Have you ever looked around your house and felt you just don’t have enough space? Have you gone in the garage and rolled your eyes at the mountain of clutter? Do you have a small business that needs more than just your home as an operating base?

If you’ve answered yes to any of those questions, it may be time to invest in a storage unit. While you research for a self-storage facility near you, you will also have to figure out just how large enough of a unit you are going to need to make sure that you are taking full advantage of that extra space.

What’s going inside this storage unit?

While you look into storage facilities near you, it is important to consider your storage needs to get a better sense of an estimate on price. If you are putting priceless valuables in that self-storage unit, you’ll want to make sure that you have a climate control unit in a facility that has round-the-clock surveillance to give you some peace of mind.

Consider box size, and the variable of containers when determining your unit size. If you intend to use a self-storage unit to store holiday decor, season clothing, or seasonal equipment, you’ll want something that is just enough to hold those boxes. That’s the best way to assure they are kept safe without having to purchase a unit with too much space that just becomes wasted money on your end.

Is this for business or personal use?

Some storage units are purchased by college students who are clearing out their dorms at the end of the semester. This is where easy access to your storage unit comes in handy, allowing you to easily load and unload when it comes time to pack the car back up and get resettled in. A storage space with drive-up access is in your best interest, as this driveway will save you repeated trips up and downstairs with heavier boxes or larger furniture.

This also comes in handy for people who find that their job keeps them constantly on the go, forced to relocate every so often. It is best to get a reservation put in place, and an understanding that this is either a seasonal stay or will be used for long-term purposes. If there’s a specific item you will find that you need immediately, be sure to have that near the front of your storage unit so are not sent scrambling and searching every time.

How frequently will you need access?

While a trip to a storage unit may be a once in a while trek to grab a box or two, for some people it’s part of a small business operation. Storage unit renters may find themselves spending a good chunk of their day inside assessing inventory levels and filling orders. If this is you, it is important to make sure you are keeping your lungs clean by maintaining a clean unit, sanitized with disinfectant.

It’s recommended in environments like this with limited filtration to wear a mask to encourage healthy breathing. A half mask respirator provides maximum protection and a comfortable fit for someone who may have to wear the mask for an extended period of time. The T-60 half-face respirator comes with a silicone seal that keeps a half-mask stabilized, protecting the wearer from dangerous particles like mold. This is recommended especially in outdoor units where moisture may build up over time. This extra level of protection also comes in handy for use during the current COVID-19 crisis where mask mandates remain in place in some parts of the United States.

Is downsizing in your future?

If you notice a massive amount of clutter taking up your garage, or your business having stacks of boxes blocking the water cooler, it’s time to scale back. A storage unit can come in handy to clear out some space in your household. This especially comes in handy if you are getting ready to move into a new place. Moving is a great time to assess your personal inventory levels, and determine what should make the trek to your new home. A self-storage unit can hold any appliances or furniture that you plan on selling, or even keep what belongs to you safe before you can place it in your new house.

In due time, you’ll see your use of this site start to wane. Small businesses may find a low-cost unit to hold important documents that they have no room for on-site. This is a common procedure for some medical and law offices because of the security features of these self-storage facilities. With round-the-clock surveillance, both video and in-person, those documents are safe under lock and key. This self-storage solution is also easily accessible in the event that it needs to be entered.

For animal lovers looking to own a pet store in their neighborhood, there are quite a few things that need to be considered. Whether you’re planning to carry only exotic pets or pets more on the lines of dogs, cats, and reptiles, it’s going to cause stress, not only to get the business side of the pet shop set up but also to set up the shop itself.

You also need quite a bit of experience with everything from the substrate to feeders and egg crates to water crystals. You need to know what the best carrots, oranges, crickets, and dubia roaches you need to feed your reptiles, as well as knowing how to take care of them and any other animals you choose to have for sale in your pet shop. In this article, you’ll find a few tips to help you open your own pet shop, both legal tips, and set up tips.

