In a blink of an eye, we’re now fast approaching the end of a truly eventful year! Many of us will be more than happy to put the year 2020 behind and to look forward to the new year. For some, the end of the year signifies the end of their tenancy agreement. This marks the start of searching and moving into a new home. This may be stressful, as it involves planning and coordination work to a certain degree. Coupled with our daily workload and other obligations, it all adds up and we find ourselves overwhelmed. We hear your pain! Thus, we’ve compiled a list of tips that may just help ease your moving process.

Make a checklist

As Benjamin Franklin said it best, “failure to plan is planning to fail.” Prepare a checklist beforehand to ensure that you do not miss out on any steps or checks. This will help organise and streamline your entire process, which will make life easier for you! Once you have a checklist in place, just ensure you tick all the boxes, and you’ll be good to go!

Pack and declutter

Moving homes is often the best time to get rid of unwanted belongings that you have held on to for the longest of times. Now is the time to free yourself and toss them away! Of course, keep those of sentimental value, but for all else, either donate, sell or throw them away! You can refer here for help with your decision making process! It may even be a good time to upgrade on some furniture – we know you have had your eye on that luxurious king-sized bed for a while now. Perfect time (and excuse) to reward yourself!

Enlist the help of movers

Moving is indeed a tiring process, there’s no denying it. Especially if you’re single and moving out alone. Try enlisting the help of your friends and family, but of course, treat them to a meal at the end of the day! Alternatively, you could enlist the help of movers which will definitely help ease the burden of heavy-lifting when transporting large items and furniture. Should you have any fragile items, such as a piano or glass cabinet, it’d be advisable to get the experts to help as they’ll know how to best package and transport it.

Unpack necessities first!

Moving day is finally here! After unloading all your furniture and belongings into your new place, it’s time to start unpacking. But wait, it’s also the best time to do a thorough cleaning, as there are no obstacles in your way for now. Wipe down, vacuum and mop thoroughly, and make sure to sanitise often! After which you can now begin unpacking for real. It’d be a good idea to spread out unpacking over the course of a few days, so start with unpacking the necessities first. Clothes, toiletries, daily essentials, kitchenware takes priority over others, as you’ll need these in your daily life. From there, take your time to unpack so as to not get overwhelmed with too much in one go.

All in all, moving doesn’t have to be as stressful and painful as you think. Some may even find it enjoyable! In the event if you ever find yourself with a lack of space for your belongings, be it because you move into a smaller space or simply having too much stuff, we’re here for you! Self-storage is the answer to your woes. Store your excess belongings with us at Extra Space Asia and free up your home from clutter.

 

Home is where the heart is. This saying resonates stronger than ever before, especially in the face of the pandemic that is COVID-19. Many are stranded away from home due to work or personal reasons, with the majority of the countries locking down their borders. Although we know nothing compares to your actual home with your family and loved ones, let’s try to make the best out of the situation to transform your current dwelling into the next best thing – a home away from home. Here are five easy tips!

Lighting, lighting, lighting.

This is so important, we feel the need to emphasise it thrice! The one most crucial element for any room or space to look bigger and more spacious boils down to the lighting. Natural light works wonders in opening up the interior of a room. If you don’t have access to natural lighting, consider painting the walls and ceiling white for an open and airy aesthetic. No more feeling cooped up and confined in a small space!

Revamp your bedroom

For many, the bedroom is a sanctuary. It’s where we spend a majority of our lives for resting, sleeping, studying and working. There’s no place safer than the comfort of our bedroom. In a new country, it’d be best to replicate as closely as possible to your own bedroom back home. This gives you a sense of familiarity as well as a sense of security. Zest it up a little, of course, with scented candles and a good sound system!

Channel your inner Gordon Ramsay

Missing the food back home? With the wide array of digital tools online these days to help us learn and pick up cooking, you’ll be able to learn and whip out a dish in no time! Some of us actually find grocery shopping therapeutic, and it’ll be a thrilling experience to explore the local market and foods of the area where you’re currently residing. Cooking traditional food from home is one of the best ways to cure the homesick!

Keep in touch!

