Storing Presents For Christmas

With December 25^th nearly a month away, our televisions are currently being filled with festive adverts: from the must –have toys to supermarkets tempting you with their delicious Christmas dinners. Many shops are also running promotions, keen to encourage you to buy your Christmas gifts from them.

When it comes to Christmas, finding the perfect presents are not the only challenge, it can also be tricky to work out where to store the presents in the run up to Christmas. Where can they be kept to avoid being damaged? Where can they be kept away from prying eyes?

At Easycrate we have the perfect solution: why not hire a Christmas crate to

store your gifts in? Our hardwearing plastic storage crates come in a range of sizes to suit your gift storing needs and each crate comes with an interlocking lid, meaning the crates are stackable and space saving. Our crates can also be sealed to keep your presents safe and a surprise for Christmas Day!

The Easycrate team can deliver your Christmas crates and collect from you once they are no longer required. Our flexible rental periods and unbeatable prices mean that we are the number one choice for all your Christmas storage needs.

If you are looking for Christmas storage, contact a member of our team on 0800 027 2665 or via our Online Contact Form and we will be happy to help you.

Moving to University

With A Level results out and August fast disappearing, thousands of students are preparing to make their next move - to university. While the transition to university can be both exciting and daunting, the team at Easycrate are on hand to offer advice when it comes to packing up your belongings ready for moving day.

Tips For Moving To University

Don't Rush: Universities will inform you of a start date, particularly if you are moving into Halls of Residence (Mine was September 20th - an unusually hot day!). Don't leave your packing until the night before - give yourself a few weeks to start collecting bits and pieces. 

Make A List: Work out what things are essential for your move to Uni. Things like kitchenware (pots, pans, plates etc) may seem a boring thing to shop for but they are essential. In my Halls of Residence we had a shared kitchen and I luckily got on great with my hall mates so we didn't mind sharing equipment (even though we had all bought our own). On other floors in our block some people preferred to only use their own stuff and didn't want to share - you often never know who you are going to live with until you get there!

Think Of Space: If you went to the University Open Day you may have been given a tour of the Halls of Residence. This may have stuck in your mind and you know how much space you will have, but if you visited a few universities chances are the memories of each have blurred together! Try and find out how much space you will have in your room. In Halls they often give you a desk, chair, wardrobe and chest of drawers so bear this in mind when working out what to pack.

Don't Overpack: Moving Day into Halls is a very busy time. From signing in and getting your key to finding your room and meeting your hall mates the day is extremely hectic and at the end of it you will be looking forward to unwinding in the Student Union Bar. If you are lucky, you may have parking close to your Halls, but when packing your things consider how easy they are to transport - carrying from the car, up stairs and along corridors can be very tiring, especially if your boxes are heavy. If possible, try to only pack your essentials and a few home comforts. Chances are you will be popping home now and again/have visitors so other items can be taken to and from uni another time. Don't make the mistake I did - I made frequent visits home and each time brought more and more back to my Halls. The end result was a very overloaded car when it came to moving out of Halls at the end of my Freshers year!

Effective Packing: There is nothing worse than getting to Uni only to discover your boxes have been damaged in transit or they break mid carry to your room. While cardboard boxes seem like the ideal solution for transporting your things, they are not always reliable. At Easycrate, our range of hardwearing plastic storage crates are ideal for students on the move. Not only will they protect your belongings better than cardboard boxes, but we can deliver them to you pre uni move, and collect them when you have unpacked: our fantastic rental rates mean you only need to hire them for as long as you need.

We hope our tips have been useful and we welcome any feedback and extra advice.

If you are heading to Uni this year - good luck, work hard and most importantly, ENJOY EVERY MINUTE! 

Expo and Convention crates

During the year, Expo and Convention centres throughout the UK are host to many events - from wedding fairs and science fiction conventions to motor, home and garden shows. While such events are exciting for visitors, who are captivated by the exhibits on show, the team at Easycrate appreciate the hard work the exhibitors face in the run up to and during these exhibitions. 

Image from Pinterest

How Easycrate can help

As an exhibitor, it is essential that your exhibits travel and arrive without damage. At Easycrate we guarantee peace of mind with our range of sturdy multipurpose plastic storage crates. 

Our crates come in a range of sizes to suit your needs and their hardwearing nature means that they can be reused time and time again without breaking or damaging your items in transit. 

Their stackable nature makes our crates easier for transporting, and previous customers have used them as display cases as part of their exhibit. For added security, our crates can also be sealed shut using security seals. 

Our fantastic crate hire service means you can rent our crates for as long as you need, and we can even deliver and collect the crates for you.

Need help moving your crates? Why not visit our Moving Equipment page at our website www.easycrate.co.uk for our transportation aids, security seals and labels. 

Office Moves

When it comes to moving office, whether as a small business or a large company,  it is essential the process runs as smoothly and hassle free as possible. Sufficient time needs to be given to the move to not only ensure that all your equipment is packed, but it is packed safely and securely to guarantee safe transition to its new location. 

