Keep your Apartment Clean if You Want Your Kids to Read

February 2nd, 2010 by admin

Study Shows that Your Mess at Home Affects Your Kids!

At the risk of sounding like a broken record (or your mother!), once again, we have found compelling inspiration to clean up your apartment! Yes, not only can a messy apartment  lead to obesity, but you are ruining your children’s chances of getting into a good college and having a meaningful life.

Yep, if looking at the pile of dirty laundry and that towering stack of mail was not enough to get you motivated, we’ll add a heaping spoclean-house-learnr-eadonful of …GUILT!

Messes and Reading; It’s All the Mother’s Fault!

Got kids? Well, then if you have kids and your home is on the disorganized side, then it’s your fault that “See Spot Run” is giving them a hard time!  

No longer is it enough to limit TV time, read to your kids and worship the library as a sacred venue, now you must clean and organize. Not because you want the approval of your picky mother in law or aspire to be June Cleaver, but because you want your children to read and go to college.

And yes, we have the scientific study to prove it:

Order in the House! Associations among Household Chaos, the Home Literacy Environment, Maternal Reading Ability, and Children’s Early Reading

Author’s Anna D. Johnson and Anne Martin of Columbia’s Teachers College, along with a couple of co-authors, looked at the effect of household order on kids’ reading skills.

Results suggest that the degree of household order is significantly and positively associated with the expressive vocabulary, Woodcock Reading Mastery, and phonological awareness skills of children whose mothers are above-average readers. 

In plain language for the rest of us:  The cleaner and neater your house is, the better your kids’ language skills will be. 

For a more detailed look at the study, check out the article, Messy House, Messy Minds By Emily Bazelon. Then once inspired, get yourself a closet storage solution to help you get that mess in order and be a better mom!

Related Posts:

  • » New Theory: Messy Apartments Can Lead to Obesity
  • » Thanksgiving Volunteers Get Support from Manhattan Mini Storage
  • » Moving On From a Relationship Never Happened So Efficiently
  • » Moving Out: The Final Frontier
  • » NYC High Line, Manhattan Mini and a Great NY Photographer
  • New Theory: Messy Apartments Can Lead to Obesity

    January 28th, 2010 by admin

    clean-apartment-lose-weightFirst Step to Getting in Shape? Clean Your Apartment!

    Ok, so it’s not a major scientific study from Cornell or anything, but really, when you think about it; it makes sense!

    Apartment Clutter is a Lot like Fat!

    Glamour staffer Karina Arrueis writes on her blog that part of her weight loss goal is to clean her studio apartment!  Nope, she’s not planning on getting all aerobic and furiously cleaning in spandex to “Sweating to the Oldies”.   It’s more of a “my body and home are my temple” thing, see:

    I believe in the theory that most people who take excellent care of their bodies (by making healthy food choices, sleeping well, working out) take care of their homes, too. Since gaining back those damn 11 pounds, I’ve started to feel like my apartment is more cluttered than usual—and I don’t think this is a coincidence. When my home feels like a sanctuary, I treat myself differently.

    Tie that in with ancient Chinese Secrets of Feng Shui and sure, open up that Ch’i and watch those extra pounds just fall away!  So that first step to shedding those extra winter pounds might be helped by getting your extra stuff into a secure mini storage facilities. Plus, as Karina points out:

    It’s supposed to snow all weekend here, so I can’t think of a better way to spend my time.

    You can read the all of the blog post here if you need more inspiration to get your home on a diet! And if it helps motivate you, get out that spandex!

    Related Posts:

  • » Keep your Apartment Clean if You Want Your Kids to Read
  • » Thanksgiving Volunteers Get Support from Manhattan Mini Storage
  • » Moving On From a Relationship Never Happened So Efficiently
  • » Moving Out: The Final Frontier
  • » NYC High Line, Manhattan Mini and a Great NY Photographer
  • Restaurant Week NYC Is Here Once Again

    January 26th, 2010 by admin

    Restaurant week NYC is a great time to explore the best restaurants in NYC without breaking the bank.  From January 25-February 7th.