 Thank God for technology, right? Connections are now so much easier with tools such as WhatsApp, Facetime and practically dozens of other applications out there! Although you may not be there in person, you could at least be there in spirit and in video for events that you may be missing out on back home.

Keep your home clean and tidy

Coming home after a long day of work to an empty house or room may be disheartening, but on the bright side, it’ll look amazing if you keep it clean and tidy! Being in a foreign country is a daunting task, and many of us would pack more than what is needed. As my mother used to say, you’ll never know when you may need this. From experience, these items would just be lying around taking up space. Should you have too much stuff around, consider decluttering your space and store what you don’t need with us at Extra Space Asia. Where you can access it any time, any day as our facilities are open 24/7!

There’s no place like home. But while we’re somewhere else, let’s soldier on and we do what we must to rise above these unique times.

 

 

To sell or to donate? When you undertake the task of spring cleaning and decluttering your home or office, you might ask yourself questions like: ‘What should I do with this?’, ‘Would this come in handy one day?’ Doubt it. ‘Does it still have value?’ ‘Would anybody buy this?’ These questions are enough to leave us stuck and eventually put off the entire task altogether.

Stop procrastinating. We’re here to help. Let’s weigh the pros and cons together!

Selling

Selling can actually net you quite a fair bit of profit if done right. However, always consider the time investment you have to put in to sell it. Do it if the resale value is high, as selling would justifying the amount of time and effort spent. If you’re looking to make money, by all means, catalogue your possessions that you would like to sell and utilise the various platforms that are available like the Facebook marketplace, flea markets, Carousel and so on. Some people enjoy selling as to them it’s a win-win situation, they get to offload their clutter and at the same time make some cash out of it! It’s also a good training ground should you consider a career in sales at some point in the future.

Do also keep in mind that there are fussy buyers out there and they might make unreasonable demands at times. Imagine customers demanding discounts, original receipts, original boxings/casings and more. If this thought feels frustrating to you, selling may not be the path you seek. There have also been horror stories of how sellers take the time out to meet a potential buyer at an agreed location and time only to be stood up. Time wasted is equivalent to money wasted! As in every aspect of life, there’s always the risk of things not working out as intended.

Donating

On the other hand, if time is a constraint for you, donating your belongings sounds just about right! Not only are you doing a good deed, but there are convenient drop-off points for donation drives. Simply bag it up and head on over to the nearest drop-off point! Your house has now been purged from clutter.

However, there are also several points to consider before donating. Do remember that when you donate, someone is going to be using it for their own use. Only donate items that are still in decent condition. So pause and ask yourself before you donate, does this item still serve its main function properly? If the answer is no, it probably belongs in the bin.

It’s entirely up to you to sell or donate your pre-loved items. Take some time to understand the pros and cons, and you’ll have a clearer idea of your next steps. However, if both these options are not ideal for you – if you feel the need to clear the items yet NOT get rid of them – consider storing with us at Extra Space Asia! We’ll take good care of your stuff until you find a need for it again one day in the future. Till then!

Moving and relocating can be a very stressful period for some, but it shouldn’t be! If anything, you should take in the experience, and savour it as much as possible for it’s a truly exciting process and does not happen very often! We know very well how troublesome moving can be, as it can be both physically and mentally tiring. We’ve compiled some tips to help ease this transition and perhaps even make it a memorable one for you and your family!

Checklist, checked!

How can you effectively shortlist moving companies? Like any task in life, the first step to aid your decision-making process is to prepare a checklist. This checklist should outline various pointers and features that are important to you, such as years of experience, ratings and reviews, pricing, and the list goes on. This list will help you weigh the pros and cons after doing the necessary research and homework on the many moving companies out there.

Read what others are saying

Reviews and testimonials are your best friends in this situation. When checking out potential moving companies, it’d be a good idea to go online and check out their social media page and Google Reviews. While some companies may promise you just about everything initially, they may not be able to deliver their promises. It’s always best to go with a company that has stellar reviews and testimonials from their past customers. Do also ask around amongst friends and family to recommend any moving companies that they may have used in the past.

