Unusual Cleaning Hacks that Work from Newbury Park Storage

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!

 

Heartfelt Valentine’s Ideas from Self Storage Thousand Oaks

Romantic Valentine picnic

The most valuable gifts don’t always come from a store. Gifts from the heart not only let someone know you’re thinking of them, but they also show the care and appreciation you feel.  And since there’s no better way to celebrate your love on Valentine’s Day than with something unique, we know you can’t wait to get started! Our team of self storage Thousand Oaks Cupids…err Experts rounded up some of their favorite ideas to create heartfelt Valentine gifts that are sure to brighten your significant other’s day.

Make a Video

Be your own content creator and shoot a video illustrating all the reasons why your person is awesome!  How cool is that? You get to write your own script, plan for props, and finally perform! You can be fun and playful, or loving and romantic. Or just mix them all up into one amazing top 10 list about your Valentine! And if you want to share your love with the world, just go ahead and post your flick on social media!

Go Paint Something

We love a good paint and sip, and here’s a great new take. Try painting pottery! At Color Me Mine there’s plenty of ceramics to choose from. Make a reservation for two, pick a piece for each other, and enjoy working on your special gifts together. After a week, you’ll get to pick up your glazed and fired works of art. And the best part? You’ll relive that special night each time you look at your creations.

Write a Book About Them

Well, more like a notebook, but hear us out.  Pick up your favorite stationery or small journal and write down all the things you love about the person you want to celebrate. Share special memories you had together, tell a funny story or include a poem. Add photos, stickers or even your own sketches to give your creation a scrapbook feel. Nothing is more unique than your own words! Need help getting started? Check out this awesome option from Amazon.

Do Something Out of the Ordinary

You don’t need to go far, just break your routine. Consider booking a room at a local hotel or AirBNB. Or plan to spend time together when you wouldn’t usually connect – maybe the afternoon or early evening. The options are endless! How about a picnic at a park, a short hike to a waterfall, or even horseback riding? We think Maliburiders offers a great way to enjoy a romantic afternoon for two!

Cook!

If you’re like us and put your heart into every meal you prepare, Valentine’s Day is your time to shine! Taking the time to plan, cook, and create the perfect meal shows how much you care. And why not prepare the whole feast together? You could go for the hundreds of cozy recipes online or try a virtual cooking class. Love a challenge? Making California Rolls at home can be a really fun thing to do with your favorite person.

Gifts from the heart show someone just how much they mean to you. And no matter what you decide to do, any act of appreciation is what really counts. We hope you’re inspired to create a unique Valentine for your significant other this year. If there’s a special activity you’d like to try at home but don’t have the space, our friendly self storage Thousand Oaks team is ready to help find the right price storage unit at the Lowest Price – Guaranteed!

Freshen up your Fridge from Self Storage Thousand Oaks

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!

Getting Fit on a Budget in 2022 from Newbury Park Storage

Happy New Year!

Are you hoping to get on track with some better health this year? No matter what your current lifestyle is like, there are plenty of ways to get started with your fitness resolutions. Our Newbury Park Storage team has gathered a variety of low-cost activities around the Conejo Valley that can make you stronger and happier in 2022!

Here are a few of our favorites:

Group Fitness

Group classes for about $10 each are great for having a little fun in a comfortable setting. Conejo Valley Adult Education offers a variety of sessions for both indoor and outdoor wellness including Restorative Yoga, Dance, Pilates, and Tai Chi, along with more traditional cardio and strength training workouts. We’re sure you’ll find the perfect way to meet your exercise goals and maybe make some friends too!

Leagues

  1. There’s a lot going on at our local community centers thanks to our friends at Conejo Recreation & Park District. This includes plenty of in-person sports leagues and classes to help you succeed with your resolutions. Some awesome examples? You can join an adult volleyball, softball, or soccer team and play the whole season for less than $100; take water aerobics (4 sessions for $54); learn how to fence (6 weeks for $85); go line dancing (7 classes for $59); and SO MUCH MORE!

Networking

  1. If you’d like to connect with others who have similar physical fitness interests, we suggest Meetup. This social networking site allows you to find, join or even start your own virtual or in-person group. A few local opportunities include trail running in Newbury Park (free), outdoor boot camp for all ages in Oxnard ($15), co-ed sand volleyball in Westlake Village (free), and swimming in Ventura ($5). Check out the Sports & Fitness or Health & Wellbeing categories for more.
  2. Cycling the hundreds of miles of road bike routes and mountain bike trails that Conejo Valley has to offer can provide a fantastic journey to fitness success. You can always venture out alone, but why not join a local club like the Conejo Valley Cyclists. At only $35, membership includes group cycle routes for any skill level in addition to social events like Sunday coffee and rides to/from local restaurants. More advanced mountain bike riders might enjoy the night rides through various local trails.

Local and Free!

  1. Pepper Tree Park – Just down the road from Hollywood Storage Center, this park offers a .8-mile loop that runs around the perimeter of the recreational area. Not only is this perfect for getting in your daily step count, but the loop also includes exercise stations along the way for added physical challenges.
  2. Rabbit Flats Disc Golf Course at Thousand Oaks Community Park – If you’re looking to get started with a new sport, how about disc golf? Rabbit Flats offers 9 acres of hilly elevation making for some interesting frisbee shots. And with three baskets at each hole, beginners can enjoy the shorter-range positions (red) before going for a second loop to try the longer shots (blue and yellow). If you play all 18 holes, you’ll walk a little over 2 miles!
  3. Public Tennis courts from Calabasas to Camarillo – Tennis is an excellent option for those seeking to improve muscular strength and endurance while raising their heart rate. And because you need a partner to play, it’s fun to meet a friend for a game after work or on a Saturday morning. In Thousand Oaks alone, you’ll find over 150 free courts to get your swing on!
  4. EventBrite –  Did you know EventBrite has more free opportunities to get fit? On Saturday, January 29th Yoga on the Mountain returns to King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas with live acoustic music to get your body flowing. You’ll need to make a reservation for this free event.

We hope this list of activities motivates you on your 2022 fitness journey. If you lack space for an exercise area at home, consider stopping by Newbury Park storage. We can help find the right-sized storage unit at the Lowest Price – Guaranteed in the Conejo Valley! One less room full of furniture is one more step towards fitness success!