Month: December 2020

Different Size Storage Units

When it comes to storage, everyone is able to use it. There are many different reasons that people look for self-storage. Someone could be moving to a new place. College students need places to store their items, while they aren’t in the dorms. The possibilities of storage are almost endless. Finding the right storage unit can be a struggle at times. It all depends on how much you want to store. Most storage facilities have different unit sizes. At Dino’s Storage, we have outside parking and 5 different storage sizes.

At Dino’s Storage, the smallest storage size is about the size of a closet. The size is 5×5. This could store small furniture, like lamps, chairs, seasonal items, and boxes. There is also a double size storage unit. The size of this unit is 5×10 or 10x 5. It can store furniture for a studio apartment, couch, table and chairs, and appliances. Some examples are chair, dressers, night stand, and luggage. These size storage units could be the perfect size for college students. Usually, college students need to store more personal items than furniture. This is because the college will usually provide furniture for the dorms. The personal items could be a futon, mini-fridge, or room décor.

But if you need more spaces then we have bigger storage units. The next size up would be a one bedroom apartment storage unit. This would would be a 10×10 that fits bigger furniture. It could fit furniture that goes into a one-bedroom apartments, appliances, table and chairs, mattresses, couches/love seats, and motorcycles. This could fit for a young couple that are moving. It could also fit someone who is moving from one place to another, within the same state.

The next two storage sizes are huge. The first one is the size of a one care garage. The unit size is 10×20. This could fit furniture from a three-bedroom apartment or a small house. It could fit several appliances, tables and chairs, boxes, couches, work-out equipment, entertainment enter, and an average size car. This could be someone who is moving to another state or country. This is because they might not be able to move everything right away or they can’t bring everything with them. But if you need more space than we got an extra-large sized storage unit. This could be 10×25 or 10×30. This would fit a three to four bedroom house. This size unit would be more likely for a family or a few roommates. This is because its’ not only going to be able to fit a couple large items. It will fit everything you want and more. There are a few different size storage units that you can use, but maybe you need storage for your car.

At Dino’s Storage, we also have storage for your cars! It is possible to fit an average size car into our storage units, but maybe you have something bigger, like a camper. This won’t be able to fit in the indoor storage units. But it can be stored at our outdoor parking spots. Dino’s Storage offers outdoor parking spots because not everyone is able to fit all their vehicles into their driveway. This could be because they don’t have a place to store their car. This is only one of the reasons out of many, that one might need a parking spot. Some people might be wary to store their car outside. If you are worried about your car, than you are able to store it at Dino’s Storage headquarters. At the headquarters, there is an indoor garage. Also, there are cameras at every Dino’s Storage location.

Get the storage unit that fits you and your needs. It won’t be beneficial to you if you get a storage unit that doesn’t fit everything you need. You could be paying for empty space or overstuffing your storage space. This could become expensive and dangerous. At Dino’s Storage, we are here to help you find the storage unit that fits you. Our prices depends on what size storage you need. There are more reference pictures and descriptions on our website: dinosstorage.com.

Saint Bernard=Rescue dog??

Even though there is not a lot of information on where Saint Bernards come from, the history/ information that we do know is fascinating. Around 1965 was the first time that Saint Bernards were seen. But they weren’t seen in person; they were seen through a painting. Salvatore Rosa was the one who included 2 Saint Bernards, in his painting. They looked different from what we know now as Saint Bernards. The two Saint Bernards were portrayed as short haired, with a long tail and dew claws. From this painting, people assumed that Saint Bernards have been around for 25 years. They were pictured in the Swiss Valleys. So for a time, they were known as valley dogs.

Valley dogs have been around for centuries, but they were never given a specific name. These dogs were known to be watchdogs that would keep monks companion, during the winter. But in 1700s, they started to be known for saving lives. It is not known why or how this started. But it is thought that the monks brought the dogs with them, after snow storms, to help find troubled travelers. The dogs’ amazing sense of smell helped them find the lost travelers. After a while, Saint Bernards started to pick up the rescue techniques, that the monks were using. The monks started to send out the Saint Bernards by themselves to do the rescue. They would go out in twos and threes. It is said that the dogs would go through the snow, dig to the traveler, and lay on top of the traveler. One of the dogs would lay on top of the traveler to keep them warm. While the other dogs would go back to the monk and alert him, that they found a lost traveler. They saved around 2,000 people.

