Category Archives: Cleaning Tips

Low-Cost Home Projects from Self Storage Thousand Oaks

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Man with drill woman with brush

Has the high cost of construction been keeping you from updating your home? We get it. Home makeovers can carry a hefty price tag, and the building materials shortage during the pandemic has made this statement even more true. But, if you ask us, there are plenty of smaller projects you can tackle that won’t break your bank or take months to complete. That’s why our self storage thousand oaks team is sharing five ways you can refresh your home in just one weekend!

Handle the Knobs

Okay, so you can’t afford a full kitchen renovation. An easy and more budget-friendly option is to update the cabinet hardware. It’s a great way to give the room a fresher look and feel.

Before you head to the hardware store, figure out what will complement the space. For kitchen cupboards, knobs work best, while handles are better for drawers. Then consider the style and finish of your cabinets.  Are they traditional, modern, or transitional? Stained or painted? Perhaps you want something that will make a statement, something with a little personality. We think KnobDeco is a fun place to start! Then it’s as simple as unscrewing the old knobs and replacing them with the new ones!

Wall of cabinet knobs

Powerwash the Property

Cleaning the grime that builds up on your driveway, patios, or fencing can make a big difference to your home’s curb appeal.

Because you’ll be dealing with large surfaces, consider a pressurized power washer. It’s a great option to blast away all that dirt in record time! If you don’t already own this tool, your local home improvement store can help with a rental. Once you get started, if you find that using hot water alone isn’t cutting it, try mixing it with good ‘ol Dawn dish soap. Dawn is non-toxic AND biodegradable, so it’s tough on grease but gentle with the environment!

Man with pressure washer

Perk up the Front Door

We can’t think of a better way to give your home a brand-new look than by simply painting the exterior of your front door.

It won’t take more than a quart of paint as long as it’s just one door that’s already primed with a similar shade. If you’re completely changing the color, priming is a must! Collect a few swatches of glossy paint (best for doors and trim) and tape them to the front door to get an idea of what might work best.

Then when you’re ready to get started, tape off the doorknob, trim, or anything else you don’t want coated. Grab a foam roller and cover the door completely. If you’re feeling a little extra, you can install new house numbers while you’re at it!

New paint on front door

Install Outdoor Lighting

Updating the outside of your home, and not being able to see it at night is a bummer! Warm, outdoor lighting is the perfect way to get your home noticed and to provide additional safety! A classic option is to add sconces to the porch. We prefer wall or barn lights to illuminate pathways and key features of your home. Alternatively, you can use solar deck lights to spruce up your fencing or highlight a beautiful tree or flowerbed with these LED metal spotlights.

Home landscape lights

Update Light Switch Plates

Over time, all those light switch plates become discolored, scratched, and sometimes even painted over. If your home is vintage, it’s possible there are even some that are mismatched. This small improvement can add to the beauty and design consistency of your home and give it an updated look for less than $100! Get started with some of these fun designs and styles!

Light switch plates

We hope this list of weekend projects inspires you to take advantage of a lazy afternoon and give your home the updates it deserves. Whether you want to enhance your yard, decorate the exterior, or simply freshen up some architectural elements, you can easily do this on a limited budget. What ideas do you have for your home? Stop by and let us know. And, when you’re in need of self storage Thousand Oaks has the Lowest Price – Guaranteed! With more than 50 sizes to accommodate your needs, we make storing the things you love, a snap!

Unusual Cleaning Hacks that Work from Newbury Park Storage

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When it comes to cleaning things around the house, we all tend to rely on standard commercial products, forgetting we may already have common household items in our home that can be turned into unconventional yet effective cleaning solutions. That’s why our Newbury Park Storage team is sharing some clever cleaning hacks to help make your home sparkle the easy way.

Baking Soda Superpowers

Unclog Your Smelly Drain

Are you sometimes greeted by unpleasant smells when you step into your kitchen or bathroom? Chances are that your sink drain is the culprit. Freshen it up and improve flow by first pouring boiling water down the drain. Next, pour a cup of baking soda followed by a cup of water mixed with a cup of vinegar. Cover with a drain plug and wait 5-10 minutes before adding boiling water down the drain again. Repeat this every month and say goodbye to smelly sinks!

Clean Your Hairbrushes

When was the last time you cleaned your hairbrushes and combs? Don’t feel bad, it’s not exactly at the top of our to-do list either. The good news is that it doesn’t need to be a hassle. Simply remove all the hair from your brush first, then dissolve 1 teaspoon of baking soda into a cup of warm water. Next, dip a toothbrush into the solution and brush the bristles to remove the dust and grime. Rinse and dry overnight.

Neutralize Odors Naturally

Get rid of odors in linen and clothing the natural way! Sprinkle baking soda directly onto dirty laundry or add ½ cup to the wash load. You can also pour a small amount into shoes, trash cans, anywhere that could use freshening. And if you’re out of laundry detergent, 1 cup of baking soda will replace soap in a snap for that fresh clean laundry smell.

