Dino’s Storage shares Top 11 Facts About Bullying in Our Kids Schools

1)  Over 3.2 million students are victims of bullying each year.
2)  1 in 4 teachers see nothing wrong with bullying and will only intervene 4% of the time.
3)  Approximately 160,000 teens skip school everyday because of bullying.
4)  1 in 7 students in K-12 is either a bully or a victim of bullying.
5)  56% of students have personally witnessed some type of bullying at school.
6)  Over two-thirds of students believe that schools respond poorly to bullying, with a high percentage of students believing that adult help
is infrequent and ineffective.
7)  71% of students report incidents of bullying as a problem at their school.
8)  90% of 4th through 8th graders report being victims of bullying.
9)  1 out 10 students drop out of school because of repeat bullying.
10)  Harassment and bullying have been linked to 75% of school-shooting incidents.
11)  Physical bullying increases in elementary school, peaks in middle school and declines in high school.
Verbal abuse, however, remains constant.

TO SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP YOUR SCHOOLS WITH BULLYING AND OTHER ISSUES GO TO:  www.dosomething.org

 

 

 

 

Dino’s Storage offers tips on organizing your storage unit!

One too many times I have seen tenants open their storage units and their belongings start falling out or half their unit is out on the driveway while they are looking for that one special box. Here are some tips to save you a lot of time and energy in the future when accessing your unit.

 

First, when picking boxes make sure they are all the same size. Medium is recommended. This will help in stacking and accessibility. Make sure your boxes are labeled for storing in the correct area of your unit.

You will need to divide your storage contents into categories based on accessibility, visibility, and out of sight storage. Accessible items would be located in the front of the unit and out of sight in the back. Within those three categories, you can organize your unit based on lawn and garden, hardware, sports and recreation, seasonal items, etc..

Determine how your unit will best be designed. You will want to take measurements and sketch a plan to determine the components needed. If you are adding shelves, they can be purchased at any big box store or you can build your own. Shelving kits will require some assembly with basic tools. Be sure your shelving is free standing and you are not putting any pressure on the unit walls or ceiling.

We also recommend you leave a path in the middle so you can access the whole unit easily. Organizing your unit eliminates clutter, allows you to efficiently pack away your belongings, and create more functional space.

Cindy Sampson

Property Manager

411 Brick Street

Bondurant, Iowa

515-967-9346

 

 

Dino’s Storage in Omaha has opened a brand new location!

Dino’s Storage newest location at 14650 West Maple is now open! Location hours are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 9-6pm, Wednesday and Saturdays are by appointment and closed on Sunday. You can reach Brian, the property manager at 402-916-4441 or westmaple@dinosstorage.com.

 

 

 

 

Storing Responsibly with Dino’s Storage.

The managers at Dino’s Storage take great pride in providing our customers with a wonderful facility to store their belongings.  We walk our properties daily to ensure every unit is locked properly, all the lights are functioning, we provide routine landscape care and pest control and we keep our isles, hallways, elevators,  loading areas, offices and outside property tidy.  Through all of our diligent efforts to provide a safe and secure home for your items, it is also up to the customer to ensure they are not storing items that would attract pest or bring harm to the facility and other customers.

Here in the Midwest we experience an array of different weather types and just like you or I, certain pests would rather harbor in luxury than brave the humidity or below zero temperatures.  We have every customer initial stating that they will not be storing flammable, explosive, hazardous, perishable, living, illegal or contraband items in their unit but it is up to every customer to honestly follow this rule and it is hard for managers to sort out a violator once the customer has moved in and locked the unit door.

I would like to share a few helpful tips that will help you to have a pleasant storage experience:

We do not allow customers to smoke on the property but occasionally someone will drive up to their unit with a lit cigarette in hand, thus the reason we ask that you do not store anything flammable, explosive or tires.   This reminds me of a facility in Arizona a few years ago, someone decided to toss a lit cigarette and it set a spark to a unit, the unit was full of tires (which are highly flammable) and shortly after the whole facility was engulfed in flames.  As you can imagine this was a very devastating time for not only the property owners but all the innocent storage customers as well, all due to the negligence of a couple of customers that didn’t follow the rules to help ensure the safety of the whole property.

