In Dorset we are fortunate to be ranked as the 13th safest county in the country, however, it’s still good to be aware of what precautions you can take to make your home safer and how you can keep your belongings secure as we go into the new decade. 

Did you know that in 2018,  domestic burglaries in Dorset had gone up by more than 300% when compared to the previous 12 months?* 

In this article, we are going to touch on some of the steps you can take to make your home safer, which will include smart technology, Dorset storage options and small changes you can make to your lifestyle to err on the side of caution. 

Technology that will outsmart anyone who tries to get into your home 

With home automation all the rage at the moment, it’s now easier than ever to get your hands on the gadgets that really can make a difference to your home security. Unlike 10 years ago, they won’t break the bank either, so you can have peace of mind for just a small price. Here are just a few we would recommend… 

Smart home security systems

Security systems used to only be seen outside huge homes, they were expensive, hard to install and weren’t exactly ‘smart’. Nowadays, every home deserves this level of security and it is much cheaper than you may think to set up. 

A smart home security system may include some of the following features: 

• Alarm system 
• Motion detection 
• Controlled through an app on your phone 
• Live video feeds 
• Sensors 

Wireless video doorbells

Technology now allows you to see exactly who is at your door or even near your home through a video doorbell app without the need for fiddly installation and wiring. Notifications will alert you when someone is there and will even record the action which you can save to your phone. If any suspicious activity is happening, they will immediately be caught on camera, regardless of where you are. 

You can even pick one of these up for less than £100! 

Smart lights

Most outdoor lights will activate when motion is detected, but you could also link up your interior and exterior lights with your smartphone. 

Take a few extra practical security measures

Put up deterrents and signs

Even if you don’t have extra security in place, burglars won’t know this, a simple deterrent sign could be enough to make them move on. 

Check windows, doors gates & garages 

It can be easy to just assume that you won’t be one of the unlucky ones, but a quick 2-minute check before you lock the front door can really help keep your possessions protected. 

Don’t leave expensive goods on display or in your front garden

This one is more important if you are going away on holiday for a period of time. Pack away your BBQ, and outside furniture and potentially close curtains or blinds into rooms such as your lounge so your TV is out of sight. 

Store away some of your belongings 

We are always looking to make extra space in our homes, and if you are guilty of having belongings in your home that you know would be better placed in a storage unit, then get in touch with Hogleaze Storage today to discuss your Dorset storage options. If you don’t want to risk leaving your valuables unattended when not in use, have you thought about a dedicated self storage unit? Popular items our customers choose to store with us include: 

• Vintage and antique pieces 
• Furniture 
• Luggage 
• Collectables 

At both our Dorset storage options, we offer various sized units to suit your budget and requirements, so whether you are looking for a short-term solution whilst you complete a home project, or a longer-term solution, you can rely on your local Weymouth storage or Dorchester storage site to keep your belongings safe.

Here are some quick links to some useful pages: 

• Storage FAQs >> 
• Weymouth storage >>
• Dorchester storage >>
• Domestic storage >>

Get in contact with our storage experts today by calling us on 01305 830000 (Weymouth) or 01305 889777 (Dorchester). We can discuss all your Dorset storage options, as well as helping you to find a unit that is perfect for your needs.

*https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/17599366.crime-stats-show-offences-up-in-dorset/ 

With Christmas over for another year, you may find you have a few extra bottles left behind after the festive season. But, is your wine collection getting too large for you to handle? 

If you don’t have space for a dedicated wine storage rack and there’s no cellar in sight, have you considered storing some of those precious bottles at a self storage unit? Whilst our sites are not equipped for specialist wine storage, we do have wine resellers storing with us and also pub owners with excess stock.

You may have visions of grandeur when you think of a wine storage unit, but actually, this doesn’t have to be the case. Even small amounts of wine should be carefully considered when it comes to storing. For many connoisseurs looking for a suitable option, you may have thousands of pounds worth of the wine in your collection, and you won’t be doing it any favours if you don’t store it in the appropriate way. Here are our top tips for storing your best booze, whether that’s at a self storage unit or at home… #

1.Have you considered the temperature? 

Having the optimum room temperature is quite possibly the most important element to consider when it comes to storing your wine properly. Simply put, the cooler the room, the longer your wine will last, a warm room will age it considerably quicker and leads it to being undrinkable.

You’re likely to have your heating ramped up over 20 degrees at this time of year, which could do some serious damage!  

2. Wine flourishes in darkness 

Wine cellars are usually within the basement of a house for this exact reason, and have you ever considered why some expensive wines are boxed or pre-wrapped when you purchase them?

UV rays from the sun can damage the wine and spoil the aroma, whilst wine bottles are designed to offer some UV protection, this isn’t enough if it’s left in direct sunlight.  

