Archive for March, 2010

Welcome to our new website

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

Welcome to the soft-launch of the all new Go Minis website. We have made several improvements to make your experience better than ever. If you find any problems, please contact us and let us know.

We look forward to serving you with our new site.

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Go Mini’s Professional Moving Tip #3 – Moving a Washing Machine

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

Professional Moving Tips for the Do-It-Yourself-er

By Jim Carey – Go Mini’s of NY, NJ & CT

Serving Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, Ulster, Bergen, Fairfield and Litchfield

Our third in a series of professional moving tips for the do-it-yourself mover. If you have rented a portable storage container from Go Mini’s or anyone else, you are going to want to know how to best take care of your personal belongings. Refer to this blog as often as necessary to find the tips of all kinds. These are tips the pros would use too.

Tip #3 – Moving a washing machine – You must know these tips before you move one!

We chose the washing machine as a moving tip because moving a washing machine is a potential disaster. Don’t believe us? Movers move washing machines often enough and eventually get burned. And that’s why we have some very important tips for you. In this article, we will tell you the main problems and why they are so.

Problem #1 – Leaking valves

When you hook up a bran new washing machine, you connect your two water hoses from the hot and cold water valves to the hot and cold threaded stems on the back of the washing machine. Assuming this is done correctly, you open up the valves and – Voila! – your water supply is connected. You do not need to do anything with these hoses or valves. There is a good chance you will not touch them until you move or replace the washing machine with a new one. That’s fine, but understand that when you go to disconnect the hoses, the valves may not close for you and, even if they do at first, they may not stay closed. Here’s why. Your standard valve closes off the flow of water with a rubber “seat” inside. When the valve is new, the rubber is flexible and durable. But, over time, your water can corrode the “seat”. Hard mineral deposits can react with the rubber. Chlorinated water will dissolve the rubber. So when you close the valve, you may not have any rubber left to make the closed valve water tight.

Here is another warning! At first, the valves may hold water. But if the “seat” is corroded, a little bit of water pressure may break the seat and turn a drip into a steady flow. Now, if you were in the process of moving out of a house, imagine what could happen 24 or 48 hours after you left the house. The flood could start and will keep going. The problems are potentially disastrous. Imagine you are “down the road” to your new residence while the leak is beginning to reach all corners of the house; destroying carpet, walls or ceilings below. Sorry to scare anyone reading this, but the potential is very real. Bu there is a way to prevent it. Change the valve? No. The other valve is likely soldered onto a pipe and replacing the valve would require the expense of a plumber. The easiest way is to feel comfortable there will be no leak is to attach a threaded valve cap to the valve.

Just remove the hose from the valve. Put some teflon tape over the threads of the valve and firmly tighten a threaded valve cap. Now, if the valve will not hold water, the cap will.

Problem #2 – Never re-use those black hoses, which connect from the valve to the washing machine. Over time, the hoses can get brittle and crack. Solution? – Spend a few bucks and get new hoses.

Problem #3 – Another thing to think about is a conventional washing machine never fully drains all its water. So this means two things. It will be much heavier and will also leak water if you are carrying it on an angle. If possible, leave the washer open for a few days to let some of the water evaporate.

You can move a washing machine but you just need to be aware of the very real risks.

Go Mini’s portable storage containers make it easy to move and store your own items. Now you have professional advice for when you move your washing machine. Always check back to see the latest Professional Moving Tips for the do-it-yourself-er.

Go Mini’s of NY, NJ & CT is an authorized exclusive dealer for Go Mini’s Portable Storage Containers in the Metropolitan New York area serving the counties of Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Ulster NY, Bergen NJ, Fairfield and Litchfield, CT. Call us at 866-Go Mini’s to help you move or store today.

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Go Mini’s Professional Moving Tip #2 – Packing fragile dishes and stemware

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

By Jim Carey – Go Mini’s of NY, NJ & CT

Serving Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, Ulster, Bergen, Fairfield and Litchfield

Our second in a series of professional moving tips for the do-it-yourself mover. If you have rented a portable storage container from Go Mini’s or anyone else, you are going to want to know how to best take care of your personal belongings. Refer to this blog as often as necessary to find the tips of all kinds. These are tips the pros would use too.

Tip #2 – Packing fragile dishes and stemware

So you have made the decision to move yourself. Well we have some good advice for you when it comes to packing your fragile dishes and stemware. Let’s start with the first step in packing your own fragile items. Get the best boxes or plastic containers you can. If the pros were packing for you, they would use a very sturdy cardboard box to pack your fragile dishes and stemware. The box the pros use is much more sturdy than other boxes they will use. Ask Go Mini’s for a triple wall corrugated box. Movers refer to these boxes as “dish-paks” or “dish barrels”. The standard volume of this box is 5.2 cubic feet.

With the correct type of box selected, we can move on to wrapping and packing. Get clean paper. WARNING!!! – Old Newspapers can leave ink stains on fine china. Go Mini’s of NY, NJ and CT offers un-printed newspaper. Place your item to be wrapped on the corner of the paper and wrap the paper and fold in the sides. Usually you can create a double layer or more using this technique. For larger items, like dinner plates, you will not get a double layer. So start by wrapping the plate in two pieces of paper at the same time.

