The Lock Up Self Storage

April Showers Bring Wet Basements – Let The Lock Up Help You

The Lock Up Self Storage Customer Care Team — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 20:02:26 +0000

April showers bring May flowers, but in the meantime, they also bring basement flooding for many. There’s nothing worse than storing away invaluable items down in your basement only to find them in a miserable condition when you go to look at them because of mold and dampness. If you know that your basement is prone to seepage or flooding during heavy rains, maybe it’s time to investigate securing a Lock Up Self Storage unit for all the stuff that you store in your basement.

When prolonged and heavy rains occur, the land around your home gets saturated with water. Water is amazingly adept at finding places to go when it has to, and cracks in your basement are a prime candidate. When this happens, rivulets of water will wind their ways around anything sitting on the floor in your basement. If the rains are heavy enough to overwhelm your city’s sewage system, you could end up with water backing up through your pipes too. This could cause inches or even feet of water that flood your basement and completely ruin your belongings. With all of the intense weather systems that have been occurring, entrusting your valued personal belongings to a climate controlled Lock Up self storage unit could save you from future heartbreak.

The Lock Up Self Storage has the perfect sized unit to suit your storage needs. A 5’x5’ unit would be perfect to store all of your family pictures, important papers, your kids’ drawings, and even some of the vintage furniture you inherited from your great aunt that you’ve been meaning to reupholster. Storing all of these kinds of items in a climate controlled unit will ensure that they will be kept in an environment that will remain in optimal and steady temperature and moisture levels. These conditions will protect your items and save you from losing priceless family heirlooms in the process. And if you need more space, The Lock Up has got you covered with units up to 10’x30’ in size.

Visit www.thelockup.com to secure your Lock Up storage unit now.

Has The Lock Up Self Storage saved you from flooding heartbreak? Share your story with us here!

Self Storage Auctions for April 2013

The Lock Up Self Storage Customer Care Team — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:21:26 +0000

FACILITY	DATE	TIME	ADDRESS	PHONE
ILLINOIS
Chicago, Illinois-Avondale	19-April-13	11:30 AM	3366 N Kedzie, Chicago, IL 60618	(773) 539-3366
Chicago, Illinois-Lincoln Park	19-April-13	12:30 PM	1930 Clybourn Ave, Chicago, IL 60614	(773) 755-1900
Chicago, Illinois-Bucktown	19-April-13	2:00 PM	2525 West Armitage Avenue, Chicago, IL 60647	(773) 486-8600
Chicago, Illinois-River North	19-April-13	3:00 PM	350 West Kinzie Ave. Chicago, IL 60654	(847) 318-9700
Lisle, Illinois	24-April-13	10:00 AM	431 Ogden Avenue, Lisle, IL 60532	(630) 968-7878
Lincolnwood, Illinois	25-April-13	10:00 AM	3850 W. Devon Ave. Lincolnwood, IL 60712	(847) 673-3850
Northfield, Illinois	25-April-13	9:00 AM	800 West Frontage Road, Northfield, IL 60093	(847) 441-7477
Northbrook, Illinois	25-April-13	12:30 PM	2600 Willow Road, Northbrook, IL 60062	(847) 724-3222
Park Ridge, Illinois	25-April-13	1:30 PM	750 Busse Highway, Park Ridge, IL 60068	(847) 318-9700
River Grove, Illinois	25-April-13	3:00 PM	1820 First Ave, River Grove, IL 60171	(708) 344-1170
FLORIDA
North Naples, Florida	24-April-13	11:00 AM	1025 Piper Blvd. Naples, FL 34110	(239) 732-5870
MINNESOTA
Bloomington, Minnesota	23-April-13	10:00 AM	221 American Blvd. West, Bloomington, MN 55420	(952) 884-3211
Eden Prairie, Minnesota	25-April-13	12:00 PM	12995 Valley View Road Eden Prairie, MN 55344	(952) 937-0776
NEW JERSEY
Westwood, New Jersey	16-April-13	10:00 AM	125 Bergenline Ave. Westwood, NJ 07675	(201) 666-9770
Livingston, New Jersey	30-April-13	10:00 AM	305 Eisenhower Parkway Livingston, NJ 07039	(973) 758-1234
NEW YORK
East Setauket, New York	24-April-13	11:00 AM	380 Mark Tree Road East Setauket, NY 11733	(631) 941-9002

*Auction dates and times subject to change. Call store manager for details.

The Lock Up Self Storage Launches Newly Redesigned Website

The Lock Up Self Storage Customer Care Team — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 19:06:57 +0000

The Lock Up Self Storage goes to great lengths to ensure they have the best, most up to date and secure facilities for your storage needs. But, The Lock Up also has a very strong online presence for their current and potential clients’ convenience. In this day and age, being able to find information at your fingertips is essential and The Lock Up understands that. In an effort to maintain a fresh online presence, The Lock Up proudly launched their newly redesigned website: www.thelockup.com. Be sure to visit and explore all that The Lock Up has to offer you and your family.

