How to Share a Storage Unit with Family & Friends

Storage Tips


If you’re thinking about sharing a storage unit with someone, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common questions we get asked at Mini Mall Storage Properties. Using a storage unit is a great way to free up space at home, but sharing it with another person also means you pay less in rent, plus you have a helping hand when you’re moving your belongings, or an additional person who could access the unit on your behalf. Whether you’re looking to split the cost, store a friend’s items, share some belongings amongst family members, or you simply won’t fill up the space on your own, sharing a storage unit is possible if you do it right. 3 Steps to Sharing a Storage Unit 1. Decide on a Layout First, consider how you want to divide up the space. Common methods are putting tape down on the floor and dividing the area into halves, corners or aisles. Before you commit to sharing your space, it’s important to be clear how much space each party gets. If you’re splitting the rent 50/50, you’re likely going to split the room in half or have equal aisles. If one party is only using a quarter of the space and you’re splitting it 75/25, then your measurements will have to reflect this accordingly.  However you decide to split up the space, make sure to do this up-front before the items are moved in so everyone stays within their boundaries. 2. Optimize Your Space Once you’ve decided how you will divide up the space, it’s time to make the most of it. One way to do this is to maximize your vertical space. Shelving is a great way to organize your belongings and make them easily accessible so you’re never digging too deep into the pile and making a mess. This also ensures that you’re never blocking each other's items, since each box and belonging will have its own ...


Mini Mall Storage Properties
July 13th, 2021

Maximize Your Space by Swapping & Storing These Seasonal Items (using a storage unit)

Storage Tips


The sun is shining, the weather is warming, the birds are chirping — what more motivation do you need to start your spring-cleaning process? Every year, we get the urge to purge as the seasons change and we welcome the end of a cold Canadian winter. However as true Canadians, we’re wise to not get rid of our winter items, but simply store them away for the next season. Whether your storage process is systematic or utterly chaotic, renting a storage unit is the perfect way to organize your life both inside and outside of the home. Say goodbye to jam-packed closets, overflowing sheds, and garages in complete disarray. If you’re tired of finding new hidden places to pack away more items, and you’re never quite sure where to find what you’re looking for anyway, a storage unit can centralize all your belongings in one place. Perhaps your home doesn’t have great storage spaces, so every nook and cranny is packed with items. Or maybe your home is plenty big, but you like to keep it tidy. Renting a storage unit is the perfect way to manage your seasonal items, and keep your home looking just the way you want it to, regardless of how much living space you have. Winter Items to Store in Your Unit Here's a list of seasonal items that you could keep in your storage from now until next fall/winter: Holiday decorations: Grab your boxes labelled Halloween, Christmas and Valentine’s Day to swap out with necessary items. This includes everything from dishes and décor to lawn ornaments and door hangers. You won’t need them for 6+ months, so you might as well store them elsewhere until then. Winter clothes: No one likes jam-packed closets and overflowing drawers when you’re always digging for that one item you can never seem to find. Pack up your warm sweaters, woolly knits, fuzzy socks — you name it — and store them safely until next season. Save some time ...


Mini Mall Storage Properties
July 13th, 2021

Why You Should Organize Your Small Business with a Storage Unit

Storage Tips


Running a small business is hard work, no matter what stage of growth you’re at. You have all the same responsibilities of a large business, but with less space, funding and support. It’s not impossible to run a business with cluttered office space or disorganized inventory, but this isn’t the most efficient approach. If you’re looking to grow and scale your small business without breaking the bank, consider renting a storage unit. While you can't directly run a small business out of a storage rental property, you can use one to help organize your processes and optimize your workflow. When it comes to your inventory, office supplies and seasonal items, not everything needs to be always at an arm’s reach. "But can’t I just use my garage as extra storage?” Lots of business owners try to use their garage as a storage space when starting out on their new ventures. This isn’t a great idea for many reasons. Garages generally double (or triple) as family storage rooms, dust-collecting activity closets, exhaust-filled vehicle housing, the list goes on. As you can imagine, it’s hard to keep your small business inventory organized when it’s not consolidated in one area. Garages are also not always temperature controlled, whereas storage units can be. Perhaps your inventory and supplies are sensitive to fluctuations in temperature and humidity, so a controlled unit is your best option. Many homeowners' associations also state that you are not allowed to store inventory in your garage, so this could be a roadblock. Plus, once your business starts to grow, you may want other people to pick up inventory for you. Renting a storage unit allows you to give access to the inventory instead of giving that individual access to your house, decreasing your liability. Since most storage spaces cost less than commercial warehouse space, renting a small unit is the perfect way to externally organize your small business. Before You Start Using a Storage Unit... Renting a storage unit is one ...


Mini Mall Storage Properties
July 13th, 2021

Mini Mall Storage Properties' Pioneering History with Original Founder Joe Giuffre and Current CEO, Adam Villard

Storage Tips


Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Mini Mall Storage Properties reached many significant milestones. During our first year of operations, we acquired 26 properties across Canada while amassing $100 million in assets under management (AUM). As we memorialize our recent successes, current Mini Mall CEO, Adam Villard, takes a trip down memory lane with the original founder and visionary of Mini Mall Self-Storage – Joe Giuffre, who turns 94 tomorrow! Joe Giuffre is an innovative entrepreneur and pioneer of the self-storage industry – even coining the phrase ‘self-storage’ in Canada. He opened Mini Mall Self-Storage Ltd. in 1977, which remained in operation for 43 years, before passing the torch to son and Avenue Living CEO, Anthony Giuffre, in 2020. Today, Mini Mall Storage Properties continues to build upon Joe’s legacy, industry knowledge, and experience to fulfill the need for self-storage across Canada. According to Joe, “Self-storage was the best use and value for these sites and still remains so to this day.” Over the past year, our talented top-tier team carried on the successful venture thanks to the many learnings from Joe. As we reflect on the history of Mini Mall, our team is looking forward to the exciting future as we continue to strategically drive innovative operations and consolidate the storage market across Canada. Thank you, Joe, for your guidance, resilience, and industry expertise — we’d also like to wish you a very happy 94th birthday. View the full interview with Joe Giuffre and Adam Villard. ...