Easycrate have a proud heritage in helping small and large companies throughout the UK achieve office moves that are easier, efficient and environmentally friendly.

We offer a great range of environmentally friendly, hardwearing and multipurpose plastic storage crates - ideal for your office files and documents.

Our standard lidded crate - ideal for your office files

Our metre lidded crate - ideal for files, documents and books.

Our computer crates offer secure transportation for your computer and electronic equipment, and for added protection, our computer covers are the ideal solution for protecting delicate computer screens. 

Our sturdy and secure computer crates - designed to hold a computer, monitor and related items.

Our computer screen covers give added protection when moving.

We understand that office moves can be heavy and tiring work. Our previous blog post "Avoiding Injury When Lifting Crates" offers tips and advice when moving, but for added peace of mind the team at Easycrate also have a range of moving equipment to help make your move a bit easier. 

Our Sack Barrow - ideal for moving crates or furniture.

Our Secure Roll Cages - ideal for larger computer equipment.

Our Rubber Topped Skates - ideal for moving our crates.

Our Library Trolley - ideal for moving books and files.

The team at Easycrate work with you to accommodate your office move.

We recommend the right number of storage crates and supply the moving

equipment you require. We will also deliver your crates when you need them and give you the flexibility to increase your hire period should you need to. 

Why not visit our website www.easycrate.co.uk to find out more? 

Crate Inspiration

What do the summer holidays mean to you? Holidays in the UK or abroad? Visiting family and friends? Keeping the kids entertained before they go back to school? 

Could the holidays be the ideal time to have a good declutter? 

Summer days (hopefully blessed with good weather!) are the ideal time to get into cupboards, attics, sheds and garages and have a good sort out, but does this mean everything has to be thrown away? 

A neighbour was recently having a declutter and amongst their items they had some old wooden crates. The contents of the crates had become musty and mouldy as the crates did not have lids, but the crates themselves were in quite good order. I asked them what they were going to do with the crates as they really didn't offer much protection for storing personal items.  My neighbour's reply? "Oh I think I will make something out of them". 

This got me thinking. What could the crates be used for? I had seen some used as decoration in a supermarket, but there must be other ways they could be used. My curiosity led me to do some research on the Internet.....

Upcycling

My research on the internet led me to the wonderful world of upcycling. Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or for better environmental value. I had heard of the word before, but I was amazed to find out just how much could be done - and how fantastic people's upcycling projects were! 

Upcycling Ideas

I wanted to include a few of my favourite Upcycled Crates ideas I found on Pinterest. It was great to see ideas for inside the home, for outside the home/in summer houses or conservatories and for children (perhaps a great "keep the kids busy over the summer" project?)

Image from Pinterest

A great idea for keeping muddy boots and shoes in one place! Ideal for entrance halls or porches.

Image from Pinterest

A feature wall concept for displaying shoes. Great for all the family or for someone with a lot of shoes. Having them all on display can also help us work out which shoes we actually do wear, and can make decluttering easier (plus clears space for any additional shoe purchases in the future!).

Image from Pinterest

An eye-catching crate bookcase that would look great in a child's bedroom or playroom. A friend of mine has something similar to this in her son's bedroom. It was his project to paint the crates and he lined the inside of each crate with superhero wrapping paper. He uses his personalized crates to display his toy models and they look incredible!

Image from Pinterest

A simple, yet effective storage space for a bathroom - keeping the essentials in one place and bathroom clutter free!

Image from Pinterest

This lidded crate makes a beautiful side table. The photograph shows it being used on a porch/patio, but it could easily be used in a conservatory, summer house or lounge. The wheels on the bottom also make it easily movable. Alternative uses could be as a toy box for children/grandchildren or a place to store pet toys for our pampered pets. 

Image from Pinterest

A more grown up feel to the bookcase concept shown previously. Can be used as a bookcase, DVD or CD storage or as a display case for photos and ornaments. 

Image from Pinterest

A stunning large bookcase comprising of 16 smaller crates. The photograph shows it being used outside but it would also look great inside the home where it can be painted to each individual's own colour scheme preferences.

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Image from Pinterest

This crate table concept is stunning. Not only does it create a beautiful table that could be used in the lounge or conservatory (or even outside!) but the crates have been used effectively to allow additional storage space around the sides. 

Image from Pinterest

A beautiful Ottoman design - the material lid can be lifted to create handy storage space while the padding on the lid also enables it to be used as additional seating space. 

All the images you see were found on Pinterest. The Crate Inspiration board on Easycrate's Pinterest is filling up with wonderful ideas for upcycling crates - take a look!

Have you had Crate Inspiration? If so we would love to hear from you! Tweet us @easycratehire and send us a photo of your upcycled crates!

Upcycling these old crates gives them a new lease of life when their life as storage crates comes to an end. For more practical, longer lasting and secure storage crate solutions, why not visit our website www.easycrate.co.uk or contact a member of the Easycrate team today on 0800 027 2665 or by using our online form. 

Why chose Easycrate?