Ensure protection at all times

Moving big and bulky furniture may be a tricky process, and unfortunately, there are times when mishaps or accidents may happen. So, ensure that all your belongings and furniture that is being transported is covered by insurance provided by the moving company. A good moving company will often offer various types of moving insurance to help safeguard your belongings. Ideally, you should choose one that covers the entire moving process, so that you can have peace of mind throughout this transition period.

Make sure that the price is right!

It’s true when they say that quality doesn’t always come cheap. While we understand that it’s always smart to stay thrifty in these times, try not to save on moving costs as skimping on this may lead to potential financial woes down the road. However, that’s not to say you should always go for the most expensive option. More often than not, moving companies will also offer various discounts or promotions for first-time movers, retirees, or just seasonal discounts such as a Christmas or Deepavali promotion!

In conclusion, choosing the right moving service is not an easy decision to make, and we hope these tips will come in handy on your big day! And if you’re ever in need of a temporary home to store your furniture, we’re here for you. Feel free to reach out to us to find out more. Happy moving!

Finally, you have just made the decision to renovate your home! Be it for just a change of scenery or simply upscaling your home as your family expands, home renovations can certainly be a daunting task. Where do you start? Who do you engage? What should you consider? Questions after questions. We have all been there. We know the stress that one undergoes when attempting to start their renovation journey, and we have compiled some tips and tricks that will hopefully ease the process, and make it a somewhat enjoyable one! After all, it is not every day that one decides to renovate his or her home. Read on further to find out more.

Budget 2020

First things first, as Jessie J aptly puts it, ‘it’s all about the money, money, money’. Home renovations are bound to run into roadblocks and surprises every now and then. Plan out how much you are willing to set aside for renovation costs and then allocate a tad bit more, just in case something unforeseen happens. A good gauge of how much of emergency fund you should set aside is approximately 15% of the total project cost. After all, failure to plan is planning to fail!

Trust the professionals

Engaging a professional and reputable contractor will set your mind at ease throughout the most part of the process. More often than not, we know how tempting it is to go with the cheaper option, but when it comes to something as precious as your home, try not to cut corners! Splurge a little as your home deserves the best. However, that is not to say you should choose the most expensive options and break out your life savings. Do your homework and research, ask around for recommendations from friends and family. The right contractor is just around the corner!

Let there be light!

One mistake that homeowners have been known to make is to the importance of lighting in their homes. You might want to consider soft lights for your living room to give off a cosy ambience where one can just chill and relax after a long day of work, and brighter white light for your study room to enable you to stay razor-sharp and focus when doing work. Let’s not forget natural lighting! Windows in the right place will bring in natural lighting, which does wonders in accentuating and creating an optical illusion that your house looks bigger than it actually is.

Size really matters

It is crucial to measure how much space you really have. It would be a complete nightmare to buy the cabinets of your dreams only to realise you will not have enough space left for your wardrobe. Knowing the measurements will also enable you to shop efficiently, and to not fall in love with furniture that is too big for your room. Save yourself the heartbreak, we say!

Be decisive

Once you have made a decision on your home renovations and have briefed the contractor accordingly, try not to make any changes along the way. We often find ourselves second-guessing our decisions, which leads to a last-minute change of mind. This will not only set back your timeline, it may also incur additional cost as the original work may have already started. We would sit down and run through your plans thoroughly before giving the go-ahead.

Cover up or store your existing furniture

Be sure to cover up your furniture to avoid dust and to protect them from being damaged! Renovation works lead to dust flying all over what with all the drilling and hammering. However, if covering up does not set your mind at ease, know that there is always an alternative option of storing your belongings for the time being with us at Extra Space Asia! We have a wide range of sizes for you to choose from to fit your needs and also, we are flexible when it comes to commitment. You decide how long you want to store with us, with the option of extending as and when you need. We provide peace of mind so you can focus on all other aspects of your life.

All in all, renovation may seem to be an arduous task at first, but with the proper planning and research, it will be just about the best investment you have ever made! With that, we bid you good luck on your journey!

 

You’ve taken the first step, and have rented your first self-storage unit. If you’re like most people, you’re in it for the long run, perhaps on a 6-month basis or up to a year or more! For some, renting a storage unit and keeping their belongings would undoubtedly mean ‘out of sight, out of mind.’

