Fruix Storage

Ukraine collection point at Fruix Storage

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Help for Ukraine

Last week Andrew and his Dad, his two sisters and our daughter, his brother in law and niece attended a talk in Cleish Village Hall. The speaker was David Fox-Pitt MBE, who spoke passionately about his work in the Ukraine providing support to those affected by the war. David pointed out that the war doesn’t feature on the front pages of the newspapers as much here in the UK, but it’s so important that people don’t forget about this cause and the people who are in desperate need of help.

His efforts to bring some much needed food plus support means he continues to work very hard with the charitable organisation, Siobhans Trust, on the border to Ukraine, helping to feed refugees as they come through in their thousands.

https://siobhanstrust.uk/

It was an inspiring talk and our family group chat was very active in the days after with Gillian, Andrews sister reminding us that Tayside and Strathearn Help for Ukraine continue to collect and transport vital supplies to the country. ‘TASH for Ukraine’ is how the organisation is known and they have sent 74 trucks loads of essentials to the area since the conflict began.

Collection Point at Fruix Farm is OPEN now

We wanted to help so have become a collection point. We have set aside a container at the entrance to Fruix Storage, (Fruix Farm, Near Kinross, KY13 0PW) and it will be open for drop offs, 7 days per week from today until the 28th March 2024. It has a flag on it so it very easy to find.

TASH for Ukraine has a specific list of items that are required, it is looking for good quality, clean essentials and food. Please bag or box items for ease of transportation.

TASH for Ukraine

Here is the list.

Sleeping bags, blankets, duvets
Hot water bottles, thermos flasks
Medical and first aid supplies
Torches and Batteries
Crutches, Wheelchairs and Zimmers
Tea light candles
Water purification tablets
Fuel canisters/Jerry cans
Spades/forks/trowels
Jump leads/mobile power packs

Food

Tins of meat, soup, veg
Pasta, rice, preserves
Flour, Porridge
Sweets, biscuits
Tea & Coffee
Pet food

Also required

Outdoor clothes and footwear
Baby boxes
Baby essentials
Incontinence and sanitary pads

If you have any questions about drop off please drop us an email to

andrew@fruixstorage.co.uk

If Storage units were Chocolate Bars what would you choose?

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If Storage units were Chocolate Bars what would you choose?

The Mini

Do you love a mini version of your favourite sweet treat? Just a tiny taste of your much loved melt in the mouth chocolate without all the calories. A no guilt treat just to keep you going?

Our mini versions of storage are exactly this. Small and perfectly formed versions of the bigger units. A 25 sq ft or 35 sq ft room is just big enough to free up much desired space in your home for a fairly modest monthly fee. Pack your boxes carefully and stack them high to make the most of this mini space.

Snack Size

If you are hungrier, looking for something to keep you going in-between meals then a snack size is perfect. No sugar overload but all of the same great taste of the full size version.

Snack size storage would be the 50, 60 and 75 sq ft units. Spacious enough to store garden furniture, bulky items or lots of boxes. Still affordable and like all our storage available on flexible terms.

Regular

This is consistently the most popular and affordable size of chocolate bar, deliciously tasty and the most satisfying.

Funnily enough this applies to storage too with units between 80 and 100 sq ft proving consistently appealing to our customers. Located inside and fitted with double doors this area can fit the contents of a small house comfortably.

GO LARGE

It’s the killer question when faced with the mouth-watering options on the confectionery shelf. But in some circumstances the maxi option is necessary, an essential energy requirement.

So for storing the contents of a three bedroomed home we recommend a standard 160 sq ft storage container.

Pick n’ Mix

This is the ultimate way to have your cake and eat it and the only solution when you aren’t sure what to pick. Who doesn’t love an assortment of favourites to share?

Many of our customers select storage of different sizes and types and rent for varying amounts of time to suit their individual needs.

Get in touch

We are happy to help with all requests please get in touch through our website or Facebook or pick up the phone anytime. If you know what you require feel free to Book Now.

What may the future hold for the housing market?

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With lockdown putting a hold on all house sales, many families have been in limbo waiting for news as to when they can take a step forward with their plans for moving house.

As the restrictions are eased, it looks like the housing market may be able to open up a little during Phase 2. So the Scottish Government is currently working with the property industry to prepare for a relaxation of restrictions on house moves ahead of this phase, which will be on or after 18^thJune.

As with everything else it looks like a new normal will be established and there will be an increased use of technology to showcase homes, enable virtual viewings and even conveyancing carried out by video calls. Any return to face to face viewings will likely take longer and of course be subject to social distancing regulations. It will be difficult also for removal firms to return to business whilst practicing social distancing so this may have an impact on decisions and the volume of transactions.

