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How to Maintain your Yard Under the Heat of Summer

As we enter the hottest month of summer, use these tips to help your yard flourish. 

Trim  

Trimming bushes or shrubs provides for many benefits. Animals may burrow in the underside of untrimmed bushes, so this prevents them from finding a new home in your yard. Trimming your hedges will cut out the overgrown sections of your shrubs and leave the tips fresh and alive, allowing for proper regrowth. Trimmed bushes also cause less debris to fall around the bush resulting in less cleanup for you, all while looking more pleasing. 

Check for dead branches 

Thunderstorms can be frequent and unpredictable in the summer season. To prepare for a storm out of the blue, make sure you have cleared all the dead branches hanging in trees or bushes around your house. This will give your tree and yard a better appearance, all while protecting your home from falling branches. 

Cut your grass 

This may seem like a simple task, but often, it can get forgotten. Make sure to cut your grass about once a week to keep it fresh and healthy. Cutting more often than this or ignoring to cut it this often can both lead to damage. 

Water  

Even though the high heat may make you think that your plants are dying, this is not always the case. Often plants die in the summer from overwatering when they don’t need it. To be safe, water your yard 2-3 times per week, depending on how much rain you receive. 

Fertilize 

Provide your yard with some extra nutrients before it takes on the heat of the summer. This will give the growth process a kickstart and give your yard a better chance at thriving. 

Rid your yard of weeds 

Weeds can take over a yard and suck out many of the nutrients in the soil that your plants need to survive. Although it may be an annoying task, it is crucial to weed for the success of your yard.  

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Decluttering Tips to Turn Your North Texas Home into a Sanctuary

A clean and immaculate kitchen

Keeping a tidy home feels like an impossible task at times, especially if you have kids! Our homes should be our sanctuaries, a place to rest and relax after a hard day. A cluttered home can make relaxing out of the question. It’s time to bring peace back to your North Texas home! Continue reading to discover how to tackle your clutter once and for all.

A Place for Everything

If every item in your home does not have a designated space, guess what is going to happen? It is going to end up as clutter. Try giving items that normally turn into clutter an assigned place, and then adjust as you learn more about what works well and what doesn’t.

Identify Clutter Traps

Kitchen counters, night tables, coffee tables, entry halls, and bathroom counters can all be a battleground for endless, visible clutter. Consider using attractive baskets and containers in these areas to house items you like to have at your fingertips. Just remember to purge these containers frequently to avoid pile-up.

Purge Again and Again

Don’t take up valuable space and mental energy with items you no longer use. As you are purging, think about the last time you really used the item and the emotional reasons you may be hanging on to it.

Baby Steps

If your house is extremely cluttered, it might be easy to get discouraged. Make it a point to deal with a little clutter every day. Dedicate 15-30 minutes each day to clutter busting with no distractions. Focus on one area at a time. Set up a box for donations and haul it away as soon as it is full.

Out of Sight

If you own items that you don’t have room for, but you want to keep – a mobile storage unit may be the answer you seek. Pack your extra items in a Zippy Shell and send them off to a secure, climate-controlled storage center. Then sit back and breathe a sigh of relief in your clutter free sanctuary of a home!

If you are looking to declutter your home and need some extra storage, give Zippy Shell a call today to see how we can help you!

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5 Simple Ways to Save Water in the Summer

old fashioned water pump

In the high heat of the summer, water can become a luxury, and it is tempting to overuse it when we have so much access to it. Use these tips to help save your wallet as well as the environment this summer.

  1. Be precise with your watering

When watering your yard or plants, water them when the sun is not strong, such as in the morning or the evening. This will prevent water loss from evaporation. If using an automatic sprinkler system, make sure you are only watering your yard and not the sidewalk or driveway to avoid wasting water.

2. Check for leaks

Leaks can cause gallons of water to be wasted if you don’t catch them. Test to make sure your toilet isn’t leaking by putting a drop of food coloring into the tank, then see if color appears in the bowl. If it does, there is a leak. Double-check that none of your sinks are leaking from the pipes below them onto the cabinets or floor too. These are leaks that can be easily fixed if you take five minutes to check.