3. Wine should be kept on its side 

Why do you ask? Well, a wine bottle that is kept upright stops the contact between the wine and the cork. By keeping it on its side, you are keeping the cork nice and moist reducing the chances of it shrinking and allowing oxygen to enter the bottle. 

Why is oxygen bad for my wine?

When too much oxygen comes into contact with your wine, a process called oxidation occurs. This is when oxygen reacts with compounds within the wine, producing off-flavours and aromas and resulting in browning of the wine. Although desirable for the likes of an Oloroso sherry or Tawny port, for most wines, too much oxygen contact spells disaster! 

4. Is your collection safe and secure? 

If you have a big wine collection, it’s probably worth quite a bit too. Not properly storing your wine could mean it’s not safe either and it may not always be accounted for in your insurance documents. By placing your wine in a self storage unit, you can rest assured it will be looked after and all the insurance will be sorted. 

Wine storage isn’t just for collectors, are you a bar or restaurant looking to store your wine? 

For many restaurateurs, it can be a struggle to find the space for all the alcohol you will need to have on standby, especially during this busy Christmas time. It might also be the case that and buying in bulk can save you a lot of money, so now it’s just a case of finding somewhere for it go. 

For booze that can be kept more than a few weeks, having a self storage wine unit can become a real space saver, and with the discounts you will be saving by buying in bulk, really it’s a win-win situation. With our self storage units being close to both Dorchester and Weymouth, we are well-positioned to safely store your wine until you need to replenish your stock. 

You can read our prices for storage units here, or get in contact here. 

Why choose Hogleaze for wine storage? 

With hundreds of units across our 2 locations in Weymouth in Dorchester, we have plenty of various options that are perfectly suited to look after your booze. 

Each unit is: 

• Monitored with CCTV 
• Flexible access, with 24/7 entry at our Dorchester site with the use of a key fob and everyday access at Weymouth. 

Contact Hogleaze today… 

If a storage unit for your wine seems like a suitable option, get in contact with our storage experts by contacting us here, or calling Weymouth on 01305 830000 or our Dorchester site on 01305 889777. 

Already thinking of how you can make some changes in 2020? With New Year just around the corner, many of us will be creating some resolutions, which often involve getting more organised and sorting our the home. 

Whether you need to store your Christmas tree somewhere whilst you sort out your loft, or those new toys for the kids are cluttering up the hallway, it’s out with the old and in with the new meaning now could be a good time to look at household storage units. 

But, before you commit to booking self storage units, have you thought about how you can make the best use of them and potentially save yourself some money? Here are our top tips… 

Be brutal before storing

So many people we talk to end up storing belongings that they won’t ever use again or need, but just keep ‘for the sake of it’ or because they’re a secret hoarder – do you really still need that TV from 2005 when you’ve just got a shiny new smart TV? 

This is a great time to be a bit brutal with your possessions, you could either give some to charity, sell them, or as a last resort head to your local tip. Then once the culling is complete, you’ll have a better sense of how much you need to store in your unit. 

Read our article on how to become a minimalist which will give you some more useful tips >> 

Choose the correct self storage unit size

One thing you don’t want to happen is that you choose your storage unit size, start filling it up and then realise you could have opted for one half the size, or on the other end of the spectrum, it’s far too small and you have to rent another one! 

At Hogleaze Storage, we offer many different sized units across both our sites so you can store your belongings with ease. These include:  

• 25 sq ft – size of a cupboard
• 35 sq ft
• 50 sq ft –  size of a small bedroom
• 65 sq ft
• 75 sq ft – size of half a single garage
• 100 sq ft
• 150 sq ft – the size of a single garage
• 200 sq ft – the size of a small double garage

If you are unsure what size is best for you, get in touch with our team who will be able to advise by contacting us here >> 

Know how long you plan to store for

In many cases when looking for household storage units, you will find that you can bag yourself a discount when you store for a certain length of time. Whilst it’s not feasible for some of us to know how long to store for and a rolling contract might be the best option, others may know they want to store for 6 months + or maybe a year or more if you are moving abroad or for extended travelling periods.

Here at Hogleaze, we offer flexible storing contracts for long and short term rentals. 

Get the right packing materials

You want to make use of every bit of space you can get to within your household storage unit, so packing your belongings properly is a good place to start. 

1. Buy plenty of boxes and pack items carefully to save space. Make sure the boxes are full as this will also allow you to stack the packed boxes much more easily so you can take advantage of the height of your unit too. 
2. Utilise your items to store other smaller items – if you’re storing a wardrobe, dresser, or desk, use the space inside so you’re not wasting any precious sq ft. 
3. Label your boxes – if you have fragile items, you want to make sure you don’t overload those boxes, so leave them till last and make sure they’re labelled. 

