Stuff Matters

Stuff Matters has a new home.

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 19:53:00 +0000

We wanted to let you know that our blog. Stuff Matters, has moved. You can now find us here.

If you haven't had a chance to see our new website please take a look around while you are there.
Thanks!

Have you heard about CoreSTOR Patient Server?

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 12:07:00 +0000

No? Well, here is the scoop: CoreSTOR patient server, from Spacesaver, is designed to put 80% of the most frequently used supplies for patient care 10 steps from the bedside.

No need to bother the patients - CoreSTOR extends fully outside the room for easy access to stock patient care supplies. From there those items are available inside the patient room. All the stuff you need is within sight and reach – just steps from the bedside.

Plus, you get to design the type of storage that you need, using 4-Post shelving, FrameWRX storage systems, and EZ Rail. You can also add accessories such as shelves, bins, hooks and pegs, to meet today’s needs, and switch them around to adapt to tomorrow’s changes.

But we aren’t the only ones talking about it. CoreSTOR just won awards in three different categories (Architects Choice, Most Innovative, and Best in Show) at The 2010 HealthCare Facilities Symposium & Expo. You can read more news about this here.

If you would like to see more healthcare storage ideas, check out Spacesaver’s Healthcare Storage Solutions page.

Friday riddle

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 14:54:00 +0000

What is 34' high, 36' wide and moves side to side?

First hint is below with more to come later.

Stuff Experts converge on Public Safety storage problem.

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 02:46:00 +0000

Today all types of organizations are going “paperless”, and freedom from paper can be a powerful thing. But then there’s all of that other stuff – the stuff that is essential to our day in and day out tasks. Are organizations going “stuffless” too? That doesn’t appear to be the case. Consider the stuff that Public Safety and Law Enforcement agencies have to handle. Uniforms, gear, long-arms, hand guns, supplies, evidence, property, and yes even paper files are all critical to their sworn duty to protect and serve.

In Florida, Martin County Sheriff’s Office and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office are two agencies that can attest to the problems that stuff creates. Due to population growth and extended responsibilities, they both have faced unique space and storage related challenges. As the Stuff Experts, we set out to do our own detective work into these issues. By investigating the needs of each agency, we were able to identify a combination of several products that fit the description of the solutions needed. Installing high-density mobile shelving, static shelving, bi-files, weapons racks, pistol racks, rollok doors, garment rods, evidence lockers, work benches and drawer systems were a part of the necessary actions taken. Both agencies were able to consolidate their storage needs, which allowed them to store more in a given space (such as the warehouse), or use the saved space for other purposes (such as the warrants area). But there was more than just significant space savings. For example, Palm Beach County was able to secure everything in their armory by using rollok doors, while Martin County helped solidify the chain of custody of their evidence with pass-through evidence lockers. Purchasing departments and records areas benefitted, too.

As is often the case, stuff can be difficult to apprehend. For these two agencies, the case of the stuff storage problem was solved by deploying a multiple product approach. The need for building expansion was pushed back for years by using high-density storage. Productivity increased by having stuff conveniently stored and easy to find. No, they didn’t become “stuffless”, but their storage rooms are now roomier, their space is put to better use and the stuff they do have is stowed away, organized and well protected.

Six Tips for Planning Evidence Room Storage.

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 18:37:00 +0000

When it comes to storing evidence, there is a lot of stuff to plan for - weapons, stolen property, narcotics, money, biological evidence, and more. The value of this evidence diminishes if it is not properly stored and tracked.

Here are six tips for planning Evidence Room storage:

Conduct site visits to other police agencies, and learn from their experiences - see what others with similar situations are doing and ask how it’s working for them. A lot can be learned from the successes and failures of others.
Place evidence lockers so they can be conveniently accessed from within the Report Writing Room - typically evidence is tagged and packaged in a Report Writing Room, so it is beneficial for the evidence lockers to be in there, too.
Build “pass through” lockers into the common wall between the Report Writing Room and the Property Room - this helps protect the chain of custody of the evidence.
Avoid standard lockers that have simple “gravity” locks - these types of lockers can be breached, making it easier for the evidence to be tampered with.
Vary the size of openings within the evidence lockers - evidence, like most stuff, comes in all shapes and sizes so it is important to have lockers with a variety of compartment sizes.
Specify a woven wire gate on the property room side of the locker - this improves visibility to see if anything is in the lockers.

This information is based on the article, "Evidence Depository Lockers" by Officer Steve Berdrow of the Burbank Police Department. The article can be found in "The Evidence Log", a quarterly publication of the IAPE. Jason Konz, from Spacesaver, originally blogged about this topic on their Storage Solved blog, you can read his full post here.