Coca-Cola

End Toilet Bowl Gunk

Did you know that carbonated Cola is more acidic than lemon juice? That’s why it’s great for cleaning! For those hard-to-clean rings, pour a can of the popular drink into the toilet and mix it with the water. Leave the soda in the toilet bowl for at least one hour, or overnight for harder stains. Give the bowl a little scrub before flushing. It’s that simple!

Remove Kitchen Grease

Cleaning greasy stains from cookware can be a tough process. For stubborn spots, fill a large stockpot with plenty of Cola. Completely dunk the stained pot or pan into the stockpot. Place on the stove at low heat for about 30 minutes to an hour. Finally, use a scouring brush to scrub any residue away.

Lemon Wonders

Erase Butcher Block Stains

You can erase lighter stains such as coffee rings by first covering the stain in salt. Next, cut a lemon in half and squeeze some juice over the salt.  Take the cut side of the lemon to rub the salt and juice together to make a paste, then rub that paste into the stain. Let it sit overnight, then rinse with warm water.

Darker stains like red wine may require a little hydrogen peroxide diluted in one cup of water. Use a cotton ball to apply the solution and leave it overnight. Make sure to completely dry before applying mineral oil to keep the wood conditioned.

Freshen up a Stinky Garbage Container

Cleaning garbage pails is one of the best ways to get rid of odors. You can give containers a fresher scent by wiping off any spills or sticky bits first. Then rub lemon juice around the inside before rinsing with warm water.

Polish Chrome, Floors, and Furniture

Make your chrome shine by rubbing a lemon on those water spots and drying it off with a soft cloth. Microfiber works great. Then you can give it a polished look by applying a little car wax and buffing off once the wax gets cloudy!

You can also make your own polish by mixing olive oil and half a cup of lemon juice to shine wooden floors and furniture. The best part? That lovely citrus scent is the signature fragrance of the South of France!

 

Fabric Softener Fun

Clean and Deodorize Walls

Fabric softener can make a home feel like you’ve just finished a deep Spring cleaning! Start by grabbing a spray bottle and mixing a quarter cap of fabric softener with warm water. Spray on grubby doors, overlooked walls, and floorboards, then dry with a microfiber cloth. This solution has fantastic cleaning abilities! Your home will smell fresh and clean!

We love a good cleaning hack and hope you can save some time and elbow grease using these ideas. If you’ve got unusual tips to make items around the house sparkle, we’re excited to hear them! And, next time you’re in need of a clean storage unit, drop by to see us. Our Newbury Park Storage experts are here to help you seven days a week with the Lowest Price – Guaranteed!

 

Freshen up your Fridge from Self Storage Thousand Oaks

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There’s something deeply satisfying about opening the door of a picture-perfect fridge filled with nicely stacked and labeled containers. However, keeping a neat and orderly refrigerator can be challenging for busy families. That’s why our self storage Thousand Oaks team is sharing simple organization tips to keep your fridge tidy and the food inside fresh.

The Basics

The first step in keeping your refrigerator organized is to have a dedicated place for essential items. Second, avoid stuffing your fridge full. While bulk-buying may seem like a smart money-saving option, packing too much on the shelves prevents the cold air from circulating and can lead to spoilage. Third, not all refrigerators are made equal. Depending on the age, older models such as side-by-side styles may not offer as many shelving options as high-tech newer ones or French door types do. These differences will change how you manage food zones.

Beverages

Temperature matters, especially for milk. You can prolong your milk’s life by storing it toward the bottom of the fridge where the air is typically the coldest. Then, simply keep other beverages like juice, sports drinks, or drink boxes near the milk. Soda cans are one of the few items we’ve found that use less space when stored in a stackable can dispenser. Keep it on the top shelf to take advantage of stable cool air. Wine bottles and liquor can be laid gently on their sides. Use refrigerator mats to prevent bottles from rolling around.

Eggs

If you’re putting eggs in the refrigerator door, remember this zone’s temperature varies the most with all that opening and closing. Like milk, you want to put eggs in a constantly cold area – like the bottom center.

Leave your eggs in their original carton of recycled cardboard rather than storing them in another bin. Cardboard egg boxes supply better protection than most solid foam or plastic containers. And did you know that those cartons prevent the eggs from absorbing strong odors and flavors from other foods?

Additionally, eggs will last for about three weeks from the Sell By date if stored properly. When we buy fresh eggs, we like to write the BEST BY date (3 weeks from Sell By) on the carton before we put it in the fridge.

Meat & Cheese

If you have a newer fridge, it likely has a special drawer just for deli items. We like to take them out of their original packaging and put them into clear bags labeled with a date and the product’s name. It’s a lot easier to grab something when you can see it, know what it is, and how long it’s good for.

Raw meat should always be separated from other food and placed on a lower shelf in a bowl or drawer to capture liquids.

