Whether you are storing clothing that’s out of season or setting up long term clothing storage, there are some tips to follow.

1.  Clean and prepare the clothing for storage.  Whether you wash and tumble dry or dry clean its essential to remove any food, tiny flakes of skin, or perspiration (or other liquid stains) from the potential stored clothing.  These “food” items will attract hungry insects and ruin your clothes.  Remove jewelry and empty all pockets of clothing to be stored to prevent any staining or stretching etc.  Once the clothing is set, make sure it is completely dry before storing.  Moisture equals mold and mildew.
2. Decide where and how you will store your clothes.  Any areas with dramatic temperature fluctuations probably aren’t the best places since that can case condensation and moisture (which again, is the enemy of stored clothing).  Cotton clothing can be folded (or rolled) and placed in plastic bins or bags, silk and wool clothing need to breathe so they should not be stored in anything air tight for a long term.  To be protected from moths these items should be stored in a cedar closet, cedar chest, or other “breathable” receptacle with cedar chips.  The cedar naturally repels the adult moths so they don’t invade, lays eggs and infest your stored clothes.  If you think there may be moths in an area you are using for storage use moth balls to remove them.  If you place the moth balls up high away from the clothes the vapors will drift down and remove the moths.  Hanging clothes should be stored on plastic or cedar hangers (no metal), and stored in breathable garment bags.  These garments can be stored in a cedar closet or in wardrobe boxes with cedar chips in the bottom if no closet rod is available.  Try and keep stored clothing up off the floor for air circulation (unless sealed) and mark containers and bags with as much description as possible.  This will make retrieving stored clothing easier.

If you are storing clothing for an extended period of time (like over 2 years) you may want to ask yourself if you really still need the stored clothes.  There are many charities that will happily accept your donation, and resale shops that will pay for gently used items.  Both of these options will give you a less cluttered home.  If you choose to keep the stored clothing follow these tips, and your stored clothing should be fine.

The financial regulatory reform that is taking effect will have an impact on everyone including borrowers and mortgage lenders in many different ways.  The Bill is 2319 pages long, and will cover many areas that will affect everyone in the months to come.  Not everything is covered in our synopsis of the bill, but this will give you an overview on changes you can expect to see over the next couple years.

This bill is to aid with the changes that are being made to mortgages.  This will help consumers to avoid high fees, and do away with bad loan terms.  Prepayment penalties will also no longer be allowed. 

Before a borrower will be able to get a loan, mortgage brokers and lenders will be required to determine if the borrower can actually pay back the loan by checking all borrowers income, and assets prior to approving the loan.  The stricter verification process will make it more difficult for self –employed individuals or those who earn their salaries from commission to obtain a loan or qualify for a loan.  On the other hand, it will give borrowers more leverage on contesting foreclosures if they are approved for a loan they cannot afford.

The bill will also prevent lenders from offering mortgage brokers bonuses or incentives for giving unfavorable loan terms to borrowers (like increased interest rates).  This will have an effect on mortgage brokers (who are the middle men) by eliminating YSP (Yield Spread premiums-this is where the mortgage broker gets the loan at a lower interest rate, and sells the loan at a higher rate to the borrower, keeping the profits) With this being eliminated, they will lose one of the ways they make their money since the mortgage brokers make money 2 different ways, by YSP, and origination fees (% of loan size, usually fixed rate).  Since the YSP’s will be eliminated, the only other way they will be able to make their money will be by increasing origination fees.  This may mean borrowers will be avoiding the use of mortgage brokers more, and going directly to lenders. 

With mortgages becoming less profitable to the lenders, it will also become harder for a consumer to obtain a loan, (lenders are already starting to require higher down payments).  Anyone denied a loan or credit, will be eligible to get a free credit report through one of the major credit unions. 

As far as bank bailouts go, the new bill should decrease the amount of money spent by the taxpayer if the bank goes out of business.  If a financial institute fails, the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corp) will borrow from treasury to pay the costs of liquidation and get the money back by selling the financial institutions assets.  Also, if the financial institute fails, the FDIC will also have the ability to take back any compensation that has been given to the senior executives for 2 years prior to the institutions failure.

