Jena Bailey – Page 32 – Dino's Storage

What Is Self Storage and Who Uses It?

Self storage offers people a secure place to store possessions they don’t have room for where they live or work, or that they don’t need on a daily basis. At Dino’s Storage we offer storage units ranging room 25 to 300 square feet. Dino’s specializes in providing modern self-storage facilities to customers in our service areas. Our various locations provide a variety of storage opportunities, from outdoor storage for boats and automobiles, to indoor storage for general items, to climate controlled storage for your special keepsakes.

While there have always been people or businesses willing to rent space to others for temporary storage, America’s first commercially viable storage operation wasn’t founded until the early 1900s, by Martin Bekins. His company, founded in Sioux City, Iowa, in 1891, served the storage needs of families who were moving west and eventually became the well-known Bekins Moving & Storage Company.

It wasn’t until the 1960s that the modern self storage industry as we know it today came into being, according to a New York Times article by Jon Mooallem. For the two decades that followed, Mooallem writes, “storage remained a low-profile industry. For the most part, storage units were meant to temporarily absorb the possessions of those in transition: moving, marrying or divorcing or dealing with a death in the family.”

Not much has changed since then, except we tend to do more moving, marrying, divorcing and dealing inherited stuff than ever before. Consequently, the self storage industry has grown to meet the demand.

So who uses these self storage units? A great many of them are rented by individuals. According to the Self Storage Association, one out of every 10 households in the country rents a self storage unit, while businesses account for 30 percent of self storage customers.

Individuals put everything in self storage from holiday decorations to seasonal clothing, sporting equipment, furniture and vehicles. Businesses use self storage for documents, excess office equipment and furniture, tools, inventory and supplies. Unless it violates the terms of the facility (ammunition, perishable items and live animals are a few of the commonly restricted items), it can and is being stored.

When you rent self storage space, there’s a contract involved, written by lawyers. The SSA defines self-storage as “the term applied to facilities offering rental on a month-to-month basis where the tenant applies his lock and has sole access to his unit.” That protects the self storage facility from creating a condition called bailment, whereby it would assume responsibility for the care, custody or control of a customer’s goods. Unlike a dry cleaner, for instance, who might be liable for burning a hole in that cashmere sweater you dropped off, the self storage facility has no responsibility for the care of your stuff, other than what’s stipulated in the rental contract.

You are responsible for the insurance on and the care of your own stuff. And once you’ve signed the contract, the storage facility owners won’t enter your unit unless they have really good, legally defensible, reason to think you’re violating the terms, which will stipulate materials you can’t store and activities you can’t conduct from the rental unit.

We’re Looking for One Great Systems Administrator!

Perhaps you, or someone you know, is looking for a great job. Our systems administrator is retiring and we need someone responsible for installing and maintaining all computer hardware, software and networks. The systems administrator will provide hardware and software maintenance, training and consultation, including recommendations about future planning and development of resources.

The ideal candidate is a self-starter and a team player with a “can do attitude”. This individual has demonstrated knowledge of technologies such as operating systems, networks, database systems and POS. The candidate can immediately assist staff/clients through a series of actions to help set up systems and troubleshoot issues, with the ability to prioritize and manage numerous projects at once.

Those considering applying for this position should have a wide range of skills and qualifications including, but not limited to, the ability to install and administer computer hardware, software and networks; team building skills; analytical and problem solving skills; strong understanding of computer viruses and security; decision making skills; and effective verbal, presentation and listening communication skills.

Those considering applying for this position also need the skills to troubleshoot hardware, software, and networking operating system; provide orientation to new users of existing technology; train staff about potential users of existing technology; install work stations; connect and set up hardware and software; and working knowledge of all operating systems.

For complete position information, ask us to send you the Systems Administrator document.

Thanks,

David J. Paladino CPM, MSRED

President

Landmark Group 402-672-6566

2702 Douglas St. Omaha NE 68131

Email: dpaladino@landmarkmg.com

www.landmarkomaha.com

www.dinosstorage.com

www.grncompanies.com

Blog: www.davepaladino.com

Construction Boom Ahead

There’s a huge construction boom coming and baby boomers will be behind it. The big generational bulge of the 20th century hasn’t finished exerting its outsized influence yet, and commercial real estate will continue feeling its weight in the next quarter century.

“We’re an aging population, so in 25 years there’s going to be a heavy focus on medical-related facilities,” said Kenneth Riggs, president and CEO of Real Estate Research Corp. Riggs also predicts a shift back toward affordable, multi-generational households that will translate to increased multifamily residential properties, particularly in close proximity to mass transit.