Don’t have a dedicated drawer? No problem. Just place the items in a lower area of the fridge to maintain freshness. If your fridge is older and has enough depth between shelves, try adding these shallow storage drawers which are great options to increase space.

Condiments

These are mostly responsible for a disorganized fridge. Consider grouping them by category. For example, items like ketchup, mustard, and barbeque sauce can remain together while syrup, honey, and jam are in another group. Then, store these items on the refrigerator door shelves. If you save take-out packets of sauces, consider reusing the small Yoplait Oui yogurt glass pots to hold them. Also, consider transferring those half-empty salad dressing and sauce bottles into smaller glass containers. Reusing glass bottles or mason jars is a great way to store liquids, and significantly increase space.

Fruit & Vegetables

When produce is clean and ready to go, it’s much easier to consume and less likely to go bad. Always clean produce with a good rinse and dry before storing. We love green bags to extend shelf life, but paper-towel-lined glass containers work great as well. Just make sure to keep all the fresh produce away from meat and seafood. This alone helps your harvest last longer. Finally, keep in mind that not every fruit, vegetable, or herb belongs in the fridge. If you’re not sure, a quick question to your grocer or Google should help.

Leftovers

Now that condiments have moved to the door shelves, and we’re using the middle and lower areas of the fridge for dairy and meat, let’s talk top shelf. Because of its stable temperature, this part of the fridge is ideal for leftovers, prepared meals, and drinks. We love reusable silicon bags. Not only are they clear so you’ll always know what’s inside, but they’re eco-friendly, and many can stand up!

We hope these simple organization tips help you maximize refrigerator space. Doing so will help keep the inside tidier and the food fresher longer. And, if you’re also planning to organize your home or garage this year and need extra room, our friendly self storage Thousand Oaks team is ready to help! We’re available every day of the week from 8:30 am to 6 pm to offer you the Lowest Price – Guaranteed!

6 Functional Garage Updates From Newbury Park Storage

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Garages were designed to provide space for parking. But they’re also known to function as a utility room, workshop, equipment storage area, and more. If you’re like us, you might be neglecting that bonanza of a space! In order to take full advantage of your garage, our Newbury Park storage team curated 6 simple, low-cost updates that can add some much-needed useability.

Tackling the Garage:

Free up floor space!

Garage interiors often become a catchall zone, leaving the floor in a chaotic mess! We know it can be overwhelming to get started, so we recommend working with a small section at a time. Take inventory of everything that has accumulated, sorting items by category to help you determine how they should be put away. Then, when you’re done, blow out any remaining floor debris and marvel at the impact a clean floor can make!

Fix a cracked concrete floor

It shouldn’t be a surprise that concrete slabs crack over time. Small existing veins aren’t exactly something to lose sleep over. But, if those tiny imperfections become deep pits or grow larger, then it’s time to fill them. Head to your local hardware store and locate the concrete resurfacing section. Fill the cracks with mortar or use a self-leveling sealer and in just one weekend your damaged garage floor is near-new again!

Create organizational zones

Set a dedicated area for sorted items that will stay in the garage. Our favorite kind of organizer is a Slatwall panel. They give walls a clean, textured look without having to paint and leave your floor and ceiling areas clear. Add hooks, brackets, and multiple compartment bins, and you’ve got a clear, visual zone for all things utility. We adore these fun options from Amazon.

Insulate your garage door

Warm weather and extra appliances can increase temperatures in your garage. Alternatively, a chilly day or two will also move the needle in the opposite direction. That means you lose energy and still pay for it. Yuck! Reduce energy loss by filling in all those gaps to the outside. Especially if your space has windows. Then, move to insulate the garage door. We like options such as reflective insulation. These thin, rigid panels work well for doors that open and close a lot.

Install new lighting

Unless a light goes bad, we rarely think about illuminating the garage. But, depending on how you use your space, there are great ways to make improvements. For example, updating bulbs to LED will improve efficiency and lower energy bills. We’ve even tried LED strip tape lighting around the perimeter and under the steps. It provides the extra visibility you need so it’s easier to find your way around! For our DIY friends, we recommend task lighting. These fixtures are specially designed to direct light for detailed projects.

Add some tech!

Adding smart measures to your space can certainly increase convenience and boost safety. Garage door openers now include features like monitoring alerts, alarms, and support to open or close doors. The best part? Control can be operated through Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri.  Smart lights are another techy choice that can be controlled through a smartphone. We love how easy it is to dim, lighten, or even schedule lights to turn on or off.

Improving the functionality of your garage doesn’t mean you have to take on a big project or spend a lot of money. With some simple, affordable updates you can become the garage genius you’ve always known you are. And, if you’re ready to move all those items off the floor and away from your home, we can offer a Place for the Things You Love. Whether you need a lot or a little storage room, at Newbury Park Storage we’re proud to offer 50+ unit sizes.