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Halloween is just around the corner! Candy corn, pumpkin spice, and talk of witches and black cats fill the air. Families are putting finishing touches of their Halloween decorations and children are hanging their costumes, ready for the fun-filled night coming this October 31. To add to the celebrations, here are 13 Wicked Halloween Fun Facts about the Holiday.

1.  The largest pumpkin ever recorded weighed at 836 pounds! It was grown by Norm Craven who broke the previously held world record in 1993.

2. The mask used by the character Michael Meyers in John Carpenter’s 1978 Halloween film is a Captain Kirk mask that was sold in the 70s. The film crew was on a strict budget and purchased the mask as it was the most economically feasible option for them at the time. They manipulated the mask to make it appear as spooky as possible and to separate its likeness from Kirk.

3. Halloween was also once known as All Hallows’ Eve, Samhain, Witches Night, Lamswool, and Summer’s End.

4. Trick-or-Treating is based on the Celtic holiday Samhain where food and sweets would be put outside to feed the spirits who came out on that night. This would be the last day of the Celtic calendar year.

5.  Harry Houdini, the world renowned magician, died on October 31, 1926.

6.  Salem, Massachusetts, is the Halloween capital of the world having history in the Salem Witch trials.

7.  The record for most Jack O’Lanterns lit at one moment (over 30,000!) is held by Boston, Massachusetts.

8. The Salem Witch Trials took place in colonial Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693 and more than 200 “witches” and “wizards” were accused of practicing magic.

9. The most well-known Halloween song is the “Monster Mash” which was sung by Bobby “Boris” Pickett and released in 1962, featuring lyrics on all the famous monsters like Frankenstein and Dracula.

10. Jack-O-Lanterns were originally created from turnips, beets, and potatoes years ago.

11. A survey revealed that 50% of kids prefer to receive chocolate candy when trick-or-treating during Halloween, 24% prefer non-chocolate candy, and 10% prefer gum.

12. In accordance with Scottish traditions, if someone wears their clothes inside and out and walks backwards on Halloween, they will see a witch at midnight! “

13. Americans will buy 600 million pounds of candy for Halloween.

For self storage in Ojai, CA,  Ojai Self Storage is the perfect location to store all your belongings in self storage. Staff is friendly and helpful, and they offer all important amenities needed for safe and secure storage. Call Ojai Self Storage today for more information at (805) 646-8742. Or visit the website at (https://ojaiselfstorage.com/).

October is the month to celebrate the spooky, mysterious, and frightfully fun elements of Halloween. This is the month to watch all your favorite horror films and indulge in candy corn, attend costume parties, or get lost in a corn maze at your local pumpkin patch. To celebrate this Halloween, here are five frightfully fun facts about self-storage.

1. Self Storage was first used in Ancient civilizations. In Ancient China and Ancient Egypt, clay pots were used to store items that needed preservation and protection, including salted meats and jewelry. Many of these clay pots were stored inside or in the ground.  There was even storage quarters or caves for the public to store their pots, with each family receiving a designated spot. Guards would stand in front protecting the stored items. This was a practice commonly used in Ancient China and Ancient Egypt.

2. The most famous private storage units, and also one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, are the Ancient Pyramids of Giza. Enclosed inside the pyramids are the coffins and remains of the Pharaohs and their heirlooms that they believed carried with them to the afterlife. The most famous discovery of a private Pharaoh’s treasure was done by Archaeologist Howard Carter when he discovered the treasures of King Tutankhamen. It is said Howard Carter suffered from the curse of the Pharaohs when he entered King Tut’s tomb and moved the mummy from its resting place.

3. Pirates Booty was found in a self storage unit! A foreclosed locker was auctioned off and inside was a treasure chest of gold and silver coins. The entire value of the chest and its contents was half a million dollars! The mystery remains of where the booty came from.

4. Rare Amelia Earhart Photographs taken right before her doomed flight were found in a self storage unit in California. The images were gifts given by Amelia Earhart herself and stored away in self storage, passed on from generation to generation, until they were found recently. The photos appraise for about $1,000 each!

5. A storage unit was filled with brains! A former medical examiner had used a self storage unit to fill up his work, including housing human tissue and organs in containers filled with formaldehyde. When his unit was opened up because of the strong odor, the containers of brains and other body parts were discovered.

