It rarely seems like you have enough space to store all your possessions comfortably and with city homes being built where floor space can often be at a premium, it might require some extra options to resolve your storage issues.

Here is a look at how to cope with your short and longer term storage needs, including how to work out exactly what space you need, how to pack your items safely, plus some storage tips to help keep your things in good condition while they are stored away.

Big enough to cope

Having decided that you need to make use of a storage option like pinkstorage.co.uk/bridgend you don’t just need to know how long you want to rent the storage space for but also, how much space you need to meet your needs.

This is often a dilemma that troubles plenty of people who want to rent some extra storage space.

If you are between homes and only need something for a few weeks, going away for a few months or more, or simply need some extra space to put some of your things away safely for an undefined period, you will still have to work out exactly the right space to rent.

You want to rent a storage unit that is large enough to cope with all your belongings but you clearly don’t want to overpay for space that is more than you actually need.

On the other hand, if you try to cram everything into a tiny unit, you increase the chances of something getting damaged when it is stacked high and squashed in, so how do you know what size of unit will cope with what you have?

The answer depends on what stuff you have that needs to go into storage and what size home you have.

If you have lots of books and other small items, you might just get away with a small unit that is about five-foot square. The contents of a one-bedroom flat would probably fill a 10-by-10 unit, and a three-bedroom home would normally easily fill a 10-by-20 storage unit.

Talk to the storage company who should be able to give you a reliable estimate of the space you need to cope with what you own and want to put into storage.

How to pack

Although the size of unit you need won’t change whether it’s for a short or long rental period, the planned length of your storage of possessions will make a difference to how you pack them for the duration.

If you are planning on putting items into storage for a period that extends beyond three months there are some things you should consider doing to help keep your items safe.

It would be a good idea to avoid packing any items in plastic bags, despite the fact that you might consider this a sensible way of adding some protection from water damage. However, plastic bags tend to manage to trap humidity and moisture, as well as speeding up the mold and mildew process, so don’t use plastic bags when putting items into long-term storage.

Don’t be tempted to economize on the quality of the storage boxes you are going to use to store your personal items.

Sturdy boxes are always the best option as they will help keep your items safe from damage and you should be able to stack better quality boxes on top of each other with more confidence, which means you can maximize the space available in the unit.

Treat your items with the respect they deserve

Looking after your items properly goes beyond good quality storage boxes and there are some things to remember when you are packing your possessions that should keep them in good shape while they are away from you.

Any fragile items you are storing should be generously protected with bubble wrap before you put them into a box and think about keeping them away from the rest of the stored items if you can, as an extra precaution.

If you are going to be storing any clothes and fabrics like curtains, a good tip would be to use vacuum-sealed bags to protect them for a period of time.

Domestic appliances should also be prepared for long-term storage. It is often assumed that you can simply wheel your cooker or washer into the unit without a second thought, but any dirt or mold on the appliances could quickly spread to other items in the storage unit.

Give them a wipe down with some bleach or baking soda before you put these sort of items into storage.

Keep an inventory and label each box as a final precaution before you close the door on your storage unit.

Scott Evans is the co founder of pink self storage who has been awarded with Young entrepreneur of the year in 2016.

Your choice of flooring is a hugely influential factor in determining the look and feel of your home which is why it pays to consider your options carefully and work out the best materials to use in each room.

Here are some pointers on how to narrow down your flooring options, including the questions you need to ask at the start of your search, why it pays to work out what you are going to be subjecting your flooring to, and a look at the main types of flooring available and what they offer.

Look and feel are key criteria

You might be trying to create a certain ambiance or style in a room and that means that a lot of thought has to go into the design options that will combine to bring everything together in perfect harmony.

A positive point to note when it comes to flooring options is that modern technology and production methods have made it much more possible to go for what is perceived to be a luxurious and high-end option, without having to pay the price for that look if your budget doesn’t stretch that far.

When you visit a site like GC Flooring Pros, for instance, you can soon see that there is a huge range of different materials and options available, so if you want to create a traditional wooden floor finish to your room, there are ways to do it using materials that replicate the look — at a lower price.