Here at Fruix Storage we help a lot of people who are moving house each year. Many of our customers choose to declutter before their home is even listed. Photographs and videos of a neat and tidy home are an excellent way to make sure it is looking it’s best and as appealing as possible to potential buyers. The smaller stores are ideal for furniture and furnishings, excess toys or the contents of the under the stair cupboard.

We can also solve the problems that crop up when a sale is delayed due to legal hiccups or when moving dates don’t match. We actually notice that more and more people use storage to avoid the stresses of the moving date and the legal transaction taking place on the same day. A standard container can hold the contents of a 2-3 bedroomed house so taking short term storage can be a good solution to provide a bit of flexibility and reduce the strain associated with your house move.

If you are thinking about buying or selling in the near future take a look at the article published by ESPC on how the Scottish Property might look and if you require storage be sure to get in touch.

Andrew@fruixstorage.co.uk

07787180399

What may the future hold for the housing market?

Posted by Andrew In Storage blog 0 comment

With lockdown putting a hold on all house sales, many families have been in limbo waiting for news as to when they can take a step forward with their plans for moving house.

Here at Fruix Storage we help a lot of people who are moving house each year. Many of our customers choose to declutter before their home is even listed. Photographs and videos of a neat and tidy home are an excellent way to make sure it islooking it’s best and as appealing as possible to potential buyers. The smaller stores are ideal for furniture and furnishings, excess toys or the contents of the under the stair cupboard.

If you are thinking about buying or selling in the near future take a look at the article published by ESPC on how the Scottish Property might look and if you require storage be sure to get in touch.

Andrew@fruixstorage.co.uk

07787180399

Top 10 uses for storage containers at Fruix Storage.

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Shipping containers serve a pretty useful function, helping to transport goods safely across the world. However, when they come to the end of their time at sea, there are numerous ways a shipping container can be given a brand new lease of life and continue being useful for years to come.

Here at Fruix Storage all of the containers are new on arrival. Our customers have all sorts of reasons to use them and as we have over 90 here on site we thought it was time to highlight just how versatile this type of storage is.

Take a look at these 10 amazing uses for shipping containers – some may surprise you.

# 1 – Pack away the entire contents of your house.

This is the most popular use of our containers. It’s possible to store the contents of a 3 bed-house in a container so they make the perfect store if you are moving and have sold your home before you buy a new one. Take a look at the storage options available here.

# 2 – Reduce business rates.

If you trade on the High Street the costs of rent and business rates can be expensive. Trading from a smaller shop and storing stock and equipment in a storage container is a cost effective and flexible solution for your business.

# 3 – Re-energise yourself and your home by decluttering.

Clutter can create family stress and personal anxiety. Having a clear out is much easier if you don’t have to part with everything you don’t have space for. Containers are available in two sizes and make excellent quality stores for personal items.

# 4 – Get access to a sturdy shed.

Quite a few customers use the containers as an alternative to a garden shed. Choosing to store garden tools and equipment here rather than at home. A selection of padlocks are available for sale to secure the contents.

# 5 – Care for your classic/vintage or sports car.

A number of smaller cars fit perfectly within an 8ft x 20ft container. It’s a very cost effective way to protect a special vehicle from the harsh weather. Seasonal and long terms lets are available.

# 6 – Store campaign or marketing materials safely.

For local reps or businesses that have printed brochures, catalogues, billboards or display materials a container is an ideal storage space. With tightly sealed doors the containers are dry and secure. They can also be shelved to improve organisation and make everything easy to find.

# 7 – Store stock safely for your online trading.

If you run an online shop from home the chances are that you have stock stacked high in your spare room and possibly all over your home. Shipping from a container gives you back your personal space on flexible terms.

# 8 – Living abroad but returning home one day.

A storage container is probably the best solution for long-term storage. With 160 square feet of space our customers box up personal items, wrap up furniture and protect soft furnishings with blankets safe in the knowledge that everything will be ready for their return home.

# 9 – Start a new enterprise or grow your business

If you rent a container at Fruix Storage it’s on flexible terms, we only ask for 2 weeks notice if you no longer require the unit. So a container makes a perfect base for a new business needing extra space but not ready for a long term commitment to an industrial unit.

# 10 – Keep your VW camper cosy and safe.

If you are lucky enough to own an iconic Volkswagen Camper then it’s likely you will want to keep it in pristine condition and safe from the Scottish winters. With a bit of careful driving the camper will fit in a container and be ready for it’s next adventure once the sun comes out in the spring.

When plans and lists aren’t everything or are they?