  • We ask that should you need to put items like lawnmowers, ATVs or any items requiring gasoline into storage, please drain the gas out as much as possible.
  • Do not store new or used tires in the unit unless they are attached to a vehicle.
  • Items such as spray paint, gallons of paint or flammable cleaning products should also not be placed in the storage unit.
  • And most importantly, DO NOT SMOKE on the property and put the whole facility in danger.

Many customers will pack up their whole home and move it into storage during times of transition, and when I say whole home, I mean they store not only clothes, beds and furniture but they also will clean out their kitchen cupboards and place food inside the unit.  A lot of time people will not stop to think about the perishable items and the potential mayhem it could cause inside their unit.

  • Please do not store food inside your unit as it could cause a potential outbreak of cockroaches or even attract mice into your unit.  Again, no matter how diligent management is in providing pest control, it is up to the customer to store smart.  As we all know, cockroaches and mice breed quickly and both are hard to control once an outbreak occurs.**If you have food items to remove from your home during a move, consider donating them to a food bank, neighbor or friend but please do not place them into storage during your transition**
  • Even if you are in a hurry to move, please take time to wash your clothes and pack them away in plastic totes.  This way you will have fresh clothing when you pull them out of storage and you also reduce the risk of bringing in any type of bugs that could have possibly been attracted to your clothes/bedding before the move.  Storing material items in plastic totes will also prevent mice from chewing through your boxes and bags to snuggle up next to your favorite sweater.
  • Often people will relax in their favorite chair or sofa with a bowl or popcorn or other snack while watching a movie and there is the potential of little crumbs falling between the cushion.  Please take the time to vacuum your furniture before bringing it to storage as these little crumbs could also attract unwanted pests.  This goes for mattresses as well.  Most Dino’s Storage locations sell mattress bags and sofa/chair covers and we recommend you wrap your items in plastic not only to detract pests but to also reduce dust collecting on your items over a long period of time.
  • If you are storing your items in bags or boxes, you might also consider lining the unit floor with pallets and then start moving your items into storage.  You could also take extra precaution by placing mouse traps or cockroach bait around your unit, to provide a little extra safety of your belongings.
  • If you are able, visit your storage unit monthly to look for signs or unwanted pests…chances are good that your items are just how you left them but it never hurts to check in.

You may think that it is obviously not the best idea to store living items in a unit but I have seen it happen.  I have had to evict a tenant for attempting to reside in his unit and I have also had to extract a kitten from inside a unit.  Not only is it against the rules to storage yourself or any living creature in a unit but it is also inhumane and a cause of health concern to the whole facility.  Real plants are also not proper to store in a unit as they do not obtain proper sunshine or water and die which leads to dead foliage and bugs.

This brings me to the final point; illegal or contraband items.  Not only is it illegal to be in possession of these items outside a storage facility but we do not want this type of activity inside our facilities either.  The first facility that I ever managed was in Tucson, AZ just off the highway to Mexico.  It was a nice new facility but I was involved with the city drug task force and had drug sniffing dogs come through the facility at random to check the property.  Placing a gun in a storage unit is also not allowed.  Should you forfeit your unit to an auction or in the possible rare instance your unit is broken into, you risk your registered firearm being in the possession of another person, so please keep them in a locked safe and not in storage.

Please also remember that your storage facility is not responsible for the safety and security of your property, you are.  We do offer optional insurance coverage if you do not have your own.  Hopefully this post has given you insight to helpful storage tips and the reasoning behind our rules as we want  you have the most pleasant storage experience possible!!

Start the New Year off right saving $$ with Dino’s Storage!!

With the beginning of every New Year, we think about getting things organized in our lives. A good start usually means getting the house organized. Storage units can be a big help with getting the items out of your way that you do not use on a regular basis. Items such as holiday decorations, summer camping supplies, sporting gear, and bicycles.
We have a special running for 10×10 storage units to help you with this. Right now Bellevue has 10×10 climate control units are $90.00 and the non-climate units are $70.00. It only takes a few minutes to get a unit and you can start moving these items right away.
So come see Jennie or Tammy at Bellevue’s Dino’s Storage to get your unit set up.

Winter in the Midwest with Dino’s Storage.