3. Don’t hand wash

Washing anything by hand always ends up using more water than if you had used a larger water appliance. This applies to scenarios such as using your dishwasher or going to a car wash instead of hand washing your dishes or car.

4. Turn off wasted water

Make sure to turn off the faucet while you are brushing your teeth, even if you tell yourself this is just going to be a quick brush. The water will add up. On a larger scale, turn off the showerhead while you are soaping or shaving.

5. Use water buckets

In the shower you can collect runoff water that would otherwise be drained and put it to use in your home for activities such as watering your plants. Outside, you can also use a rain bucket to collect rain water. This can also be used to water your plants and prevent runoff from polluting our local rivers.

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De-Stress Your Move to the Piedmont-Triad Area

happy moving couple

The Piedmont-Triad area of North Carolina is made up of three major cities: Greensboro, High Point and Winston-Salem. And we understand why you would want to move here! It is a fast growing, economically thriving area with a wide array of entertainment and recreation options.

After the initial excitement of making a move, the emotion that sometimes takes over is stress. Zippy Shell aims to make your move to the Piedmont-Triad as stress free as possible with the following tips:

Accept the inevitable: Let’s make it clear from the beginning that at some point along your moving journey, you will feel stressed. Recognize the stress, but don’t let it overwhelm you or deter you from the tasks at hand.

Plan ahead: There are many steps involved in the moving process and you need to give yourself adequate time to devote to each one. The more you leave to the last minute, the more stress you’ll inevitably feel.

Stay organized: Make a detailed list of all the tasks you need to complete by the day or the week. Keep all the important documents required during a move organized and in an easy to access place. Devise a system for packing and labeling boxes that will make your belongings easy to find when needed. There is no such thing as too many labels! You can also consider an inventory list for this task.

Ask for help: Having help from family and friends during the sorting, packing, and moving processes is a great distraction and more importantly it makes the work go faster! Also, lean on your family and friends for emotional support when you feel overwhelmed.

Take care of yourself: We know it feels like the moving process takes over your life, but don’t let your healthy habits suffer. Continue to eat a balanced diet to give yourself energy and make time for an adequate amount of sleep.

Zippy Shell wants to help de-stress your move to the Piedmont-Triad area. We offer affordable and convenient options that will simplify your move. Having someone in your corner who cares about your belongings just as much as you do should definitely cut down on your stress level!  

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Top Father’s Day Gift Ideas

father and son on pier

If you have the dad who already has everything he “needs,” use some of these gift ideas to give dad a present he will love for his special day.

Yeti™ cup

For all of his travel drink necessities, yeti cups serve all purposes. They easily fit in all car cup holders, as well as are capable of holding hot or cold drinks at their preferred temperature.

Baseball tickets

If Dad’s favorite team is playing on Father’s Day, consider buying some tickets and go!  If there isn’t a professional game available, going to a minor league game is always a good alternative.

Grilling equipment

Whether it’s time to replace your old grill, or acquire some new grilling utensils, buy some for the dad who loves to grill.

Lawn games

While enjoying a fun BBQ or family gathering, lawn games are always a hit.

Tile mate™

Attach a tile mate to dad’s keys or something else he frequently loses to help him quickly find it by summoning it from his phone.

Gravity blanket

This weighted blanket will encompass dad in a big, comfy bear hug to help him get a great sleep at night.

Kindle Paperwhite™

This latest edition of kindle allows for access to thousands of books in a waterproof material. Provide dad with his favorite classics that he can read by the water.

Digital picture frame

Give dad not one, not two, but multiple pictures in one frame! A digital picture frame allows you to display various images in a slide show all on the same frame. This is perfect for dad’s desk or any cozy countertop at home too.

Fitbit™

Give dad some subtle help to assist him in losing a few pounds with this fitness watch.