The Lock Up’s website has a wealth of information for you regarding everything related to storage, moving and packing. The newly redesigned site is easily navigable and visually appealing…much like their brick and mortar facilities. Here are a few of the highlights of the website that you should be sure to check out:

Lock Up Self Storage Locations - This section of the site provides you with detailed information about each of our locations that can be found nationwide.

Lock Up Services – This section lays out all of the ways The Lock Up is there to help you.

About The Lock Up – The Lock Up was started by a family, so that’s why you’re treated like family with us.

FAQ – We know you have questions and that they may arise at all hours of the night. Here are answers to the basics, available to you 24/7.

The Lock Up News – This section is chock full of helpful tips, recommendations and suggestions for storing and moving items, as well as information on what’s going on with The Lock Up.

Create an Account with The Lock Up – If you don’t already have an account, be sure to sign up online to be able to make payments and manage your Lock Up account from the comfort of your home or office!

Want even more Lock Up information? Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook!

See Inside The Lock Up Self Storage Willowbrook

The Lock Up Self Storage Customer Care Team — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 19:45:14 +0000

The Lock Up Self Storage in Willowbrook, Illinois is located right behind a large shopping area, providing convenience, but also providing privacy. Nestled down a driveway that shoots off of the main drag, The Lock Up is easily accessibly while out doing errands. This facility is impeccably clean and user friendly. Add to that climate controlled storage units and a top notch security monitoring system, and you’ve got a first rate self storage facility to which you can entrust even your most valuable items. Thanks to Google’s virtual tour, you can see for yourself below. Each picture below is actually a virtual tour of The Lock Up Self Storage in Willowbrook.

Use your mouse to click and drag your view around and click on the white arrows at the bottom of the screen to move through the space.

Here is the main office that has a wide range of moving and packing supplies ready for you. If you turn around, you’ll see the security monitors that run for 24 hours a day.

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Here you can see the large drive in loading bays. Moving trucks fit in easily and you can load or unload your items out of any harsh weather conditions. The large freight elevators are right there and in the back, you can see the hand trolleys that are available for you to use to get your items to and from your storage unit.

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And here is one of the carpeted, climate controlled storage units.

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If you live in or near Willowbrook and need a self storage unit, call The Lock Up Self Storage at 866-327-LOCK.

How to Move Houseplants to a New Home

The Lock Up Self Storage Customer Care Team — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:26:16 +0000

If you are planning a move and have a home full of houseplants, you’ll have to take some special precautions to ensure that your plants are taken care of during the whole moving process. Like many of us, plants can be extremely averse to major change. Keep the below suggestions in mind and you’ll have healthy, happy plants that will love your new home just as much as you.

Be sure to check that you can bring your plants with you. Unfortunately, sometimes laws that govern state and international lines prevent people from bringing foliage across them. Even though it may seem innocent, just double check that you’re not accidentally committing a crime.

Once you clear that up, begin to think about how you’ll get your plants from one place to another. If you have the time, you should consider repotting plants that live in large, heavy pots. Changing out to lightweight plastic containers can save your back from unnecessary aches and pains. Doing this does require time though. You need to allow time for your plants to acclimate to having been repotted. Moving is a stressful event for all living things and you don’t want your plants to be stressed going into a move.

Water your plants well two or three days before your move. You don’t want them to be sopping wet (and therefore heavy!), but you also don’t want them to be thirsty (yet another thing that stresses plants out).

Place your plants in sturdy boxes and pad them with plastic bubble wrap. This will create a stable base for the time that you pack them into the vehicle for transport.

On moving day, try to pack your plants in your vehicle at the last moment. A van is ideal if you have tall or many plants. If you don’t have access to one, you can place taller plants on the floor of your vehicle and smaller ones on the backseat. Take multiple trips instead of trying to pile plants on top of each other. Place a light sheet over large plants to protect their branches.

Once in your new pad, uncover your plants and give them a good watering with fertilizer. Then try to find a location in your new space that’s similar to its location in your last home. Plants can be very sensitive to extreme changes in light exposure, so try not to move a plant that had been living in a south facing sunny window to a north facing window that gets little light. You will have a very unhealthy plant very quickly if you don’t pay attention to its placement.

Wait a week or two before returning your plants to their original pots. Again, letting them get acclimated to their new digs will give them a chance to recoup from the move.

Keep these things in mind during your next move will ensure that your indoor garden will thrive wherever you call home.

Do you have any suggestions or tips on how to move houseplants? Let us know here!