The bill will offer financial literacy study to teach Americans about fees, liens, savings and loans.  It will also require that all disclosures are to be made to investors prior to them investing any money into the institute.  The bill is not 100% perfected, but it should help the economy.  The legislations are not expected to go into effect for another 12-14 months.

When placing your items into a storage unit or storage facility, you want to make sure you will be able to come back to your items in the condition you left them, and not have to worry that they are in a safe place.  Depending on what region you are in or what type of storage unit you are looking at, storage security options will vary.

Remember, no alarm system or security system is 100% secure, but there are different options your facility may offer, and certain things you can do to protect yourself.  For instance, it’s always a good idea to have an extra padlock or security lock on your actual unit. The facility’s security may be tight, but you want to make sure you goods are extra protected.

Security Options To Check Out:

• Check to see if your storage facility is lighted.  A well lit storage unit is important, especially if you need access after hours or at night.
• Check to see if your facility is a fenced in storage facility, or if there is a code needed to get into the gate of the facility.  Some outdoor facilities will have a security guard or guard dogs.
• Check to see if there are surveillance cameras in the facility, and where they are located to make sure your storage space is secure, and that cameras are monitoring who is accessing the storage units.
• Check to see if the storage unit is open 24 hours, or if there are certain open and close times.
• Staff on Duty- Check to see if there is staff present at the time of accessing your storage unit.
• Manager on Site-Some storage companies will have a manager running their storage facility, in case of any questions or problems.
• Check to see, if an indoor storage facility if there is a burglar alarm.  Some facilities have door alarms, motion detectors, and even alarms on your individual storage unit door.

When It Comes To Deliveries:

• Do trucks have easy access to facility in the storage facility? Is someone present or is the site unsecured and unmanned?  Will an attendant be there to accept deliveries or does someone need to be present on your behalf?  Are deliveries limited to certain times of the day, and can they go directly to the storage unit, or do they need to check in with an employee or management?

Remember, when it comes to having a secured storage space there are many security questions you can check into.  You need to determine the value of your goods to be stored, the accessibility you need, and the level of service required.  You can also check with the facility to see what different types of security options are available.

Like everything else in the storage arena, do plenty of research on secured self storage facilities to get the right fit!

When storing computers, it’s always a good idea to use original packaging (box and Styrofoam, etc) if possible.  It was designed to protect your computer during transport and storage.  Consider this, your computer was shipped by truck or train and its packaging kept it safe during its potentially bumpy trip.  When dealing with mechanical items like hard drives and printers, jarring the internals can cause the equipment to lose alignment and cease functioning as expected, so proper packing is critical.  If original packaging is not available; use foam wrap or static free bags or bubble wrap to wrap your components and place in corrugated boxes filled with packing peanuts.  Make sure to fill the boxes to the top to prevent shifting.  Once your computer is packed for storage, use pallets or some other way to elevate the boxes to enhance ventilation and protection against potential flooding, etc.

The other area to remember when dealing with computer storage is climate control.  Heat is the number one cause of electronic failure, especially non mechanical items like the circuit boards and computer chips.  Always protect your computer in storage from prolonged heat exposure.  For long term storage, you may want to consider climate controlled storage where the temperature is maintained between 50°-80°F. This is best for storing computers because they also dislike cold.  Wild fluctuations in temperature can lead to cracking and damage to components due to condensation so consistent temperatures and consistent humidity is critical.  Humidity should be kept around 50RH.

Another thing to remember for portable or battery powered devices is do not leave batteries completely charged or completely empty when storing your computer.  Usually batteries such as the lithium ion variety found in laptop computers do best if stored at a 40% charge.  You can find some other helpful tips by reading How To Store Flat Screen TV’s and Other Electronics.

Depending on your region of where you live, one thing you must consider when storing your valuables is what kind of temperature or weather will there be while you are storing, how long you will need your storage space for, whether climate controlled storage is the best option for you.

Climate controlled storage facilities can protect artwork, documents, wood, leather, electronics, fabrics, and other personal and business possessions.  If you live in an area where humidity is high, too much moisture can cause mold, pathogens, bacteria, & rotting if the storage space is poorly ventilated or  storage temperatures are unregulated.  Just because your storage unit facility claims they have temperature controlled units does not mean your valuable items like artwork, wine, and antiques will be protected, you should know the variables the unit goes through and what temperatures and humidity levels your goods are stored at.  When renting a climate controlled storage space, there is usually an increased fee for these units as this is an additional expense your storage facility has to maintain.