1. Get the proper licenses.

The first thing you want to do before you put even one single reptile in your shop is to get the proper license so that it’s legal for you to open your doors. This will entail inspecting the space for proper ventilation, mold, or any other problems that need addressing. Does your shop have a concrete floor that needs epoxy paint? Take care of that and any other potentially allergy-inducing issues before day one.

Not only will you need the licenses to open a business, but many states also require pet shop owners to have special licenses as well. You want to do your research and talk to the proper authorities to see if your state requires that extra license. The application for that license may ask you to list each type of animal you’re going to be selling, and ask you to provide a detailed floorplan for the shop you’ll be opening.

2. Find space and stock supplies.

Once you know that your pet shop is a go, you need to find space and then start stocking your supplies. For example, if you’re going to be carrying reptiles, you need feeders, roaches, and crickets for food, aquariums, plastic tubs, beds, and many other items that will help you keep them healthy until they are sold to good homes. You’ll also need to know about dubia roaches care so that you can take care of the food source for your reptiles. in addition, you’ll need water dishes and a good water source to keep all of your animals healthy, watered, and fed.

Speaking of water sources, you’re also going to need water for yourself and water for your employees. That’s where water from
canadiansprings.com comes in. This bottled water is a great choice for your employees to drink, and you might be able to give some of it to the pets as well. You only want the best water for your pet shop and this company has it in spades.

3. Get your shop set up.

When it comes to opening a pet shop, you want the shop to be in tip-top shape before you bring the animals in. This means that you should have aquariums, enclosures, buckets, and tubs all ready and waiting for your precious cargo to arrive. You should also look into commercial floors and commercial floor coating, since it’s durable, impact-resistant, and won’t stain if things are dropped onto it. From a new floor to a floor that has the right amount of coating on it, you want to get all of this done before the animals arrive. Especially since the reptiles don’t need too much handling, so you don’t want to be taking them out of their enclosures for long periods of time.

4. Take care of the animals and yourself.

Another legal tip for pet shop owners is to pay attention to the anticruelty laws concerning animals of any kind. You need to abide strictly by your state’s health and animal cruelty codes. Different states have different rules for this but all of them involve bathing, feeding, and taking care of the animals the way that you should. In some states, it’s mandatory that at least one person is in the pet store for a specific amount of time every day, even if that’s on a day when the pet store is closed. This way, you will always know if the animals need something or if there’s an emergency. These laws and codes are in place for a reason, so make sure that you follow them to the letter.

It’s also important that in the midst of all of the running around, finding a space, inspecting concrete floors, stocking supplies, and taking care of the animals, that you take the time to purchase the proper insurance. You need the proper insurance because no matter how experienced you think your employees are or how gentle your customers are with the animals, accidents have been known to happen, so it’s a good idea to check into the best commercial or pet store insurance so that you and the animals are covered.

5. Make sure your animals are legal.

When you’re thinking about which animals to sell at your pet store, you need to be careful that they are legal to keep and sell where you live. There are some animals, such as groundhogs, that are illegal to keep as pets. Reptiles, amphibians, dogs, and cats are obviously fine, but if you’re thinking about exotic animals make sure to do your due diligence. Check the laws in the state or country where you live to see what animals or okay to keep as pets and which ones aren’t. If you’re considering housing and selling exotic pets, then you’re probably going to have to have a special permit and you might need to get a special license as well.

Bonus Tips

Learn the business.

If you want to learn what you can about pet stores and how to run the business before you decide to open your own, you can work or volunteer at your local pet store to try to get experience. It’s also a no-risk way to determine if you’re indeed cut out to be a pet store owner before you put all the money and time into the venture and then find out it’s not for you.

Remember, in order to be successful at a business you need to be passionate about it. So, if you don’t have a great love for animals and taking care of them, you might want to find another business. If you do love animals, however, then working at a pet store before opening one will help you with the know-how and things you need to make your own a success when the time comes.

Marketing is key.

One key part of running a successful pet store is making sure that you market the best way possible. You need to be active on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest so that people know who you are and where to find you to buy their pets. Whether you sell exotic animals or domestic animals as pets, you’re not going to get anywhere with making your business a success if you don’t market the way that you should, so get the word out there and then your pet store will soar.

