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Invest in Your Home With These DIY Projects

A family takes a break from painting their house

It is never a bad idea or a wrong time to invest in your home and capitalize on the long-term benefits of home improvement. DIY home improvement projects reduce the amount of money you spend on a project giving you the most significant return on investment. Plus, the satisfaction and enjoyment you will receive from creating a better home environment and learning new home improvement skills are just bonuses. We have rounded up a list of DIY projects you can start on today.

  • Painting – This is an easy one to start developing your DIY skills. Painting anything and everything is a great cost-effective way to completely transform your home’s look and give you the most bang for your DIY buck. It can be messy, and you will have to move things around, as it can take a while for the paint to dry between coats. But trust us, it is worth it!
  • Update Fixtures – Light fixtures, bathroom fixtures, kitchen fixtures, doorknobs, and cabinet hardware are all easy DIY updates that can make a huge difference.  Fixtures go in and out of style pretty frequently and can quickly turn a dated-looking home into a beautiful home. 
  • Upgrade Your Doors – A new front entry door will add to the beauty of your home and will reduce utility bills. It also has one of the highest returns on investment. Replacing your garage door is another DIY option. You can upgrade to a spiffy new steel model and save some cash by keeping the same motorized opener.
  • Go Green – Instead of building a privacy fence, plant one! By planting a living privacy fence, you can create the seclusion you crave, block noise, and create a natural windbreak. While a living privacy fence is not a quick fix, your patience will be rewarded with a unique botanical barrier that serves your purposes and helps save the earth. There are a wide variety of plant options for your living fence. Evergreen trees, evergreen or flowering shrubs, or ornamental grasses are all good ideas. You can also consider a trellis covered in vines or a structure that will support a vertical garden.
  • Finished Basement or Attic – Depending on the size, this project may take a little more time and will likely require professional help. The result will provide you with additional square footage that everyone could use right now. Think about using the new area for a home office, a guest room, a workout area, or a place to entertain.

Are you inspired yet? If you need extra storage space to work on DIY home improvement projects, Zippy Shell has onsite and portable storage solutions perfect for the job. You can feel confident knowing that your furniture, appliances, and personal belongings are safe and within easy reach during home improvement projects. You can also use our storage containers to house your project materials and tools. A portable storage container is like having your very own storage facility located right on your property. Learn more and receive a free, no-obligation quote by visiting www.zippyshell.com today.

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3 Inspiring Outdoor Trends for Summer

A back porch pergola arranged with flowers

As the weather warms up and the sun comes out, outdoor spaces become the place to gather. The past year of a pandemic has shown us the value of having inspiring outdoor spaces at our homes to welcome small groups of friends and family safely in an open-air environment. What would your dream outdoor space look like? Here are some trends to help you envision an area where you can cheer on summer!

Pergola

Beyond being beautiful, pergolas offer many benefits. One of the most important benefits of a pergola is that it defines your outdoor space. While a deck or patio can also define your space, a pergola does this with more beauty and style. Going the extra mile by combining your pergola with flooring such as pavers, a concrete patio, or a deck creates a much more cozy atmosphere. Adding to the beauty of pergolas is that they can support landscaping features such as climbing flowers, vines, and ivy. Pergolas can also provide that perfect combination of shade and sun. You can still see the beauty of the sky and stars with slight breaks from the sun’s full force.

Fire Feature

There are so many options for having a fire feature in your outdoor space. Of course, some are more budget-friendly than others. You can choose from a DIY concrete paver ring, a stone fireplace, a chiminea, a kerosene fire table, or a wood-burning fire pit. A fire feature adds ambiance, and it will become a focal point for meaningful conversation. It can also take the chill out of the air once the sun goes down. Bring out a basket of lap blankets on especially chilly nights. Depending on the type of fire feature you choose, cooking over a fire can be a fun option. Who doesn’t love fireside s’mores?

Backyard Entertainment

While you are spending time in your backyard this summer with friends and family, make memories by having some fun. Outdoor movies under the stars are always a hit, especially with younger kids. Many adults could also get behind a movie night filled with “classics” from way back when. Backyard games can fill the night with laughter. Think along the lines of bocce ball, ladder golf, corn hole, giant checkers, or badminton. Or maybe your idea of “entertainment” is just quiet relaxation. If that is the case, lounge chairs, hammocks, or an outdoor daybed for reading may increase your speed. Adding a water feature can enhance the relaxation factor. 