In seven years boomers will turn 75, a magical number in one way, said Linneman, because that’s when people usually begin moving into senior housing. When this huge and demanding demographic is ready for the next stage of their lifestyle, rest assured: “It will explode,” he said. “Right now senior housing is a food group in real estate, but it’s like vegan or something, not that established. In 25 years it will be a major food group.”

Shopping Malls On Road to Extinction

Over the next 25 years, most shopping malls will be extinct, according to the experts. The world of the American shopping mall, said Kenneth Riggs, president and CEO of Real Estate Research Corp., “has been a Darwinian environment since the 1990s with the advent of big-box retail and the ‘Wal-Marting’ of the world – and it will stay that way.” In other words, expect malls to continue their decline due to the rise in e-commerce, with only those consistently producing very strong revenues still doing business in 25 years.

As the J.C. Penney’s in the U.S. and Sears in Canada and the U.S. continue to lose market share to online retailing, “you’re going to see more dead malls where the anchors go dark and ultimately are worth only the land they’re built on,” said Tom Bohjalian, executive vice president at Cohen & Steers, the first investment company to specialize in listed real estate.

Teardowns may not be the only way to capture value in defunct malls, though, said

Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and co-founder of the U.S. Green Building Council. He predicts that with re-purposing, they’ll be a useful resource when our way of life swings back to revolving around more compact communities. “Established places like shopping malls will become like town centers, where people can come together, where their doctors and day care will be, where they can gather after major devastations.”

Your Security Matters to Dino’s

Dino’s self storage facilities have many lines of defense to protect your property – fences, locked indoor storage buildings, security cameras etc. But, the last line of defense for your goods is a solid, reliable lock on your individual storage unit.

Even in the most sophisticated and well-maintained facilities, such as ours, break-ins have occurred. It’s virtually impossible to be aware of what everyone on our property is doing at any given moment. Our security cameras serve as a deterrent to would-be thieves. But they may not deter the most determined thieves.

Our security gates only allow access for our current tenants. But, it may be possible for somebody to speedily step on the gas following a tenant and beat the gate shutting back, and get onto the property.

A serious, solid secure lock on your personal storage unit is the best and final measure to provide an extra layer of protection for your property.

To that end, we exclusively sell locks from Chateau and most strongly recommend the Chateau Disc Lock – the best padlock on the market.

This disc lock offers a solid combination of security and ease-of-use. In fact, it’s just as fast for you to take on and off as any other simple padlock. Just one twist of the key will get you in and out. It is, ,however, a much different story for anyone hoping to tamper with your lock. These disc locks are extremely difficult to remove. For that very reason, we strongly recommend them for the to our self storage customers.

The Chateau Disc Lock is a super secure device. Note in the photo that the rounded latch is only partially exposed at the top of the lock. That piece right there is specially hardened, and impossible to cut with regular bolt cutters. It just can’t be done. Thereis no place on the lock body for industrial bolt cutters to find a place to cut. This lock will reliably defeat any pair of bolt cutters your average thug would have on hand.

It may be possible to “rake” these storage locks open with a combination of a professional pick and a homemade tool, but that would take an in-depth knowledge of lock-picking to do quickly and effectively. All in all, this Chateau Disc Lock is one of the most widely used locks on storage properties today.

We also sell a variety of moving and storage supplies provided by Chateau to give the best available quality to our customers.

Everything to Meet Your Needs!

Dino’s Storage facility for midtown Omaha is conveniently located at 5328 Center Street. It’s a modern facility offering 24/7 access to climate controlled storage units

Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 4: 30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday as well as from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday and by appointment on Saturday. The office is closed on Sundays.

If you live or work in the midtown area, it’s the perfect place for you to store records, tools, holiday items and other items that you don’t need to clutter your office, home or garage year-round.

The facility offers monthly rentals and has security cameras. And, to make it easier for you, Dino’s midtown facility is an authorized agent for Penske moving trucks.

Stop by and visit the onsite manager, Kerry Lambert. She will be glad to answer all your questions and welcome you to the secure, convenient low-cost services of Dino’s Storage.

The phone number is (402) 504-4600.

And if Dino’s midtown Omaha location isn’t convenient for you, we have facilities in Millard at 14301 Josephine St., near Midtown Crossing at 2724 Douglas St., in Bellevue at 1001 Cornhusker Rd., in Papillion at 921 Cedardale Rd., in Elkhorn at 20800 West Dodge Rd., in downtown Omaha at 2757 Harney St. and in northwest Omaha at 14650 West Maple Rd.

