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Why Summer’s a Good Time to Declutter and Use Self-Storage
Summer might seem like an unusual time to declutter your home – after all, wouldn’t you rather be enjoying any sunshine or going on holiday? Hamiltons Removals have a number of storage units to let in Harleston, and some bigger containers in nearby Aldeby; here we outline some of the practical benefits to giving your home – or business – the once-over in August.
You Are Moving House
Most house moves take place during the summer, when people typically find it easier to get time off (and you don’t have to worry about kids going to or from school either).
So, if you are going to a new home, it makes sense to declutter well before you move – you’ll have to decide at some point about everything you own, from the big to the small. If you can’t make on what to keep and what to dispose of, some of your items can always be sent to self-storage – you can then assess at a later date whether you have room (or need) for them in your new home.
Many people can also get stuck in property chains and may find themselves no longer moving on the exact date they initially thought, so may need somewhere to put their possessions at short notice.
You Are Renovating
Again, summer can be a good time for DIY projects if you aren’t going away on holiday (remember there’s always a bank holiday Monday at the end of the month).
You will have the time, and, provided the weather behaves itself, you should be able to have the windows open to avoid any noxious fumes (which may help any paint you’ve applied dry quickly).
The same applies to businesses, too – the chances are there will be a number of people on holiday so you’ll have more space in which to renovate.
The whole process will be much simpler if you don’t have to manoeuvre your way around furniture (or worry about splashing paint and other materials on them or the floor), so a short period of self-storage could make the whole DIY project much easier to carry out.
The Children Can Help
It’ll give them a project to work on during the summer holidays – there’s less chance of them getting under your feet or complaining of not having enough things to do!
The chances are that your children have just as much clutter as you do. You could incentivise their decluttering by letting them sell their old toys on websites such as eBay or encourage them to donate unwanted items to a charity shop, or give them to friends or other family members.
Better Security
Your home may benefit from self-storage if you want to keep all the windows open in the summer (particularly if you are renovating) – putting items in secure units means any opportunist thieves may be deterred if there’s not as much there to interest them.
Schools may also benefit from self-storage as well – classroom furniture, computer equipment and even stationery may be tempting for thieves, as they know no one (save a few support staff) will be occupying the classrooms during the holidays, no matter how secure any storage facilities. Putting them elsewhere, away from prying eyes, may be better than employing security guards or relying on caretakers.
Specialist self-storage sites such as our own have plenty of security measures in places – as well as temperature controls so nothing is damaged
Storage Units to Let in Harleston with Hamiltons Removals
Whether you just want to declutter or use self-storage (or both) we can help. And if you are planning to move house, then Hamiltons Removals offer a full range of removals services, to destinations in the UK, Europe and further afield.
Our Safe n Stored site at Harleston, as well as offering a range of units which start at £65 a month, also has a shop where you buy a range of high-quality packing materials, including small, medium and large moving and decluttering kits. We have a number of specialist products, such as furniture covers for moving home, wardrobe cartons and mattress covers. You don’t need to visit us – you can buy your packaging paper online if you prefer by visiting our online shop.
Our site at Aldeby also has a range of self-storage containers which make them ideal for larger items, including vehicles, boats and caravans – an ideal location if you have already had your summer holiday. We’ve also got the security angle covered – both sites have restricted access and are covered by CCTV cameras with sophisticated alarms which are monitored out of hours at all times by people and not machines.
If you’d like to know more, check out our self-storage options here or call us on 01379 855203.
Town Twinning in Europe and Across the World
Across the centuries many different towns and cities have struck up informal partnerships. However, the idea of town twinning didn’t really take hold until after the Second World War, when European communities which had been devastated by bombing forged cultural and commercial alliances.
Hamiltons Removals offer European house removals as well as moves to destinations further afield around the world. Here we delve a little deeper into the history of twinning, identify one or two towns and cities which have forged partnerships, some of which are more unlikely than others, and look at how we can help you move to either one (or more) of the twinned towns or cities.
The History
There have been records of informal arrangements between cities and towns for many centuries. These include the unlikely pairings of Paderborn in Germany and Le Mans in France, in the 9th century; and Keighley in Yorkshire with the French communities of Suresnes and Puteaux in the 19th century. However, these partnerships were largely symbolic as transport between the two was so difficult.
The first formal town twinning – or sister cities as the Americans prefer to call them – was actually pre-war, in 1931, with Toledo in Ohio signing an agreement with Toledo in Spain.
However, twinning really gathered momentum after the Second World War – the heavily bombed city of Coventry twinned with Stalingrad (now Volgograd) in Russia. Subsequent Coventry twins were Kiel and Dresden in Germany, and Belgrade in the former Yugoslavia (now the capital of Serbia).
Towns and cities (and some villages) in the UK have twins in France and across Europe – including former wartime foe Germany, showing it can be a force for good and cultural unification. Subsequent twinnings were promoted by an official body, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions and there is now a Sister Cities International which keeps official records of town and city partnerships around the world.
Other Reasons for Twinning
Many other towns have followed the Toledo example and opted to twin with cities, towns and villages which have the same name.
Others, however, do it for amusing reasons. For example, if you are interested in removals to Scotland, then the Perthshire village of Dull is twinned with Boring in the USA and Bland in New South Wales, Australia (see picture above). Tourism in all three places has apparently benefited from this partnership.
And while not a town or city (but arguably as big as one) Disney World in Florida is twinned with Swindon in the UK. This was part of a competition which Swindon won after Rebecca Warren, a local building society worker, created a poem and video praising Swindon which won over the judges.
Sometimes there are other reasons for the partnership – if you are interested in removals to America or Italy, then Monza in Italy and Indianapolis in Indiana, US, are both famous for motor sport, so it made sense to pair up (and there’s also a big Italian community in the American city); and Cannes in France is twinned with Beverly Hills in California – both are home to the rich and famous as well as being hubs for the two countries’ respective film industries.
At other times it may be a shared history or location (for example, seaside resorts often pair up). And some places have multiple partners – St Petersburg in Russia has 63 – while others have more exclusive relationships, such as the capital cities of Paris and Rome.
European House Removals with Hamiltons Removals
Often, twinning means school pupils (or civic dignitaries) stay with families in their twin country, learning the language and culture for short exchange trips.
Sometimes, particularly when it comes to big-city partnerships in particular, the arrangement ends up in something more permanent and practical – with people moving there or setting up new tourism or trade deals. Who knows, perhaps one day you will visit a town twinned with your current home and fall in love!
Hamiltons can help with high end moves to all parts of Europe – including Germany, France, Scandinavia and Spain. For more information about our removals to Europe, follow this link.
For moving further afield, check out our international removals page. We also offer extra services, including video surveys, online quotes and competitive insurance packages.
Image: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS/PETER MERCATOR