    If there’s one thing we New Yorkers can appreciate it’s great food at a great price.  Fortunately for us, it’s Restaurant Week.  The feeding frenzy lasts for two weeks— from January 25 to February 7—and features prix-fixe menus at a wide selection of the city’s top eateries.  Go to  (http://www.nycgo.com/restaurantweek for details and scratch cooking off your list!  Which also means there’s never been a better time to store your extra pots and pans in a conveniently located, low-priced Manhattan Mini Storage unit!

    Bon Appetit

    Related Posts:

  • » A Salute to the USS New York
  • » Exclusive Interview with the Crazy Piano Guy
  • » Mini Storage Units and Seinfeld: The Perfect NY Combination
  • » On this day, for New York City..
  • » On the Eve of 911; Get Ready for Fashion in NYC!
  • An Illustrated History of Bubble Wrap and It’s Many Uses

    January 21st, 2010 by admin
     

    Celebrate Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day!

    Bubble-wrap-supplies

    Who could resist? Photograph: Getty Images

    Indulge in the simple pleasures of bubble wrap on Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day, Monday January 25, 2010!

    A Brief History of Bubble Wrap

    In the wild and woolly world of packaging material development, bubble wrap was a colossal breakthrough. It all began, as these stories often do, in small garage in New Jersey where two engineers were attempting to create paper backed plastic wallpaper. Marc Chavannes and Al Fielding labored away, confident their plastic walls would appeal to the masses and make them rich in the process.

    Well, the wallpaper never took off, but the world soon learned how useful this product would be as a shock absorber in shipping packages. And how bizarrely relaxing it is to sit around and mindlessly pop away…just why is that, anyway? Really, we’ve only just begun to scratch the surface of bubble wrap’s myriad possibilities!

    Bubble Wrap Makes Good NeighborsBuild-It-Solar-Bubble-Wrap-Window

    Imagine this…a beautiful day, the sun is shining, and you stretch and open your eyes only to see your hirsute neighbor across the way stumbling around in his skivvies. Yeccch. There goes your perfect morning. Well, guess what? Not only will a nice layer of bubble wrap insulate your windows, but it will also form a lovely visual barrier between you and Mister Way-Too-Much-Back-Hair. So use that leftover holiday bubble wrap by cutting it to the size of your windows.  Spray a thin layer of water on the window and apply the bubble wrap, bubble side to the window, while the window is still wet.  You can then wave good-bye to your neighbor and smile as you get ready for your day.

    Need a Costume, Pronto? Break out the Bubble Wrap!

    No Sew Costumes From Halloween 2000, Fall 2000 Martha Stewart

    No Sew Costumes From Halloween 2000, Fall 2000 Martha Stewart

    When you are at a loss for costume ideas, you can always make things out of bubble wrap. Try this bubble wrap jellyfish costume.  All you need is a white shirt and pants/skirt/etc…a clear umbrella and some bubble wrap and voila!  Just add some evil bubble wrap tentacles to your bumbershoot and you’re suddenly a menace from the deep.

    Bubble Wrap Could Save Your Life

    Want to indulge in some watery fun, but don’t know how to swim? Just roll yourself in bubble wrap, baby!  Sure, it might require assistance from some friends, but that’s all part of the fun. Next thing you know, you’ll be floating about with not a care in the world.  And consider bringing an emergency roll of bubble wrap roll along with you on your next boat outing.  When your friend ends up overboard, toss him a bubble wrap lifeline. Check out this video to learn how to use bubble wrap as a floatation device:

    Share the Bubbly Love!

    Buy bubble wrap rolls and host a theme party.  Let the creativity bubble over as you find new ways to use the wonder that is bubble wrap. Send a pic our way or post them to Manhattan Mini Storage Facebook Page!  We will be making a Top Ten List of Uses for Bubble Wrap in the upcoming months!

    And of course, remember to keep a bubble wrap roll under your desk so you can enjoy hours of stress relief. Ahhhh…the sweet, soothing feeling of popping those little bubbles…more interactive than watching fish and cheaper than a massage!