Dino’s also has storage facilities in Bondurant, Iowa, and in southeast and north Des Moines, plus a facility in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Urbanization Will Sweep the Planet

If there’s one thing the experts are clear about, it’s that our world will be significantly more urbanized by 2039. There will be a rise in the number of mega-cities – urban areas with more than 10 million inhabitants.

Baby boomers will be part of that phenomenon. Many empty-nesters are attracted to the manageable charms of the city. But it’s the desire of Gen X, those born in 1966-1976, and Gen Y, those born in 1977-1994, cohorts to live, work and play in a compact area that’s largely fueling the trend. Multifamily residential stands to gain, but companies keen to attract young, educated talent are paying attention, too, and positioning themselves accordingly.

“Some businesses today consider location even more important than compensation in recruitment efforts,” said Rick Cleveland, a managing director at Cushman & Wakefield. “That’s driving a lot of the trend toward urban areas.”

That doesn’t mean that any old building on any city block will suffice for the worker of 2039. “The features that older-generation office spaces have, in terms of locations and amenities surrounding or in the facility, don’t work for the new-age tenant,” said Sicola, who points to companies in Manhattan that are abandoning midtown for the west edge of the island and buildings that can be retrofitted for open infrastructure.

“For baby boomers, it was ‘live to work,’ but Gen Xers are working to live. They like to take breaks, have fun. Incorporating that into the workplace is critical,” Cleveland said.

Spring Lawn Tips

A healthy lawn starts with spring maintenance. Winter can alter soil pH, compact the soil and create conditions friendly to weeds and disease, so it’s crucial that you properly clean, fertilize and mow your yard now that spring is officially here. When winter’s receding snow reveals bare spots, invasive plants and other problems break out the broadcast spreader and click through this list of spring lawn care tips.

● Clean and Repair Your Lawn. A thorough raking is a good start. One common problem is uneven ground. Low spots cause poor drainage, while high spots are often scalped by the lawn mower. Grab a shovel, cut away areas that are raised, and fill in those that are depressed.

● Planting Grass in the Spring. Before choosing a seed, determine which varieties work best in your region and with the amount of sunlight in your yard. Then roughly estimate the size of the area where you plan to plant, as seed coverage is recommended in pounds per square foot. If you’re spreading the seed over a large area, it is best to use a broadcast spreader, but smaller areas can be seeded by hand. Don’t ignore the grass once you’ve planted it. Water regularly to maintain soil moisture and fertilize with a slow-release, low-nitrogen product. Mow when the grass reaches 3 or 4 inches (7.6 to 10 centimeters) in height, but try not to trim off more than a half-inch (1-centimeter) as doing so could stress the plant.

● Fertilizing Grass in the Spring. Fertilizer can help your lawn grow thick and lush, but if it’s not used properly, it can actually damage the grass. A slow-release nitrogen fertilizer is best, and no more than 1 pound (0.45 kilograms) of nitrogen should be spread per 1,000 square feet (93 square meters). It should be applied early in the season when the turf begins actively growing, so the timing varies among regions. Fertilizer should not be applied too early or late, however, as lingering cold or early heat can stress the grass. Check the packaging to see when and how much you should water after applying the fertilizer.

● How to Mow Your Lawn in the Spring. Though it may reduce the number of times you have to mow, cutting your grass short is harmful to your lawn. Mowing with a low blade height removes nutrients stored in leaf blades and exposes the soil to sunlight, allowing weeds to take hold more easily. Taller grass is better able to compete with weeds, thanks to a larger root system and a higher tolerance for heat. It also shades the ground, allowing the soil to retain water more effectively.

● Lawn Care Equipment Maintenance. A little bit of service and preventative maintenance can ensure that your mower, trimmer and other implements are running efficiently and won’t break down before you haul them back to Dino’s Storage for the winter. Such machines are typically gasoline powered, so they should be serviced frequently.

Top Ten Lists

Livability.com compiles lists of the Top Ten Best Places for a variety of things – health care, college towns, to retire and more – and communities in middle America rank well in many of the lists. A few selections from their recent lists are detailed below.

Health Care
Number 1 – Residents of Iowa City, IA, spend 17 percent less on health care than the rest of the nation. But it’s residents’ easy access to hospitals, doctors and dentists that earned Iowa City the top ranking on Livability.com’s list of Top 10 Cities for Affordable Health Care. Health-care costs are kept low here, thanks to competition between 14 area hospitals. The city has a doctor for every 634 residents. If that doesn’t give Iowa City residents something to smile about, the ratio of one dentist for every 532 people sure should.