Did you know we can supply packing boxes, bubble wrap and tape? Just ask our storage experts when you enquire for a price list.  

Store sensibly 

A popular reason for requiring household storage units is due to home renovations, but it can be a real nightmare if you put your sofa at the back of your unit only to realise 2 months later you need to get just that item out. Think about the items you will need to collect first, and pack your unit in the right order to save yourself the hassle. 

Speak to an expert 

If you have questions about our self storage units and how to best store your household belongings, firstly take a look at our FAQ page. 

If you still need questions answered, speak to our team at either our Weymouth site on 01305 830000 or at our Dorchester site on 01305 889777. We have become the experts at estimating the size of the unit you will require.

With social media taking over and the likes of Instagram and Pinterest being our go-to online decor magazines, many of us find ourselves scrolling through endless images of perfectly styled homes and tidy offices. These immaculate rooms are not always realistic, as family life takes over, the idea of having the ‘perfect’ home can become a bit of a pipe dream, plus who’s desk is really that decluttered? 

However, if you want to take a step in the right direction to becoming a minimalist and getting that ‘Insta-worthy’ home or office, take a look at our top space-saving self storage Dorset ideas in this article. 

Change your mindset

In many cases, you’ll find it hard to change your organising and tidying behaviours because it’s not within your normal routine. Maybe you have a busy household or you simply just don’t have the time? If this is the case, it can be helpful to write down a list of priorities, speak to your family about the new lifestyle so you’re all in it together and also understand why you want to make this change. 

Whatever your reasoning, understanding the need for a minimalist home means you’re ahead of most people, you’ll soon realise those simple activities such as filing paperwork or folding away your clothes immediately after they are washed and dried will happen automatically.  

Stop the hoarding 

Whether its old clothes you haven’t fit into for a few years, a magazine from 5 years ago, or business receipts that you really could recycle, we’re all guilty of not letting go of some of these items, but do you really need them anymore? 

As tidying and organising guru, Marie Kondo would tell you, if it doesn’t spark joy or have a purpose, get rid of it. This is a really great mantra to organise by, and you will quickly realise that you have a lot of ‘things’ that serve no real function.

You’ll soon find you have a pile of stuff you can chuck or even better, sell or give to charity. So, not only will you be freeing up space, but you could make some extra money or do a good deed too. 

Tackle it room-by-room 

Many of us will avoid a spring clean at any time of the year because it seems like too much of a daunting task, but by tackling each room at a time you can spread the load and do it in your own bitesize chunks. 

Let’s take the office as an example, do you walk in and see paperwork piled high? Getting better business storage can really de-stress your work life. In many cases, you may need to keep these important documents for many years, but having them stored in some kind of order will make it much easier to access when you need them again. 

Alternatively, could you consider moving all this paperwork onto a cloud-based system? Reduced amounts of paperwork, far more space and there’s no chance of it going missing. It’s a win-win, but can be quite pricey! 

Out of sight, out of mind

Once you’ve discarded the unnecessary possessions, next you will need to find a home for the ones you want to still keep. In many cases, your home can seem cluttered purely because possessions are not stored away properly, maybe they are piled in the corner of a room, or stuffed in a drawer that’s frankly far too busy. It’s also worth taking a look in your loft, shed, and garage, as these are places where hoarding can become a little out of control.

New storage doesn’t need to be expensive… a quick trip to your local DIY or home shop and you can up pick up plenty of boxes, or even a new cupboard. Once your items have a home, your floor space will be cleared and it will seem much tidier. 

If your home simply cannot occupy your items, you will need to think of a longer-term solution, which is where self storage or business storage comes in. We understand that your space is valuable, so fill your home and office with the things you love and choose a Dorset storage solution that can look after your belongings for you. 

Contact Hogleaze for those bigger storage projects… 

Some items, such as books, valuables, or vintage pieces that mean a lot to you, won’t be used often but still need looking after. Before you take on your minimalist lifestyle, these would be the things that clutter your home. Hogleaze is well equipped to look after these for you, with our range of self storage Dorset sites, and differently sized units to suit everyone. 

Whether you have a collection of vintage bikes that are making their way into your hallway, or your business needs to reduce paperwork as you recognise it’s a safety hazard, contact our storage experts today by calling us in Weymouth on 01305 830000 or Dorchester on 01305 889777, alternatively, contact us here.  

Don’t forget, for more tips on becoming a minimalist, moving home, or storing your possessions, follow us on Facebook here. You can also see what other homeowners and business owners have said about our Dorset storage units by checking out our reviews >>