    Related Posts:

  • » Storing Your Collectibles in the Big Apple
  • » Do You Know What Manhattan Mini Storage Does to Help NYC?
  • » A Salute to the USS New York
  • » Help for the New York Holidays
  • » College Storage for the Out-Of-Town Student
  • Storing Your Collectibles in the Big Apple

    January 6th, 2010 by admin

    Unique New York Collectors and Where They Store Their Stuff!pez-collections

    We salute you, Collector of Things in NYC. It takes a special kind of person to lug seventeen massive boxes of comic books from Ohio to Manhattan –but you did, and we love you for it. And you, Miz Vinyl – your record collection rocks, even if it means spending every last penny and shred of spare time on Ebay.

    And since giving up your collection of the coolest (insert obsession here) even in the most expensive, space-crunched city on earth is non-negotiable, we can at least help you manage it on a budget. But first, let us identify and explore a subsection of the rare genus Urban Homunculus Collectus.

    A Cornucopia of Collectibles & Their Owners

    Comic Book Collections – The collectible of collectibles—right up there with baseball cards, stamps, and embarrassing adolescent memories. New York City is home to plenty of comic book buffs, many of whom happily sacrifice every nook and cranny (and occasionally any chance at a social life) to the altar of superheroes and supervillains. And lest you think the prize for Biggest Comic Book Fetish goes to an individual, think again – the largest collection can be found in our very own Library of Congress, which has over 100,000 issues of around 5,000 titles.

    vinyl-record-collectionsCollectable Coins – Cha-ching! Who doesn’t like money? And what’s better than money? Money that’s actually worth, well, more than it’s worth. C’mon – you know you still check your nickels to see if there’s a rare buffalo on one side. But watch out. Like any collecting, it’s a slippery slope – give it time and stacks of these preserved metal discs will soon overtake the home.

    Classic Vinyl Record Collections – The good ol’ days of records are alive and well for many, including DJs whose careers rotate around these vinyl discs, both new and vintage.  Record collecting is particularly invasive. They’re so flat and colorful and happy…resistance to purchasing just one more can quickly become futile. The upside? Become a pro DJ and you can write off whatever you spend on storing your precious vinyl.

    Collecting Antiques – NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART! They’re big, they’re expensive…but they certainly are beautiful. Antiques, that is. And whether you’re a Rococo aficionado or a Bauhaus baby, you’re going to need lots of room to indulge your exquisite taste in furniture.

    Weird & Woolly NYC Collections

    big-eye-keen-collectionsThe obsessions of the Urban Homunculus Collectus are not limited to the standard hunter-gatherer fare. Oh, no – this is New York City, and there are as many bizarre collections as there are mariachi bands on the Q train.

    We have it on good authority that Manhattan Mini Storage is currently home to a beloved stash of top-notch taxidermy. (A literally woolly niche, indeed.) And how about this for an unusual accumulation – fabric from clothes once worn by celebrities. Yes – a swatch from Scott Baio’s Member’s Only jacket is someone’s idea of collector heaven.

    A Word of Caution to the Collector

    There are certain ways nature has of saying “do not touch”, among which are raised hackles, hissing noises, post-collegiate Care Bear collections and grown men whose bedrooms double as shrines to Star Wars/Transformers/Sailor Moon/etc…

    Should you fall somewhere into the latter two categories, may we introduce you to the concept of Selective Editing for Singles. No need to get rid of your collection – just proudly display a sample or two of your very best pieces and store the rest with us. Important: do not mention said collection until after the 10th date or marriage engagement, whichever comes first.

    Manhattan Mini Storage Is Here For Your Collectibles

    Regardless of what you’re into, or what your urge for collectibles leads you to acquire, Manhattan Mini Storage will be there to save you space on a budget, house your collection, and, most importantly, provide you with easy, comfortable access to your valued goodies at our Manhattan public storage units.

    So, bring us your wacky, your weird, your woolly, your worn! We promise to honor and protect them like they were our very own first edition copy of On The Road. (And now you know what our collection consists of!)