Number 8 – Lincoln, NE, residents have 30 area hospitals from which to choose – the highest hospital total for a city on the Top 10 Cities for Affordable Health Care. Having all those choices helps keep medical expenses down for residents here, who (on average) spend 12 percent less on health-care costs each year than the rest of the nation. Lincoln’s clean environmental record, cultural offerings and recreational activities make it one of the best places to live in America.

College Towns
Number 1 – You have to wonder how college students in Boulder, CO, find the motivation to get themselves to class. With so many other things to do, from rock climbing, skiing and hiking to sampling microbrews and checking out the latest museum exhibits, it has to be hard to hit the books. But Boulder is a city of innovative thinkers, environmentalists and researchers who work as hard as they play. Home to the University of Colorado and a collection of national laboratories, residents place a high value on the city’s diverse perspectives. Breathtaking natural beauty, a sense of cultural freedom and a highly educated population combine to deliver a wildly creative atmosphere where both students and residents flourish.

Number 6 – Metaphorically, the road to many college journeys goes through Iowa City, IA, which is home to the national offices of the ACT, a standardized test for college admission. While ACT is a major employer, it’s the University of Iowa that drives the local economy and sets the cultural stage. The school oversees a collection of clinics and an acclaimed hospital system, produces city-wide events, and participates in community outreach.

Places to Retire
Number 1 – Highly ranked hospitals, affordably priced housing, and a vast collection of parks and cultural amenities combine to make Cincinnati, OH, the best place to retire. Retirees can find a wealth of activities in the Queen City to keep them inspired, active and engaged. A recent $2.6 billion redevelopment of the downtown gave the city a giant economic boost by attracting businesses and residents back to the city’s urban core. Residents rarely run out of things to do in Cincinnati. The city’s excellent parks system includes 70 neighborhood and five regional parks, 34 nature preserves and the Krohn Conservatory, which features a collection of more than 3,500 plant species inside an art deco building.

Number 9 – Considered the heart of Iowa’s Creative Corridor, Cedar Rapids offers a dynamic atmosphere that provides residents a vibrant arts scene, easy access to pristine outdoor amenities and top-notch health care. Cedar Rapids scored well in our hospital rankings with numerous specialists and hospitals to choose from, and a culture that promotes physical activity and healthy eating. The city ranked 30th on Livability.com’s list of the Top 100 Best Places to Live.

Summer Festivals
Number 1 – Cowboys, bucking broncos and bulls take over Cheyenne, WY, once a year for Cheyenne Frontier Days, a 10-day summer festival that celebrates the city’s Western heritage and cowboy culture on a grand scale. Just like the first Frontier Day in 1897, a rodeo forms the backbone of this event, drawing thousands of spectators and competitors to what has become the largest outdoor rodeo in the country, known as the “Daddy of ’em All.”

Number 9 – More than 50,000 people visit Papillion, NE annually for Papillion Days, a five-day festival that includes the largest parade in the state, as well as events like a tractor-pull, BBQ competition, pancake breakfast, duathlon, carnival and concerts. Much of the action occurs in the historic downtown area, which is lined with shops and restaurants, while the running and biking duathlon happens at Walnut Creek Lake and Recreation Area. More than 120 floats, bands and performers, representing dozens of organizations, parade through the city on Saturday. Several organizations, including the Papillion Area Historical Society, the local Boy Scouts, schools and the fire department sponsor events, and local musicians, bands, cheer squads and karate schools perform on festival stages.

Spring Cleaning & Storage

It’s Spring! Warmer days, still cool nights and plenty of work to do inside and outside the house.

It’s time to put away the snow blower and the sleds and break out the yard tools and bicycles. Time to haul out the hoses, rake the leaves and clean up the yard. Time to clear out the gutters, wash the windows and clean the window screens. It’s time to straighten up the garage, clean the floor and finally stow those Christmas items, skates, hockey sticks and whatever else you stacked in the corners.

There’s plenty more to be done and lots of things you’ll need to get out for the spring and summer seasons. But first you need to make room for the new season by packing away the winter things.

That’s where Dino’s Storage can help!

Give us a call, reserve a storage space and bring those winter things to our nearest storage facility. You’ll make plenty of room for the summer tools and toys. All the winter clutter will be out of sight and out of mind until you swap it all out when you bring in the summer things later, much later, in the year and retrieve what you need for next winter.