Packing Materials

Remember Dino’s storage not only has storage units for your items but we have everything here for your packing as well. We stock a variety of different size boxes, everything from small boxes for books to large boxes for linens and towels. We carry several different specialty boxes, such as, wardrobe boxes for hanging clothes, flat boxes for pictures and flat screen TV’s, different types of dish packing boxes with the perfect dividers in them for plates and glasses. In addition to boxes we have mattress covers, furniture covers, bubble wrap and the tape you need to secure everything.

Dino’s Storage Billboards Making a Difference!

Dino’s Storage is a Christian based company with a philosophy to understand the customer, provide the highest level of customer service and bring self-storage to markets previously under-served through the development of self storage facilities. We always keep our customers in mind! We love getting feedback from customers as well as prospective customers. If you have ever driven past any of our locations we have billboards with inspirational message or Bible verses. The messages are changed daily. We have received an awesome email from a prospective customer.

“I just want to tell you that I really appreciate those sayings that you guys put up on your billboard on the side of your building.  The one I read today said, “Do not envy those who do evil”.  I am a Christian and I find those sayings that you post on your billboard very uplifting and encouraging.  Thank you so very much for doing that.” –Cory

It makes us feel great that our signs are making a difference in peoples lives!

Another Example How Dino’s In Des Moines Cares About It’s Community

It is no secret to most people that HUNGER is a real problem here in America. Here in Iowa we have a Child Food Insecurity Rate of 19.5% and an overall Poverty Rate of 11.6%. Dino’s in Des Moines on SE 14th has teamed up with The Food Bank of Iowa to help in this matter. The Food Bank of Iowa delivers food to 55 of the most desperate counties in Iowa. Last year they received 7,673,765 lbs. of food from donations! All though this is remarkable news, it still does not cover what is needed to feed everyone in need ALL year around. I have set up a bin in my facility to collect donations for the month of November and December, anyone can donate. However, I have set up a SPECIAL for the months of November and December for anyone signing a new lease with us here at Dino’s on SE 14th. We will take off the $10 application fee if you bring in 2 non-perishable items to donate to The Food Bank of Iowa. How great is that, you can help out Hungry Iowan’s and save yourself money too! Anyone can donate, you don’t have to sign a lease with us, BUT if you do you will receive the great discount on your application fee. So stop in and see me and let’s fill this bin to the top! Thank you from ALL of us here at Dino’s!

Boo, Blessings, Ho, Ho, Ho

Isn’t it fun to see all the holiday decorations–on a Halloween drive finding ghosts, witches, spiders, and jack-o-lanterns: a Thanksgiving drive seeing Pilgrims, turkeys and pumpkins; and the best is a Christmas drive spotting Santa, sleighs and reindeer, lighted trees, candles, and a manger scene.
After it is over, where do they put all those wonderful decorations for next year? Do they stick them in the basement, or attic, or maybe the garage? Many have found the best solution is to take them to a storage unit. A storage unit means the decorations are safely out of the way but so handy when needed for next year. A unit at one of the Dino’s Storage locations might be just the ticket for your holiday decorations.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND A BLESSED CHRISTMAS.

Storage Auctions

Storage auctions have increased in popularity over the last decade due to the various TV shows. If a lessee defaults on the payments, the storage facility has the right to legally auction the items in the unit. Dino’s Storage holds auction every month for units in default for non payment or abandonment. There will typically be between 15-25 attendees and while there are regular bidders, we do occasionally have new people that attend our auctions or call to inquire about the auctions. I would like to take this opportunity to share a few of the more common questions that are asked by storage auction attendees.

The most frequent question is, “How many units do you have?” That varies from facility to facility. I typically will have 3-5 units on a monthly basis that default into the auction process, whereas, another of our Des Moines locations rarely has any units for sale. The lessee that has defaulted technically has up to the time of auction to settle their debt and reclaim the unit, so it would be best to call the property the day of the auction and ask the manager how many units they anticipate selling.

Next, we get asked “What size units are you selling?” Again, that varies month to month and most managers will announce the unit size just as the door opens before bidding starts. We have units ranging from 5×5 all the way up to 10×30. And it is hard to judge by size alone until we open the door for you to peak in. I have auctioned a 10×20 unit with only a couple items, then turned around an auctioned a 5×10 that was packed to the brim.

A lot of people will ask, “Do you have anything good today?” This question really is a matter of perception. What I think is “good” might be completely different from what yours is. Or perhaps you are looking for something in particular or have a certain taste in style. I have been a storage manager for 5 years and I have seen many auctions. I have seen buyers come out way ahead and I have also seen buyers bust on a purchase. Since you can not see what is in every box or bag, buying units is often a surprise and you take the good with the bad.

For those of you that have attended a live storage auction or have at the least seen the process on TV, you know that we open the door and give you a few minutes to view that unit without touch anything or going into the unit before the bidding starts. I have had people ask me if we sell individual items out of the unit and that would honestly take all day in most cases, so no, we sell the unit as a whole.

That brings me to the next question, “How long do we have to clean out the unit?” The Des Moines auctions are usually held on the last Friday of the month and we will give the buyer 24 hour access to remove all the items by Monday morning or we will be happy to lease the unit to the buyer if more time is needed.

I try to keep my comments to a minimum during the auction process to ensure everyone is playing on an even field. Of course you will have the regular bidders that come every month and know a little more about bidding, winning and re-selling the units but we also have new bidders or people that just come out to see what storage auctions are all about, but everyone deserves a fair shot at winning a unit. So, if you are a small business owner that buys units regularly or a first time bidder, bring your credit card and try your luck at one of our storage auctions…Happy Bidding!!

Do you remember your first day?

First and foremost, I would like to take this time to thank everyone at Dino’s for being so kind in welcoming me to the company. I am new to the storage business and it has been an exciting change of pace for me. The dedication and support from co-workers is amazing, which makes my job that much easier. I can say the same about the tenants here at the Cedardale location. They have been nothing less then helpful and welcoming. The people that I have met in my first months with Dino’s are excited about the change and new policies I have been trying to implement, which makes me excited to keep on diving in to help make renting from us easy. I cannot wait to see what is in store for me here in the future!

DO YOU NEED CLIMATE CONTROLLED STORAGE?

Climate control is becoming more popular for storage. Items stored in a non climate controlled environment depend on outside weather conditions. In Nebraska we have cold, heat, and humdity which will often cause items to deteriorate. Not only are climate controlled units important in eliminating weather problems but the amount of dust your things are exposed to. Recently I had a tenant tell me that after 2 years storing in the climate control he had very little dust on his belongings. Before putting your items in storage you should think which items would benefit from climate controlled storage.

Climate control is good for items that are valuable or made of high quality material. One example is a mattress that can mold and mildew when exposed to the elements. Heat can lead to discoloration and deterioration of good clothing. Humidity is a probelm both in the summer and winter. Musical instruments often warp, crack, and break in non climatecontrolled units Electronics are very sensitive to moisture. Paper, books, and pictures can discolor, warp, and mildew when exposed to weather conditions over a period of time.

Take time to think before storing. Climate controlled units are not needed just for china, antiques, and leather but anything that is valuable to you. Dino’s Storage offers a variety of unit sizes in their climate controlled storage. I would be more than happy to show you our climate controlled building at 14301 Josephine or call Diana at 402 896 6500 for an appointment.