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Preparing Your Home For Fall

Check for drafts

Check around windows and doors if there are any spaces where cold air could leak in.  Seal these spaces with new frames, drapery, insulation, etc.

 

Turn off outdoor faucets

To prevent water from freezing within your pipes, turn off your outdoor water faucets.  Disconnect hoses and sprinklers so the remaining water can drain out.

 

Put away all seasonal furniture

If you haven’t done so already from summer, clean off and stow away all outdoor furniture.  This will ensure they will not be moldy or pest infested in the spring.

 

Inspect your chimney

If you have a wood fireplace, and use it often, consider having it cleaned out to have it in good shape for when it gets cold.

 

Stock up on snow gear

Buy salt for your driveway and sidewalks so that you are ready for when the first snowstorm of the season hits.  If you live in an especially cold area that receives a lot of snow, consider buying a snow blower.

 

Inspect trees

Look around to make sure none of your trees have weak branches that could result in thousands of dollars of roof repairs if they were to land on your house.

 

Clean your gutters

As the leaves start falling from the trees they are going to fill up your gutters.  Make sure to get up there and clean them out, so that when it rains water does not overflow onto the foundation of your home.

 

Fertilize your lawn

After fertilizing your lawn in the fall, it stands a better chance to survive the winter with minimal damage to your yard.

 

Drain your lawn equipment

Any machines you use for your yard that require gas, such as your lawnmower, should be drained.  Keeping excess gas in the tank can lead to a messy buildup and make it hard for the machine to return to work in the spring.

 

 

 

 

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Kitchen Organization Hacks

Moving to a new home? Try out some of these tips to set up your kitchen in the most efficient ways possible!

Proper food storage

Know which foods must be refrigerated, don’t need to be refrigerated, and which should be frozen. This will help give you a guideline of where your food should go. Store your meats in the bottom of your fridge where it is coldest and where any leaks would avoid contaminating any other food. Dairy can be stored on the top shelf, where temperature is most consistent. Don’t store items with a short expiration date in the door, as this is the warmest part of the fridge.

Use up the empty space on the back of doors

The space on the back of your pantry or cabinet doors is going to waste. You can use a shoe organizer, pegboards, or mini shelves to hang up extra items on your door space such as pans, measuring cups, food, and more.

Uniform containers

In your pantry and cabinets, things can get messy quickly. Use clear, rectangular storage containers to keep your food sealed fresh and pest-free. This also allows you to easily see all your food items with no need to dig through cardboard boxes or bags.

Organize zones

Organize all your kitchen items by what they are used for. Create different zones for storing items such as food, cleaning supplies, cooking tools, and silverware and dishes. This will make your kitchen more organized by having related items all in the same location.

Declutter

Kitchens are one of the biggest clutter magnets. It’s not hard to get sucked into purchasing gadgets that you think will get a lot of use, when they will collect dust for years. Some of these helpful decluttering tips can get you started for when you don’t know what to get rid of first.

Have Zippy Shell Help

If you are moving to a new home, have Zippy Shell help move all your items for you! We will safely deliver your belongings to your new home and even help you move everything inside to allow for an easy set up.

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Moving before the school year starts with your kids

Most families choose to move over the summer, that way their kids don’t have to transfer schools during the school year.  When the time comes when you move and your kids have to finally transfer, it may be very hard on them.  Use some of these tips to help ease the move.

Try to keep as many old items as possible

This includes furniture, comforters, toys, and anything else from your old home.  Buying new furniture will make the kids feel even less at home than they already are.

Replicate

Coming off of this, replicate the rooms from your old home.  If possible, set up your furniture in the same directions as they were previously.  You should also try to organize your kitchen cabinets in a similar way so that the children don’t get confused.

Keep a routine

Eat your meals at the same times as you did before.  Little things such as meals and tv time can go a long way to make them feel comfortable.

Help them get situated

Have them meet some of their teachers as well as your new neighbors to get to know the people they will be around most.

Get involved

Sign your child up for community activities or sports teams to get to know more kids their age.  They will end up making lots of new friends as well as finding something they enjoy doing.

Be there for them

Let them know that you understand how difficult this process is.  It is very hard to go through and you just have to be there for them and help make the transition as smooth as possible.

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School Supply Shopping Tips

Summer has gone by quick, and school is quickly approaching now. Soak up the sun and enjoy the pool for a few more days before it is time to do schoolwork! Before sending your children off to school, remember to do some back-to-school shopping. Follow these tips for a smooth back-to-school shopping experience.