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How to Keep Clutter from Coming Back

woman decluttering home

After it seems like you have finally gotten rid of all of your clutter, it somehow always finds a way to come back. Fight clutter with these organization tips!

Make it a Routine

Instead of letting things pile up, get rid of them immediately before it turns into a problem. Taking one minute of your day to freshen up your kitchen or bedroom before you head off to work is very doable.

Know the Usefulness of Your Items

You can also get in the habit of getting rid of anything in your home that you know you don’t use immediately. If you come across am item that you have been holding onto that is slightly broken or never gets used and won’t be used, be honest with yourself and throw it away.

Have a Place for Everything

If everything has a place where it belongs, nothing will get lost or get placed in something else’s space. Clutter can quickly form when you don’t have a designated spot for something. Then the next time you see something laying around, it will only take a second to put it right where it belongs.

Be Timely

When you get out a bag of donations or trash, don’t let it sit around for a week. The moment you bag it up, get it out of your home! This also applies for laundry; once you do it, take your basket to your room and put your clothes away immediately. This simple method will help force yourself not to let your belongings consume unnecessary space, thus making your home cleaner.

Major Cleanups

Every season schedule a cleanup for your home. This should involve cleaning out all your rooms, as well as getting rid of anything that has piled up and is not being used. Put those dates on the calendar, so you save time for them. It’s a lot easier to follow through when you have scheduled the time to do it.

Let Zippy Shell Help

Zippy Shell storage containers make decluttering your home simple and affordable. We’ll deliver a storage container directly to your door then store it in our secure, nationwide facilities. Your clutter will be out of sight and out of mind, and you’ll be surprised how easy it is to stay organized. It might be an everyday job, but it doesn’t have to be time consuming or disruptive to your daily routine.

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What to Pack First When Moving

Moving can be a stressful process, and getting started packing is always dreadful. Use some of these ideas to help begin packing up your belongings before your big move.

Offseason items

Clothing that you will not be touching for six months is an easy item to pack up first. You aren’t using it right now anyway, so get it out of your closet and into a moving box. This also applies for off-season decorations or items, such as Christmas lights or sleds.

Least used room

Many of your rooms can’t be packed up right away because they are used daily, such as your bathroom or kitchen. Save these rooms for last, and start with places such as a guest room, storage room, game room, etc.

Hardest room to pack

The room in your house with an odd assortment of items or many loose ends may be a room you need to start with first. While you have extra time and energy, you should attack this room because once you begin the packing process, this difficult room will be easy to put off for later.

Collectibles

All of your memorable items, such as photo albums, picture frames, souvenirs, and more should all be packed up sooner rather than later. Your rooms may look a little different once these items get removed from them, however, they are not needed in your rooms, so they can be packed up.

Clothing

As moving day gets closer and closer, begin to pack up your clothing, as you will come to discover you probably have more than you think. Depending on how far away moving day is, set aside a week’s worth or so of clothes to have to wear while you pack up the final pieces of your home.

Once you have packed up all your belongings, have Zippy Shell move your items for you! We can transport your items for either a local or long distance move across the country or store them for as long as you need in one of our nearby facilities. Call us at 888-947-7974 or go online and get a quote today!

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8 Easy Ways to Save Money When Moving

Cardboard boxes and potted plants in a brightly lit house foyer with hardwood floors

1.    Free moving boxes

Many local places such as post offices, liquor stores, and offices have lots of empty boxes lying around that they are most likely going to recycle.  It doesn’t hurt to ask them if they have any extra boxes that they don’t mind giving away to help you save on moving boxes.

2. “Reusable” packing material

Instead of packing up your delicate items in packing peanuts, pack up your items with your linens. Using your towels or t-shirts, wrap up your fragile items to protect them from the move, all while saving money and packing space.

3.    Pack smart

Large items should be packed within big boxes. But try to fit small items inside these big items when applicable. An easy example would be packing your clothes inside your suitcase when packing your bag.

4.    Sell your items

Having a garage sale or offering any miscellaneous items to neighbors is an easy way to make a little extra cash and free up moving space (save money on having to purchase fewer boxes or moving trucks). Ebay or Craig’s list is also an easy way to earn money on any items large or small.