 

We at Extra Space Asia are all about hygiene and cleanliness, especially in times like these. This is why our premises are regularly sanitised and kept clean by a team of professionals frequently.

 

However, the cleanliness of your own unit falls outside our purview as we have no access to your unit. It’s crucial to clean out your own unit every now and then as dust will build up and can lead to serious health complications. Studies have shown that the accumulation of indoor dust contains numerous chemicals that are harmful to one’s health. So, we’ve come up with 3 tips to help you keep your unit clean and safe!

 

Psyche yourself up for the task

 

Tidying up seems to be a daunting task, which may lead to further procrastination. But instead of being overwhelmed, you can stop and visualise just how satisfying it would be if you get it done! After all, storage units can be seen as an extension of your home, it could give you the same sense of satisfaction once it’s clean and neat! Set aside some time to complete the clean-up, but do remember to give yourself ample time. If the allocated clean-up time is limited, you might feel pressured to get it done and would probably not do a good job in the end. As the saying goes, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day.’ Rome wasn’t built by one person alone too. So, bring along a friend or family member for that extra mental support!

 

Making a list of every item in your unit

 

It may have been a while since you last stepped into your unit, and it’s not uncommon to forget what you’ve stored there. While it’s a good practice to always keep an inventoried list of items, there may be times when we don’t update this list accordingly. So, note and take down every item in your unit before cleaning, as it’ll give you a better sense and idea of how much time you would need to clean.

 

“Does it spark joy?”

 

The next step here is where we take a page out of Marie Kondo’s playbook. Hold up each item individually and ask yourself, “Does it spark joy?” If yes, keep it! If no, extend your thanks and gratitude to the item and remove it from your unit. While it may not be practical to actually do this to every single belonging in your storage unit, it’s a good mentality to practise. Because if you’ve stuff in there that you’ve forgotten about, it shows that these items might not be as valuable and useful to you anymore. It could come in handy for others, especially the less fortunate should you decide to donate it to charity! For the items that you’ll be keeping, dust them down either with a wet wipe, towel, or a microfibre duster. To prevent too much dust from getting onto your larger items, you can also use a cover to drape over them. Cloth tarpaulins are a popular choice here, amongst other options such as plastic wrappers or even old blankets!

 

Cleanliness is an important element in our lives, be it our personal hygiene, our homes, cars, and so on. The same emphasis we put on cleanliness applies to your storage units as well. If you ever need any advice, don’t hesitate to reach out to us! Many of our staff are fellow storers as well and can give you their own personal tips and tricks.

 

Till then, stay clean and safe!

 

 

First impressions are everything in this day and age. In an ever-crowded environment, it is hard to stand out, but stand out we must! That’s where fashion comes in. As the saying goes, “Clothes maketh the man”. What you wear will instantly influence someone’s perception of you. So, stock up your closet and dress sharply! Wait, your closet and drawers can’t hold any more clothes? Fret not, we’re here to impart some life-changing hacks and tips on how to organise and store your clothes the right way! Read on to find out how to maximise your closet space!

Empty out your closet

First things first, empty and clean out your closet! Yes, you read that right. With an empty closet in front of you, you’ll be able to survey and have a clearer picture of the space you are working with. Don’t forget to give your closet a deep-cleaning once you have emptied it out. After all, it is home to what you wear on your body every day, and hygiene is of the utmost importance, now more than ever.

Separate your clothes by category

Looking at that mountain pile of clothing can be daunting, but don’t let that get you down. Sift through it and categorise your clothes into piles such as pants, tops, outerwear, and innerwear. Once separated, go through each clothing individually. There will definitely be some clothes that you will not have worn in years and have completely forgotten about its existence. Toss it out, or better still, donate it. Not only are you doing yourself a favour by decluttering your closet, but you’re also doing a good deed by giving away your pre-loved belongings to those in need.

Hang anything expensive (or delicate)

Hang items that crease and crumple easily or cannot be folded, such as your coats, suits, shirts, and skirts. This saves you the hassle of having to iron these items all the time before wearing them. Face them all the same way for a neater and organised look.