If you need extra on-site storage for tools or materials while working on the backyard of your dreams, Zippy Shell makes it easy. Portable storage containers are a popular option during remodeling or construction because they give you the flexibility of having extra items on hand for the duration of your project. Learn more about our storage solutions by visiting www.zippyshell.com today!

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5 Reasons to Have Houseplants in Your Home

Some plants sit in the sun on a home window sill

Live houseplants are becoming more and more sought after since the global pandemic began. Plants are a great way of bringing the outside in and giving your home a boost of nature. If you haven’t jumped on the houseplant trend, take a look at 5 other reasons we think you need plants in your home.

#1 They can be functional

Not all houseplants are meant to be looked at. You can choose houseplants that are functional to you as well. Aloe vera, eucalyptus, lavender, dwarf lemon trees, and various windowsill herbs are popular choices for people who want houseplants that can also be used in everyday life.

#2 Plants are great for mental health

Studies are showing that houseplants can provide benefits to our mental health. They can lower stress, increase happiness, and even improve our concentration and productivity. In fact, there are even some reports of medical practitioners prescribing potted plants to patients who are experiencing anxiety, depression, and loneliness.

#3 Plants can be an inexpensive way to interior decorate

If you open any interior decorating magazine, you are going to see houseplants. That is because they are a beautiful and inexpensive way to add dimension, color, and life to practically any room. According to the size and type of lighting you have, you can use large trees or even a succulent garden. No matter which direction you go, we know it will add character and color to your space.

#4 Certain plants can help purify the air

In the 1980’s, NASA published a study that indicated plants could have a positive effect on indoor air quality. There have been mixed results on this topic ever since—with some studies showing they do help filter the air, while others say you would need a room full of plants to achieve positive results. But with some careful selection, they couldn’t hurt! Spider plants, English ivies, ferns, snake plants, peace lilies, Chinese evergreens, aloe vera, and pothos are some of the most common varieties of houseplants said to filter different harmful toxins in the air.

#5 Caring for houseplants can become a relaxing hobby

Keeping live houseplants can become a satisfying hobby. The daily act of checking on them, watering, pruning, and inspecting can be very cathartic for some people. Just be sure to not overwhelm yourself with more than you can realistically care for or it may have the opposite effect and become a source of stress.

We hope this helps inspire you to try your hand at keeping houseplants this year! If you have a local or long-distance move coming up, give Zippy Shell a call at 888-947-7974 or contact us online for a free, no-obligation estimate. We would be happy to answer any questions you have about our portable storage containers or how the process works and help make moving and storage simple for you!

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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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Storage in the Piedmont Triad Area

A customer in the Piedmont Triad area recently needed storage space while renovating their home. Zippy Shell delivered two onsite storage units to the customer’s home. The shells were loaded and put into a tight space in the customer’s backyard for the ease of unloading. The customer unloaded the items and put them back into their respecting rooms once the renovation in that room was complete. Then they would load the shell up with the other items from the next room while the renovation progressed. At one point, even a full-size stand up piano was loaded into the shell, stored, then unloaded without any damage to the piano. It was then easily transported back into the basement where it came from.
If you are looking to renovate your home and need storage for your furniture while the renovations are being done, get a quote with Zippy Shell today! We can provide onsite storage right at your home for easy access to your items or provide portable storage units that we can store at our climate-controlled storage facility.

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Redecorating in Houston, TX

Brian, a customer in Houston, Texas needed storage space while he was redecorating. To redecorate a few of the rooms in his home, he had to remove the furniture and other items in those rooms. He got a quote from Zippy Shell for a fair price and decided to have them store his items. Zippy Shell promptly arrived right at his house where their storage professionals helped Brian load up the portable storage unit with all his belongings. Zippy Shell transported the units back to their climate-controlled facility where the items stayed secure during the redecoration.
Once the redecorating was finished, Brian requested the items to be delivered back to his home. We helped Brian unload his furniture and move it all back into place. Brian gave Zippy Shell of Houston two thumbs up for bringing his items back safely! Give us a call today at 888-947-7974 for a free quote!