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7 Simple Steps to Protect Your Home When You Travel

A nice home exterior on a sunny day

According to a recent AAA travel survey, nearly 100 million of us are planning to take a family vacation this year, with 70 percent of those getaways happening during the summer months. And it is hard to imagine a worse ending to a summer vacation than returning to find that your home has been damaged or burglarized. To have peace of mind while you are on vacation, take time to protect your home with this checklist:

  • If you have a home security system, alert them of your travel plans and make sure the alarm is set properly when you leave. Display your security stickers prominently near your most obvious and accessible entry points like your front and back door.
  • Set timers on interior lights to give the illusion that someone is always home. Motion-sensor exterior lights can also prove to be useful for general home security when you are home and away.
  • Place a hold on mail, newspapers, and packages in your absence. Overflowing mailboxes and newspapers piled in the driveway are dead giveaways that you aren’t home.
  • Make a plan for lawn care maintenance. Have a friend or lawn care service mow the lawn at least once a week during your absence.
  • Alert a trusted friend or neighbor of your travel plans and have them check in every few days. They can take care of any unexpected deliveries and carry on with normal routines such as watering plants and bringing trash cans to the curb. 
  • Be prepared for a power surge while you are away. Unplug all electronics or make sure they are plugged safely into a surge protector.
  • Do not broadcast your travel plans on social media sites either before or during your vacation. Before your trip, inform only those who need to know. There will be plenty of time to share thoughts and photos of your vacation after you are safely home. 

If you are taking an extended leave from your home, we would love to talk to you about the storage solutions that Zippy Shell has to offer. Contact us today for a free quote and see how simple storing your belongings away while you travel can be!

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Pet Health and Safety Tips for the Summer

French Bulldog lays flat on the floor

June is National Pet Preparedness Month and Zippy Shell knows that pets are part of the family! We have some fresh tips on the best way to keep them safe and happy all summer long.

Make a plan for pets: This time year sees tornadoes, hurricanes and flooding. Be sure your emergency preparedness plan includes how you will evacuate all of your pets, including birds, reptiles, fish, dogs, cats and rodents. Some shelters will not take pets, so plan on where you can go or who can house your pets if the disaster strikes.

Create a first aid kit for your pets: Do you take advantage of the longer days at the park? Go hiking or camping? Then you will want a first aid kit for every type of pet that goes with you with enough items for all of your pets. The ASPCA has a checklist for a general first aid kit. Find it here.

Make a disaster preparedness box just for pets: If the power goes out, your neighborhood is under curfew due to disaster or if you evacuate in your car with your pets, be sure to have a box for each of them. Items could include litter, small litter pans, food, collapsible water bowls, treats, pet-specific blankets or beds, medication, harnesses and carriers (even for cats), toys, and any grooming equipment.

Probably most important is that you should always have all paperwork available. If you camp, then a copy of all vet records should remain in your camper. If you hike, keep a copy in your backpack. Also put a copy in your emergency box for your pets. The records should include vet information and all up to date shot information, especially rabies, photos and descriptions of pets and any medication needs. It doesn’t take much to include your during your planning. Make sure Fluffy and Fido are ready when something happens.

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Outdoor Party Planning Tips for the Summer

Summer outdoor party

Are you planning a party any time soon? These tips are sure to help your event go smoothly! An outdoor party requires a little more thought than an indoor party for multiple reasons. Use these tips to ensure you will have a fun outdoor party in the Summer heat.

Outdoor canopy tent

Whether your party is during the light of day or the dark of night, a canopy tent will be perfect for you. During the day, the tent will provide shade for all of your guests to gather under. At night, you can string lights along the tent to serve as a fun decoration, as well as a resourceful glow.

Tiki torches

Tiki torches serve as a multi-purpose product. They are pretty and add a fun vibe to an outdoor setting. They also serve as bug repellent and can help your guests have a more enjoyable time by keeping bugs away from the party space.

Easy access silverware

When trying to hold a plate full of food in one hand and your drink in the other, grabbing silverware on top of all of that can be a problem. Make dining easy for your guests by arranging packets of silverware tied together. This simple addition allows them to easily grab a pack of cutlery while holding their food instead of trying to balance it all while picking out individual utensils.

Have enough seats

Even though the party is outdoors and most people will likely be standing around your yard, have some chairs on hand. You will want to set up seats at any empty tables you put out. However, not all the seats must accompany a table. Line a few seats here and there in a small circle or pair two seats together. This will provide your guests with the comfort of being able to sit down as well as conversate with one another.

Don’t forget lights

Most outdoor parties run from midday until nighttime. This will require you to provide some lighting for your guests when it starts to get dark. You don’t need to do any drastic measures, and just a few small lights will do the trick. A string of lights is perfect for attaching along a fence, deck, or even your house itself.

Yard games

To keep the guests entertained, lay out a couple of yard games for everyone to enjoy. Frisbee, horseshoes, corn hole, kan jam, and spikeball are all huge crowd-pleasers. If kids are attending your party as well, get out some whiffle balls and bats, soccer balls, footballs, and whatever else you have on hand.

Need some extra space to make room for a big party this Summer? Zippy Shell has you covered! We offer flexible temporary and long-term storage options and can keep your stuff in one of our nationwide facilities. We even offer local and long-distance moving services if you need it! Zippy Shell is here to make moving and storage simple for you!

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Tips to Ward off Summer Procrastination

A man sitting at a computer looking bored

Tips to Ward off Summer Procrastination

The Summer season can be a tricky time when it comes to balancing relaxation and work. While it may be easy to fall in a bit of a Summertime malaise, prevent yourself from slipping into that trap with these tips.

Write down and prioritize your goals

Having all of your goals written out will help you remember what is important to you and what you need to focus on. Once you know what your goals are, decide which ones are the most important or most challenging. It can be helpful to get the most challenging tasks out of the way, so then you can relax and complete the more manageable goals afterward. You can then create deadlines for when each task needs to be completed will also help you stay on track.

One step at a time

Don’t try to take on too many projects all at once. If you can, only focus on one to-do at a time to avoid spreading yourself too thin and ultimately taking longer to complete each separate task. Complete the objective at hand, then move to your next project.

Mark your calendar

Once you know when each assignment must be completed, create a timeline of how you are going to space out your work. This will help you achieve your work over time, without the hassle of trying to cram it all in at the last minute.

Give yourself a break

If you try to complete several tasks in a short amount of time, it could very well lead to a burn out. Once that happens, it can be very difficult to pick a project back up again. Be sure to take a break every once in a while. This will help give your mind and body the rest that it needs to fuel up and get back to work at full force.

Use incentives

Rewards are always a great way to help you accomplish your goal. It can be as small as treating yourself to your favorite snack or taking a trip to your dream location. Just be sure to stick to your word and only reward yourself once you have met your goal(s).

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The Best Carpet Deep Cleaning Tips Before the Move!

Are you leaving wall to wall carpet behind in your move? Chances are that carpet needs a little TLC before you move out. Whether you are trying to avoid paying a carpet replacement fee to your landlord or you just want to leave the new homeowners with a fresh and clean carpet, deep cleaning is the solution you have been looking for! Carpets can be very tricky to clean. While vacuuming and shampooing are a good start,  you need to do a deep clean to get rid of dirt and dust trapped deep in the fibers of the carpet.
Continue reading “The Best Carpet Deep Cleaning Tips Before the Move!”