5.    Consider age

If you have any old appliances that are almost at the end of their lifetime anyway, consider not moving them. You can replace them once you get to your new home.

6.     Free babysitter/dogsitter

Rather than paying to put your child in daycare or your dog in a kennel for the day while you move, ask a friend or relative if they wouldn’t mind taking care of them to help you save.

7.    Load up a cooler

Rather than throwing away all of your groceries from your home, fill them in a cooler to help keep them fresh until they make it to your new home. This will help you save by not having to buy all new groceries at your new location.

8.    Portable storage units

Contact Zippy Shell today to get a quote on our portable storage units. You load up your belongings however you please, and we will simply move them for you! Then you can unload your items at your convenience.

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Summer Gardening Tips for Your Home

table lamp in blue tone beach house living room interior

Before the weather starts to heat up too much, take advantage of this time to care and prep your garden for this summer!

Clear the area

Before you begin planting anything, make sure the area is free of debris and leaves to ensure clean planting soil. You can rake up the soil before planting to freshen it up as well as examine if the area is clear.

Fertilize

Most soil will not contain the nutrients that your garden needs to thrive, so give it an extra boost to grow.

Plant vegetables

Plant veggies such as tomatoes or cucumbers right in your backyard! You save money on vegetables, all while getting fresher ingredients right in your yard. You also are assured that what you are eating is organic and not chemically treated.

Add some color

Planting colorful flowers is a great way to spice up your backyard to give it a beautiful aesthetic. Not only can you use bright bulbs, but also use colorful pots to put your plants. Fun pots are an easy way to add color to your natural green plants.

Don’t forget to water

Even if summer storms are frequent in your area, don’t forget that the heat can take a toll on your plants. Check if your plants need water by sticking your thumb down into the soil at the stem of your plant. If it is dry, add some water to the mulch.

Expect weeds

In almost any garden, weeds will be inevitable. Prepare for weeds by having weed killer at hand so when they do sprout, you can kill them before they destroy your garden.

Bird baths

For some natural pest control, incorporate bird baths or birdhouses into your yard. Birds will help control the pests that frequently attack gardens, all while leaving friendly insects such as spiders or ladybugs alone.

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How to Transition Your Home Décor from Spring to Summer

table lamp in blue tone beach house living room interior

Open up

Begin opening your blinds and curtains to allow natural light to enter your home to give off a beautiful summer glow to your home. Not only will this naturally produce a warm light throughout your home, but this will also allow you to save on electricity by using fewer lights.

Pops of color

Decorate your home with bright couch pillows and flowers to add a warm vibe for the summer. Cool colors can add a breezy, beachy look to your home, but adding a vibrant pop of color is always a fun option too!

Add some greenery

Something as simple as a potted plant can brighten up a room. Whether you have a yard or even a garden in general, bringing the outdoors into your home gives off a lovely outdoorsy look. Choose low-maintenance plants such as succulents or bamboo to provide color that doesn’t require much care.

Include white

Tis the season for white decorations! Everyone knows you can only wear white in between Memorial Day and Labor Day, so take advantage of this time for white decorations in the summer. This can include simple additions such as adding white couch pillows or white flowers to your home for a pop of light. You can go a little more extreme with additions such as white curtains or white window treatments.

Get beachy

Especially if you live on the coast or near any water source, spruce up your home with beachy décor! Nautical prints and seashell decorations are a perfect way to execute this.

Storage space

Transition many of your summer items into an easily accessible area. This can even mean just switching your surfboard with your snowboard onto the first shelf in your garage so that when the time comes for this to be needed, you have it ready to go. In a higher case, you may need to switch an entire set of items from a storage unit into your garage for easy access throughout the summer. Contact Zippy Shell today to get the extra storage space you will need for this summer. We can provide onsite storage containers right to your home, so your items never leave your side. You can also choose to use our climate-controlled storage units to allow us to store your items safely at one of our storage facilities.