Storage for New Home Buyers

Planning on buying a new home this Spring? We Have Some Great Tips for You!

Having been in the storage unit business for several years, we have great knowledge of our seasonal clientele. We see most of our clients who are moving to new homes in June and July. Whether they are needing a storage unit temporarily while moving, waiting for a new development to be finished or are downsizing entirely and need a permanent solution, a self service storage unit has been an integral part of their move.

This means that for most of our clients, the shopping for their new home started in early spring, and, with that in mind, we would like to share some tips before you start your exciting home search.

First Time Home Buyers – Plan Your Budget

If this is your first time shopping for your new home, Congrats! This is the most exciting time for you. It can also be the most overwhelming. The most important thing you can do before shopping for your new home is to plan your budget. Start with a mortgage calculator and decide on what you can afford. It is good to contact a mortgage broker also. A mortgage broker can find you the best rates from several institutions and these rates can often be better than what your own bank will offer. Also, make yourself aware of the financial incentives offered for first time home buyers both in the province and federally. The two most important ones are:

First-Time Home Buyers’ (FTHB) Tax Credit

Introduced by the Government of Canada to assist first-time home buyers with the costs associated with the purchase of a home, a $5,000 non-refundable income tax credit amount on a qualifying home acquired after January 27, 2009. For an eligible individual, the credit will provide up to $750 in federal tax relief.

Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP)

Allows first time home buyers to borrow up to $25,000 from your RRSP for a down payment. It is tax-free and if you are buying with another individual who is also a first time home buyer you can both access from your RRSP for a total of $50,000.

Identify your Needs and Your Wants

Make a list of the amenities that are a priority for you. How many bedrooms do you need? How many bathrooms? Is parking a necessity? Consider the amenities that are extremely important to you. The “must-haves”, in your home. Now list the amenities that would be nice to have in your home. You may love the idea of indoor heated parking or granite countertops in your kitchen.

Identify the Size of Home You Need

This is probably the trickiest one. For the most part, we all want space. Unfortunately, with the cost of housing in Winnipeg rising with no end in sight, and condos getting smaller, and maintenance on larger homes getting costlier, we can not always afford that “bigger” space. Think about your ideal size of home and what you can afford per square foot before setting out. A self-storage unit can actually be an incredibly economical way to have a smaller home without sacrificing your need storage space. See our blog, How Downsizing Your Home and Upsizing Your Storage Unit Can Save You Money, where we crunch the numbers for you.

Use a Real Estate Agent You Like and Trust

Finding a good realtor is so important. Your realtor should always have your wants and needs at the top of their list. Contact friends who have had good experiences in your area and use their referrals. If for any reason you do not feel comfortable with your agent, choose another one. This is your investment and your money.

Investigate Neighbourhoods

Knowing what neighbourhoods you are interested in before looking will take much of the stress out of home shopping. If you are relocating to a new town and are not familiar with the area, spend time online searching out the best areas that both suit your budget and your needs.

Tips to Get the Most out of Your Self-Storage Unit

Red Storage Boxes - Total Storage Self-Storage - Storage Winnipeg For many people, a self-storage unit is an essential addition to their daily storage needs. We have many businesses and homeowners alike who use their storage unit as more than just a temporary place to keep essential items and the need to access their possessions or product means several visits to their units on a regular basis. Organization is key to getting the most of your unit and a good floor plan is the best way to get the most out of your unit. See our past post “3 Apps to Help Organize Your Move and Your Storage Unit” that can help with this.

Another great way to get the most out of your unit is to consider some of the following options:

Storage Racks

Storage racks come in many different types and sizes and can be an excellent way to keep your unit organized and your goods easily accessed. Plastic racks are inexpensive and come in several sizes. Metal racks are more expensive but are excellent for heavier goods that are being stored. Metal storage racks with wheels are one of the best options for a self- storage unit. They are often called “bread” racks. Available in several sizes, they are the most versatile allowing you to move them about quite easily.

Rolling Clothing Racks

For those of you who must access garments, a rolling clothing rack is a great way to get the most out of your storage unit. Also available in several sizes and qualities, these racks can make it extremely easy to keep garments accessible and organized. Garment bags ensure that your clothing will be kept fresh, dust-free and easy to transport.

Inventory Sheets

Keeping inventory of everything in your self-storage unit will keep you organized and stress free. If you are accessing your unit regularly and adding and removing your goods, it can easily become disorganized, costing you valuable time.

An easy idea is to tape a manila envelope to all of your boxes. Keep an inventory sheet inside the envelope where you can mark off what you have added or removed. Remember to keep a pen in each envelope.

