Maple Grove Businesses Help Residents Tackle Spring Cleaning

With trees blooming and flowers sprouting, signs of spring are everywhere. With the new season comes the time honored tradition of spring cleaning.  A time to kick off the winter doldrums and get life organized once again.

More than 82 percent of Americans will spruce up their home this year, according to a survey done by the American Cleaning Institute.  The bedroom, kitchen, and closets top the list for spring cleaning hot spots.

While the de-cluttering takes place, many people will realize they don’t have enough storage space.  In fact, a new self storage facility in Maple Grove is expecting a bump in business for that very reason.

"People are spring cleaning, kids are coming home from college, remodeling projects are starting and all of these things create storage questions,” Manager Kathy McCarthy said.  “We anticipate the next few months will be busy ones."

The new facility, which took over the vacant Target building off Interstate 94 and Maple Grove Parkway, boasts 16 different storage options.  From a small space equivalent to a closet, to one large enough to store a boat, McCarthy hopes people will turn to Metro Self Storage when extra space is needed.

“Storage space is like prime real estate in some homes,” McCarthy said.  “We’ve created a unique storage facility that is all indoors and climate controlled so it’s easy to store things with us.”

Whether people pack things away at a storage facility or just want to stow things in their own home, Maple Grove Owner Dick Locketz offers some tips to get the most out of boxing up items.

“Packing can seem like a daunting task but there is a method to it,” Locketz said. “The main idea is to stay organized.”

Tips:

• Keep items separate, clothes in one box and dishes in another.

• Label each box on at least two sides with black marker.

• Buy boxes that are the same size so they’re easy to stack on top of one another.

• If items are breakable make sure there is a two inch cushion between the box and the fragile item.

• Use packing peanuts or bubble wrap to give items like glassware extra protection.

• Use a heavy duty box to keep the bottom from falling out.

With these tips and a little elbow grease, spring cleaning may not be the dreaded task some fear it to be.

“Get your boxes ahead of time, and set aside some time to tackle your to-do list,” Locketz said.  “Once it’s done, you’ll be glad you did it.”