DISCLAIMER: It is illegal to house human remains in self storage.

Do you need help choosing a storage unit that fits your needs? If you are thinking about renting a storage unit, you are probably asking yourself a lot of questions: how much stuff will I be putting into storage? What size of storage unit do I need to store the stuff I have? Will I be putting more stuff into storage in the future? These are all legitimate questions and all of us here at Ojai Self Storage are here to help answer all questions.

First thing is first, have you put your items in boxes or containers yet? When you pack away your belongings in containers and physically see them before you, you can have a better understanding of what size of storage unit you need. If you find that you have only a handful of containers and aren’t planning on putting more items into storage in the future then you may want to rent the smaller sized units, such as a 5×5 unit.

If you are clearing out your garage or attic and have many boxes and items that you are placing into storage, then you will likely need a larger unit, such as 5×10 units can house many boxes, furniture, drawers, lamps, grandfather clocks, and wardrobes, just to name a few. This is perfect for heirlooms and other items sentimental to your family that you need preserved but have no room for. If you only need to have a few items in storage for the time being but are going to need to put more items in the near future, you may want to reserve a larger unit now to save you the hassle of moving from a smaller unit to a larger one in the future. Also packing the larger unit now can help you conceptualize where you want to place things so they are easily accessible to you when you visit your storage unit in the future to grab the items you need.

Do you have a car that you need in storage, too? Not a problem! The 10×22 and 10×30 units can house a car and many boxes and household items. This is the prime unit to fit everything that you need in storage, including space for a car, which is handy if you need your vehicle held in storage.

If you need advice or suggestions on what unit size to get for your belongings, you may speak to the manager on site here at Ojai Self Storage, who would be more than happy to help. For the best self storage in Ojai, CA, contact Ojai Self Storage at 805-646-8742. Or visit the website at (https://ojaiselfstorage.com/).

On July 4, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress, declaring the United States as an independent nation, free from British Rule. Every year since, Americans have celebrated our independence with festivities, parades, and patriotic camaraderie. Recent traditions on this day include picnic BBQs with hotdogs and hamburgers in the daytime and fireworks in the evenings. Here are 10 unique facts about Independence Day that you may not have known!

1.  The United States is turning 240 years old this July 4, 2016.

2.  John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, two original signers of the Declaration of Independence who also later served as President of the United States, both died on July 4, 1826, which was the 50^th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

3. In 1870, Congress declared Independence Day as an official holiday and later in 1938, Congress declared the day as a paid federal holiday. Before 1938, it was an unpaid holiday for federal employees.

4. The tune “Yankee Doodle” is now known as an American patriotic song but the tune’s origins prior to the Revolution and was sung by British military officers who were mocking the colonist “Yankees” who they believed were unorganized and unsophisticated.

5. President Calvin Coolidge is the only American president to have been born on Independence Day, having been born July 4, 1872, and would become the 30^th president of the United States.

6. The White House had its first Independence Day celebration party on July 4, 1801, when Thomas Jefferson was President and Aaron Burr was vice president.

7. The famous Macy’s fireworks display is held in New York City and has been televised on NBC since 1976, making its 40 year anniversary this year.

8. There will be an estimated 150 million hot dogs consumed this 4^th of July across America.

9. The fourth of July parade in Bristol, Rhode Island, is the oldest continuous Independence Day Parade that continues on through today, originating all the way back to 1785.

10. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence on a writing desk that is placed on a person’s lap, known back then as a “laptop.”

For self storage in 93023 zip code, Ojai Self Storage is the perfect location to store all your belongings in self storage. Staff is friendly and helpful, and they offer all important amenities needed for safe and secure storage. Call Ojai Self Storage today for more information at (805) 646-8742. Or visit the website at (https://ojaiselfstorage.com/).

Summer has arrived and with it comes the heat! Temperatures can spike, especially in the afternoons when the sun is straight overhead. Staying Cool is one of the most important things in the summertime for your health. Here are 10 Cool Ideas to beat the heat this summer.

1. Community Pool or Personal Pool – Pools are one of the best ways to beat the heat and get exercise! Swimming is one of the best forms of exercise and in the summer days, you can keep cool in the body of water as you wade of swim. If you don’t have the personal pool, there are community pools open to the public in the summer. Contact your local city council for more information on where your community’s pool is.