For more information on Evidence Storage check out Spacesaver's Public Safety Storage Solutions site.

Wordless Wednesday - College Of Charleston Addlestone Library

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:30:00 +0000

Museum Storage: How to store snakes and stuff.

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:20:00 +0000

Indiana Jones: “Snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes?”
Sallah: “Asps... very dangerous. You go first.”

Remember that classic exchange from Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark? Yet despite all of the snakes stored at the Virginia Museum of Natural History (they have more than 10,300 cataloged specimens of amphibians and reptiles), you can bet that an Archeologist like Indy would love to explore all of the collections there. We recently had an opportunity to do just that. The museum, located in Martinsville, Virginia, is home to a collection of more than 10 million items (and growing). These items collected locally and from around the globe, provide the basis for in-house, national and international study. Research at the museum is focused on Invertebrate Paleontology, Vertebrate Paleontology, Recent Invertebrates, Archaeology, Mammalogy, Marine Science and Geology. Specimens in these collections are stored in special conditions to reduce damage caused by fluctuations and extremes in temperature and humidity. Most of these specimens are susceptible to deterioration caused by extended exposure to light. For these reasons (along with space conservation and item accessibility factors), a number of special considerations were taken in the design of the storage systems required for these collections. Spread out over several rooms within the museum, Spacesaver powered high-density mobile storage systems allow the museum to continue adding to their collections without expanding their storage areas. These powered mobile systems include synchronized drive systems designed for smooth acceleration and deceleration of the carriages to minimize vibration and jarring. On several of these systems, special toe kicks were installed on the bottom of the end panels to enable curators to open aisles in the system - even if their hands are full. Delta Designs Museum Cabinets are prevalent on many of the mobile storage systems. These museum-grade cabinets help protect against light and other environmental hazards and can be configured to store items of all shapes and sizes. Wide span shelving is used in several areas to store over-sized items such as geological samples, fossils and mammal specimens. Other unique design features include storage shelving that has perforated shelves that facilitate air flow and the flow of fire suppressant agents in the event of a jar breakage. Some of the shelving has clear plastic shelf fronts to protect jars and small specimen vials. There are also smooth-gliding roll-out trays and drawers for organizing and protecting small finds. Powered high-density mobile shelving can also be found in the museum’s library which houses over 7,000 titles in a collection which includes books, journals, and magazines.

Indiana Jones: "Take this. Wave it at anything that slithers."

In the end, we didn’t need torches to wave around at any snakes during our expedition, but we did get to see a lot of neat stuff while we were there. You can see photos from our tour below. If you would like to learn more about the Virginia Museum of Natural History visit their website. For more information on Spacesaver museum storage solutions click here.

Modular Casework from Hamilton Sorter is SEFA 8 Certified.

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 20:25:00 +0000

We wanted to let you know that the steel Modular Casework product line from Hamilton Sorter is certified for SEFA 8 Metal Laboratory Grade Casework standards. SEFA, which stands for Scientific Equipment and Furniture Association, is an international trade association. They provide testing, tools and best practices to assist manufacturers, specifiers and users evaluate the safety, durability and structural integrity of laboratory casework and complimentary items.

Hamilton Sorter's powder coated steel welded cabinets meet these stringent tests for powder coat finish, wall, tall and base cabinets. The evaluation includes cabinet and shelf load capacity; door and drawer impact and cycle tests; and surface finish resistance to chemicals and hot water.

New Spacesaver Revit models available.

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 12:31:00 +0000

Spacesaver has introduced two new Revit models in their Design Resources library. You can now download models for Mobile Storage with Cantilever Shelving and Double-Wall Shelving (case type) and start using them today. For more information check out Spacesaver's blog Storage Solved, or head on to the Design Library.

The value of creativity in saving space and storing stuff

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:55:00 +0000

Matt Tourdot shared this video on Spacesaver's Storage Solved blog. It is a great example of the "less is more" theory.

Gary Chang exhibits the value of creativity when it comes to saving space and organizing stuff. He gets the power of innovation in the effective use of space. His tiny apartment is cooler, better organized and arguably more user-friendly than most of our much larger spaces.

The issues he faced are no different than those that we face every day. Cramped spaces abound. Not enough room to put all of our stuff. At work, at home; in the equipment room, the storage room, or the file room in the basement. At the armory, the library, the precinct, or the warehouse. When it comes to tight spaces, organizational challenges and storage headaches, Gary Chang understands that Stuff (and how you store it) really does matter.

Originally posted by Matt Tourdot of Spacesaver on their Storage Solved blog.