Climate controlled facilities are usually in a finished building with indirect cooling and heating protection, and usually offer greater levels of protection against flood, dirt, and dust, than your average storage facility.  Temperature levels usually do not fall below freezing or rise above 90 degrees F.

If you live in extremely hot temperatures, or have items that need to be kept in cool temperatures, refrigerated cold storage units may be the best option for you.  Temperatures are usually kept between 50-80°F, with the average humidity about 50%.  These units are generally used to protect artifacts, paintings, food storage, and other cold storage items.  Some cold storage facilities are sometimes underground to keep better control of the climate and also assist with prevention of moisture and dew to your items.  Most cold storage units will offer additional security to prevent access to your storage space.  Underground cold storage can also protect from man-made or natural disasters and can also offer more protection from storms, fires, floods.  The security levels systems are usually maintained with video surveillance, security systems, fire alarms, and metal doors.  Another type of cold storage unit is a portable storage unit, which is used to provide good cooling systems with effective insulation.  Some portable storage units can be built to suit a custom size room, can be kept indoors or outdoors, or may be at an off site storage site.  Whether its food, or other items that need to be kept in the portable cold storage units, they are designed for needs which can range from -15°-75°F.  Security levels may vary for these types of storage units depending on where you have them, and if on personal property what type of security you have onsite.  Other items that should be considered for cold storage would be wine, you can reach storing wine to get more tips.

In cases of severe freezing temperatures, or extreme cold, you may want to consider a heated storage facility.  This can help insure your items will not get damp, or collect mold/mildew.  When humidity is too high liquid droplets can form in your storage items, and cause them to get warped or get filled with mildew.  You also want to make sure your furniture items stay dry.  Some heated storage facilities will offer indirect heat instead of heating units in each unit, and may include using radiant floors or radiant heat which can be useful for storing antique furniture and other valuables.  Heated storage facilities generally maintain a consistent temperature so your items do not go below 50-55°F.  This can be useful for storing books, records, electronics, leather, wood, music, clothing, pharmaceuticals, vehicles, boats, motorcycles, and other valuable items.  When looking for climate controlled storage, know what your belongings need to maintain their value and condition, if unsure, you can always check with an expert to see how an individual piece would best be stored.

In most states a “local move” or “intrastate move” is based on time so if you get your quote over the phone there is certain information that your local moving estimator should gather.  A visual “onsite” estimate is usually more accurate but for small moves like studio or one bedroom apartments a local quote can be given over the phone and still be good. There are generally 3 areas that should be covered to insure the proper information is conveyed to the move estimator.  Those areas include how much do you have to move, what are the logistics of your origin and destination, and how far and what type of drive is it from your origin to your destination.  This is assuming you don’t need your boxes packed for you.  If you do, an onsite estimate is a better idea.

The first area to cover is how much do you have to move?  You need to determine what’s in each room (not just how many rooms you have) so it’s best to go from room to room while on the phone with the local move estimator listing the furniture (and boxes) you have.  Each room is different so the more detail the better (even the smaller items matter).  Any local estimator worth his or her salt will also ask questions prompting you like is there any artwork? Are there any lamps? (what style, what size, etc).  Calculating your number of boxes can be difficult for a novice but the estimator should, again, ask questions, like how many linear feet of closet rod do you have (for wardrobe boxes), how many, and what length shelves  of books do you have? (For book boxes) how many cabinets do you have in your kitchen? How full are they? Of what? (for dish packs and large cartons).  These questions can help figure out the most difficult part of your local or intrastate moving quote.  Once you complete what’s in your apartment (or condo) your local moving estimator should check with you to see if you have any storage either in the building (or off site) or any garage or outdoor items like patio furniture, bikes, grills, or sports equipment.  It doesn’t matter whether you think something “isn’t much” or “isn’t a big deal”, the more precise you can be with your list of goods to be moved; the more accurate the local move estimator will be on his or her moving quote.