BEFORE YOU PUT ANYTHING IN THE BOX – Crumple up several pieces of paper and make a cushion-y layer in the bottom of your box. Now you can begin to put dishes in the box. Start by putting your larger items in like plates. If you have a set of plates, they will fit together nicely. Then surround your plates with another cushion of crumpled up paper. You are going to work your way up from the bottom building a series of layers. Crumpled up paper is the key. Keep using it between layers of dishes. Make sure to not leave any empty spaces in the box. This way, the box will not settle and neither will the dishes packed inside.

Go Mini’s portable storage containers make it easy to move and store your own items. Now you have advice to pack like the experts. Always check back to see the latest Professional Moving Tips for the do-it-yourself-er.

Go Mini’s of NY, NJ & CT is an authorized exclusive dealer for Go Mini’s Portable Storage Containers in the Metropolitan New York area serving the counties of Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Ulster NY, Bergen NJ, Fairfield and Litchfield, CT. Call us at 866-Go Mini’s to help you move or store today.

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Portable Storage Container Loading Tips from Go Mini’s

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

Professional Moving Tips for the do-it-yourself-er

By Jim Carey – Go Mini’s of NY, NJ and CT

As previously announced, we are pleased to bring you our first in a series of professional moving tips for the do-it-yourself mover. If you have rented a portable storage container from Go Mini’s or anyone else, you are going to want to know how to best take care of your personal belongings. Refer to this blog as often as necessary to find the tips of all kinds. These are tips the pros would use too.

Tip #1 – Prevent “load shift” during transit.

We thought our very first tip should give the kind of advice every do-it-yourself mover should know. When a professional mover loads your items onto a moving truck, one of their primary objectives is to load the truck in a way that will prevent load shift. Movers know when they are driving down the road, they will encounter steep hills, sharp turns, sudden stops, large potholes etc. You as the do-it-yourself mover should know your possessions will encounter the same potential issues when they are in transit.

That’s why you need to think about load shift!

One strategy used by the pros to prevent load shift is one you can easily use too. Large flat items are the answer. Mattresses and other large flat items like plywood are perfect for helping to prevent load shift. DO NOT load mattresses or plywood into your Go Mini portable storage container first. Start by counting how many of these large flat items you have and plan to load them strategically throughout your Go Mini. It’s even more effective if you use straps or rope to tighten the mattress or plywood against the load.

Just in case this is not clear, stand the large flat item up on its end. When you are looking into the Mini, you should be face to face with the wide side of the mattress or plywood you are using to secure your load. Another benefit of this is, after you have secured the flat item with straps or rope, you have another flat wall to start building another tier of boxes and furniture.

If possible, save a flat item for the end of your load. Here’s why. After you have rolled down the door, you do not want to have something shift and then lean against the roll-up door of your portable storage container. It has happened to a few people in the past.

Loading your Go Mini’s portable storage container is easy with its translucent roof and ground level entrance. Be sure to look back for more tips on how the pro’s load furniture and boxes. We’ll make this Professional Moving Tips series a valuable resource to our customer’s.

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Think Outside the Box!

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

By: Arthur Scalise, President Go-Minis Upton Massachusetts

So you’re moving. That’s decided. Now what do I do? Who do I call? The thought of boxing up all that stuff, loading and unloading. The heavy lifting, driving the truck, it all seems a little intimidating. So what’s the answer?

Ever consider portable storage delivered right to your door? That’s right a container delivered to your door, loaded at your convenience and moved for you. Sounds expensive, well you would be pleasantly surprised at how affordable it is. This revolutionary way for households and business alike is fast becoming the way to move. And one of the movers in this industry is Go-Minis. With locations throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico Go-Minis can move you across town or across the country. They can provide all the moving supplies, pads and even professional movers for the heavy stuff! They take the stress out of a very stressful process. So when it’s time to go, Go-Minis!

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FAQs about Portable Storage

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

by Bill Norris, CEO, Go Mini’s

With this blog post, I am going to take the time to answer some frequently asked questions about Go Mini’s portable storage. While the business of portable storage has been around for some time now, there are still large numbers of people who have yet to experience the Go Mini’s difference. People are used to self-storage units to store their belongings or renting a truck when moving, but the whole concept of a portable storage containers is still relatively new for most people. After reading this blog post, I hope you will realize the ease and simplicity of using a portable storage container, and more specifically, the benefits of ordering a Go Mini’s portable storage container.

The first and most obvious question is, “how does it all work?” Let me say that you will be amazed at how incredibly easy it is. Ordering and using a Go Mini’s portable storage container is a simple four step process. 1) Call; give your local Go Mini’s dealership a call and choose between a 12ft, 16ft, or 20ft container (I will get to how you can determine what size container to choose later). 2) Deliver; a Go Mini’s driver will deliver the container you ordered right to your home or business. 3) Load; pack up your Go Mini’s portable storage container and take as much time as you need. 4) Relax; a Go Mini’s driver will come and take your container away, storing it or moving it, whichever you need. How could it be any easier than that? You load your portable storage container (or Mini as we call it) in your driveway, and someone comes and takes it away. You don’t have to worry about driving back and forth between your home and a storage unit and you don’t have to drive a huge truck you probably shouldn’t be driving in the first place.