(The design of his apartment looks similar to the Seattle Public Library Gift Shop design that we discussed here. )

Six reasons to consider "Modular Casework" before "Millwork"

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 21:08:00 +0000

Last week we provided a definition of Modular Casework. Today we’ll give you six reasons to consider it in your next interior design project:

It’s factory produced – The manufacturing of Modular Casework takes place in a controlled environment with computer generated machinery that can make precision cuts and guarantee measurements.
It’s quickly installed – Modular Casework ships in modules that are ready to install, cutting the installation time to about half that of millwork.
It’s reconfigurable – Unless there are seismic concerns, Modular Casework is not actually bolted to the wall or floors. The base cabinets are leveled and ganged together. The upper wall cabinets are fastened to a zip rail. The modules do not have to be damaged or disassembled in order to reconfigure or relocate - making it very easy to reuse when needs change.
It’s repairable – Doors, drawers, hinges, and end panels are much easier to repair than traditional millwork, because Modular Casework components are engineered to disassemble and reattach.
It’s depreciable – Modular Casework is treated like furniture and depreciates on a seven year schedule (as opposed to millwork, which is classified as permanent construction and requires 39 years to depreciate.)
It’s specifiable - Drawing millwork is a tedious, time consuming task. But Modular Casework can be drawn in software by a local representative. Or, with BIM software, it is simple to drag and drop your options into a space with ease, assuring that you get the design you intend.

Speaking of BIM, you can get your Hamilton Sorter Modular Casework Revit models here.

Modular Casework - the ultimate in flexibility, modularity and usability

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:09:00 +0000

Modular Casework is fast becoming THE alternative to built-in cabinets. Its use is spreading from offices to laboratories and from hospitals to schools. Problem: Webster doesn’t offer a definition for “Modular Casework”. Answer: we decided to suggest a few of our own.

mod•u•lar [moj-uh-ler] case•work [keys-wurk] / [kās-werk] (noun)
1.    Storage system designed to be customized, re-configured, re-located and re-used
2.    Furniture that looks built in, but isn’t

Consider your office environment. There are several areas well suited for modular casework. Areas like community workspace, copy/fax/print areas, mail rooms, break rooms, kitchens, libraries, and other spaces that have specific activity and storage needs. But what if those needs change? Modular casework is designed to change with you, and that’s the gist of what it is as a “product”.

3.    More than just a product. It is a system of manufacturing that gives you the versatility and look of built-in millwork with the value and precision of a CAD driven, factory produced product, with a 7-year depreciation schedule, and a limited lifetime warranty.

Consider your investment. Millwork is classified as permanent construction and requires 39 years to depreciate. Modular casework, on the other hand, is treated like furniture and depreciates in 7 years. The ability to specify finishes, surfaces, hardware and other elements can create a look that fully integrates into the interior design plan. Set-up and installation is simplified, because it comes from the factory as finished components – saving time and money. Reusing the components as departments move, or needs change is a snap. So, you aren’t throwing your investment away or leaving it there when you go. (Just because it looks built in doesn’t mean it has to act like it.) Flexible, modular, usable. Mr. Webster…take note!

{We recently had the opportunity to visit the BJAC's architecture office in Raleigh, North Carolina to see firsthand how they incorporated modular casework into their office. They use base cabinets, wall cabinets and shelving in the print/work area, base cabinets and wall cabinets in the kitchen and shelving in the library. One of the design features of the office is clear, corrugated polycarbonate panels on metal studs used for walls and partitions. The fact that the casework and shelving is finished on all sides turned out to be key – due to the transparency of these panels (the backside of the shelving in the print/work area is visible.) In the kitchen, the customization of the casework allowed for aluminum framed glass doors to be used, which worked well with the overall look of the office. The shelving in the library was designed to allow for binder as well as flat file storage and was built around a work area and laminate chip samples. Below are some photos from our visit.}

To learn more about Modular Casework you can visit Hamilton-Sorter.

Top 10 storage uses for Spacesaver Universal Weapons Rack

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Wed, 26 May 2010 20:31:00 +0000

10. Optics

9. Side arms

8. M-16s

7. M-4s

6. Gear

5. Super soakers...

Storage system design just got easier - more Spacesaver Revit models available.

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Thu, 20 May 2010 21:10:00 +0000

Spacesaver is at it again. They have added Revit models for Universal Weapons Rack (UWR) secure weapons storage systems, and 4-Post shelving systems. To read more about these solutions visit Spacesaver's Blog Storage Solved. You can download these Revit models at the Spacesaver Design Center .