Around 1830, the monks started to breed Saint Bernards with Newfoundlands. This was because the monks thought that the long hair would help Saint Bernards in the cold. But this didn’t go as they thought it would go. The snow would get stuck to their fur and icicles would start to form. The monks decided to give away the dogs, to people around the Swiss valley. But in 1855, Heinrich Schumacher started to breed and send these dogs to England, Russia, and the United States.

Saint Bernards shouldn’t only be known for their role in Beethoven, but for their bravery in the valleys. Saint Bernards have stopped rescuing travelers. The monks have started to rely on helicopters to help them. But Saint Bernards loyal personality has stuck with them. Their tame personality makes them a great best friend for life.

Why Is Climate Control Storage Units Important?

When it comes to climate control, air flow is the most important factor. Both heating and cooling rely on air flow. With heating, the air blows through a “heat exchange”. It will make the air warm then circulate it throughout the building. With cooling, the air will blow into an “evaporator coil”. This part would collect the heat and moisture then cool it. After cooling, the system would circulate the cool air throughout the building. The two tools that one can use to make sure that the climate is at the right level are a hygrometer and a thermometer. These can be easy to use and read because most of them now rely on technology. The thermometer will make sure that the temperature stays at a steady temperature, around 55 degrees and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The hygrometer will make sure that the humidity level is at an indoor comfort. This is important because most of the items that are being stored are items that are kept inside. If they are outside items then there isn’t too much worry because usually they are made to be outside. Throughout time, the idea of climate control storage units have become popular.

At first, people were hesitant about getting a climate control storage unit. This is because they weren’t sure about it. But this isn’t unusual. When new inventions come about, people are hesitant at first. But if it is a successful invention, then it will become more popular overtime. One of the reasons people might have been hesitant about getting a climate control storage unit is that it cost more. It cost more because it does take energy to use these machines to help control the climate. If you are interested in getting a climate controlled storage unit then I would suggest looking at a few questions, that will help you determine if you need a climate controlled storage unit.  

These are a few of the questions:

  • How long are you planning on storing the item?
  • Can it grow mold or mildew?
  • Was it designed to be stored at a certain temperature?
  • Can the size (expand or contract) of the item change because of the temperature?
  • Is it a valuable item?

There are many different items that need to be stored in a climate control storage unit. This is because overtime the item could start deteriorating, discoloring, or growing mold or mildew. If they have any of these problems, then it would ruin the item. An example of an object that could have all these problems is furniture (one of the most commonly stored items). If you are storing some furniture, then it is important to make sure that they are staying in an environment that will make it last. Soft furnishing and leather can grow mold. This is if they are left in a damp place, for too long. Wood is also a very important item to keep in controlled climates. This is because would could start to crack, warp, or rot. This is all due to the moisture. Any objects that contain wood, leather, or fabric need to be stored in a controlled climate storage unit. Another important material to pay attention to is metal. This is because metals start to rust over time. The rust can make the integrity of the object questionable.

Climate Controlled storage units are important because you don’t want your items to be ruined. There are many other objects and items that need to be stored in climate control environment. Some other are furniture, pictures, collectibles, clothing, and many more. Emphasis is put on the expensive and valuable items. Expensive and valuable items can’t always be replaced. So, if you are worried about your items being ruined then I would go for a climate controlled storage unit.

3 Interesting Facts About Christmas

Gifts

When it comes to gifts, most like to go all out, especially when the Christmas season comes around. In the Gallup poll, they expected the amount people would spend on gifts would be around $800. It is hard to imagine that people spend this much on gifts, but this wasn’t even close to the real amount that people spend during the Christmas season. Deloitte found that we will spend around $1,400 on presents. But this study was done in 2019. We would think that it would be hard to spend this much money, but it starts to add up. Adding up the money after we bought all the gifts is when we realize how much money we actually spent. This is also the season of giving, so more people are generous with their gifts.