The second part of the local moving phone estimate equation is the logistics of your origin (where you live now), your destination (where you are moving to), and any restrictions that need to be followed related to the move.  Your local move estimator should find out what floor you live on, whether it’s an elevator or walk up (and the number of flights or stairs that are involved).  All these factors can affect your quote so be as detailed (and truthful) as possible, misinformation can only hurt you in the end.  Other questions should be is there a dock or loading area in the building? how far is it from the building to the truck parking (known as the push by movers) what is the distance from your unit to the elevator, etc? It sounds nitpicky but the logistical aspects of your move (on both sides) can make a difference of 25% to 35% in the time it can take to move out or move in.  Other areas of interest include are there time restrictions? If you live in an elevator building, do you have to make an elevator reservation? and is it exclusive use?  Are there height restrictions for the truck to get into the dock?  Do you have closing times?  The more information you give the better chance you have to get an accurate phone quote.  This is often the most over looked part of the local phone estimate process.

The third part of the local phone estimate is the distance and type of drive it is from your origin to your destination.  The local move estimator needs to get addresses (or at least neighborhoods) and the mileage between the two points to determine the time it will take a moving truck to get from point A to point B.  For instance, ten miles in a rural setting goes much faster than ten miles in a tight urban area.  Remember, in all traffic conditions a moving truck takes longer than a car to travel the same distance.

Once the local phone estimator retrieves all this information, he or she should be able to give you a quote including pricing (and how it’s determined), approximate length of time of your move, moving truck size, and approximate cost of materials, etc.  Also, if you can get 3 estimates you can compare and validate the quote you go with.  Like with any other part of the moving process, the more knowledge you have and your moving company has, the better decision you will usually make, and the more prepared your moving company will be to do you move.  Remember, you should always get the moving quote in writing after getting a phone estimate to insure there is no confusion.

Over the years we all accumulate our “stuff”.  Pictures, books, clothes, trophies, etc are part of who we are and are often difficult to part with.  Our need for storage grows as our collection of stuff grows and one storage option that most of us don’t utilize anymore is our attic.  If our items for storage are condensed, prepped and our space properly set, our attics can be a useful, viable, Free storage option.

Before you start preparing your storage space its best to figure out what items you will store.  Go through and purge what you don’t need and only keep items you cannot part with.  Make sure you consult with other family members so any decision is a consensus.  Once you decide what you want, you need to properly pack and secure the items so they are properly preserved in storage.  Loose items like books, papers, and photographs should be packed in corrugated boxes or plastic bins and sealed.  Clothing, if possible, should be packed in plastic tubs or in sealed air tight storage bags to keep free from infestation.  Furniture can be covered with blankets, sheets or brown paper pads to protect the finish.  Once all the items are prepped, figure out how much storage space is needed to store your goods efficiently and effectively.

Now you should know that attics in homes built prior to the 1970’s are easier to use for storage space than newer homes because they were made with steeper roofs.  New homes offer the least amount of storage space.  Remember, no attic is suitable for storage unless the proper type of ventilation is used (along with proper insulation).  While there are some goods that aren’t temperature sensitive, all attics should be properly ventilated.

Proper ventilation prevents excessive heat, and high humidity which can occur naturally with temperature changes.  One solution for ventilation is mechanical ventilation which uses electrical fans to draw in fresh air, and release old air.  The fans automatically start up as soon as the attic reaches certain temperatures, usually over 100° F.  If you decide to have a mechanical ventilation system installed, make sure it has an automatic shut off feature.  Increased air currents caused by attic fans can feed house fires so shut off valves allow the system to shutdown when temperatures rise dramatically.  Some attic fans can also be equipped with a humidistat that kicks the system on when the relative humidity exceeds 70%.

Along with good ventilation additional insulation is recommended for long term storage in the attic.  Insulation acts as a barrier slowing down the temperature changes and is rated by its efficiency.  Ventilation, insulation, and moisture buildup should be big considerations when converting your attic into storage space.  Proper set up is the start of insuring a usable storage space.Before starting your project of preparing your new storage space, make sure there is enough light to work with.

Before starting your project of preparing your new storage space, make sure there is enough light to work with.  Any items currently in the attic should be put to one area of the attic, use a shop vacuum to clean dust, debris, dirt and loose insulation.  Mop the area with warm soapy water, open windows to ventilate, clean under any boxes, and make sure to remove any areas that are torn or sagging.  Secure any loose items into airtight storage containers.  Get rid of unwelcome critters like, mice, bugs, harmful spiders, squirrels, birds, bats, raccoons, wasps, and bees.  If not taken care of, these creatures can be harmful and destructive.