Well, it is 2014 now, we are in the thick of winter, the holidays are behind us, and all we have to look forward to is a handful of football games left this season. Our new sunglasses we got for Christmas haven’t gotten much use………..but on the bright side, neither have our new snow blowers and shovels (let alone our backs!).

We have been very fortunate for our mild winter, and minimal snow accumulation we have had so far. Snow storms can cripple a business and even a community when they come as often as some of the country has seen this year. One more reason for us to be thankful I guess.

The storage business here at Dino’s was closed the last week of 2013, which was a VERY, VERY nice blessing from the ownership of Dino’s. We are all back now, refreshed, and just waiting for your business!

If you have never used a storage before, but have considered using one, you are probably a good candidate to consider calling me to find out what I can do to help you organize your basement, or a place to put your seasonal decorations away where they won’t be in your way, or just take this boring time of year to organize and put your place in order. I am sure that if you call me to inquire about what I can do for you, you will be surprised.

So, don’t wait………give us a call……..you will be happy you did.

Dino’s Storage offers “EATING HEALTHY” tips!

Several polls and studies show one of the most common new year resolutions are to eat healthier (another common one is loosing weight).  Unfortunately, these are also two resolutions most commonly not kept. So if your resolution is to eat healthier, this may help you keep it and make sure you are doing it right.

5 FOODS YOU ARE EATING WRONG

(How to cut, cook & sip for the most health benefits)

Choosing whole foods over supplements or fresh produce instead of processed potato chips is a no-brainer. But how to cook those foods to get the most bang for your buck isn’t always as obvious. Should you make enough salad for the whole week? Is it better to blend fresh or frozen fruit in a smoothie? Which is ideal: steaming or boiling your vegetables?

The short answer is that the healthiest cooking and prep methods change from food to food. “Heat, water, storage and exposure to air can all cause certain foods to lose their nutrients”, says Mary Cluskey, Ph.D, R.D., associate professor of nutrition at Oregon State University.

Vegetables

Your mistake: Microwaving or boiling them

The fix: Steaming

Why it works: Steaming helps retain cancer-fighting nutrients in broccoli better than other cooking methods, reports a new study from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Sulforaphane (a plant compound with strong anti-cancer properties) is abundant in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, kale and arugula. The enzyme myrosinase is necessary to release the compound, but most cooking methods destroy it. Steaming is a slower, gentler heat, and isn’t intense enough to kill myrosinase, explains study author Elizabeth Jeffery, Ph.D. – Cook broccoli in a steaming basket for 3 to 4 minutes for the biggest cancer-fighting boost.

Strawberries

Your mistake: Slicing them before eating

The fix: Eating them whole

Why it works: Whole strawberries contain 8 to 12 percent more vitamin C than the cut fruits, according to a 2011 Brazilian study. That’s because vitamin C begins to break down when it’s exposed to light and oxygen. For the biggest C boost, store whole strawberries in the fridge – cool temperatures help retain vitamin C, too, finds the same study.

Wine

Your mistake: Letting a bottle “breathe”

The fix: Sipping a freshly opened bottle

Why it works: When red wine is decanted for long periods of time (up to 12 hours) the organic acids and polyphenols begin to break down, according to a 2012 Chinese study. Leaving the bottle open overnight nixes the usual benefits of a glass of red, including decreased depression, increased testosterone and a healthier heart.

Tomatoes

Your mistake: Eating them raw

The fix: Heating them up

Why it works: Tomatoes have been linked to lowering men’s risk of stroke, helping fight prostate cancer and preserving brain power with age. Heating tomatoes significantly increases their levels of lycopene, the chemical that can up antioxidant levels. In fact, a recent study in The British Journal of Nutrition found that raw foodists (people who eat mostly uncooked produce) were deficient in lycopene. Cook tomatoes in olive oil for the biggest nutritional boost: Lycopene is fat-soluble, meaning you need fat in your diet for your body to absorb it properly.