Mini Mall Storage Properties
July 13th, 2021

Seasonal Storage

Storage Tips


Free Up Your Living Space: Store Seasonal Items in Your Storage Unit How many times have you told yourself that this year, when you change your tires or pack away your summer clothes, you’ll make sure you have the space? The changing seasons seem to be a natural time to reassess how we use our living space — but it’s also great time to think about how to use your storage space more effectively. No matter what size your house, you can use your storage unit to stash away seasonal items and free up living space. Save yourself tripping over the bicycles or the Christmas lights by making the most of your unit. All it takes it a bit of organization and planning. Here’s how to use your storage unit for seasonal items: • Label everything. You might think you’ll remember where you stash your favourite shorts or camping gear, but when the warm spring breezes are blowing again you’ll want quick and easy access. • Pack strategically. If you know you’ll be back for an item before all the others, put it where it’s easily accessible. Arrange items you’ll store for the longer-term at the back. Consider laying things out in categories – put clothing in one area, household items in another, outdoor gear in a third. Draw yourself a map, if it helps, and keep it on your phone. Then when you visit to swap out your items you’ll be in and out in a flash. • Use durable containers. Plastic bins with a tight-fitting lid are the sturdiest and will keep out dust and moisture. • Pack properly. Make sure breakables are wrapped carefully and stashed in appropriate containers. Wrap your summer (or winter) tires in garbage bags to protect them and your other items. • Clean everything first. Give your bike a wash and tune-up before you put it away. Make sure ...


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July 13th, 2021

Keep it Merry and Bright: How to Store Your Christmas Decorations

Storage Tips


Picture the scene: it’s December, 2021. You can’t wait to put up your tree. The eggnog is ready, the music is cued up, and you’ve been to your storage unit to get all your boxes of stuff.  You’re ready to be festive in short order. But the top third of your tree is missing. You rack your brain. Where could it be? It’s not with the other two thirds. You drive back to your storage unit and go through everything. Finally you discover it, in a mislabeled box stuffed in the back corner. Now you’re back on track, but the nog is warm and you’re annoyed. Like anything in your storage container, your Christmas decorations need to be stored in a way that’s clear and organized — and protects them, too. We’ve got some tips to help you put everything back so the next time you pull them out, you’re ready to get festive in as little time as possible. Storing Your Tree If you have an artificial tree, you’ll want to make sure you store all the parts together. It’s tempting to keep the original box, but Martha Stewart says not to bother — once it’s been up, your tree’s branches need more room for storage. You can buy bags or even tree-storage boxes that will make sure the tree stays dust-free and safe. Most experts recommend storing the tree horizontally, but if you have to store it standing up, make sure you do so on the appropriate stand. Make sure you remove all the ornaments and lights first, and vacuum or dust the branches. It’s best to disassemble the tree before you put it away, as well. Storing Wreaths If you have a wardrobe or clothes rack in your storage unit, make room for your wreaths. Attach them to a coat hanger and cover the entire thing with a plastic bag (or garment bag) and then hang them on the bar. Hatboxes are also a good way to store multiple wreaths if you don’t have a ...


Mini Mall Storage Properties
July 13th, 2021

Storing Furniture: What You Need to Know

Storage Tips


That desk you love but have no room for can still be in your life again, if you give it a safe home in your self-storage unit. So can your favourite chair, which needs to move out while you renovate your living room. They can even stay in an unheated unit through the winter, if you prep them properly. Here's how you do it: Clean everything thoroughly. Vacuum and clean fabric chairs, couches, and mattresses with a suitable antibacterial cleaner. Give it plenty of time to dry before you store it. Dust wood furniture, then wipe it down with a gentle wood cleaner and a soft cloth. Polish any metal to remove tarnish and protect the finish. Use protectants. If you have leather furniture, use a leather conditioner. Give your wooden pieces a rub with polish or paste wax. Use a fabric protector on fabric upholstery. Disassemble and label parts. Remove table legs and take headboards apart. Make sure you gather all the screws in a plastic bag, label it, and keep it with the furniture pieces. Wrap, wrap, wrap. Cover fabric furniture with padded furniture blankets (or even regular sheets and blankets) to keep dust and moisture out. Wrap wooden furniture pieces in plastic, to keep them from drying out, and use those padded furniture blankets again to keep things from getting chipped or scratched during transit. Store carefully. Avoid putting anything heavy on top of your upholstered furniture, in order to protect the cushions. Keep furniture as far away as possible from the door of your unit to minimize exposure to moisture, heat or cold.  If you’re thinking about storing your antiques in an unheated storage unit, we’ve got some advice for you.  Don’t. Antique furniture is often fragile, and original stains and finishes may not hold up to extreme heat or cold. It’s also susceptible to cracking or deterioration from moisture loss, so if you’ve got special heirlooms you need to store, it’s best to spring ...


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July 13th, 2021