3 reasons for Spacesaver Universal Weapons Rack to reach new heights (84” high to be exact)

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Wed, 12 May 2010 16:33:00 +0000

This is a new Universal Weapons Rack from Spacesaver. As you can see it goes all the way up to 84”. The original Spacesaver Universal Weapons Racks (UWR) are 45” high. But reminiscent of a Nigel Tufnel guitar amp, these go to 84”.

You may be thinking, well yeah, but why not just stack one 45” high rack on top of another (you can do that you know). And that’s a good point, but these new weapons racks go up to 84”. Here are a few reasons why:

You can reduce the numbers of doors and locks by half - think about all the issue and inventory time that would save you.
The two-tiered 84” high cabinets require much less vertical space than the stacked 45 inchers (which takes about 92” of clearance).
Like the original UWR, the 84” high cabinets provide security features that exceed military standards and retractable doors that save you space and provide safety for your armory personnel.

The original 45” high UWR still provides a great solution, if the potential for deployment with the racks is inevitable. And stacked 45" cabinets give your armory flexibility to configure and reconfigure your rooms as needs change. But now you have a chance to turn it up to 84.

A thank you goes out to Brad Tusing at Spacesaver for the valuable information he provided. If you would like to learn more about Universal Weapons Rack visit Spacesaver’s UWR page here.

Behind the lines in the battle with tyranny - Operation military storage.

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Tue, 04 May 2010 14:03:00 +0000

When it comes to the military, there is no limit to the size, shape or type of stuff on hand. Have you seen all the different weapons they have? Not to mention readiness packs, tactical equipment, parachutes, helmets, boots and utes – the list goes on. And when there’s that much variety in the stuff you’re storing, it’s going to take more than one way to store (and secure) it all. Military-certified Universal Weapons Rack (UWR) weapons storage systems from Spacesaver are made with all those weapons in mind, and they are also a great fit for ammo and optics, too. Hanel Lean Lifts use vertical lift technology to make the most of available room heights and provide greater storage capacity for parts and equipment on a smaller footprint. Add in Spacesaver shelving and high-density storage systems, and you have a great combination of space saving storage options for all of the various stuff (from large to small) that needs to be stored - while limiting possible SNAFU’s along the way.

Storing a wide range of stuff is not limited to our armed forces though. In our mission to put an end to the tyranny of stuff, we find organizations everywhere that wrestle with the same issue – how to store all of their varied stuff in less space. And often the answer is not one storage solution but a combination of multiple solutions that solves the problem. And strikes a blow to the tyranny. Hooah!

(The photos below highlight multiple storage solutions we have provided at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. For more information on military storage solutions from Spacesaver, visit Spacesaver Military Storage Solutions .)

Revit models now available for Spacesaver Rotary File Cabinets

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 20:15:00 +0000

Good news for Revit users! Spacesaver has added Rotary File Cabinet models to their Revit object library. You can visit the Spacesaver Design Resources area here to download the new models. In addition to Rotary Storage, you can also find models for Mobile Storage, Cantilever Shelving, Lockers and Evidence Storage.

Unusual Stuff - USF Herbarium

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 01:21:00 +0000

The dictionary defines a herbarium as (1) a collection of dried plants systematically arranged, or (2) a room or building in which such a collection is kept. We also see it as another opportunity to store unusual stuff. We know that high-density mobile shelving is great for storing flat files. Who knew that it would be a great application for storing flattened plant specimens! The herbarium at the University of South Florida in Tampa, which opened in 1956, stores over 250,000 plant specimens from all over the world. A quarter of a million unique plants – amazing! And they add between 2,000 and 4,000 new specimens each year. Some they find and log themselves from their backyard, while they receive others from one of their over 100 herbaria partners around the world (as a member of an exchange program). As part of the program, they received a rare Rhodesian plant with only two leaves. Now that is unusual!

Once is a coincidence, twice is a trend.

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 18:10:00 +0000

It looks like there may be a secret to winning NCAA men’s basketball championships. Back in December we told you the story about On-court rivals that share an off-court storage solution. At the time, the UNC Tarheels were the defending NCAA champs, but we didn’t see the connection. With Duke’s victory last week sealing up their NCAA championship run, the connection became much clearer. Duke and UNC both have Spacesaver high-density mobile shelving systems for their basketball operations storage, and they have won the last two championships. Mars Blackmon thought it was the shoes, but maybe it’s the storage. We’ll have to wait until next April to find out for sure.

Public and private sector come together - library storage simplified by mobile shelving

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:02:00 +0000

In 1876, Melvil Dewey developed a library classification system based on ten main classes, and we still use it today. What the Dewey Decimal System does for finding books, the high-density mobile shelving system does for storing them. It simplifies the process. Today’s libraries are transitioning from book storage only into learning centers and gathering spaces. As collections continue to grow, they are faced with a difficult challenge - what to do with all those books, periodicals and other media and reference material that needs to be kept while still providing space for other uses?