*Extra Fact

Did you know that the Statue of Liberty is the largest gift that has been given? France gave the statue to the USA, in 1886. It stands over 150 feet and weighs about 225 tons.

Christmas Cards

The first Christmas card was believed to be sent in 1843. It was sent by Sir Henry Cole to his grandmother. It was hand-colored by John Calcott Horsley. He drew a multigenerational family at a Christmas party. Originally, there was about 1,000 cards, but now there is about 12 that exist. In 2001, one of his Christmas cards was put up for auction and someone paid around $30,000 for it. This makes it the most expensive card.  Today, there are about a billion and a half Christmas cards that are sent out each year. This is only in the USA. There are about 1.6 billion people that will still send out physical greeting cards each year. Hallmark says that millennials are 20% of the people that spend their money on greeting cards. The amount of money millennials are willing to spend on greetings cards are increasing faster than any other generation.

*Extra Fact

In 2017, the smallest Christmas card was made. It was made in the U.K.’s National Physical Laboratory. The size of the card is around 15 microns wide and 20 microns tall. To make this more imaginable, it would take around 200 million of these cards to cover a single postage stamp. This card was not only for fun, but to test what technology is capable of doing.

City Traditions

In Stockbridge, Massachusetts, they recreate one of Norman Rockwell Christmas paintings. This happens each year, in December. This specific scene was found in the Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas, in 1967. The town would even put vintage auto mobiles in the original spots, to match the pictures. In Chandler, Arizona, they have a 30 foot tumbleweed Christmas tree. Parks Department workers will collect around 1,000 tumbleweeds to make this tree. The tumbleweeds are then attached to a wire, to form the Christmas tree shape. After the tumbleweed Christmas tree is made, the people will cover the tree with about 20-50 gallons of flame retardant. After this is all done, they will cover the tree in white paint and tons of glitter. Finally, they will add a star on top of the Christmas tree, with lights.

*Extra Fact            

Did you know that the Japanese will eat KFC on Christmas? This started because Takeshi Okawara, the first manager of the first KFC in Japan, overheard that foreigners missed having turkey on Christmas. In the middle of the night, he came up with the idea of ‘party barrel’.

Is A Dog’s Age Important??

When comparing a dog’s life span to a human’s life span, we multiply the dog’s age by 7. This calculation is a myth. Figuring out a dog’s life span is more difficult than we thought. Using this calculation doesn’t work because a dog’s size and breed affects their life span. Larger dogs are known to have shorter lives than smaller dogs. For example, Chihuahuas are a toy breed, that ca live up to 15-20 years. They are known to live ‘forever’. But the pug is also part of the toy breed. They only live 12-15 years. This just shows us that we can’t have one calculation to solve all dogs life span.

If you are wanting to compare a dog’s life span to a humans then there is a formula that will help you calculate the difference. The formula would be (human_ age= 16ln (dog_age) +31). But this is a little complicated to figure out on our own. There are calculators that will figure this out for you online. But if you do not want to do either then I would go off of this. The first year of a dog’s life equals to 15 human years. At two years, the dog’s life is equal to about 9 years. After this, every year is about four to five years. You can use this on small, medium, or large dogs. But if they are over 100+ lbs. then the comparison will change.

It is important to know your dog’s age. This is because you will know the estimate of how long the dog will live. Also, if the dog is larger than they start developing illnesses sooner than smaller breeds. There are many signs that a dog is aging. Some of them are teeth turning yellow, fur turning gray, cloudy eyes or poor eyesight, trouble hearing, arthritis, behavioral changes, or activity level change. It is important to look at these changes because care for the dog will start to change. For example- as a dog grows and ages then their diet will start to change. This is because at the different stages, they require different nutrients. Puppies need more food because they are growing. Some puppy chows will cause the dog to grow faster. If you don’t want this then you are able to give them puppy food. Before you buy any brand of dog food, research it beforehand. This is because there are any different types of dog food that can be fed to them. As pet owners, we wouldn’t want to feed the dog’s harmful food. Adult dogs require more carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Senior dogs would need less calories and carbohydrates. If the dogs aren’t able to get what they need then this will affect their health. This is just one reason why it is important to know the dog’s life span and age.