With a few economical additions, your self- storage unit can be an excellent addition to your home or business needs.

Total Storage offers climate controlled storage units in every size. We are fully secured and with 24-hour access you will never worry about accessing your unit. For more tips and advice contact our dedicated Self-Storage consultant at 204-832-8181.

What Size Storage Unit Do You Need? Self‐Storage Sizes Explained

When planning on using a self‐storage unit it is important to know the quantity and type of goods you are storing in order to pick the right size.

Storage units range from 5×5 units to large units that can hold the contents of an entire home. Here is a guideline for each size unit with examples of how much you can expect to store.

5×5 unit

These units are 25 sq. ft and can be considered the equivalent of a closet or a small half bathroom. A unit of this size will fit several small boxes, a small dresser and office chair. It is perfect for storing seasonal items like garden tools and hockey equipment. For a business this unit can hold approximately 30 small file boxes.

5×10 unit

This unit is 50 sq. ft and about the equivalent of a walk in closet. A unit this size can easily store the contents of a mid‐size bedroom or a small apartment living room. It can store several small to medium size boxes, a queen sized bed and bureau or a couch and chair. A business can store several filing boxes or the contents of a small office.

5×15 Unit

This unit is 75 sq. ft and is similar to the size of a large walk in closet. It can hold several medium size boxes, the contents of 2 bedrooms or the contents of a kitchen and bedroom. A business can store 2 offices and some filing boxes

10×10 Unit

A unit of this size is 100 sq. ft and is the size of a large bedroom. Expect to fit the contents of a large family room or two full bedrooms or a small one bedroom apartment. This unit will store 2 large offices and several filing boxes.

10×15 Unit

This unit is 150 sq. ft and can hold the contents of a 3 room apartment or 3 bedrooms of a house. It will also accommodate appliances and larger items like flat screen televisions and large couches. For business, this unit will store 3 office spaces and several large and medium size inventory boxes.

10×20 Unit

This unit is 200 sq ft. The size of a standard one car garage, a unit of this size can accommodate the contents of an entire 3 bedroom home including several boxes and appliances. For business, expect to be able to store 3 to 4 office spaces and several boxes.

10×25 Unit

This unit is 250 sq ft. and can accommodate the entire contents of a 4 bedroom home including large appliances and large furniture. For businesses this size unit can be used to store the equivalent of 4 office spaces and several medium and large boxes.

If you are planning on storing odd sized goods, it is best to visit a unit to get a good visual sense of space. Always take inventory of what you are planning on storing and leave yourself some space for adding inventory or items at a later date.

If you have any questions contact our professional self‐storage consultants to help you with choosing the right size unit for your needs.

Some Tips to Keep Track of Your Moving Costs

Moving season is in full swing and without some thought and preparation your move can end up costing more than expected.

Here are a few tips to help keep track of your moving costs and help keep your costs down

Plan your move

Throughout our blogs we continue to stress the importance of planning your move. Whether you are moving across town or across country, the earlier you start planning and the more detailed your plan, the better you can budget for your move. In the past we covered 3 apps to help organize your move and your storage unit; these are best utilized in the planning stage of your move.

Make a budget

During your planning stage you can make a budget to include all the extra costs that your move will entail. Consider the costs for the following:

– Moving supplies

– Change of address costs.

– Storage unit fees.

– Cost of hiring cleaners for your old home and new home.

– Cost of living while settling in, including restaurant budget and various supplies.

– Food and refreshments on moving day if you are relying on friends to help.

Plan your movers

Moving costs vary greatly depending on where you are moving and what type of moving company you plan on using and the price charged by moving companies depends on the type of move you plan. A deluxe move where the company does all the packing and moving will cost quite a bit more than if you do it yourself.

Choose your moving company wisely and get estimates before your move. Include insurance costs in your quote for all of your possessions and keep in mind that most movers are tipped at the end of the day.

If you are renting your own truck be certain to plan for the size of vehicle you will need.

Steve Grass

2021-07-08

Super helpful and reasonable rates. Extra help with movers too!

Travis Murray

2021-06-26

Total storage is super clean and the climate control for the units is top notch 👌 super friendly staff as well!. Would highly reccomend this place to anyone.

Kevin Brown

2021-06-21

Great place. I kept some of my sporting goods in my storage unit after my wife was after me to make some extra space on our house. This was an easy choice to make after meeting the staff and getting a tour of the facility. It is really easy location to get to from my home in Charleswood, just a quick stop off the perimeter on my way to the lake.

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