Frozen produce

Your mistake:Skipping the frozen food section when shopping

The fix: Hit the freezers

Why it works:  “Most people think only fresh is healthy, but this is a huge misconception,” says Cluskey. In fact, U.K. scientists found that in two out of three cases, frozen fruits and vegetables packed higher levels of antioxidants (including polyphenols, vitamin C and beta-carotene) than the fresh kind. As produce ages, nutrients begin to change and break down, says Cluskey. It’s therefore better to eat food that was frozen at prime ripeness with its nutrients intact than week-old produce that no longer has the same beneficial chemical makeup.

Dino’s Storage offers 10 Spiritual Resolutions tips for 2014!

MEDITATE 2 or 3 times a week for 10 minutes by focusing on your breath.

Spend quality TIME with friends and family, in person or on the phone, at least once a week.

Consume COMPASSIONATELY, by eating only vegetarian food at least once a week.

Take time to write down and express GRATITUDE for the positive things happening in your life.

REFLECT on all the small and big ways in which people are helping you.

Feel JOY for another’s success even if it is the same success you were hoping for.

Mend old RELATIONSHIPS by forgiving those who hurt you and by seeking forgiveness from those you hurt.

COMMUNICATE mindfully-practice speaking in a way that is honest, helpful, yet doesn’t offend or hurt others.

ANGER can lead to regretful behavior, so don’t let anger get the best of you.

Don’t become proud of your gifts, instead BE grateful.

-Gadadhara Pardit Dasa-

Dino’s Storage visits Winnipeg when it is colder than Mars!

Our Owner and Operations Manager made a recent trip to our location in Winnipeg, Canada to welcome our newest manager to Dino’s team, Cyrena Syrowitz. While visiting the weather was frigged, according to the Curiosity Rover, Mars reached a maximum temperature of -29 C on Tuesday, a temperature Winnipeg only reached shortly before 3 p.m.

In Winnipeg, the daytime high temperature for Tuesday was only expected to reach –31 C, but the windchill made it feel more like –40 to –50. That means exposed skin can freeze in less than five minutes. On Monday, it got as warm as –28 C.

 

 

 

Omaha’s Dino’s Storage Offers Advice on Staying Mentally Well!

A lot of times people think of wellness in terms of physical or heath wellness. Though they are important, you must also include mental wellness. Here is a list of 13 things mentally well people avoid to help them in their ability to deal with daily life.

Mentally Well People Avoid:

1. Feeling Sorry For Themselves.
Do not feel sorry for yourself because life is not fair. You need to assume responsibility for your actions and results. If things do not work out the way you intended, be grateful for the lesson learned and move on.

2. Giving Away Control. You need to have confidence in yourself and not let others influence your emotions or actions. Be in control.

3. Getting Stuck In A “Rut”. Embrace change and new challenges. You must be able to conquer your fears and keep moving one foot forward even when you end up taking two steps back first.

4. Wasting Energy On Things You Can Not Control. The Alcoholic Anonymous Serenity Prayer is a great example for this, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.”

5. Worrying About Pleasing Others. You need to be able to speak up in situations, but do it in a kind and graceful manner. People may get upset with you, but all parties involved must be able to walk away from the conversation with respect for each other.

6. Fearing Risk. You must be able to logically calculate the risks and rewards before taking action, do not let your emotions take over.

7. Dwelling On The Past. You need to live in the present and look toward the future. There is nothing wrong with reminiscing about the past, but you have to live for today and tomorrow.

8. Making A Mistake Twice. Mistakes happen and you need to learn from them and not repeat them. Mark the mistake up to your “learning curve” and move on.

9. Being Jealous Of Others. You need to have the genuine character to be happy for others success and still be able to work hard for your own success in a honest manner.

10. Quitting After Failure. Don’t throw in the towel just because it did not work. Try option B, option C, and so on. Make sure you are continually learning before moving on to the next option.

11. Fearing Being Alone. The book “The Road Less Traveled”, by M. Scott Peck, M.D. is recommended reading. Spending time alone to do some soul searching will take you to a new level of appreciation for others, life, and your surroundings.

12. Feeling The World Owes You. Life does not owe you one thing. Life is there for the taking and it is your preparation and hard work that will make you reap the rewards life has to offer.

13. Expecting Immediate Results. The 3 P’s of patience, persistence, and perseverance are the keys to successful results.

-Amy Morin’s article in LifeHack and Cheyl Conner’s article in Forbes.