking care of our customers storage needs since 1989. Now, with over 60 storage locations across the United States, Safeguard is a leader in the storage industry. When you store with Safeguard, you not only get clean, secure storage solutions—you get over 20 years of storage expertise! Those years of experience mean that you can trust your belongings with Safeguard. Our amenity-packed facilities, competitive pricing, on-site packing supplies, and professional staff make storing with Safeguard easy. Plus, our commitment to our customers’ complete satisfaction is at the heart of everything we do. For more storage information visit one of our stores or call us at 1-877-779-6900 today.

Good news for all of you who need storage units in Thornwood, New York!

* * *

Safeguard Self Storage, a provider of premium self-storage solutions, recently acquired its twenty-second operating location in the New York metropolitan self-storage market. This facility, conveniently located at 950 Broadway in Thornwood Village will continue to help provide this community's growing demand for high-quality storage units and self-storage space.

Safeguard has a deeply established presence in the New York market, now with 22 open locations. Less than three weeks ago, Safeguard Self Storage opened its 21st operating location on Utica Avenue in Brooklyn, New York and will open its 23rd location on Bronx Boulevard late next month. As is typical of Safeguard's 62 stores nationwide, the Thornwood self-storage facility is designed with security, convenience and customer service in mind. Amenities at this location include: heated and air conditioned space, a convenient drive-up loading area, computer-controlled access to the building and digital\video recording of the property.

"Because of Safeguard's strong capital position, we were able to complete the acquisition in just 47 days from execution of the contract to closing. This new store complements the company's aggressive development of new locations from new construction – the company owns five other properties, three of which are in New York and two of which are in South Florida in various stages of development.", reported Allen Sweet, Chief Executive Officer of Safeguard Self Storage. "This second acquisition of a single operating store (the first being the company’s acquisition of the McCook, Illinois store about 18 months ago) has solidified the Safeguard management team’s skills required to complete larger acquisitions. It is clear to me that this team is now poised to be able to conduct multiple store acquisitions simultaneously", said Mark B. Rinder, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

"The Thornwood location, like all of our New York facilities, is designed to provide an exceptional customer experience. The high quality of this store, matching Safeguard's superior portfolio, made completion of the acquisition easier than expected," said Michael Frosaker, Senior Vice President of Asset Management who, together with James Goonan, Senior Vice President of Development, led the effort to acquire this store for the Safeguard portfolio.

"This new facility complements our product offering there and provides Safeguard Self Storage with deepening critical mass in this market," explained Goonan.

Ken Finlay, Senior Vice President of Operations added, "Its convenient location (right in the center of the town), the plethora of amenities and the company’s dedication to providing outstanding customer service, makes renting with Safeguard the best storage option in Thornwood and the surrounding area. What makes Safeguard unique is the relationship that we develop with our customers--they are very important to us. We look forward to getting to know and serve the residents and business people of Thornwood. It's a great community and we're proud to be part of it."

Thornwood, NY Self Storage in brief:

• Safeguard acquired the Thornwood, NY self-storage location on June 10th, 2013.
• This facility has 358 storage units in 32,760 leasable square feet with a variety of unit sizes currently available.
• The Thornwood store team is led by Georgi Turer, Facility Manager and Daniel Dorado, Assistant Manager (transferring from the Elmsford, NY store effective today).

Visit us today!

950 Broadway
Thornwood, NY 10594
Phone: 914-295-2124
Fax: 914-769-6970