Retiring aboard where there is no recession!
We have all sorts of interesting customers in Elephant Storage. I would like to share a lovely story of a couple retiring and starting a new life aboard in Israel.
Five years ago a doctor from Tallaght Hospital and his wife were one our 1st customer’s when Elephant self Storage opened in Dublin in 2005. They decided to sell their house and took a small storage room to de-clutter as they prepared to sell up. As Elephant is convenient to Tallaght Hospital in Dublin it was easy for our clients to drop in and out with their belongings and over time I got to know them like good friends.
After successfully selling their home in 2007, they took another room to store the rest of their belonging that they didn’t use on regular bases. They took to the sea on their modern catamaran to exotic places like the Caribbean. They spent the last couple of years sailing around the world, popping back home to friends and family on a number of occasions. These trips home also included a visit to Elephant Storage in Dublin to pick up a few things and put things away.
I enjoyed meeting them every so often and finding out where they had been and where they were setting sail to next. It was clear that the new life really suited them and they were enjoying it. The final time I saw them was in August 2010 when they were packing up the last of their belonging and shipping them over to Israel from our Storage Centre. They were excited about their next venture and are looking forward to starting a new adventure in Israel where they will be settling with friends and family.
I wished them all the very best in their new start and thanked them for their custom over the last five years.
It’s sad to see one of our first customers leave as they had become part of the Elephant family.
Have you an interesting story? Why not drop in and tell me about it or email it to me. JUDE.
DIY moving can save you lots of money.
Before you decide whether or not to do it yourself, ask yourself these questions:
- Will friends and family be able to help?
- If they are, will you have someone to help you when you arrive?
- Make sure you have enough time to pack and unpack not just boxes but the van?
- Check what size van or trailer you’ll need?
- If you are hiring a large van or using a trailer check that you have the correct drivers licence?
- Do you have the strength to lift and carry all those boxes or do you need assistance?
- How long is the journey to your new home? Allow time for breaks
- Will you have the energy to unpack the van when you arrive or should you hire the van for an extra day?
- Are there special requirements for moving heavy appliances?
- What about the family? Will they travel with you or separately?
If you’ve answered these questions satisfactorily then DIY moving may be best for you. Have a look at our Moving Tips articles for general advice and guidelines on the best way to move appliances, equipment, pets and children.
Don`t forget that the staff at Elephant Self Storage are here to help at every stage whether you need short, medium or long term self storage. So do contact Jude, Joanne or Marius we'll be delighted to help where we can.
phone 01 4940000 or email info@elephant.ie
Jude
More Tips on Decluttering
Appliances and Furniture:
Storing Applicances
There is no point in keeping broken appliances. If you’ve been promising yourself to fix your old toaster but haven’t got around to it a year later then the chances are you never will. The same goes for old furniture that needs to be fixed or re-upholstered. Generally these items end up in the garage, gathering dust. Fix them or get rid of them. However, if you have perfectly good furniture and appliances that you don’t use, consider these tips:
- Working appliances can be swapped or given away over the internet or you can give them away on Dublin waste website FREE Trade Site.
- Smaller electrical and electronic items can be sold on bidding sites such as eBay.
- Young couples moving into a first home often need furniture. Try placing an ad on the internet or in a magazine such as Buy and Sell or try eBay.
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Storeroom for Toys & Boxes
Furniture that you are keeping for children or items that no longer fit in the home, such as a piano, should be put into Elephant self-storage for just €10 per week.
Decluttering ideas to consider
Ideas for organising you home:
1. Clothes:
Modern houses never seem to have enough wardrobe space. This means it can be difficult to locate items or that clothes get damaged. Many of us have a tendency to stockpile clothes particularly if they are still in good condition. Clean out your wardrobes and drawers of all the items you no longer wear. Charity shops accept old clothes and there are clothes recycling centers in most towns. However, here are some other ideas you could try:
- Have a swop party with friends. I recently attended one its great fun and great finds at no cost. This is particularly good for items that no longer fit and for occasion dresses and outfits that you are unlikely to wear again.
- Sell your old clothes to second-hand boutiques or on a bidding site such as eBay.
- Heavy winter coats, ski suits and hatboxes take up a lot of space. These are generally expensive but are items we only use seasonally or infrequently. Consider a small self-storage unit for these clothes. When you need them they are easily accessible but not taking up valuable cupboard space.
- You can go to a Swop Shop as well. I found this one in Temple Bar SWOPSHOP it great for clothes we all have hanging in the wardrobe and still with the labels on or clothes we just the once. They have a great collection of fashionable clothes and you can even swop custom jewellary.
Gifts and Memorabilia: 
No-one wants to throw away a present from a friend or items of sentimentalal value. However, these items can take up a lot of space in your home. Consider these ideas:
- Go through boxes of old photos. Chose your favourites and put them into a photo album or frames.
- Create scrapbooks for memorabilia such as letters and children’s drawings.
- Gifts that have been stored in a spare room or in the attic are not likely to be missed by whoever gave you an item. Give them away or send them to a charity shop such as Barnardos
- Consider buying boxes and putting them into self-storage for items that you can’t bear to throw away.
Elephant Self Storage launches their New Website
Elephant Self Storage have lanuched a new exciting website. Elephant Self Storage are based in Tallaght near Junction 11 on the M50. The website has lots of advice and information from decluttering your home, moving tips, all about home storgae, business storage to running your own business. Find out more www.elephant.ie