    Related Posts:

  • » An Illustrated History of Bubble Wrap and It’s Many Uses
  • » Do You Know What Manhattan Mini Storage Does to Help NYC?
  • » A Salute to the USS New York
  • » Help for the New York Holidays
  • » College Storage for the Out-Of-Town Student
  • Give the Gift of Storage

    December 4th, 2009 by admin

    Perfect in Every Way, Except…Clutter!

    We have a dear friend (and bet you have one, too) that is in every way a smart, sophisticated, totally together individual – except where her apartment is concerned. When it comes to her stuff, she’s got a Kung Fu grip. We’re talking five years of The Economist and Runners’ World magazines stuffed in a corner, untouched since 2005, but kept around because maybe, just maybe, she might want to go back and read an article.

     The catch? She’s always complaining about how disorganized her place is. That she can’t find anything, it’s all cluttered, and yadda yadda yadda. To which we have always replied, “read any of those Economist articles lately?”

    Clean Closets?  It’s a Holiday Miracle!

     But something beautiful happened this weekend. Perhaps inspired by a divine vision or just sick of us teasing her for the time she lost a favorite shoe somewhere in her own closet, this woman – we’ll call her Jules – began to clean. She started in her bathroom, moved to the bedroom and eventually the kitchen was under siege.

     And the magazines? Into boxes for storage, right next to her vast 6th grade pewter unicorn collection. (Her Kung Fu grip loosened…it didn’t let go entirely.)

     It Takes a Village to Clean a Closet

     By this time, word had spread and the troops were mobilized. By the time her twenty pounds of mismatched Tupperware was excavated, friends had showed up at her place to lend moral support and extra hands.

    Shoes were boxed (and the missing one found!), furniture moved, piles made and wine consumed. The atmosphere was downright festive! It became a spontaneous cleaning/purging/storing event, goofier than a holiday soiree, less calories than a pity party.  Fun was had by all AND Jules now has a great place to live and work (did we mention she runs her business out of her living room?).

     Throw Your Own Storage Party!

     As we said – there’s a very high chance that you have a Jules of your very own who needs some serious closet storage solutions!  So how about this for a rocking holiday present? Organize a storage party! Grab a few friends and make a date to help her bring order to chaos.

    Clean, purge, and box ‘til you drop. Then call us and our Storage Taxi will get those boxes into storage close by. You can even all pitch in a few bucks to go towards the monthly costs (hey, it’s affordable – our units start at $29.99!). She’ll start the New Year with a clean slate and you’ll never have to hear her complain about her cluttered apartment again.  Happy holidays, indeed!

    Related Posts:

  • » Things in your Closet: Retro Low Fi
  • » Time for Cleaning out my Closet Tips!
  • Do You Know What Manhattan Mini Storage Does to Help NYC?

    December 2nd, 2009 by admin

    help-new-york-cityWe Help New York City with More than Just Storage

    As part of the local New York community, we are more than just the place for convenient and safe self storage for your stuff. We love NYC too and always want to see our fair Gotham excel in every way!

    Helping to Feed NYC

    This year, Manhattan Mini Storage Employees volunteered with FeedingNYC to help deliver Thanksgiving meals to 2,250 families in New York who needed help. With the rest of the 300 volunteers,   at an ungodly 6:00AM  ( ouch!) we gathered with the full crew of 300 volunteers to assemble, pack and hand-deliver complete Thanksgiving meals to various shelters and housing facilities throughout New York City. 

    Helping International Refugees in NYC

    Manhattan Mini Storage donates space to the International Rescue Committee. The IRC provides opportunities for refugees to thrive in America. Each year, thousands of refugees are invited by the U.S. government to seek safety and freedom.  Our contribution will help the IRC not only save money on storage space, but allow them to expand their operations and supply them with a convenient location for furniture storage in Manhattan  to hold much needed furniture donations. The IRC can then pick up donated furniture and goods and deliver them to refugees’ new homes

    Helping Homeless Kids in NYC

    Manhattan Mini Storage also hosts a seasonal toy drive to benefit Partnership for the Homeless.  We make sure that for local New Yorkers providing local help for the homeless this season could not be easier; So from Friday, November 27th through Wednesday, December 9th, anyone can drop off a new, unwrapped toy at any of Manhattan Mini Storage’s seventeen locations throughout the city; “Just come by, drop off a toy, and we’ll do the rest,” You can use this map to find your local MMS facility to help the homeless.

