1. Clean your gutters.  We know this is one of those chores that everyone hates but it can be important as if the water that is collected falls in an improper place on your foundation it can cost damage and therefore money.

2. Inspect your home for leaks.  It is a good time to do a thorough inspection to ferret out leaks that you might not otherwise know about.  If you find a leak make sure you fix it do not take the chance of letting it go.

3. If you think you have a home that is just too chilled in the winter you might consider adding insulation. The initial cost will overwhelmingly be paid back in the long run.

4. Have a check done on your furnace.  The worst time to lose heat is when you are in the middle of a storm so it is important to know this will not happen.  Furnace leakage can also be a health hazard and certainly that is a concern.

5.  The simple step of using shrink wrap over your windows can easily be done in a weekend and will help immensely with blocking the cold.  Most hardware stores will be happy to show you the easiest way of doing this.

6.  Insulate your pipes and cover any outside faucets.  If you have pipes that run on an outer wall you might consider taking materials and covering them back from the wall 18 inches.  Again hardware stores have many different solutions as far as materials and will be happy to help you decide which works best for you.  Hardware stores also have simple to fit Styrofoam caps to put over your outside faucets.

7.  If you have a fireplace this is the time to make certain your flue is working correctly.

8.  Get the Fireplace Ready  Cap or screen the top of the chimney to keep out rodents and birds. If the chimney hasn’t been cleaned for a while, call a chimney sweep to remove soot and creosote.  If you have or chopped wood. Store it in a dry place away from the exterior of your home.  Inspect the fireplace damper for proper opening and closing.

9.  If you have not already consider blanketing the outside or your hot water heater.  There are ready made solutions for this at most hardware stores.

10.  Install Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors.  Take this time to change the batteries. Buy a fire extinguisher to keep close to your fireplace and/or kitchen.

These items will get you well on your way to a warm, comfortable winter.

Soon we will be back with another post to help you in your life and the Houston area

Houston owned and operated, BullsEye Storage offers six convenient Houston self storage locations to better serve you. BullsEye Storage provides a top-quality storage center in Houston with 24-hour electronic surveillance, clean, convenient facilities, and the added benefits of a dedicated, live-on-site management team to assist you with your storage needs.

Visit BullsEye Storage online at http://www.bullseyestorage.com.

Don't let this mess be yours!

All those boxes of Christmas and Halloween decorations laid out and easy to use.

How many times have you dug those same boxes of Holiday decorations out and wished there was an easier way?  Well there is an easier way and that is a storage space.   Think of laying out separate areas in your storage for each holiday. Think about how easy that is to find, use and add items.  You can look at our storage features and find that the likelihood of all your purchases being kept in great condition is high as we BullsEye has monitors to regulate moisture in the air by using special dryers.

It does not have to be expensive it can be what you want it to be.   Use our space estimator for storage to find out what you think would best fit your needs.

In almost all storage spaces you have room for multiple purposes and keeping your decorations and presents in great condition among many other uses you might consider.

Soon we will be back with another post to help you in your life and the Houston area

Houston owned and operated, BullsEye Storage offers six convenient Houston self storage locations to better serve you. BullsEye Storage provides a top-quality storage center in Houston with 24-hour electronic surveillance, clean, convenient facilities, and the added benefits of a dedicated, live-on-site management team to assist you with your storage needs.

Visit BullsEye Storage online at http://www.bullseyestorage.com.

The Houston area is truly diverse and always shows its festive greatness during the holiday season.  You have a myriad of options for shopping and a great time.  We do not want you to miss out so we are giving you two locations to find what fits you and your family.  Oh and don’t forget great shopping at the holiday gift shows.

Without further delay we want to present to you two great sites to help you fill your calendar for this year.  This search site brings up 3 pages of the premiere options you have in the Houston area 2011 holiday season.

Houston’s ABC affiliate provides a very nice page with full coverage of locations for Shopping during the 2011 Holiday season in Houston as well as cover Holiday gift related topics.

We are sure you will be able to find what is that perfect choice for your family this season.

Soon we will be back with another post to help you in your life and the Houston area

Houston owned and operated, BullsEye Storage offers six convenient Houston self storage locations to better serve you. BullsEye Storage provides a top-quality storage center in Houston with 24-hour electronic surveillance, clean, convenient facilities, and the added benefits of a dedicated, live-on-site management team to assist you with your storage needs.