It is often hard to tell genuine materials from their look-alike pretenders, so don’t necessarily be dissuaded from looking at all flooring options when you are trying to create a specific look and feel in your room.

A good quality laminate has the ability to mimic the look and feel of wood, stone, and other expensive flooring solutions, so decide what you want and what budget you have available, then see what that gets you for the money.

Think about how you are going to be using the room

You do also have to be practical about which type of flooring you are going to use based on what you use the room for and how much traffic it is going to have to withstand.

If you are putting down flooring in a bathroom area you need to think about how it will cope with pools of water and fluctuations in the humidity levels. If you are flooring a family living room that is going to get a lot of wear and tear, this is also a factor that you have to think about when selecting your materials.

Moisture issues and durability can be just as important considerations as aesthetic appeal, so bear all these things in mind when narrowing down your options.

Consider it an investment

Some flooring materials tick all the right boxes in terms of providing a cost-effective solution that is going to last you for about five years before needing to be changed again, while other purchasing choices are made firmly with the longer term in mind.

Hardwood flooring is an enduring favorite with homeowners and it is not hard to see why it continues to be a popular choice.

Many consider it to be one of the most aesthetically pleasing and durable flooring options around. Hardwood floors can be custom designed which means that you can add your own personal touch by creating a distress or hand-scraped look, but you do have to be mindful of the threat to hardwood floors from excessive humidity and exposure to spills.

Your hardwood floor will gather some bumps and scratches as part of its working life and service to your home, but that adds to the character and provided you have the budget to invest in a hardwood floor, it is not hard to see why it is considered a good option by many.

Popular because of price

Laminate flooring has gained a popular reputation due to its versatility, durability, and low installation price.

When you consider laminates can copy the look of other more expensive flooring options like real wood and stone, it is easy to see why it is so popular, especially when you add in its toughness for coping with a busy family home.

Laminate flooring is normally a bit more expensive than vinyl but nowhere near as costly as hardwood or stone, so if you are on a budget but don’t want to compromise too much on the look and feel of your room, it could be a viable option.

The good news about modern flooring is that there is an option to suit every budget and requirement for every room.

Being in the service industry since college and self-employed since 2007, Jeff Cappon has always had the drive to offer the most responsive and accommodating customer service. The mentality of putting other people’s interest first and treating others as he would want to be treated has led him to grow to the top of his field in a few different industries like Real Estate and Mortgage. His concept of success is simple Value your customers and employees more than your bottom line” Real Estate is where Jeff found his passion for flooring and remodeling when he took on the project of building out his new office. He has been successfully providing floor installation services ever since. Today, already an owner of his own company GC Flooring Pros he continues to operate as one of the major flooring installers in Dallas region.

It only takes a few horrible minutes for your home to be infiltrated by an intruder and leave you feeling not just distraught by the event but probably feeling more vulnerable in your own home than before.

Annual burglary statistics don’t make pleasant reading and it is often a concern that occupies the minds of homeowners whenever they are planning to leave their property unoccupied for more than just a day.

Here are some tips and strategies to consider that are designed to improve your home security measures and deliver greater peace of mind. Including a suggestion to avoid spreading the word about your travel plans, plus some proven methods for deterring burglars and forcing them to think twice.

Don’t advertise your absence

You might be excited about the prospect of heading off to an exotic destination for a well-earned vacation but it would be wise to think carefully about who you tell about your plans.

There are thieves around who trawl through social media postings for updates that clearly show you are away from your home and won’t be coming back for a few days at least. This gives a potential burglar the opportunity to try and find out more about you and target your home while you are away.

Be careful with your status update and protect your privacy online so that only people you know and trust are aware of your travel plans.

Someone watching over your home while you are away

If you get on well with your neighbors or have some family and friends who live close by you might decide to ask them if they will check on your property while you are away.

It is always a good idea to ask someone to check on your property every couple of days but that could still leave plenty of chances for a burglar to target your home without being too concerned about someone catching them in the act.

