Two homes become one: The art of moving into your first home as newlyweds
If you’re getting married soon, first things first, a big congratulations to you both and wishing you all the best! These are exciting times filled with unforgettable memories and crazy adventures. If you’ve lived together before marriage, you probably mastered the art of combining two households into one. If not, you’re in for a new
Are you a business owner? A storage unit can help your business succeed
If you’re self-employed and running a business from home or retail space, you may be tired of seeing stacks of boxes with your inventory strewn around. If this is you, read on to discover how a storage unit can help you manage your business more efficiently, affordably and safely. Keeps work and home life separate
Prepping your seasonal items for winter storage keeps it looking fresh
The season for big warm coats is upon us and many people are making space in their homes by placing their summer equipment and furniture in self-storage. But, before you get started, make sure you prep your items properly to avoid damage in the season where freezing temperatures and water are your biggest enemies. From
11 easy ways to be more eco-friendly at home
Did you know that it takes about 10 minutes for an average person to make a difference in reducing their environmental impact? Isn’t that amazing? By making small changes, we can all help be more eco-friendly at home. Here at Masons Self Storage, we’re incredibly conscious of the impact that our business has on the
How decluttering can boost your mental health
Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed by life piling up around you or you have a significant life event coming up soon, decluttering can be a cathartic experience. It is the process of getting rid of unwanted items in your life that no longer serve you, and it can help to clear out space for new things
Lucy’s 5 Top Tips for Getting the Kids Ready to Go Back to School
Every year as the summer holidays end, we’re slammed with ‘back to school’ slogans and tips for getting children ready to head back to full-time education spring up everywhere. However, after the last year and a half, some children will probably be a bit nervous about the return to normality. And some younger children may
How can Self-Storage Help Your Small Business?
As a business owner, you’re probably familiar with needing more space than you have! This becomes a problem when you operate in a city like Cardiff, where square footage is available at a premium cost. This leads to tricky business decisions: do you scale down to fit the space that you can afford, or do
Six small ways to make your rented flat feel like home
After the last year and a half, we’ve all been spending a lot more time at home! However, when you rent your property, it can be hard to make the place feel like home. Luckily, there are some simple solutions to adding some personality to your home without breaking the terms of your contract! Of
Living on the Road: The Ultimate Checklist
For many people, living life on the road is a dream! Whether you want to become a digital nomad or have big plans to travel around the world, it’s a huge adventure. Living on the road full time isn’t easy, but if the last year has shown us anything, it’s that the world can change
5 ways to get your kids involved in decluttering & chores
Teaching children how to do chores and incorporating it into their everyday lives is an important part of parenting. Whether it’s doing laundry, putting their toys away, or cleaning the dishes, children need to understand what goes into keeping a home tidy and uncluttered. But if you’re struggling to get your children excited about chores
Discover the best walking routes and walking trails in the Vale
The last year and a bit spent in lockdown and living with restrictions has been challenging and unprecedented; however, we’re also incredibly grateful for the opportunity that it’s given us to discover the natural beauty here on our doorstep! We always knew that the Vale was full of stunning views and rolling greenery, but it’s
5 Tips for Turning Your Shed into a Home Office
After the last year, we’ve all largely gotten used to being at home a lot. However, if you’re finding yourself racing to claim the kitchen table to work in the mornings or have grown tired working on the sofa, have you considered creating your own home office in a shed in your garden? At first,
Sparkles: the listening, caring business
Here at Masons Self Storage, we have a range of small and local businesses that use our services to support their businesses. We love finding out their stories and what goes on behind the scenes, so we recently caught up with Ceri, the founder of Sparkles Cleaning Services, and it’s such an inspiring story of
Sustainable and out-of-the-box thinking from Box Edit Boutique
We’d like to introduce you to our newest business customers here at Masons Self Storage, Box Edit Boutique! Created by Helen and Ashley and based right here in Barry, Box Edit Boutique is transforming our options for sustainable fashion and fighting fast fashion waste with affordable, timeless clothing! After an 18 month launch plan, Helen
The 5 best ways to store a bike in a small home
Whether you ride a bike to work or like to explore your local area in your free time, riding a bike is an excellent form of exercise. However, when you live in a small home or flat, bikes can take up precious storage space, especially when there’s more than one of you with a bike!
Get your business off to a good start in 2021
There’s no doubt about it, 2020 was a tough year. But on a positive note, so many businesses showed creativity and innovation and pivoted their business models; in fact, did you know e-Commerce businesses were up 40% by the end of 2020? The rollercoaster of living through a global pandemic looks to continue for at
Raising Money for Maggie’s Centres One Step at a Time
Here at Masons Self Storage, we’re always looking for new ways to get involved and support our local community, from supporting the fantastic team over at Barry Town Pan Disability Football Team to sponsoring Belle Vue Music in the Park Festival in Penarth. Before Christmas someone close to us received some challenging news and
A new kind of Christmas: Masons’ top tips for a special Christmas 2020
At the end of a rollercoaster 2020, Christmas this year is going to feel a little different to usual. The pandemic has changed so many aspects of our lives, and the new habits we have formed and the ‘new normal’ is sure to have an impact on the festive season too. For many of
Keeping Christmas Local: There is lots on in the Vale and Cardiff this Christmas
There’s no doubt about it, it’s been a challenging year. Which is why for many of us, Christmas is extra special this year and offers the opportunity to finish the year on a high. Even a global pandemic isn’t enough to stop Father Christmas visiting the Vale and bringing with him some festive joy!
Working from Home: 5 top tips for staying organised
Many of our long-term readers will know that here at Masons Self Storage, we love a bit of a declutter and an organised space! We’re not claiming to be the next Marie Kondo or Mrs Hinch, but we definitely feel the joy that comes from a clean, organised space. Obviously 2020 has turned all
Shopping Local this Christmas
As a family business who have been in the Vale for over 115 years, we have seen our local community pull through some challenging times over our long history. However, there is no doubt that 2020 has been one of the most unusual and dare we say it, unprecedented years, in a long
Top Tips for How to Pack Your Self-Storage Unit!
Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a newbie when it comes to renting a storage unit, it might seem simple enough to fit your items in the room and close the door. However, a little bit of a plan and some strategic packing can really help you maximise the space in your storage unit.
Self-Storage Tips: The Dos & Don’ts!
Here at Masons Self Storage, we know that it can be really confusing choosing a self-storage facility and getting your belongings ready for storage, so we’ve put together this handy guide to help! Choosing your unit Do choose a reliable storage company – make sure you’re choosing a company that you can trust with
Upcycling Projects for all the Family: Cans
We don’t know about you, but every time we do our food shops, we buy lots of canned goods! Canned food is great, inexpensive and staples that can sit in the cupboard for months, from baked beans to chopped tomatoes, our cupboards are filled with cans! Here at Masons Self Storage, we’ve been having