Visit BullsEye Storage online at http://www.bullseyestorage.com.

Making sure those professionals that will help you with your move are the right ones.  We mentioned in our last post about Hiring a company to make your move that you have not thoroughly vetted and are comfortable with making your move however give just as much care to those companies or individuals that will clean the home you are moving from or helping you pack or unpack.  These items can cost you a duplication of effort or money.

Packing poorly could cost you dearly. It could cost you that lamp you love or that China from your grandmother.  If you are asking others to help you pack and label make sure you trust that they do a good job.  We won’t let any stranger we don’t trust carry around our China so don’t let them pack it.

Make absolutely sure what coverage you have from your insurer and from any company that you are signing a contract with.  You have to look out for your interest here.  You may very well have to make a claim and you want to know your responsibilities and options.  It is a mistake to pick up and go without giving a moment’s thought to what happens if something goes wrong.

It is easy to see how planning and though to the big and little things will help you not have that dreadful Nightmare of a home move.

Soon we will give you additional information for your move safety and efficiency.

Houston owned and operated, BullsEye Storage offers six convenient Houston self storage locations to better serve you. BullsEye Storage provides a top-quality storage center in Houston with 24-hour electronic surveillance, clean, convenient facilities, and the added benefits of a dedicated, live-on-site management team to assist you with your storage needs.

Visit BullsEye Storage online at http://www.bullseyestorage.com.

Not having a solid plan

We have stressed the importance of planning in a home move in many of our posts and with good cause.  Whether you’re trekking across the country or simply shifting across the street, moving is a big job that takes considerable preparation. If you think you can throw everything in boxes and onto a truck at the last minute you are asking for trouble.  This has been seem time and time again in the moving industry.  Best plan of action, start months ahead planning all aspects of your move from the tediousness of moving supplies to the larger issue such as floor planning.

Hiring a company to make your move that you have not thoroughly vetted and are comfortable with making your move.

If you need help moving it is understandable.  As our households grow so do our needs of help when making home moves. What you must avoid is putting your family and possessions in the wrong hands.

Hastily signing a contract and later the list of your possessions when using a moving company.

In order for you to make a home move with a moving company you are required to sign a contract.  Do not rush in the reading of the contract and make sure you are getting what you want and for the price you are willing to pay.  Again when you move you will have to sign off on the list of your items for moving.  It is critical, once again, not to rush when looking to see if it is correct.

These are probably the three most important items in any home move to have correct. We urge you to make good note of these.

We want to delve into each of these a bit more and give you a list of our own posts to help you in each of these items as well as give you a larger check list of items to watch for in the coming posts.

Houston owned and operated, BullsEye Storage offers six convenient Houston self storage locations to better serve you. BullsEye Storage provides a top-quality storage center in Houston with 24-hour electronic surveillance, clean, convenient facilities, and the added benefits of a dedicated, live-on-site management team to assist you with your storage needs.

Visit BullsEye Storage online at http://www.bullseyestorage.com.

Plan, plan, plan – Truly there is no single item that will set you on the path for a smooth home move than planning.  We have mentioned in our article Moving Tips, Plan Early-Plan Often the importance of planning and it really should be a priority from day one.

Prepare – Preparing is taking your Plan and taking active steps to making it work.  This is the go-do section of the Ps.  Prepare to pack,  Floor planning or Talking to your children before the home move This is a sampling of the many areas you should take your time to thing through and prepare for.

Protect – Protection is dependent upon your Planning and Preparing for what may come. Such as Keeping your family safe during the home move, Safety of the home you are moving into and safeguarding yourself when choosing a moving company.  Again this is just a sampling of the importance of Protection.

We believe that if you keep in mind the Three important Ps of moving it will help you organize to have a smooth home move.

Soon we will give you additional information for your move safety and efficiency.

Houston owned and operated, BullsEye Storage offers six convenient Houston self storage locations to better serve you. BullsEye Storage provides a top-quality storage center in Houston with 24-hour electronic surveillance, clean, convenient facilities, and the added benefits of a dedicated, live-on-site management team to assist you with your storage needs.

Visit BullsEye Storage online at http://www.bullseyestorage.com.