The second question you may ask is, “are my valuables secure from weather if the Mini is stored outside?” Plain and simple…yes. Go Mini’s portable storage containers are the best in the business and are designed to protect your belongings whether you live in Arizona or North Dakota.

Another frequently asked question is, “can I get something out of my container if it’s in central storage.” The answer is, of course. Give your local Go Mini’s dealer a call and we can arrange for you to come and get into your Mini.

The next popular question is, “how do I know which size Mini to order?” We have broken this question down for easy reference. Of course, this is just in general, but they are good guidelines to follow. If you have a one bedroom apartment or condo, a 12 foot Mini is probably right for you. If you live in a two bedroom apartment, condo, or small home, a 16 foot Mini should work. And if you live in a three bedroom home or larger, a 20 foot container will work for you. Again, these are guidelines. If you find you need more storage, simply call and another Mini can be delivered and the full one taken away. I also have to note that Go Mini’s is the only portable storage container company to offer a 20 foot container.

These questions are only a small portion of the questions asked about using portable storage. Check out www.GoMinis.com to view all of our FAQ’s. Everything is there, like questions about moving across the country, ordering packaging supplies, getting help loading, and many more. Next time you need to move or store anything, give Go Mini’s a call or go to the website. Go Mini’s is the perfect solution for your moving and storage needs and it would be a shame to settle for a more complicated and more expensive service.

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Mini Storage vs Portable Storage

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

By Bill Norris, CEO, Go Mini’s

Ever had a storage unit? If yes, than you know the hassle involved. Every time I have rented a storage unit I always ask myself afterwards, “why?” Sure mini storage provides a space to put things you don’t have room for at your house. But is it worth it? Half the time, you can’t justify driving out there to get anything. I could go on and on about the pains and hassles that come along with renting a self-storage unit, but I won’t. I will simply give you the perfect alternative, and let you decide what to do next time you need to clear your house out a bit.

Go Mini’s portable storage containers are the way to go when you need to store anything. Go Mini’s delivers a portable storage container right to your home. You then take as much time as you want to fill the container and when you are finished, give Go Mini’s a call and they will haul it off to a secure storage location. When you need it back just give Go Mini’s a call and your portable storage container will be sitting in the driveway in a moment’s time. What could be easier? No more buying a lock, no more secret code to enter the gate, and no more taking multiple loads in your tiny car to the storage unit miles away.

Go Mini’s is the perfect solution for your storage needs. Go Mini’s portable storage containers are the only containers that come in 12ft, 16ft, and 20ft lengths, giving you options depending on how much you have to store. Go Mini’s containers also have a translucent ceiling giving you visiblity inside the container. Go Mini’s portable storage containers are far superior to any other portable storage container you have seen. They are durable, clean, and not to mention they come in three different sizes. Think of the benefits of having a storage container in your driveway. You load it once and you are done. You don’t have to load your car, unload your car, and then load the storage unit. Then, when you need your stuff back, you don’t have to drive to you unit and go through the same process in reverse, you just get it delivered to your house and unload.

Give your local Go Mini’s dealer a call or go to www.gominis.com and get a free quote instantly. Next time you are looking to store anything think about Go Mini’s. Using a Go Mini’s portable storage container is safe, easy, and hassle free. I promise you won’t regret ordering a Go Mini’s portable storage container.

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Benefits of Portable Storage

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

By Bill Norris, CEO, Go Mini’s

The benefits of portable storage solutions are huge. Don’t take my word for it, just ask anyone who has utilized portable storage and they’ll share that the benefits are so significant that they’ll never go back to traditional storage. I’m often asked why someone would use portable storage over traditional storage options, and my answer is simple: Flexibility. In the text that follows I’ll share a few thoughts on the many benefits of today’s portable storage solutions.

Healthy industries evolve over time, and the storage business has made great strides in the last decade. While there is nothing wrong with traditional storage solutions, they simply don’t afford the benefits to the user that today’s portable storage solutions offer. Because the benefits of portable storage are almost too numerous to articulate given the space constraints associated with this medium, the following list discusses two of the most significant reasons for why you should consider portable storage options:

1. On-site Storage Options: Portability…Unlike traditional storage options where you must travel to your storage site for access to your items, with portable storage solutions you can have a container placed at the site of your choosing (home, business, etc.). This allows you easy access when and where you need it.
2. Better Access: We’ve already discussed the access benefits of having an on-site storage unit, but when you no longer have the need for on-site storage, you simply call your portable storage vendor and they’ll come pick it up. They will move it to any location you desire, or to one of their secure storage facilities. You can then have it delivered back to you when you need something, or you can visit the off-site storage location if you choose. Why wouldn’t someone want the flexibility that a portable storage solutions offers?

For more detailed information on the benefits of portable storage please call 1-866-GoMinis and speak to a local dealer in your market.

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