When preparing your attic for storage, these other factors are also of great importance:

Check for other problems like roof leaks, cracks in the floor, walls, etc.  Remove any debris, loose boards.  Nail any loose floor boards.  Make sure to check for any moisture, or mold that has entered the area.  This can be potentially dangerous to you and your family.

Make sure the floors are strong enough to hold the weight of items to be stored.  There can be trouble if floors can’t support the weight of the stored items.  New floors may need to be installed.

Have an easy access to the storage space.  You may want to consider a pull down ladder or a new staircase may also be added.

Check with the city for permits which may be required if electrical or mechanical work needs to be done.

Now that the major work for your attic storage area is complete, you can decide if you want to create cabinetry, use storage shelving units, hanging shelves, etc to complete the space.  Shelving units can be attached to the exterior walls for easy storage organization or hanging shelves used for smaller goods.

Remember, items that will go for long term storage should be placed farthest away from easy access, and items you only need for short term storage should be closer and easiest to get to. 

Don’t stack heavy boxes on furniture, mark items fragile, and the use of air sealed containers is recommended.  You have now created the most efficient use of your attic storage space.

Understanding workers compensation is a four part series written by Bill Stankevitz, senior vice-president of St. Charles, IL based Wine Sergi & Co. LLC.  He has been involved with the insurance industry in many capacities for the last 45 years and invites people to visit his blog “insurance answers for business” at www.mysweethaven.com/blog.

In the final installment of the 4 part series on Workers Compensation, Bill investigates how you as a moving company (or other business) can conduct a self analysis of your policy.

The first option is do it yourself and although it’s important to understand your policy conducting a self analysis with no other help from any professionals can be risky.

Option two is to hire a risk manager to handle this part of your business.  This isn’t an option for medium to small moving companies but option three of hiring an independent consultant can be.  The beauty of option three is reduced cost from option two, and an objective analysis of your moving company’s workers compensation policy.  Option four is have your current workers compensation insurance provider do the study, but since workers compensation commissions are generally low its harder to entice your agent to agree to lots of work for little money.  Another potential problem with option four is its subjectivity. What company is going to steer you away from their own workers compensation insurance products? Option 5 is to have another workers compensation provider (or two) conduct the study as part of the bid process.  Since the carrot of earning your business is their motivation this is a much easier sell.  Also, by getting a couple other quotes you can validate your decision by comparing rates and services.

As we’ve stated before, learn all you can about your options when it comes to moving company workers compensation.  To review the article in its entirety read Understanding Workers compensation (Part IV).  The subject of workers compensation and Moving companies should be understood and reviewed often as the potential costs (or savings) can be significant.

When storing books (antique or otherwise) it’s important to put them in an atmosphere that reduces the chance for mold growth.  The following are some tips to help prevent mold growth on books in storage.  If, however, you find that mold has grown on your books in storage there are ways to clean up the books and stop the mold from returning.

What is Mold? 

Mold is a fungus grown in spores that can be found on organic materials like paper, books, cloth, and leather.  Mold is dormant, usually, unless humidity exceeds 70% and or temperatures exceed 65°F.

Inactive mold is often white, dry, and powdery; active mold is usually green, orange, purple or black.  If the mold is in very humid or damp conditions, it may be “slimy”, otherwise its usually “fuzzy” looking.  Mold can spread easily on people, pets, and through the air.

Mold Prevention:

Mold can be prevented by keeping books in a low humidity (<70%),  consistently cool, (65°F) area with good air circulation.  You can’t prevent mold spores from being in the room where you’re books are, mold spores are everywhere.  You can, however, prevent mold spores from becoming active by maintaining the right conditions.

Salvage of items attacked by mold:

When dealing with mold, remember there can be health risks, especially for people with respiratory problems, so proper protective action should be taken before handling the items affected.  Work outside or in a well ventilated area whenever possible and wear rubber gloves, eye protection, and a mask to protect yourself. Any clothing worn should be washed in hot water only. Any work surfaces should be covered in clean unprinted paper, to be disposed of as soon as the salvage project is complete.