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It’s Fiona here, just taking a moment to reflect on 2019. To put this blog in context, it may help to know, I’m a huge planner, I make a list for each day, sometimes it’s on a scrap of paper stuck to the Landover steering wheel, maybe a text to myself or if it’s a quieter time of year it will just be a list in my head. They all work to keep me on track. In terms of weekly plans I use an A3 artists sketchbook, I divide the page into sections for each of my roles with the days written down the side. On a Sunday I fill in what I hope to achieve each day. For the yearly strategy, I use excel for everything with spreadsheets for breeding objectives, grassland policies and health planning for my flock of sheep.

In terms of running the storage it’s Andrew who manages the units on a day-to-day basis and he uses his mobile for nearly all of it. It’s a useful way to work, as we don’t have an office or reception area. The booking system is an App on the phone so he can reserve a unit with a customer out in the storage yard. The booking sends out terms and conditions and confirms the dates and price of the storage. It’s also possible for a customer to book a unit themselves on the Fruix Storage booking page. I follow up by sending an invoice ahead of the start date.

However much thought I put into our business and life, it couldn’t have prepared me for being diagnosed with Pseudomyxoma Peritonei at the end of 2018. Despite not being that unwell the disease was spreading slowly and the diagnosis turned our life upside down. Thankfully the specialist surgeons at Ninewells carried out massive abdominal surgery to stop it in its tracks. The journey since then is a whole different blog for another day but it’s certainly made 2019 a very different year for all of us. Suddenly my daily targets were just to shower, eat, walk a little and rest. It’s maybe not surprising but I made myself a table to guide me through each day and track my progress. My MacMillan nurse said it was the first time she had seen someone make a recovery plan so business like, but to me it just seemed like the natural thing to do. I’m pleased to say that the surgery was successful and the support from Andrew, our family and friends has been amazing so my strength has returned and I am back to a little work with my sheep and I also help with the storage too, but I’ve not got the energy of the pre-op Fiona yet.

So my reflections on the year past are that I have survived and our businesses have too. I think that’s mainly because my family has risen to the challenge of taking on my jobs and helping me recover at the same time and I hope because I was organised it made everything slightly easier. So I’ll not stop the lists, in fact I recommend them to anyone who is trying to run a farm, a home and help with diversification too. Going forward the lists and plans will probably need to be formulated SMARTer, as I’ll probably need help for a good while yet. I might add a section for fun though as I’d like to have a lot more of that in the future.

Sharing experiences at Growbiz

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GrowBiz is a community-based enterprise support service across rural Perth and Kinross, it organises and promotes a range of peer learning and support for women in rural business and runs many networking and training events. In Autumn this year I was asked to talk about my own experiences of being a woman in business in Kinross-shire. I must admit I’m not a fan of public speaking but after some consideration I decided that it would be good to reflect on the last twenty years of my sheep farming enterprise and I could also talk about my experiences helping out with Fruix Storage.

It turns out that I should not have been so apprehensive, the event is held in a cosy venue in Milnathort and the ladies in the group were very welcoming and friendly. The evening kicked off with an introduction session and it was brilliant to hear from everyone. I could never have guessed there would be such a wide range of sectors represented. A number of the group traded in the service sector, we heard from an experienced portrait and business photographer who was new to the area and keen to meet new contacts. Another lady runs her own bookkeeping company supporting other businesses with the financial aspects of their enterprise. In tune with the consumer trends there were businesses offering opportunities to increase physical and mental wellbeing and also a number of crafters taking their first steps towards getting set up in the creative sector.

For some it was their first time to introduce their idea or concept but others delivered their “Elevator Pitch” with the utmost confidence and clarity, making the experience of sharing an amazing opportunity to learn and develop from each other. The group meets regularly so there was a discussion on future topics for meetings, it wasn’t a surprise to me to hear that others were keen to keep up with social media trends and top up their marketing knowledge.

My talk followed a delicious supper and I was pleased I had brushed off my Powerpoint skills as the photographs of my sheep, especially lambs, went down well. They say a picture tells a thousand words and I felt the photographs demonstrated the attention I pay to the health and welfare of my livestock. As a producer of quality assured Scotch Lamb I had also included carcass photos and the stats on the number of my lambs meeting the market specification for Marks and Spencer, it was a good way to demonstrate that I’m a food producer not just a shepherdess.

I also devoted part of the presentation to the development of Fruix Storage which is the diversification I run with Andrew at Fruix Farm. I included my experiences of how we started with one shed and how we have secured funding to expand and develop. I also talked about the benefits of having a good website and booking system and using Xero for our accounts. It turns out I had lots to speak about and was asked many questions at the end. It was great to spend an evening with a bunch of enthusiastic like minded ladies. Thank you for the opportunity, Growbiz.

Learn more about Growbiz events and support here.

www.growbiz.co.uk

The top three take home messages from Farm Innovation Show 2019

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Top three takeaways from Farm Business Innovation Show

Launching a new venture on the farm is a big decision, it will change the way you live and those of others around you but it has the potential to safeguard the future of the farm and create a new income stream for the business. It’s a decision we made back in 2004 when we rented out the first shed at Fruix Storage.