Six Tips for Driving a Moving Truck

The Lock Up Self Storage Customer Care Team — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:40:34 +0000

Did you know that most Lock Up Self Storage facilities offer free use of their move in truck for new tenants? It’s true. It’s a very useful service, but if you’re used to driving a normal sized car, the prospect of having to drive a moving truck can be daunting. However, there’s no need to stress, it’s easy once you know what to pay attention to. Here’s a primer on how to drive a moving truck.

Familiarize yourself with your truck.
Before you even start the engine, take a look around the truck. Figure out how tall it is, so you know what clearance height you require. Then you want to find all the things you might want to use or adjust while driving now so that you don’t have to figure something out while on the road. Look for and learn how to use the windshield wipers, lights/brights, emergency lights, and the radio.
Adjust the side view mirrors.
They will be your eyes since you will not have access to a rearview mirror while driving. You will depend on them to change lanes and when backing up. Be sure you back up carefully, especially if you’re not used to driving a longer vehicle. If you feel especially uncomfortable doing this, bring a friend along to help guide and direct you in tight situations.
Drive slow.
It’s a good idea to stay in the right hand lane until you have to take a left hand turn. There’s a lot of momentum in a packed moving truck. They’re large and heavy so it takes a lot more to slow down and stop than it does for a normal car.
Keep at least one car length behind.
By giving yourself enough space between yourself and the car in front of you, you are reducing the chances of having to stop short. You know what happens to the groceries in the back of your car when you stop short? Well, imagine what would happen to a refrigerator or your grandmother’s grandfather clock if you had to jam on the brakes because you were too close to the car in front of you. Tail gaiting is dangerous in a fully loaded moving truck.
Take wide turns.
The length and width of a moving truck requires special consideration when turning. The radius of a turn in a moving truck is far less than that of a regular car. You can’t effectively take corners really tightly, so don’t even try. Give yourself plenty of space on the side closest to the sidewalk. You want to avoid scraping the side of the truck on a lamppost or driving up onto the sidewalk.
Set the emergency brake.
This is particularly important to remember if you are in a hilly area. The emergency brake is that extra insurance that the items you’re moving don’t take any extra, unnecessary and potentially disastrous rides.

By keeping these things in mind, your migration from one place to the next in a moving truck will be a safe one for you and those sharing the road with you.

When you’re finally ready to move some of your stuff into a Lock Up Self Storage facility, visit www.thelockup.com to find one closest to you. And be sure to ask about the free move in truck!

Announcing the New Indoor Parking Facility at The Lock Up in St. Petersburg, FL

The Lock Up Self Storage Customer Care Team — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 15:00:52 +0000

The Lock Up is proud to announce a new endeavor launching this week! Introducing a brand new indoor parking facility at The Lock Up in St. Petersburg, Florida. With over forty large parking spaces that can can accommodate vehicles up to 50 feet long, this facility will be able to house cars, RVs, boats and more.

Locals and visitors alike will now be able to store their vehicles in a safe, secure manner when they need to. The indoor parking facility will provide a climate controlled environment that will protect vehicles from the harsh Florida sun and heat. The lighting inside is motion sensitive, so you can feel good about the energy savings you're contributing to. And no need to worry about your vehicle when you leave it with The Lock Up because the facility is very secure with both electronic access required as well as 24 hour camera monitoring.

After driving to the beach in your RV or driving on the ocean in your boat, your vehicle is most likely covered in salt and sand, both of which will eat at your vehicle’s surface and cause corrosion. The Lock Up took this into consideration for their customers and has provided a do it yourself washing bay so you can wash off the detrimental salt and sand from your vehicles before parking them. And when you’re ready to take your vehicle out of storage for some fun in the sun, The Lock Up has even provided electrical sockets for the customer that needs to recharge a battery after a lengthy stay.

The Lock Up went to great lengths to ensure that your indoor parking experience is top notch and is very excited about this new endeavor. So to top it off, we’re offering a special on your first month’s rent on an indoor parking spot. Pay only $1 for your first month and find out how easy it is to store your recreational vehicle with The Lock Up in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Call 866-327-LOCK for more information on how to secure an indoor parking spot.

Packing Peanuts 101

The Lock Up Self Storage Customer Care Team — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 18:31:09 +0000

Before the packing peanut was invented, whenever somebody had to pack items into a box, they would use a variety of materials as loose fill. Shredded paper, newspapers, hay and wood shavings were common fillers. Then science made huge advancements in plastics and the packing peanut was born. This enabled shippers to have a lightweight yet sturdy loose fill material that would stay intact for the duration of the package's journey.

When using packing peanuts, there are two things to keep in mind to ensure that the items you're packing will remain intact during their trip.

1. Always be sure to provide enough padding between items, at a minimum there should be 2 inches between any items being packed in the same box.