    Lots of Help for New York

    And of course, as expected, we are your storage closets when you need them! Make sure you are aware of all the ways Manhattan Mini Storage can provide Help for the New York holidays.

    Related Posts:

  • » An Illustrated History of Bubble Wrap and It’s Many Uses
  • » Storing Your Collectibles in the Big Apple
  • » A Salute to the USS New York
  • » Help for the New York Holidays
  • » College Storage for the Out-Of-Town Student
  • Thanksgiving Volunteers Get Support from Manhattan Mini Storage

    November 24th, 2009 by admin

    charity mealHelping To Feed the Hungry This Holiday Season

    FeedingNYC’s efforts to feed the homeless and those less fortunate have not gone unnoticed since its inception in 2001, during the Thanksgiving following September 11th.  And as you would expect, FeedingNYC is back at it and has plans to provide Thanksgiving meals for over two thousand needy families.  They began their noble undertaking with helping out 40 families—2000+ is an enormous increase in a mere 8 years!.  Their strategy is simple:  they work with and gain ‘intel’ from other charity organizations (Salvation Army, Center Against Domestic Violence, Women in Need, and more) to determine how and where they can help the most people; and the charity volunteers select the appropriate facilities accordingly.

    Manhattan Mini Storage, along with other businesses, is pitching in to help the charity volunteers.   FeedingNYC is dependent upon the generosity of local enterprises (as well as the program founder LivePerson, Inc.) to help keep needy families afloat, and we are more than happy to have the opportunity to do our part. 

    You can lend a hand to feeding the homeless as well by visiting www.feedingnyc.org.  If you happen to be the owner of a business, or have some clout with the owners of the business you work for, definitely take a moment to see how your enterprise can get involved and increase the number of families assisted still more.  Every contribution counts, especially when it comes to feeding the hungry and ensuring that those who otherwise would not have the opportunity to enjoy a holiday meal with their families will, instead, have the chance to do so.  FeedingNYC is, as many have indeed noticed, a fine example of what the holidays are supposed to be about; and we here at MMS are proud to provide support to their Thanksgiving volunteers.

    Related Posts:

  • » Keep your Apartment Clean if You Want Your Kids to Read
  • » New Theory: Messy Apartments Can Lead to Obesity
  • » Moving On From a Relationship Never Happened So Efficiently
  • » Moving Out: The Final Frontier
  • » NYC High Line, Manhattan Mini and a Great NY Photographer
  • A Salute to the USS New York

    November 18th, 2009 by admin

    We’ve Got A Lotta Love for This Ship

    Left, right or indifferent – it doesn’t matter what your political persuasion is when it comes to the feeling of collective loss we shared on September 11th, 2001. Of course, for us New Yorkers, that loss was a little more up close and personal. And so it was with great respect that we greeted the USS New York as it glided into New York Harbor earlier this month.

    Not only does this fine vessel bear our city’s name, but her bow is constructed, in part, from seven and a half tons of steel from the World Trade Center. She carries with her the spirit of survival, strength, and sheer gutsiness found in the heart of your most mind-mannered New Yorker. The ship’s crest pictures a phoenix rising from the base of the Twin Towers, reinforcing the motto “Strength forged through sacrifice.  Never forget.”

    Smart. Strong. Versatile. Just Like NYC!

    USS New York The USS New York is no run-of-the-mill warship, uh-uh. It’s got all the style, strength and state-of-the-art technology that you would expect from a ship made with a slice of the Big Apple. Here are a few fun facts:

    • The USS New York is one of the most advanced LPDs (Landing Platform, Dock) in the US Navy, with an emphasis on adaptability to modern combat situations.
    • It is faster and her waterline is 111 feet longer than the last USS New York (there have been a few). Just goes to show that we’re always outdoing ourselves!
    • 1,200 Louisiana workers remained in the shipyard to keep building the USS New York after Hurricane Katrina; now that’s dedication.
    • It’s also humongous, able to carry over 1,000 Sailors and Marines.