If you want 24-hour protection and someone watching over your home whenever you are out, home security systems are the answer to allay your fears and deter burglars.

There are many different types of security systems available and you can get a system that activates an alarm when someone breaks in or go for a more advanced and sophisticated option that includes a monitoring service so that the emergency services are immediately alerted when there is a problem.

Hold the orders

A classic mistake made by homeowners when they go away is to forget to cancel any regular deliveries or subscriptions that will arrive while you are on vacation.

The problem with this is that the mail and parcels could stack up on your porch, making it immediately obvious to an opportunistic burglar that no one is at home at the moment.

If you don’t want to cancel anything ask a neighbor or friend to collect them from your property and hold them until you get back. That way there are no instant clues to your absence.

Don’t make it easy

The vast majority of burglars don’t want anything to take too long or cause them difficulties when gaining entry to a property, so one of your first lines of defense should be to make your home hard to penetrate.

Deadbolts are a good solution. It is a simple scenario to consider where a burglar will soon recognize that you have fitted good quality locks to your door entry points and quickly decide that they should target a more vulnerable property that is easier to break into.

It won’t cost too much to fit good quality deadbolts and it will soon feel like a good investment if it manages to deter a burglar from targeting you home.

Let there be light

Another simple but effective solution is to fit some outside lighting so that a burglar doesn’t get the opportunity to work unseen in the dark.

Investing in outside lighting is a no-brainer because you also get the convenience of enjoying more convenience and safety when you can see where you are going at night, plus you will make a burglar think twice when your home lights up as they approach.

Check around the exterior of your home and look for any potential blind spots where a burglar could break in without being seen, then arrange to fit lighting that covers that area.

You never want to contemplate the prospect of being burgled but it is always better to think how you can prevent it happening in the first place rather than dealing with the aftermath.

Demi Wilkinson has worked in the home security industry for years. With Summer upon us and more people going away on vacation, she shares some tips for protecting your home when you’re away.

If you’re ready to get rid of some of the stuff laying around your house — old movies, unread books, clothes that belong in another decade — then there are several options available for you, and each one will put a little money in your pocket while making your house a little tidier.

Since you’re going to be getting rid of things anyway, you might as well help yourself in the process and make some extra cash for your efforts. Here are some cool ideas for you to try to get your house clean and earn some cash while doing so.

Look Online

The first place you should try to sell your stuff is online. With the power of the internet, you can reach millions of people if you do it right, increasing your chances of getting rid of your stuff quickly without too much effort.

There are sites that will pay cash for your electronics, your old clothes and even toys that your children no longer play with. In fact, there’s really not a whole lot of things you can’t sell online — you can even sell furniture and appliances if you want! If you have DVDs, video games, gaming systems or computers that you no longer use, you can probably sell them very quickly online for the right price.

You’ll need to do a little research to figure out what you want to sell each item for, but then the sites do the rest: they have a large customer base that will be able to see all of the things you have for sale. Once someone buys something, you are usually paid the same. Sites like this do most of the legwork so all you have to do is figure out what you want to sell.

Used Bookstores

If you have stacks and boxes of books that you no longer want, you can find a quick source of cash by selling them to a used bookstore.

Used bookstores are always looking for ways to keep their shelves stocked (they want to make money, too, after all) and someone walking in with a big box of books is a great source of revenue for them. They will examine your books for quality (the cleanliness, the condition of the covers and pages, etc.) and availability: if the store is already sitting on fifty copies of a book, they probably won’t want another one. They will then offer you money for the ones they want. You can take it or leave it, or you may try to negotiate. You won’t get anywhere near what you paid for them, but you will be able to recoup some of your money and if you sell enough, it might be enough for a great night out or some extra cash to pay the bills.

Try a Consignment Shop

Consignment shops take your clothes into their inventory and give you money when they sell your items, minus their fee. While you may find consignment shops for many different items, clothing is one of the biggest sellers of these businesses.