Whenever you are making a home move the best time to do the major projects you have in mind are before you actually move in.  We call those projects the “Re” projects.  You know the kind, Re-flooring, Re-modeling, Re-Placing and all the other many “Re” projects.  Hardwood floors in particular are very difficult to have done once you have moved in.  Houston Remodeling is a great site for remodeling after a home move.  The time to do them is before you get entrenched in daily living once again.

If you cannot make the move in deadline you might try living in a selected area for a time and finish the projects while you have the opportunity.  We have seen many home movers decide that they would like to use BullsEye Storage to store the large items such as furniture and many boxes of the smaller items so that these projects can be completed.  Have a look at our Storage Space Usage Estimator to help you assess your storage needs.

We urge you before moving into your new home look at the “Re” projects you believe should be done and use our help to give you the time to complete them.

Soon we will give you additional information for your move safety and efficiency.

Houston owned and operated, BullsEye Storage offers six convenient Houston self storage locations to better serve you. BullsEye Storage provides a top-quality storage center in Houston with 24-hour electronic surveillance, clean, convenient facilities, and the added benefits of a dedicated, live-on-site management team to assist you with your storage needs.

Visit BullsEye Storage online at http://www.bullseyestorage.com.

The US department of energy is happy to send you a booklet by signing up on their official site which breaks down many of the problems consumers face. They also have many useful pages that break down many important aspects to look at more closely.

Underwriter Laboratories has been with us since 1984 and have provided an abundant source of information on Home move energy Savings for a broader look into the areas of high energy use.

It is important for your own cost savings and for the green living of us all when you consider energy savings and we believe that these are the premium sites to help you in this pursuit.

Soon we will give you additional information for your move safety and efficiency.

Houston owned and operated, BullsEye Storage offers six convenient Houston self storage locations to better serve you.  BullsEye Storage provides a top-quality storage center in Houstonwith 24-hour electronic surveillance, clean, convenient facilities, and the added benefits of a dedicated, live-on-site management team to assist you with your storage needs.

Visit BullsEye Storage online at http://www.bullseyestorage.com.

DIY Remodel of your new home.

DIY home improvements.

DIY Home security systems for your new home.

These are just a few of the many available if you spend some time on the Internet doing a simple search for this help and we might say these sites are wonderful, they are full of helpful information and very easy to understand and follow.

If you are the handy type the world is your oyster when it comes to the help you need in accomplishing the tasks you have in mind.

Soon we will give you additional information for your move safety and efficiency.

Houston owned and operated, BullsEye Storage offers six convenient Houston self storage locations to better serve you.  BullsEye Storage provides a top-quality storage center in Houstonwith 24-hour electronic surveillance, clean, convenient facilities, and the added benefits of a dedicated, live-on-site management team to assist you with your storage needs.

Visit BullsEye Storage online at http://www.bullseyestorage.com.

Winterizing your home may not be that difficult to do when you move in but it does take some investigation and some decisions need to be made.

Most newer home will have been required to put an insulation factor into your home that will be sufficient for your climate however older homes that were under older laws might need to be checked.  You do not want to over insulate but also you want to have what you need. This government site can help you work through what is needed for your new home.   Most roofing companies and home builders will be able to give you the number of someone to look at your home if you wish.

Look at your air leaks.  Do you have gaps under your doors?  Do you have inefficient windows or gaps around the edges? Simply taking the measure of your home will give you a good idea whether you can do some things to help your winterizing effort.  You can opt for rubber guards attached to your doors, you can purchase storm doors or you might use an inside block for the draft if you find them.

Your windows can be upgraded of course but also you may opt to use plastic over the windows for your winter season.  This can work particularly well in a very cold environment and really aren’t that hard to put on yourselves.

If you perform a good inspection of your new home at any time before your actual move you can assess your needs for winterization aid and make your home cozy for the next winter.

Soon we will give you additional information for your move safety and efficiency.

Houston owned and operated, BullsEye Storage offers six convenient Houston self storage locations to better serve you.  BullsEye Storage provides a top-quality storage center in Houstonwith 24-hour electronic surveillance, clean, convenient facilities, and the added benefits of a dedicated, live-on-site management team to assist you with your storage needs.

Visit BullsEye Storage online at http://www.bullseyestorage.com.