2. Always use enough packing peanuts; too few, and your item will likely settle to the bottom of the box or up against another item in the box during transit.

If you're planning on moving anytime soon, packing peanuts can be your best friend. Your boxes will be light, and your items will be safe. And as luck would have it, peanuts are very easy to come by. In a pinch, you can always buy some, but it's a great idea to start saving them up by throwing them in a large plastic garbage bag whenever you receive a package with them. Plus, you'll be doing the environment a favor. Styrofoam packing peanuts do take a long time to break down, so saving them up for the inevitabile times that you need to pack a box will keep them out of landfills and still of service.

In fact, packing peanuts can be quite handy to have around the house. Use them at the bottom of plant pots for extra drainage that helps keep the pot from being too heavy. Poke a nail through a peanut and use it to hold the nail in place while hammering to save your fingers from getting harmed. If you have a hole that is just a little too big for the screw you have, place the screw in the peanut, drive it into the hole and pull away any excess. The leftover styrofoam peanut in the threads of the screw will help keep it in place.

But mostly, you'll just be happy when the time comes that you want to pack up a delicate item and you have packing peanuts because you'll know that your item will be safe and sound for its journey.

If run out of your own supply, or neglected to save any packing peanuts up, don't worry because The Lock Up has you covered. Visit a location near you for packing peanuts, boxes to put them in and tape to seal up your boxes.

Find the nearest Lock Up Self Storage by going to www.thelockup.com

Let The Lock Up Be the Key to Your Mail Order Business Success

The Lock Up Self Storage Customer Care Team — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 16:59:40 +0000

The mail order business can be very profitable if you have the right product. If you've figured out your demographic, have a solid business plan and a supplier for the product you want to sell, you're on your way to being an entrepreneur. These days the internet can serve as your storefront, but you'll still need a place to store your inventory. Don't let a little thing like space hold you back from starting your business. The Lock Up can help you get your business on its feet.

With units ranging in size from 5'x5' up to 10'x30', you're guaranteed to have enough space for your widgets, or whatever you've decided to sell. Even if you have a delicate product such as electronics, The Lock Up has a solution in their climate controlled units. These units are maintained at an even temperature and humidity level that are closely monitored so you can rest assured that your product is stored in stable conditions and not being subjected to damaging wild temperature fluctuations.

Having a climate controlled self storage unit also helps to protect the packaging for your product. Cardboard boxes are like sponges in a way and if kept in a damp area, they can get musty or even worse, moldy. By keeping your packaging materials in your Lock Up self storage unit alongside your product, you’ll not only streamline your shipping process, but you’ll also ensure that your customer will not receive a musty, moldy box.

Another great perk to having a Lock Up Self Storage unit is that you can have deliveries of your product sent to your Lock Up facility. The on site manager can receive these packages while you're busy working on your business. This removes the concern of having to be at your home office to receive product deliveries and saves you time because you don't have to then transport your goods to your Lock Up storage unit.

The Lock Up Self Storage prides itself on maintaining impeccable facilities and top of the line security measures. This means that when you need to go to your self storage unit to deal with inventory, you'll be both comfortable and safe. And with helpful and friendly staff and management on site during business hours that work for you, visiting your inventory storage unit will likely be a highlight to your workday.

If you've been toying with the idea of starting your own mail order business and the last piece of the puzzle is a place to store your product, think no more. Go to www.thelockup.com to find the nearest Lock Up Self Storage facility and get your business on the road to success.

Have you used The Lock Up to store inventory for your business? Tell us about it here!

See Inside The Lock Up Self Storage in Skokie, IL

The Lock Up Self Storage Customer Care Team — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:28:54 +0000

The Lock Up Self Storage in Skokie, Illinois is a shining example of all that makes The Lock Up a great place to store your stuff. The site won a Silver Design Award for Excellence in Architectural and Engineering Design and when you see the space, you can understand why. With four levels of climate controlled storage, over 1,000 storage units, a large cargo bay that can accommodate two semi-trucks, a drive through area for drive up, climate controlled storage units, two large freight elevators, all the packing supplies you might need, a free move-in truck, and a knowledgeable and helpful staff, you can rest assured that your self storage needs will be attended to in the best possible way.

Here are some of the highlights of the Skokie Lock Up. Go ahead and click and drag your mouse inside the images below to look around. Note how impeccable the space is…wouldn’t you feel secure leaving your personal items in a self storage facility like this? Well, we’d love to have you!

Below is the large cargo bay. Turn to the left or right to see how you can take your stuff directly into the storage areas or spin all the way around to see the two freight elevators.

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Below is the drive through tunnel that houses the climate controlled drive up storage units.

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Below is the main office and area where you can buy packing supplies.

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Would you like to store your things in The Lock Up Self Storage in Skokie? Call us at (847) 677-8080