Colour-code your wardrobe

Tedious as it sounds, it will be rewarding. It will look incredibly aesthetic and visually pleasing, and may even merit a slot in your Instagram or Pinterest feed. More often than not, we often have a mental image of the look we’re trying to achieve when picking out clothes to wear. Thus, this will make colour-pairing and matching your clothes even easier!

Organise your drawers in the order you get dressed

What’s the first thing you put on in the morning after your shower? Put that in the top drawer to make your morning routine much easier! Now, dressing up can be done on auto-pilot where you go drawer by drawer, from top to bottom. What a revelation, innit?

Choose Extra Space Asia to store any excess clothing

For some of you, the shopaholic in you is strong. Even after donating clothes that you do not want anymore, there may still be a lack of space in your wardrobe to fit everything you own. That’s where we come in! You can even turn our storage unit into your own personal walk-in wardrobe. Moreover, you can also store your seasonal clothes with us too, such as your winter wear and sports gear. Worry about moulding and heat? Nah, not at Extra Space! We have air-conditioned units that are climate-controlled and kept at a cool temperature to ensure low humidity at all times.

Take the time and effort to go through with this task, and you’ll thank yourself in later days to come. Your wardrobe is an essential part of life, and like all other aspects of your life, it should be organised and be a pleasant part of your day.

 

 

 

 

How are y’all holding up? With the Movement Control Order implemented by the government, most of us are confined to our own homes. We know it ain’t easy, but hang in there. It’s for the greater good! This is also the best time to do what we’ve always been putting off – spring cleaning! Spring cleaning may seem tedious and at times overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be so! We’ve put together some tips that will aid in your spring-cleaning journey.

 

Prepping the right tools

First things first, having the right tools at your disposal before embarking on your spring-cleaning task will smoothen and hasten the process. As the saying goes, “Failure to plan is planning to fail.” Get yourself a heavy-duty sponge, durable trash bags (as the last thing you want is your trash bag to break down on you after throwing your rubbish in), rags, buckets, gloves, broom or vacuum, and the list goes on and on. Once you have procured this equipment, you are now prepared for war! But wait, lest we forget the most important tool of all! A family member or friend for mental support. Decluttering and throwing out preloved stuff may not be easy, and having someone there will definitely work wonders for your willpower.

 

Ensuring everything has its own place

As the proverbial saying goes, “A place for everything and everything in its place.” More often than not, we find ourselves too lazy to return something we use back to its original place. We may think that “I’ll do it later”, but deep down we all know “later” will never come. The vacuum cleaner that you used to clean out your car last week is still by the front door, until the next need for it arises. By ensuring a home for everything in your home, it helps you to be more organized in life! Moreover, by doing so, you’ll then be able to identify those items that you have no place for – thus helping in your decluttering process!

 

Bid adieu to duplicates

We’re all guilty of overindulging at times and buying in excess of what we need. There’s no need to feel bad about it, it happens to the best of us. Moving forward, it would be best to practice owning at most two of the same items, with one as back up. This will help free up tons of space you never knew you have! Bid farewell to the 5 combs you have but only ever use one, the tons of phone cables lying around, and so on. If there’s no home for it, it has to go.

 

Breaking up with your unloved items

As Marie Kondo aptly puts it, if it does not spark joy, toss it. Humans are emotional creatures. We tend to hold on to things that are of sentimental value, even if they are not practical. However, we have to be disciplined in this matter and only keep those that truly do spark joy and are useful to us. Harsh, but such is the cruel nature of the world. If it’s too hard to immediately toss it out, try putting these items into a box and leave them aside for a couple of months. After that, if you find yourself not digging through the box, it truly is time for it to go.

 

Using self-storage to store

Often, we find our homes lacking space to store stuff that are of larger nature or are simply items that we do not use often. If this happens, fret not! There’re always self-storage providers that you can turn to, namely us at Extra Space Asia! We offer flexible terms and have a large variety of sizes to cater to your every need! Not to worry, if you have any questions, our friendly staff who is at hand to answer your every query is just a call away! Store your belongings with us and you’ll never have to worry about security, they’re in good hands. This should free up space at home and who knows, you may now be able to fit your dream pool table in your own home!