Overall, the myth that one dog year equals to 7 years in human life is false. There is a chart you can find online, that is more accurate about a dog’s life span. Knowing the dog’s breed and size will affect how long they live. It will let you determine when to change how you take care of them. During different parts of their life, taking care of them will change.

Fun Facts About Christmas

“Jingle Bells”

            A song that has been played in many households. A song that must be listened to, in the Christmas season. Everyone knows it as ‘Jingle Bells’. But this was not the original name for the song. James Lord Pierpont, the writer of the song, named the song ‘The One Horse Open Sleigh’. This song was not even meant for the Christmas Season. Mr. Pierpont wrote this song for his church, to be played for a Thanksgiving concert. This song was so popular, that it was the first song played in space. Wally Schirra and Tom Stafford boarded Gemini 6. They were meeting Gemini 6. This is the first pre-organized meeting that happened in space.  On December 16, they were to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere. While this was happening, Schirra and Stafford decide to play a prank on Mission Control. They said that they saw another satellite that was going to reenter the orbit. The ‘satellite’ had a command module and eight smaller modules in the front. The command was wearing a red suit. They then started to play ‘Jingle Bells’ with a harmonica and some small bells. Later on, Schirra and Stafford donated these musical instruments to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

Christmas Trees

            Christmas trees are evergreens that can always be found in nature, so what is the big significance to Christmas trees? This all started in Ancient Egypt and Rome. The evergreens had a special meaning for them. They would celebrate it during the Solstice. It was believed that winter came because their sun god would get sick and weak. The evergreens would remind them that green plants would come back after the sun god healed and become strong again. This means that summer would be returning. The ancient Egyptians would decorate their homes with green palm rushes. The Romans would decorate their homes and temples with evergreen boughs. In the 16th century, Christmas trees came to Germany. It is believed that Martin Luther was the first one to add candles to a tree. He got this idea when he was walking and saw stars singing through the evergreens. But thankfully throughout history, we have started to use electrical lights. They never said, but we could imagine that  using real candles could cause some fires. We are also able to use real evergreens or fake ones. (If you use a real evergreen, don’t forget to water it. A dried-out Christmas tree could start a fire.)

Christmas Decorations

            When Christmas comes around, in America, most families go all out on decorating. Stockings are put above the fire place. Christmas wreaths are hung on our entrance doors. The shiny tinsel that is hung on Christmas trees. There are many different Christmas decorations that one can put up. But what is the story behind them? People started to put up stockings because of one of the most popular Saint Nicholas stories. The one with the dad and his three girls. When Saint Nicholas put the money down the chimney, one of the times the money fell into a stocking. This was an accident. The family was drying a stocking over the fireplace and the money fell into it. This is a tradition that many families have continued. The Christmas wreath is supposed to remind us of Jesus Christ. The holly is supposed to represent the thorns that Jesus wore. The red berries are supposed to represent the blood that Jesus shed. This is supposed to remind us what the Christmas season is really about. The shiny tinsel that we use today is different from the time it was invented. Tinsel was invented in Germany, around 1610. It was originally spun from real silver. When it came to America, it was illegal to have tinsel. This was because it would contain poisonous lead. But this is not something we have to worry about anymore. Tinsel is now made out of plastic. But still be careful because it could still be a choking hazard.

The Story of St. Nicholas

We know Santa Claus as a big man, with a big white beard. That wears a red suit with a Christmas hat. He rides on a sled that is pulled around by reindeers. He comes down chimneys, eats cookies and drink milk, and gives out presents. There have been many Christmas movies that have been made about Santa Claus. Most of us have heard about Santa Claus, but what if Santa Claus was nothing like you thought? Here is the real story of how Santa Claus came to be.

Saint Nicholas was born around the year 280 in Patara, Lycia (part of Turkey now). His parents died when he was young and left him an inheritance. Saint Nicholas used his inheritance to help the poor and the sick. He later became a bishop in Myra (known as Demre now). Throughout his life, he was very giving man. He died around the year 343. But his legacy did not end there. There are many stories about him helping the poor and sick, but we are not sure if they are all true.