As mentioned in our previous blog post Avoiding Injury When Lifting Crates, the Summer months are a busy time for Easycrate. Home and office moves are finalised, children move from/to university and buying new items such as barbecues and garden furniture often require us to sort through our garages, attics and sheds to make better use of our space. 

Moving? Need better storage? Ask Easycrate!

So why choose Easycrate? 

Our hardwearing and stackable plastic storage crates are the ideal solution when it comes to moving or storing personal possessions and office equipment. Our blog post Boxes Versus Crates spoke in depth about why we believe our plastic storage crates are more user (and environmentally) friendly, but the versatile nature of our crates also makes them multi purpose!

Our plastic storage crates are available in different sizes - all the same high quality, yet tailored to your specific needs. We offer flexible rental terms for each customer and will price match any genuine quote from other crate hire companies. 

Our durable and stackable plastic storage crates.

Easycrate also offer moving equipment for rental to aid the transportation of our crates and our crate labels and security tags ensure the crates are identifiable and secure when being moved or stored. We can even deliver and collect your crates - just ask a member of the Easycrate team via our online contact form or call us on 0800 027 2665.

Reusable Plastic Crates For Universities On The Move

You might think that the summer holidays are a quiet time at universities but they are in fact still very busy over this period. The summer holidays signal the end of one academic year and start of a new one so there’s much to be done during this time. One of the activities that happens over the summer is usually a restructuring of departments, moving of lecturers’ studies and a decorating of classrooms and lecture theatres. This means that many people and rooms of the university are in transition and on the move.

Traditionally boxes might have been used for this movement around the university but reusable plastic crates offer a better solution. Available for short or long term hire, our reusable plastic crates are durable and robust, making them perfect for moving. They come in a wide range of sizes and feature integrated lids which make them ideal for moving anything from lab equipment to text books, student records or even computers.

The boxes can easily be carried or transported using a trolley for convenience. Designed to stack, they are also perfect for putting into storage, either temporarily or more permanently.

Plastic crates are not only perfect for universities on the move put pupils who are on the move too – whether inbetween accommodation, on their way into university or on their way out into life beyond education. Contact the EasyCrate team here to find out more about our crate hire services.

The EasyCrate Team

Copyright: DW2014

Reusable Plastic Crates For Colleges

With the academic end of year holidays just around the corner, it is a time of hard work in colleges and schools around the country. End of year exams, productions and fairs lead the way into the summer holidays for pupils whilst teachers and staff have to work far beyond the students leaving. The end of the school year in a college brings about the annual clear up which means removing everything from classrooms and walls to allow the cleaning staff in for a thorough clean.

Storage at this time can be very problematic but at Easycrate we have the perfect solution in the form of reusable plastic crates. In a range of sizes, these are perfect for storing virtually anything. Made from robust, durable materials and with integrated lids they are both secure and suitable for stacking, in and out of use.

Our crate hire service makes our crates cost-effective for using throughout the summer without having to invest in the purchase of crates plus when you have finished with them, you’re not burdened with having to store them.

Here are just a few of the things that can easily be stored in our reusable plastic crates:

-          Project work

-          Reports and student information

-          Display work

-          Text books and exercise books

-          Computer equipment

-          Teaching props and accessories

Contact us today for more information on our reusable plastic crates and crate hire service.

The EasyCrate Team

Copyright: DW2014

Boxes Versus Crates

When it comes to moving home or office, the thought of packing up our possessions and transporting them can seem a daunting task. Will the cardboard boxes hold everything I need? What if the boxes (and their contents) get damaged in transit? What if I can’t remember what is in each of the boxes when I get to my destination? Sometimes just the thought of moving puts us off completely!
 

But when a home or office move is essential, Easycrate can help with all those packing and moving needs. 

Cardboard Boxes. 

When you watch tv shows or films, when characters move you see them surrounded by cardboard boxes, and there is often a comedic scene in which one of the boxes falls apart, spilling the contents onto the floor. For many of us, this has happened to us too. 

Cardboard boxes do have their uses, but there is nothing more disheartening than going to your attic, shed or garage to get something out of storage only to find the box has become damp and mouldy. 

So what is the alternative?

At Easycrate, we provide sturdy, secure and environmentally friendly plastic storage crates in a range of sizes to suit your needs.  As they are hardwearing, the plastic crates can be washed out and reused over and over again without falling victim to damp, mould or overloading.

We also provide crate labels for easy identification (there is nothing worse after a long moving day than rummaging through each cardboard box trying to find the kettle!)  and security tags to keep your boxes closed and secure during transit. 

Do I have to buy the crates? 

With Easycrate’s plastic storage crate rental scheme, there is no need to pay out lots of money to buy the crates. Simply let us know how many you need to hire and how long for, and we will deliver AND collect your plastic storage crates.

We are so confident in the quality and good value of our plastic storage crates, we have even made a video comparing them to standard cardboard boxes. 

Contact us today at www.easycrate.co.uk to find out how we can help you with your packing and moving needs.