Although a few types of mold are toxic; many can cause skin irritation or an allergic reaction.  If you are concerned about the toxicity of the mold, call a local hospital or mold Remediation Company to find a mycologist (mold specialist). 

If you have a large quantity of books in storage to salvage or you don’t have the time to dedicate to the project, the affected books can be frozen until you are available.

Segregate the mold affected items to a clean area with low humidity below 45%RH.  The books can be moved in sealed plastic bags to prevent the mold from spreading but should not be stored in the bags long term.

The books will then need to be dried out either by increasing air circulation (don’t blow fans directly at the books because this can spread the mold and damage the books) or drying outside in the sun in short interims (30-60 minutes or less at one time).  Clean newsprint or acid free paper can be placed between pages to absorb moisture and if the books are sturdy enough they can be stood up and the pages fanned out.  Just don’t turn up the heat to dry the books, this will speed up the mold growth.

Once the books in storage are dry and the mold is inactive, they can be cleaned up.  A small soft brush can be used to wipe away the dried mold residue.  Cleaning products like bleach can damage books so they should not be used.  Sometimes with antique books alcohol on a cotton swab rolled across the mold can help, but salvage of valuable antique books should require consultation of a professional conservator.

When the books are cleaned up, before you return them to storage, make sure you clean and disinfect the storage areas.  Also, make sure that the conditions are acceptable for storing books.  Fix any problems that exist and verify that air circulation is good, the temperature is consistent and cool <65°F, and the relative humidity is low <70RH.  If you don’t rectify problem storage conditions, the mold will return.

Always monitor conditions in a book storage area often so adjustments can be made if necessary.  For professional help, you can get a free referral of a conservator from the American Institute for conservation of Historic and Artistic Works.

With compliance becoming a bigger issue (CSA 2010, etc) it’s important that moving companies are in line with driver regulations.  Here’s a general idea of classifications for moving company drivers.

Moving Company Drivers That Require a Class D License:

Single vehicle with a GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) of less than 16,000lbs. 

This is a company car or probably a vehicle like an econoline van or small box truck with a 12’, 15’, or 16’ box (remember GVWR is the weight designated by the manufacturer as the maximum loaded weight of the vehicle not the empty or “tare weight”).

*Any vehicle with a GVWR or GCWR (Gross combining weight rating)over 10,001 lbs requires the driver to carry a DOT Medical Card.  Anyone who does require a medical card should also have a driver file.

Moving Company Drivers That Require a Class C License:

Single vehicle with a GVWR between 16,001 lbs, and 26,000 lbs.

This is a much larger category that likely includes 16’box trucks up to 24’or 26’ straight trucks (the 24’ & 26’ category can require either a “C” license or possible a CDL B license depending on the GVWR, and how the truck is registered and plated). 

This is very important to know before putting a driver in the truck.

One common misconception is that a Class “C” truck with air brakes requires air brake endorsement, it does not.  The only time endorsements are required is under the CDL program.

Also a “Class C” license can be obtained at any secretary of state facility (not just the special CDL facilities).

Drivers in this class are not required to be in the random drug testing pool but are required to have a DOT medical card and driver file.

Moving Company Drivers That Require a CDL B license:

Single vehicle with a GVWR of 26, 001 lbs or such a vehicle that tows a trailer less than 10,000 lbs.

This category is generally 24’-28’ straight trucks that are registered and plated to carrier heavier loads.

This vehicle requires passing of the pretrip inspection test, the basic control skills exam, and the road test or driving exam.

A driver obtaining a CDL B must have a passing pre-employment drug screen and be part of a random drug and alcohol testing program.

Drivers in this category are required to have a driver file with specific background checks for their previous 10 years of driving employment.

Moving Company Drivers That Require a CDL A:

Combination vehicles (commonly known as tractor-trailers) with a GCWR of 26,001 if the trailer being towed is more than 10,000 lbs.

All other qualifications and compliance issues are the same for CDL B and CDL A drivers.

Many of the questions related to the moving company driver qualifications can be answered in the Class C or CDL study materials.  The FMCSA (Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration can be contacted at www.fmcsa.dot.gov, and 1-800-832-5660 for verification of driver qual laws related to moving company drivers.  If in doubt, double check the regulations.