One of the most popular stories is how Saint Nicholas helped a dad of three girls. The dad didn’t have enough for his daughters dowries. (Dowries are money or property that a bride will bring to the husband, on a wedding day. This was very popular throughout history. It still is practiced in some countries.) The dad got to the point that he even thought about selling his daughters into servitude. Saint Nicholas learned about this and decided to give the dad money. Saint Nicholas dropped a bag of money down the chimney. The dad was thankful and wanted to know who the person was. Saint Nicholas ended up doing this two more times. The third time, the dad decided to hide by the fireplace. When he found out that the man was Saint Nicholas, he started to thank him, but Saint Nicholas wanted to stay anonymous. He told the dad not to tell anyone, but the word got out. This is how the idea of Santa Claus came to be.

In the 16th century, the traditions and stories started to die out. But people believed that they still needed someone to deliver the presents, to the kids. So, they came up with the idea “Father Christmas”, in the UK. In America, he became known as ‘”Kris Kringle”. This changed when Dutch Settlers came to the USA with the old stories of Saint Nicholas. This is around the time that it came to be known as Santa Claus.

Today, Saint Nicholas day is on December 6th. On the night of December 5th, kids will put out their shoes out. This is because they would be filled it presents. But Santa Claus is known throughout the Christmas season, getting ready for Christmas. He has elves that make all the presents that he brings around. Saint Nicholas legacy has lived on for centuries. In 2017, there was a pelvic bone that was found. They believed that it belonged to Saint Nicholas. It was tested and found to belong to an American priest. They tried to match this bone to the other bones that are believed to belong to Saint Nicholas.

Things To Think About When Getting A Dog

Throughout these hard times, people are staying home and getting bored. Many people have picked up new skill sets, to keep them busy. Other people are searching for companionship. There are many people that have turned to pets for companionship. Most people adopt. But there are some people who choose to get their dog from a breeder. This has caused Humane Societies to become a lot emptier. People that are looking for pets lean towards getting little puppies or dogs. These little fury creatures are able to make just about anyone smile.

There are many different puppies or dogs that one can choose from. This would all have to depend on what you are looking for. If you want a little dog (also known as toy dogs), you could get a Japanese Chin, Pomeranian, or Chihuahua. There are many options for these type of dogs, with all different types of personalities. Toy dogs might be small, but they can have a fiery personality. If you are looking for a medium size dog, there are Australian shepherds, boxers, and more. These dogs are loyal and make sure that everyone in your family is safe. They are some of the most loving, loyal dogs. These examples are only a couple of the different options, of dogs. There are many more that one can get. You would have to take time and do your research.

It would also depend on how much time you have for the dog that you get. Many people will go looking for puppies because they are adorable. But when picking a puppy, one has to think about when the puppy grows up. Some people get surprised by how big their puppy will become. This could be because they underestimated the dog’s size. Also, when getting a puppy one has to think about training the puppy. There are many things that one has to teach a puppy- not to chew on furniture, to go to the bathroom outside, and tricks. Puppies need a lot of time and attention. If they don’t get the attention that they need, then they could start causing trouble. If you don’t have time for this then you could send the puppy to school. These schools will train the dog for you, but it can be expensive. If this doesn’t work out, then one could adopt a dog that has already been trained.

Exercise is another important point when getting a dog. This is important because there are some dogs that need a lot of exercise and some don’t. If you someone who is busy or don’t like exercise then I would get a dog that requires little amount of exercise. These dogs would be fine with a one or two walks a day. But if you get a dog, that requires more exercise, than it takes more work. They might need more walks or need to play more. If they like running around, then they would require a bigger yard. If these dogs don’t the exercise, then would start acing up and misbehaving. They could start chewing on the furniture, barking, and more.

There are many different dogs, for many different reasons. This only hits the base on what one has to think about when getting a puppy/dog. You have to take your time and find the on that matches you the best. These animals are a life time best friend. These are adorable animals that are always forgiving, but we should not take them for granted. We should try to do what’s best for us and the puppy/dog.