  1. Keep your eye out for deals! Many stores will have deals and special sales on back-to-school gear. Whether it is backpacks, notebooks, pencils, or paper, always try to take advantage of the end of summer deals!
  2. Look for coupons. Look for coupons in magazines, newspapers, websites, and more! Coupons can help you save big and can save time deciding on which materials to buy.
  3. Make a list. Don’t go into the store blind. Try and make a list of the supplies you need to purchase before you leave for the store. This will make your shopping more efficient and less stressful.
  4. Try to hold off on shopping for clothes. Everyone child wants to have the coolest outfit on the first day of school. However, studies have shown that the end of the summer isn’t the best time to shop for clothes. Prices will generally be higher and the clothing isles will be more crowded. Try shopping for clothes a few weeks after school starts!
  5. Start shopping when the stores first open! Arriving at the store when the doors have just opened is often the best way to breeze through back-to-school shopping. You won’t have to wait in lines and you can find supplies more easily. Easier said than done but try to be an “early bird” for the day!
  6. Next summer, start back-to-school shopping earlier in the summer! It is often hard to think about, but consider doing some back-to-school shopping in order to avoid the large crowds. If you have a free day in the summer, use it to get some shopping out of the way!

 

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Zippy Shell Charlotte Sponsors Grand Opening of New Keller Williams Market Center

Zippy Shell of Greater Charlotte is a proud party sponsor for the grand opening of the new Keller Williams Market Center in Fort Mill! Come down to the new facility to have a little fun on Thursday, August 23, from 6 to 8 p.m. Please join us at 901 Dave Gibson Blvd, Fort Mill, SC 29708!
Continue reading “Zippy Shell Charlotte Sponsors Grand Opening of New Keller Williams Market Center”

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Store Your Items with Zippy Shell While Selling Your Home

A customer in the Piedmont Triad area was in the process of selling their home. Prior to putting their house on the market, they needed to declutter and resurface their floors. They needed extra storage space to keep all their belongings during the renovation and home selling process. During the renovation, Zippy Shell delivered three storage containers to their home and loaded up all the belongings that needed to be stored.
Until the day they moved to their new home, Zippy Shell safely stored their items at one of our secure climate-controlled storage facilities. Zippy Shell then delivered their items right to their new home, where we helped them unload everything and bring it into their new home.
Zippy Shell allowed the customer to make the process of selling their old home and moving into a new home as smooth as possible.  If you are looking to sell your home and need extra storage space while doing so to make your home as presentable as possible, get a quote with Zippy Shell today!

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How to Pack Up Your Outdoor Furniture

Now that summer is coming to an end, it’s time to start thinking about packing up your outdoor furniture. Here are a few actions you should take before stowing away your furniture.

Cleaning

Make sure your items are not covered in any dirt or debris from outside. Don’t forget to check around for any bugs who may have found a new home in your stuff. Make sure to clean off your grill after its final use of the season so that when next summer comes around there isn’t old food stuck to the grill.

Drain

You may need to drain out rainwater from some of your pieces of furniture. Also make sure to empty out all the sand in sandboxes and charcoal from grills. Lastly, drain the remaining gas from your lawnmower leaf blowers and more to prevent leakage during storage.

Disassemble and package

Carefully disassemble your furniture without causing any damage. Keep everything together for each individual item. Put all loose pieces that belong to an item in a labeled bag and/or tape or secure this bag to the item.

Moving and storing

Whether you are moving your items to a new location, or want to store them at your house, call Zippy Shell.  We can store your outdoor furniture in one of our portable storage containers right at the convenience of your home or we can store your items at our climate-controlled storage facility.

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Store your Stuff with Zippy Shell During your Move!

A customer in the Piedmont Triad area needed storage in between home closings. Once they moved out of their home, they needed storage space for the period they were transitioning to their new home. Luckily, Zippy Shell was able to deliver two portable storage containers right to the customer’s home. Our moving and storage professionals loaded up the shells and brought them back to our climate-controlled storage facility.
Once the customer had moved into their new home, Zippy Shell safely delivered their storage units! The shells were unloaded in less than 2 hours and the customer was pleased we had the ability to pick them up the same day. This efficiency allowed the customer to make a smooth transition into their new home.
If you are moving to a new home, have Zippy Shell help you do it.  We can help store and transport your belongings at your convenience.  Get a quote here today!