Just as with a bookstore, the shop will examine your clothing and tell you what they can and can’t sell. They will then put your clothes on racks and help sell them to customers. This is great is you don’t feel like doing a lot of legwork to sell you stuff, but they do charge you around 50% or more to sell your stuff, so you’re making a trade-off. It’s an easy way to make money, but you may be able to make more somewhere else.

Make a Donation

The most thoughtful way you can get rid of your items is to donate them to local shelters or places like Goodwill. These places provide items for those who are less fortunate and you can make a little bit of extra income as well.

The catch here is that you will not get paid cash for your donations, but you will be able to deduct the cost of your items from your taxes that year. All you need to do is get a receipt from the place you donate and they will have the total cost tallied up for you. Then you report it on your taxes and the cost will be a deduction on your liability, meaning you will pay fewer taxes than normal. It’s not a big payday, but it helps you make some money while feeling good at the same time.

Try one of these ways to make money next time you clean out your house!

Alexander Hodgson shares his tips on how to get a little extra cash as well as how to save more and manage your money better overall. He is Dad to 2 great boys and lives in the South-West.

If you had to nominate the worst cause of damage to your property water would be right up there as a major culprit.

Water invading your property whether it is flooding or excessive moisture has the capacity to create some serious problem in your home in an instant or over a period of time, which is why you should consider the idea of waterproofing your home, a task you can complete in just one weekend.

Here is a look at how to protect your home from the invasive threat of water and the damage it can do. There are some simple but effective tips to follow on how to achieve this task over a couple of days if you approach it in the right way and create a list of tasks to complete.

Cover up those cracks

Cracks in your concrete are simply inviting trouble and they leave your home vulnerable to rainwater.

The good news is that repairing concrete cracks is well within the scope of most DIY-minded homeowners. Take a walk around your home and identify any area that needs repair, then arrange to fill them with caulk or a suitable concrete patch product.

This task shouldn’t take up too much of your weekend and will leave you plenty of time to tackle the other waterproofing jobs on your list.

Get your gutters in order

Another important job is to clean and repair your gutters so that rainwater is efficiently collected and despatched from your home without having the chance to cause any damage.

A clogged downspout is so simple to sort out and such a bad idea to leave unfixed for any amount of time, as the excess water has to go somewhere and more than likely it is going to try and find a way inside your property.

Make sure you work safely when you are using ladders and get someone to help you with holding the ladder in place while you focus on removing the debris. A pair of tongs should be able to help you pull the leaves out, but if that doesn’t work you could use a hose to flush the clog out.

Once you have cleared the gutters, check them for any loose fixings and repair or replace where necessary so that they are ready to serve you and your home properly again.

Pick the right paint

Next up in your weekend efforts aimed at waterproofing your home is some painting tasks.

It is worth saying at this point that you would be making a mistake if you think you can simply paint over any unsightly water stains as a quick-fix. The stains or mold caused by water damage in the first place will soon reappear through the pain, so you are wasting your time.

However, the way you can resolve the problem successfully is to use a waterproof sealant paint initially, then use a regular paint afterward.

This should help to contain the damage and make it look better as well preventing further spread, but be realistic with your attempts to paint over a problem. If the damage is extensive it might be a bridge too far for your DIY skills and it might need a professional touch to resolve the issue successfully.

Sticky doors and windows

Wet weather can take its toll on your windows and doors and there may be a few around your home that might have managed to swell up and stick.

You want all your doors and windows to fit as snugly as possible and work efficiently, not just from a waterproofing point of view but also because you want to be able to open and close them with ease.

Make a note of where each window or door is sticking before attempting to remove it. Take care when applying a plan to shave off the excess wood so that it will fit again properly, as the wood will shrink back when the weather becomes drier throughout the summer.

It is always worth trying to prevent the windows and doors sticking in the first place by applying a light coat of linseed oil as a sealer. If you do intend to apply some paint consider avoiding painting the channels where the window needs to slide if it doesn’t show.

It may take the best part of a couple of days to complete all your tasks depending on what condition your home is in and the faults you find, but it is definitely possible to waterproof your home in a weekend.

Demi Hudson shares her knowledge on home repairs. She works in the office of her family-run home maintenance business.