To that end, the Broward County (FL) Library System and Nova Southeastern University did something unique. They partnered together to build the largest library in Florida - the five-story, 325,000 sq. ft. Alvin Sherman Library and Information Technology Center. This multi-use facility is run by the university and houses a full service academic library, public library, classrooms, computer labs, study rooms, exhibition gallery and an auditorium. The entire facility is open to Broward County residents as well as university students, faculty and staff. This is a true case of public and private sector working together for the common good.

Now, back to the question of space. Spacesaver high-density electrical mobile shelving was used on several floors of the library for both the public and academic library storage. These systems nearly doubled the capacity for their book storage. It makes you wonder how much larger this building would’ve been without them! Because this facility is open to everyone, safety and ease of use were a top priority during the design of these systems. The touch button controls make the systems intuitive to operate. The safety system can sense if someone is in an aisle, lock that aisle open and then reset itself to be moved again after that person leaves. It can also sense if someone enters an aisle that is being closed, and stop the aisle from closing. Completely safe…consistently simple.

These days it seems rare to see the public and private sectors agree, much less come together to build for the common good. When it comes to storage, however, everyone is on the same page - how do you fit more stuff in less space? Broward County and Nova Southeastern kept it simple. High-density mobile storage from Spacesaver. The perfect answer for political harmony…and stuff matters.

(Below are some photos from this project. If you would like to learn more about library storage you can visit Spacesaver’s Library Solutions site here. )

Two new Spacesaver Revit models now available.

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 15:11:00 +0000

Hello Revit users. We wanted to let you know that Spacesaver has added two new Revit model families for the Public Safety and Library projects you are working on.You can now download Revit models for DSM Evidence Lockers and Cantilever Shelving (book shelving). Check out Spacesaver's blog, Storage Solved, for more information.

An Innovative Stuff Storage Solution at the Seattle Public Library.

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 20:33:00 +0000

Ok. Here is a riddle for you: What is opened when it's opened, and closed when it's closed? If your answer is a gift shop then you win a prize. Today we take a look at a high-density mobile shelving system (one of several) at the Seattle Public Library. What makes this one unique is how it's used. The shelving system houses all of the gift shop's items. During the gift shop's operating hours the shelving system is opened, but when the gift shop closes, the shelving system can be compacted into a cube, which is closed on all four sides and locked. Not only does this save space, but it also secures the gift shop items inside it during times when the library is opened but the gift shop is closed. For more information on the Seattle Public Library project and to see more photos check out the Spacesaver Case Study here.

March Madness is here!

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:51:00 +0000

The conference tournaments are under way, and the "Big Dance" is just around the corner. Life is good. But sometimes things get a little crazy around the office. The friendly smack talk starts, TVs show up in break rooms, and then there's Bob, who decides to shoot some hoops. This P2ube webisode is for all of the basketball fans out there.

Archival Book Storage at Duke University

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:45:00 +0000

You can store a lot of stuff in a High-Bay Storage System from Spacesaver. At Duke, they use it in their off-site book depository for their libraries. What makes it more interesting is that the University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University also store books there. Another great example of athletic rivals sharing a storage solution. Here is a quick video:

Don't sweat the small stuff.

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ferguson) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 22:41:00 +0000

The storage of stuff can be challenging enough. But what happens when that stuff is small, there’s lots of it and you need to get to it fast? Usually inefficiency and frustration. Enter FrameWRX – Spacesaver’s answer to the need for an efficient bin storage system to store small stuff. While it has application across many industries, FrameWRX is ideal for the world of healthcare. From syringes and needles to tape and dressings, there are plenty of small patient care items to store. Spacesaver tackled this need for bin storage, but also created a system to house shelves, work surfaces, slat walls, pegs and other productivity boosting storage options. Plus, by being modular, easily adjustable and adaptable, FrameWRX invites change. It exists for flexibility and re-purposing – just the kind of traits that healthcare facilities look for. But the need for small stuff storage spans way beyond just healthcare. Libraries, military bases, public safety departments and business offices have all benefitted from FrameWRX. Which begs the question, what small stuff are you sweating about?

(The photos below are of two of our most recent FrameWRX installations at Presbyterian Hospital Endovascular Lab in Huntersville, NC and Carolinas Medical Center Radiation Oncology Department in Charlotte, NC. Both of them found FrameWRX to be an ideal solution.)

(edited photos 03/01/10)