Fun Facts About Self-storage

Storage facilities bigger than McDonalds??

McDonalds has many, many different locations. Most would think that McDonalds has the most amount of buildings, in different locations. But this is wrong. Storage facilities have more buildings around the United Sates than McDonalds. There is around 45,000-60,000 storage facilities all over the United States. McDonalds has around 14,000 buildings. Even if we added the amount of Starbucks buildings, it still isn’t even half of the storage facilities. This was surprising to learn because we would think that McDonalds and Starbucks are more popular. But when it comes to storing personal or extra items, it is more important. It also shows us that Americans require more storage because they have too much stuff.

America- #1 Hoarders?

Americans are the biggest users of storage facilities. They are known to be the #1 hoarders. This does not seem to be too surprising because we do like our items. With being able to store items, we are more likely open to buying more items. Also, there is a possible chance that we might need the item again in the future. There are many people that think like this. They never know if they might need the item again so they are more likely to want to keep the items. If they keep on keeping items, then they’re going to need a space to put all these items. Self-storage makes this easy. People are able to go to self-storage facilities that they can store their own item. Usually, people prefer this way because they have control. They are able to get access to the items when they want (within the companies’ business hours).

Users of Self-storage

Everyone is able to use self-storage. Families use it to store extra items because they need more room. Young couples that have their set of furniture, that are planning on moving in with each other. Someone who is moving into a different space and need a place to store their items, for a short period of time. There are plenty more reasons that one might need to store their items. But did you know that businesses are also able to store their items at a self-storage facility? This is because small businesses or organizations might have extra product that isn’t being used. They could also need a place to store the inventory that hasn’t been sold yet. There are also people who use self-storage to store documents and more. This is because self-storage units try to be as secure as they can. There are many cameras and locks that are used at the self-storage facilities. Some people enjoy auctioning for the units, at the storage facility. This could because they find enjoyment out of it. They could also like to do it because they found an item that they want.

Interesting Items Found In Storage Auctions

Beach Boys’ Documents

When it comes to famous people, their items go for a lot. But what if you found a unit full of their music? The Beach Boys lyrics, contracts, musical arrangements, and royalty checks were found in a storage unit. The reason the documents were in a storage unit was because one of the band member’s relatives put it in there, for safe-keeping. Throughout the years, the relative fell behind on storage payments. This means that the unit is put up for auction. In the early 2000s, a radio station paid hundreds of dollars for a unit. The only thing that they knew about the storage unit was that it contained documents and papers. But to their surprise when they opened the unit, and found documents that belonged to the Beach Boys. When the Beach Boys found out, they brought it to court and tried to get the documents back. But after 8 years, the documents were sold for about 10 million.

James Bond’s Car

            A man spent around a $100 on a unit, in 1989. This was considerably cheap for what the item was. The man and his brother went to go cut the lock. At first glance, it was nothing exciting. They found a beat up white car in the unit. The car didn’t have any wheels and had a dented roof. As this man was driving, onlookers were telling him that this car was in a James Bond movie. But the man never seen a James Bond movie. So, he went out and checked out a James Bond movie. He figured out that there were eight different versions of the car. But the people only knew were 7 of the cars were. He had the eighth car, that couldn’t be found. The car that this man won was used for promotions. Later on, this man put the car up for auction. It was bought for around $1 million. The buyer was no other than the founder of Tesla, Elon Musk.

Jackson Pollock’s Paintings

            In 2018, a couple were opening up a thrift store. This caused them to purchase a storage unit, for $45. When they opened up the storage unit, they had found 26 paintings. Most of them were signed “Jackson Pollock”. But the couple’s excitement did not last long. They searched up the collection and saw articles that were saying that there were fake paintings that were being shared. It was not disclosed if the paintings were real or not. There was another time that Pollock’s paintings were found. There was a man that was cleaning out his mother’s storage unit. When he was cleaning it, he found 32 paintings. It did not go into detail about if the paintings were real or not. If they were real, then the value of the paintings could be around $10 million.