 

Tedious as it may be, spring cleaning actually has many benefits! Various studies have been conducted and spring cleaning has been proven to improve the quality of our lives. Procrastinate not, and make a change today! In the meantime, stay safe and practice good hygiene. Better days are sure to come. Till then.

 

With the recent Circuit Breaker implemented by the government, many of us are confined to staying in our homes. There’s no better time than this to do what you’ve always been putting off, reorganizing your kitchen. The kitchen is an essential part of your homes, it’s where the magic happens. Whilst not all of us can be the next Jamie Oliver, we do try. It’s crucial to ensure that this space is well-organized and neat as cooking can be quite hectic and chaotic at times. Here are some tips and tricks to bring out the inner gourmet chef in you!

 

Marie Kondo your Kitchen

The first step is to rid and purge yourself of all unnecessary items and utensils that you do not need. Many a time, we succumb to our impulse and get suckered into purchasing a gadget or device that ultimately is not necessary in our daily cooking lives. Do you really need that ice-cream maker? What about the pasta-maker you bought on a whim? Ask yourself if this is what you use in your daily cooking life. Box up what you do not need and store it safely somewhere else in your home. In the event you do not have enough space, you can always reach out to us at Extra Space Asia to store your unneeded effects! Decluttering also have a positive effect on our mental health! Read here to know more.

 

Positioning is Everything

As the title says, make sure all that you need is within reach! Especially items that you use the most often, these should be within eye-level and easily reachable. This will make the workflow of your cooking a smoother process, thus more enjoyable. Also, using clear containers will definitely come in handy when storing food such as cereal and rice as you’ll be able to identify and see them clearly!

 

Create Work Zones

If space permits, you should define the kitchen into a few different zones, so as to maximize efficiency. There should be the prep zone, the cooking zone, the clean-up zone. Each zone will have a certain set of tools or utensils that is dedicated for that zone. For example, the preparing zone will be where you have your cutting knives, chop board, and so on and so forth. This way, it would make it easier if someone were to offer to help you out in the kitchen! Stay in your zone!

 

Try out these few quick tips and see how it works for you! As always, keep at it and improvise where needed. What may work for us may ultimately not be the best solution for you! You do you. In the meantime, stay safe out there and practice good hygiene. Till then.

What a year 2020 is turning out to be. With the dreaded coronavirus spreading its deadly tentacles around the world, more and more businesses are starting to implement contingency plans that involve remote and home-based working arrangements. A welcoming change for most of us – no more long commutes, flexibility, no dress code! However, for remote work to be successful, one has to maintain individual performance level to be as high as an average day in office. Thus, it is crucial that your temporary home office is configured to maximise your efficiency and productivity! Here’s how.

Choose the Right Spot

First things first, allocate a space for your home office. If possible, choose a room so as to have some sort of privacy as well as a boundary from distractions at home, such as your family members, pets, television as these can all hamper productivity. Do keep in mind the space you choose should be well lit. A report conducted by Centre for Performance at Work at City University London notes that lighting is one of the factors that elevate productivity.

Work in Comfort

Having an ergonomic chair and table will actually increase productivity. Select a chair that feels comfortable for you, as you will be using it for hours on end every day. Your butt deserves the best! Splurge a little, as a quality ergonomic chair will go a long way. Your back will also thank you in years to come. An interesting alternative is a standing desk. These desks have been growing in popularity in recent years, and the key to avoid standing fatigue is to alternate between standing and sitting throughout the day.

Declutter

Having a clean and tidy space around you can help one think clearly. Clutter is actually pretty distracting and will definitely have a negative effect on your productivity. Take some time to sort what you need to keep at home, and you can choose to either donate your extra stuff or store them with us here, at Extra Space Asia! You will be amazed at what you can actually live without and the amount of space you actually have at home! Besides, decluttering is also said to improve mental health! Now, that is a win-win in our book.

We’re praying hard that these challenging times will blow over soon, and we’ll be back in our offices reunited with our favourite colleagues! In the meantime, remember to practise good hygiene and stay safe out there!