    Check out this cool, interactive feature to learn more about her. And, when you get a chance, just take a minute to think about the USS New York out there on the open ocean, and wish her well. After all, she does, in a way, belong to each and every one of us.

    Related Posts:

  • » An Illustrated History of Bubble Wrap and It’s Many Uses
  • » Storing Your Collectibles in the Big Apple
  • » Do You Know What Manhattan Mini Storage Does to Help NYC?
  • » Help for the New York Holidays
  • » College Storage for the Out-Of-Town Student
  • Help for the New York Holidays

    November 13th, 2009 by admin

    Holiday Magic in NYC

    “Pretzels roasting on an open fire…Gray slush nipping at your toes…”

    holidays-in-new-york-city

    Yes, folks, the holidays are upon us in New York City. And what a wonderful time it is to be a New Yorker! The sparkling window displays, the chill in the air, maybe even a magical little snowfall to blanket the city in a comforting hush. (Well, until it turns into half-melted mess the next day.)

    It’s a magical time in this great metropolis, but as parties begin and the shopping shifts into high gear, we have some suggestions to keep the season bright! 

    Where are the Elves When You Need ‘Em?

    Don’t know about you, but the top item on our wish is a Magical Holiday Elf to clean our apartment, juggle our schedule and take care of the inevitable last minute shopping. Alas, it’s doubtful that a Magical Holiday Elf is going to make an appearance anytime soon, so alternate sources of relief are called for.

    So, what’s a quick and easy way to help manage life during the hectic holiday season? You guessed it! A little bit of Manhattan Mini can go along way towards maintaining your party season sanity.

    Store Your Way to Holiday Sanity

    Okay, so self storage space in Manhattan doesn’t exactly scream “holidays in NYC”. But hear us out because we bet you haven’t thought about all the ways you can use it to your advantage!

    • Stash Your Presents (Before and After the Holidays): Keeping surprise buys from prying eyes is difficult when even the space under your bed is packed to the gills. So not why try a closet storage solution? You’ll keep those presents hidden, and after the holidays have a place to stash that, um, unique Madonna and Cat painting Aunt Millie gave you. (She’ll be sooooo disappointed if it isn’t proudly displayed when she visits this summer.)
    • Holiday Décor Control: Ah…holiday decorations. Please resist the urge to leave them up all year. (No. Really. That tree needs to be gone by March, people.) Just store ‘em – that way, they stay organized (no more finding your favorite stocking the day after Christmas) and you’ll have a safe place to stash the menorah once the candles are out.
    • No Stress Package Receiving: Put an end to package delivery panic! We’ll be your doorman, baby. Rent with us and we’ll happily receive and sign for your precious holiday packages. Seriously, if you holiday shop online or expect lots of packages coming in for the kiddies, this review excerpt from Yelp says it all:

    “…I no longer break into a cold sweat when I’m told UPS and Fedex are the only shipping options.”

    • Trip the Holiday Light Fantastic!: Planning a party? Stash some furniture and make way for a disco ball! Storage doesn’t have to be a long-term commitment, so if you just need a month  to make way for holiday hijinx, we’re happy to accommodate.

    Yep. Holidays in New York are wonderful, magical, stressful and impractical. And, now that we think of it, maybe there actually are Magical Holiday Elves out there. Maybe they just work at Manhattan Mini Storage?

    I mean, they’ll pack your stuff, move it out for you, keep it safely tucked away, and help bring order to chaos. Yes, Virginia, there IS a Storage Claus!

    Related Posts:

  • » An Illustrated History of Bubble Wrap and It’s Many Uses
  • » Storing Your Collectibles in the Big Apple
  • » Do You Know What Manhattan Mini Storage Does to Help NYC?
  • » A Salute to the USS New York
  • » College Storage for the Out-Of-Town Student