2. Ocean, River, and Lakes— Any major body of water supplied by nature will definitely help you stay cool and the greatest part is that access to them are free! Certain access points may require payment for parking by the local Parks and Rec services but otherwise, this is a low-cost venture. For the ocean you can boogie board or swim near the shore. For River and Lakes, you can swim but also take a raft and wade in the cool water.

3. Go to the Mall or Catch a Flick—The mall is free to attend and it blasts its air conditioning to keep its patrons cool. Or you can go to the cinemas to watch a film in the A/C and just escape for a few hours. A lot of great films are being released in the summertime to keep audiences entertained, including Finding Dory and Independence Day 2.

4. Make your Own Waterslide— You can make your very own waterslide with household products at home! If you have a tarp, you can lay it on soft grass and use your garden’s hose to cover it with water. The most important step is to add either shampoo or dish detergent because you need it to make it slippery to slide along easily, which you can easily buy at the local dollar store.

5. Run through Sprinklers— If you are watering your lawn, you can run through your sprinklers with your bathing suit and keep cool that way. Kids particularly love this activity and whatever water isn’t picked up by moving bodies can be absorbed by the grass.

6. Take a cold shower or a cold bath – This is my favorite way to cool down. I like to fill my bathtub with cool water, grab my rubber duckie and a magazine to read and lay there for an hour relaxing on a hot summer’s day. Also, taking a five minute cool-water shower helps too.

7. Slurpee, Ice Cream or Frozen Yogurt – Eating chilly snacks like a Slurpee, Ice Cream, or Frozen Yogurt helps to cool you from the inside. Plus these snacks are delicious!

8. Water Park – If you live near a water park, try visiting it during the summer! Not only are they fun but they will keep you cool as you fly through water slides. Many water parks have special discount days throughout the summer so if you contact your local water park, you can discover which days are cost-efficient.

9. Water Balloons – Water balloons and water guns are some of the best ways to getting wet while having fun! Kids love to have water fights and chasing one another while spraying water. Water guns and water balloons can be found for cheap, even in local dollar stores.

10. Ice Skating – Summer is the best time to visit the ice skating rink because of how cool it is in the inside of the building and also for how much fun it is to ice skate. A lot of times the rink will have discount days so call your local ice skating rink and find out when the family days are or when the discount events are.

For self storage in 93023 zip code, Ojai Self Storage is the perfect location to store all your belongings in self storage. Staff is friendly and helpful, and they offer all important amenities needed for safe and secure storage. Call Ojai Self Storage today for more information at (805) 646-8742. Or visit the website at (https://ojaiselfstorage.com/).

                Due to California’s Drought, Ojai Self Storage has stepped up to do its part by removing our front lawn and putting wood chips and mulch in its place. Ever since the State Water Board has stressed the need for California citizens to limit water consumption, we here at Ojai Self Storage realized that we need to step up and do our part.

Lawn sprinklers use between 5-10 gallons of water per minute so if you’re watering your lawn for 10 minutes, that is between 50 and 100 gallons of water! Here at Ojai we knew that was much too much water to waste in the wake of this drought so we decided to convert it to wood chips. We are proud to help be environmentally conscious in any and all ways that we can and this is something we are proud to display for the community.

For self storage in 93023 zip code, stop by Ojai Self Storage! Call us today at (805) 646-8742! Or visit the website at (https://ojaiselfstorage.com/).

Flag Day is celebrated annually every June 14 and it is the date to celebrate the official adoption of the American Flag. The way to celebrate is to display the American flag at homes and businesses on June 14, as well as celebrate at any local parades and festivals in commemoration. Here are five facts about Flag Day:

1. President Woodrow Wilson declared June 14 as Flag Day in 1916 but it is not an official federal holiday because the holiday was never passed through congress.

2. There are countless festivals and parades throughout the United States commemorating Flag Day across the United States annually on June 14.

3. Nicknames for the American Flag include “Stars and Stripes.”

4. Since its creation, the flag has been changed 27 times. The latest change was on July 4, 1960 to include the 50^th state, Hawaii.

5. Flag Day has its origins in 1885 when an elementary school teacher in Wisconsin honored “the Flag’s Birthday” on June 14, taken from the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777, which defined the parameters of the flag to represent the new independent nation of America.