These are just a few tips for getting your pet shop going and making it the success you always wanted it to be. Remember, if you love animals and selling, then this is a great choice for you and you will succeed with patience and hard work.

As pet owners, you know how important your furry friends are to you. When they are sick, you are sick. When they nap, you want to nap, too. Your pet is such an important part of your life, that many of your life decisions involve your pet’s safety and comfort, including your decision to become a plant parent. There are plenty of houseplants that are pet-safe, but there are also houseplants that can really hurt your pet and can even be harmful to small children. It’s really important to be aware of these types of things as both current and future pet owners. You certainly want to provide the safest, most comfortable environment for your pet.

If you don’t intend on owning any pets for one reason or another, then this isn’t a concern to you. After all, while living room foliage like pothos plants have high toxicity to cats and dogs, they are safe for humans because vines aren’t generally considered to be a tasty snack.

For Pet Parents

Of course, this is not a list of every single indoor plant which is pet safe, just a few trendy plants that will look good in your home without harming your pet. A money plant is a popular choice of the indoor plant which requires medium to bright indirect light and does not need to be watered often. Christmas cactuses are another type of houseplant which is pet safe and requires little work. This plant is low maintenance, likes medium light, and does not need to be watered often. As a bonus, this plant flowers during the holiday season! One more option which is both a popular houseplant and perfect for indoors is a Parlour Palm, which prefers humidity and bright indirect light but can also tolerate drier, low light conditions, making it another low-maintenance plant.

For Pet-Free Households

Having a pet does set some limits on the types of trendy plants you can have in your home. Varieties of the pothos plant, (or to use its common name: devil’s ivy,) are extremely harmful to cats and dogs, but for a pet-free home so you can take your pick or have them all. The joy of having pothos in your home is that they can survive without much light and don’t need to be watered often; about once a week. While all pothos has green leaves, there’s a variety of looks produced by the different types. The most commonly seen and most popular pothos is the golden pothos, which is a beautiful tropical vine whose leaves are a lovely blend of green and gold marble. Another pothos with a similar look to the golden pothos but a different variety is the marble queen pothos. The marble queen pothos is a hardy vine whose waxy leaves are a gorgeous variation of dark green and silvery-white as opposed to gold. The jade pothos is a variety of the marble queen. But instead of the marbled colors, the jade pothos has dark green leaves with cream, white, and gray streaks. This is not to be confused with the heartleaf philodendron, which is of a different variety altogether. The golden pothos, as well as the other varieties, look beautiful hanging in baskets and growing as long vines on a trellis. Some pests that might infect your pothos include mealybugs and scale, but these can be taken care of by wiping the leaves down with a cotton swab dipped in 70% alcohol, or by applying insecticidal soap.

Please note: this article lists a few of the most common house plants that are safe and unsafe for your furry friend. For a comprehensive list of safe and harmful plants and studies on house plant safety, please refer to the ASPCA site. This is ideal for passionate plant owners with a larger variety of unusual plants in their home.

Natural And Pet-Safe

If your pet suffers from joint pain, epileptic seizures, and other forms of chronic pain, then CBD oil and other CBD products might be a viable option for your pet. Derived from a hemp plant, this medicine is quickly becoming the gold standard for veterinary medicine. ABSC Organics has released its ABSC Pure Organic CBD Oil, the only product for pets to undergo multiple clinical trials at the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, a veterinary institution at the forefront of veterinary research in the US, as well as other veterinary research institutions. This CBD oil is derived from a specific strain of hemp plant with a distinct set of active ingredients. ABSC Pure Organic CBD Oil was developed alongside some leading experts on the medical use of hemp-hybrid oil extract in veterinarian science in the US. Clinical trials showed that CBD delivered orally is considered safe and highly tolerated by pets, with a significant reduction of pain levels in arthritic dogs, and an 89% reduction in seizure frequency.

If your pet is suffering from epilepsy, arthritis, inflammation, then ABSC CBD Oil and other ABSC organics products might be a viable natural option to treat illness in your pet.