• Pop Culture: The Surprising History of Bubble Wrap [INFOGRAPHIC]

    If you’ve ever packed or unpacked a box, chances are you’ve come across plastic sheeting better known as bubble wrap. Bubble wrap is an excellent packing material that protects fragile items during shipment and storage—and it’s also satisfying to pop! You might be surprised to learn that bubble wrap was originally invented not as a packing material, but as a way to create textured wallpaper. When that idea didn’t take off, it was used as greenhouse insulation. Eventually, bubble wrap was used to protect IBM computers during shipment in the late 1950s, and has been the packing and storage material of choice ever since. Take a look at this infographic from Independence Storage, a self-storage facility in Palo Alto , to learn more about the history of bubble wrap, and what makes popping it so entertaining. Please feel free to share these fun facts with your friends and family.

    History of bubble wrap

  • Independence Storage: Different from the Rest

    At Independence Storage, our secure storage facility in Palo Alto offers customizable self-storage options that will meet your individual needs. Our managers are on-site six days a week, and you can access your self-storage unit 365 days per year. The storage facility is only accessible via an electronic keypad to ensure that your belongings are safe and secure at all times.

    All of our units are ground-level storage units, making it easy to load and unload belongings directly from your self-storage unit. Each storage unit has 10-foot ceilings, so they can accommodate unique storage needs. Our customizable storage unit rental agreements and billing options make it easy for you to rent a storage unit on your terms, for as long or short a period as you need one.

    We have no minimum rental period, so you can rent a unit for less than a month if you need to. You can pay monthly, pre-pay, or sign up for automatic payments. We also offer storage unit rental discounts to customers who pre-pay, and pro-rated refunds for unused storage units after a customer’s first month of renting with us.

    Street view of Independence Storage in Mountain View, CA

  • Why Your Business Needs a Storage Unit

    Storage units in Palo Alto can provide many amazing benefits to large and small businesses. You can use a self-storage unit to free up valuable office space, securely store important business records, and create a more flexible office environment. Here are some of the ways that a high quality storage unit can help you do that. storage facility in palo alto

    Free Up Space in Your Office

    Storing business records, unused office equipment, and party supplies can take up valuable space in your office. By moving these items to an off-site storage facility, you’ll create more floor space and workspace for your employees. This will create a more comfortable work environment that will help your employees stay happy, efficient, and productive. You’ll also eliminate safety hazards caused by stacks of boxes or office equipment that may be stored in inconvenient areas of the office.

    Develop a Program for Secure Records Storage and Inventory

    Most business need to retain business records for a certain period of time before they can be destroyed. A secure storage facility will ensure that confidential and important business records remain safe in your storage unit until you need to access them or destroy them. You won’t have to worry about crucial documents being destroyed in a fire or flood, or being accessed by those who shouldn’t see them. When you store secure records in a storage facility, you’ll also have the opportunity to create a comprehensive inventory of your records, which is incredibly useful when you need to find and use certain records.

    Create a More Flexible Office Environment

    As your office grows and changes, you may find that you need more office space to accommodate additional employees or evolving business services. When you utilize a self-storage facility for your office storage, you have the ability to adapt your office environment to meet the changing needs of your company. Professional storage services can also be customized to complement any new business developments.

  • Creative Ways to Get Rid of Clutter

    It is easy to allow clutter to build up in your home, but it can also be easy to remove it! Between donations, recycling, and storage units near Mountain View, you have plenty of options when it comes to clearing out your living space. Be sure to stay organized and methodical in your storage unit planning approach, put your needs to the test, and give your extra things to someone who could use them. Read on for a closer look at some of these creative ways to get rid of clutter. Storage Units Mountain View

    Break It Down

    rounding up a few large boxes and sorting your clutter among them. One box might be for items that you plan to donate, another might be for recycling, and a third might be for belongings that will go to your storage unit rental. Keep these boxes handy as you gradually sort more and more items into each of them. After a week of sorting into these boxes, take them to their designated locations.

    Challenge Yourself

    Many people hold onto items that they do not need because they are convinced that they will still make use of them someday. You can look at your belongings objectively by challenging yourself to only use the ones you need. You might decide to wear only a certain amount of outfits per month so that you can eliminate the ones that you evidently do not favor; then you can give these eliminated garments to friends, family members, or those who are in need.

    Spread the Wealth

    Some have overcome extensive clutter by making it a point to give their things away on a daily basis. If you give even one item away to someone else each day, you can eliminate your clutter while making a different person happy. This can even serve as an opportunity to strengthen your relationships with friends and family members by giving them thoughtful gifts.