For the best storage in Ojai, CA, Ojai Self Storage is the perfect location to store all your belongings in self storage. Staff is friendly and helpful, and they offer all important amenities needed for safe and secure storage. Call Ojai Self Storage today for more information at (805) 646-8742. Or visit the website at (https://ojaiselfstorage.com/).

Memorial day is the day we honor the soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice—their lives—protecting the Freedom and liberty of this great nation. There have been many wars over the years, including the great World Wars I and II, and the soldiers who lost their lives from each war is commemorated on this day every passing year. One unique fact about Memorial Day include that it was once called “Decoration Day” because on this day they would honor deceased soldiers by decorating their graves with flowers and American flags. Another unique fact is that Red Poppies are the symbol of remembrance on this day and it is a tradition to wear them.

Enjoying the freedoms of this great nation while remembering the sacrifices of the fallen soldiers on this day can be low-cost! Here are five low-cost ideas to celebrate Memorial Day:

1. Picnic at the local park— The parks will be filled with families enjoying the day outdoors. Some local parks will have activities lined up such as parades and carnival-type of games so check your local city’s plans for the day in the parks and take your family and friends out for the day.

2. BBQ at home— This is the go-to on Memorial Day, BBQ some hotdogs and hamburgers at home and you can put the varying news channels on in the background as you BBQ so you can watch the varying Memorial Day special programs that they air. Usually the President will commemorate Memorial Day and the news channels will cover the ceremony.

3. Celebrate at the Local beach, lake, or River—If you are near any bodies of water, you can stay cool in the heat by celebrating in the local body of water while celebrating aside others who are thinking the same and staying cool in the heat. Going to a beach, lake or river is generally free and if not, cities generally have Memorial Day discounts for entrance. Contact your local parks and recreation department to find out the specials for the day!

4.  Celebrate at the Mall— A lot of malls will have special memorial day celebrations and concert performances from local performers. Checking out what the local malls have planned is low-cost as many of the public performances are free or donations-based.

5. Find a Parade—Many cities and towns host a memorial day parade to honor the fallen soldiers. They are typically free to attend and it is great to support the locals marching in the parade, as well as see the marching bands play live music.

For the best storage in Ojai, CA, Ojai Self Storage is the perfect location to store all your belongings in self storage. Staff is friendly and helpful, and they offer all important amenities needed for safe and secure storage. Call Ojai Self Storage today for more information at (805) 646-8742. Or visit the website at (https://ojaiselfstorage.com/).

Earth Day is Friday April 22, 2016, and in lieu of this green day here are 10 easy ways to reduce, recycle, and reuse:

1. Reusable bags and containers – Use these every chance you can! Shopping, traveling, lunches, picnics, even around the house! The less you use plastic bags, the better it is for the environment.

2. Avoid Single-Serve Items – Many items in the grocery stores are packaged with snack packs or single serve items which leads to excess garbage. Try buying these items in bulk and packaging them in recyclable containers to alleviate excess and unnecessary garbage.

3. Compost Food & Yard Waste— If you don’t have a compost bin, we highly recommend you get one! Many food scraps and yard waste can be tossed into a compost bin in the backyard. This reduces waste in the landfill and yields free, nutrient-rich fertilizer for your garden.

4. Go Paperless – There are a lot of options nowadays to go paperless, such as bank statements and other bills. This helps reduce the amount of paper used and ultimately saves our trees.

5. Buy Rechargeable Batteries – The lifespan of one rechargeable battery can equal that of countless regular batteries, and it is better for the environment. When you can, be sure to use rechargeable batteries. Don’t forget, once a battery is no longer working, you can recycle them!

6. Place Recycle Bins Everywhere!— When recycle bins aren’t accessible, people will often toss recyclable items in the trash. Take a few minutes to add a recycling bin where they are most likely to be used. A paper bin in the office, for example, will help recycling efforts tremendously.

7.  Buy Recycled-Content Items— Many food items are packaged with recycled content so that you can use and re-use them. Similar, many consumer items are made of recycled content such as green toys products and moving comfort active wear. Wherever you can, buy items that incorporate recycled materials into their packaging.

8.  Re-use the used—Used items can be re-used or donated. You can re-use empty boxes and containers for storage and unwanted items such as books, clothing, accessories, technology, can be donated to charity or local library.

