Each day, over 250 homeless people rely on the self storage facility of the First United Church in Vancouver, Canada to keep their belongings safe. To prevent the facility from closing when its funding ends this Fall, First United Church is spreading the word to vote online before Oct. 31 for new funding for the program through the Pepsi Refresh Project. [More]

Looking for a spooky family activity to attend this Halloween? You may have to look no further than your neighborhood self storage facility. Self storage facilities this year are hosting haunted houses and holding costume contests in several locations. [More]

The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs has begun cracking down on unlicensed movers -- hard. Earlier this month, the division sent investigators out to do a two-day sting operation in order to catch movers who were operating without a state license. While the initial sting uncovered 18 unlicensed vehicles, closer scrutiny showed that more than 30 moving companies were operating without licenses. [More]

It isn’t easy for a heavy metal band to find a place to rehearse that won’t involve getting complaints from the neighbors. Florida band Abdomen Canvas has discovered one of self storage’s best kept secrets -- that storage units can make great rehearsal studios, especially for metal bands.

Heavy metal band members, many of whom are college students, often find it challenging to find the time to practice regularly, much less scrape together the cash for a rehearsal space. [More]

Everyone knows Texas has a big heart. Now the Texas Self Storage Association is looking to highlight what a big heart self storage owners have when it comes to contributions to the community and working with the Shriners Children’s Hospital in Galveston. The local storage industry is being recognized for how they make a difference in a child’s life.

The Texas Self Storage Association (TSSA) has long worked with the Shriners Children’s Hospital, collecting $230,000 in 2009 and even more in 2010, although exact numbers are not yet in. Amazing Spaces Storage Centers has worked with TSSA to support the Shriners for the past seven years. This year, Amazing Spaces matched each dollar donated to double the amount raised. All that is raised goes to the Shriners Hospital. The group’s annual convention in Fort Worth from Oct. 17 – 20, 2010, marked the end of the Make a Difference Campaign. [More]

Businesses across the country are going “green,” building with sustainable materials and powering their facilities in ecofriendly ways. Arriving on the scene, is the storage facility industry and a new program that promotes and measures sustainable practices. [More]

SD Storage of San Diego announced today that it is joining a host of other California self storage companies in offering e-waste collection to its tenants. SD Storage will offer e-waste collection at six locations: Escondido, National City, North San Marcos, Pacific Beach, South San Marcos, and Vista. [More]

What’s behind door number one? How about door number two? These doors aren’t part of a game show, they belong to storage units. The auctioning off of stuff packed inside abandoned storage units is becoming an exciting trend. A purchaser could either have acquired a gold mine or a dud during an auction. [More]

The desire to donate to those less fortunate happens in different ways. Some people give to local food banks, others write checks to philanthropic organizations. But one woman in Merced, California, decided to use a storage facility to collect clothes and distribute them to the needy. [More]

An entrepreneur who decided to invest in self-storage found more than he bargained for when he inspected his new property. One of the storage units in his new business had been abandoned 15 years earlier. Inside was a treasure trove of Civil War medals, old uniforms and other historic artifacts. [More]