Recently I took a trip to the NEC in Birmingham to attend The Farm Business Innovation Show it was a brilliant way to take some time out to think about the existing business and explore new ideas. With over 1000 exhibitors and 500 speakers, I came home with lots of food for thought.

Here are my top three take home messages from the experience.

1) Know what’s happening

This message came across loud and clear from many of the speakers. Carry out research and gain an understanding of the trends in your sector. The rising tides in tourism for example are experience based stays, health and wellness packages, staycations coupled with a growing market for peace and quiet without Wifi.

Across all sectors customers wish to book from the comfort of their sofa, often in the evening, so making booking as easy as possible is the way forward. It’s important to create a seamless transition from marketing pages to reservation. Making this journey frictionless will increase numbers. I’ve already blogged about the many ways to book and reserve space here and am about to increase the size and position of the “Book Now” button on the Fruix Storage website.

2) Try it

As well as getting out and about to visit existing diversifications and making a business plan to check out the idea is financially viable just about all of the speakers encouraged delegates to try out the ideas in a small way.

If you are thinking about farm tours host a farm visit for locals now to get some experience and feedback. Set up a pop up shop to test out the market for farm retail. Turn your garden into an area for a small corporate day before you set up an events company.

It’s what we did when we rented out our first unit at Fruix Storage in 2004, it was just one barn to one customer for the first year or two.

self storage fife — First storage building converted in 2004 at Fruix Storage

3) Understand the new business may eventually need you more than the farm

This was probably the most eye-opening part of the two days for me. A fellow Scot who has diversified not far from told his story of developing a team building and events business on the family farm. He spoke of the pride he feels because the farm steading is now in very good repair and the yard is full of enterprise and buzz. These are important values to Andrew and I too.

But it was clear to see he has taken the business growth to a much higher level and in order to devote the time required to the diversification contracted out the farming operations. It will be obvious to people that know us, but both of us enjoy practical farming, a LOT. I can’t imagine us ever not farming but making a few changes might mean we can continue to grow and develop both sides, certainly a good challenge and food for thought.

We love farming but we love storage too!

How to reserve or book space at Fruix Storage

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If you are looking to rent a unit here at Fruix Storage whether it’s a container, garage or commercial store we have a number of options that make enquiring and reserving a space as easy and convenient as possible.

Here are all the ways you can get in touch, please choose whatever is most convenient. We look forward to hearing from you.

Reserve online today

Online booking is simple, safe and convenient. Reservations can be made anytime from your computer or mobile phone through our website.

If you know the size of unit you require and how long you wish the duration of the rental, then you can search for a storage room, container, garage or commercial store.

The booking system will show what’s available, the size of the unit in sq ft and the price per month. The minimum rental on the system is one month, please phone for any shorter term requirements.

The system shows the available storage for your selected dates, please choose the type you require then click on book and confirm. You must then enter your name, address and contact details and agree to the terms and conditions to reserve the unit.

The booking is then confirmed by email and we will contact you separately with an invoice and details of how to pay.

https://fruixstorage.co.uk/search-availability

Complete the contact form on the website

If you prefer to make an enquiry before booking then please use the contact form on our website, it’s a simple way to ask us anything, anytime.

We’ll get back to you with an answer by email or phone to help organise storage to meet your needs.

https://fruixstorage.co.uk/find-us/

Send an email

Alternatively please drop us an email to enquire about anything specific or to get help working out what storage will be best. With so many options please take a look at the ‘Storage Options” page on the website to see more details of everything available. Both Andrew and Fiona respond to email enquiries, the address is andrew@fruixstorage.co.uk

Phone or text Andrew

We don’t have a receptionist or manager here but Andrew always has his mobile with him and answers calls and texts throughout the day. If you’d like to visit Fruix Storage it’s best to phone in advance to arrange this.

Andrew’s number is 07787 180 399.

Message us through Facebook

Messenger is another great way to get in touch and we are happy to receive enquiries this way.

https://www.facebook.com/FruixStorage/

We now sell boxes

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Many of our tenants were asking us if we sold boxes so we now stock a range of good quality double walled cardboard boxes which are perfect for storage of household goods and personal belongings.

Our customers tell us the more organised you are when packing the easier it is to find things in the storage container so labelling boxes is really important. It’s also more cost effective to have everything in robust boxes that stack easily as you fit much more into the storage unit this way.

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Blog

If Storage units were Chocolate Bars what would you choose?

The Mini

Snack Size

Regular

GO LARGE

Pick n’ Mix

Get in touch

Reserve online today

Complete the contact form on the website

Send an email

Phone or text Andrew

Message us through Facebook