9. Borrow and Share from Family and Friends— Sometimes if we just reach out to others, we can collectively share items such as tools, sports equipment, tables and chairs, or other items that would need to be rented. Communal sharing helps the environment in the long run.

10. Avoid using Disposable Items—Avoid using disposable items such as plastic and paper plates and instead use regular plates and utensils. The disposable items are manufactured in ways that increase unneeded trash!

For the best storage in Ojai, CA, Ojai Self Storage is the perfect location to store all your belongings in self storage. Staff is friendly and helpful, and they offer all important amenities needed for safe and secure storage. Call Ojai Self Storage today for more information at (805) 646-8742. Or visit the website at (https://ojaiselfstorage.com/).

Spring is at our doorstep and that means the time has come for Spring Cleaning! Spring Cleaning is that tradition we’ve all grown up with where we spend a week or two extensively cleaning out our homes: pulling everything out of our drawers and tossing what we don’t need, dusting every nook and cranny, shampooing our furniture and carpets, extensively organizing our closets, we’ve all been there! It can be daunting before beginning, but once we all go underway in our Spring Cleaning, we find that we feel reenergized and refreshed!

Here are some great tips that will help you in Spring Cleaning:

1. Clean your Garbage Disposal—This is the one thing people tend to forget in their annual cleanings! You can drop in some household cleaners and run the water and disposal to let it circulate, or for a more natural remedy, put in the lemon squeeze with salt and run the garbage disposal with cold water so that it can work to clear away the residue and eliminate odor.

2.  Degrease the Microwave – Microwave stains that build up are sometimes difficult to get rid of. It’s also hard to let things soak in there so one method outside of regular cleaning agents is to use lemon juice mixed with water and a bit of salt to clean the residue. The acid of the lemon helps to break it down and makes it easier to scrub.

3. Wax On Wax Off –  I heard this from a mechanic  who uses the same method as his house: after you clean your stovetop, put a little bit of car wax and buff it in as it helps with the aesthetic, the coat, and makes future spills easier to clean off.

4.  Lemon & Salt Clears Rust – Lemons and other citruses are natural cleaning agents one effective way to clear rust. Just sprinkle salt and put lemon juice on the rust stain, let it sit and scrub every ten minutes and the acid will tear through the rust. After an hour, rinse and the rust stain should be gone!

5.  Clean the Fridge’s Coils – You know the condenser coils, it’s in the back of the fridge and we all wish we can ignore it but without cleaning it annually, we risk the fridge overheating. Pull out your fridge and use a vacuum or a long dust brush to get all the lint, dust, and muck from behind there in order to preserve the lifespan of your refrigerator!

6.  Bathe your Walls – When periodically cleaning our homes, we tend not to clean our walls. We focus on the floors and surface tops but the walls need a bath at least once a year. There is enough dirt and soot that clings to the walls and a simple sponge with dishwasher detergent can do the trick. Using a sponge mop can make the process go faster while getting at hard-to-reach places.

7. Light Cleaning, pun intended – Even the lights need their spring cleaning! If you use a sponge and all-purpose cleaner agent, or a polish cloth, you can clean the lights and dust off the soot which will help in preserving the integrity of the light in form and luminosity.

8. Microwave your sponge – Every time you need to disinfect your sponge, squeeze out all of the water and place it in the microwave for 1 minute to kill all the germs. This little trick will save you on having to constantly replace your sponge! For the rest of the year, it’s recommended to replace your sponge every month!

9. Clean Out the Coat Closet – One sweater and one light jacket is all you really need in most climates so go ahead and clean out your coat closet and donate whatever you don’t wear to your local Goodwill or homeless shelter!

10. Clean those Ceiling Fan Blades – The ceiling fan blades collect dust very quickly and if they’re not cleaned often, the fan could help spread the dust when on, which can aid in allergies and sinus infections. There are specially designed long-handle dust sweepers and brooms that help with cleaning the fan blades. You could also climb up a step-ladder to hand wash them but make sure to be careful when you and follow all safety precautions!

For the best storage in Ojai, CA, Ojai Self Storage is the perfect location to store all your belongings in self storage. Staff is friendly and helpful, and they offer all important amenities needed for safe and secure storage. Call Ojai Self Storage today for more information at (805) 646-8742. Or visit the website at (https://ojaiselfstorage.com/).