Surge protectors will not protect electronics that are directly hit by lightning. Fortunately, lightning typically strikes a utility pole rather than the building where electronics are used, or the strike’s energy is dispersed by the building’s wiring before it gets to the valuable electronics. The result is not a direct hit, but rather a surge—or sudden increase of power—typically reaching a maximum of about 6000 volts. Surge protectors not only must withstand that level of voltage, they must also handle the frequency of surges. Some areas have more instances of lightning than others, and know that lightning doesn’t have to be close by to cause damage; the average lightning strike can have an impact on electronics up to a half mile away!

Inductive surges are not as dramatic as lightning, but they can cause a great deal of damage to electronic equipment. These surges are caused by a sudden interruption of current in an inductive electrical circuit, and can deliver much higher voltage than the device is built to receive. No matter what the source of the surge, it’s smart to protect your technology from harm by using surge protectors.

There are several ways to protect electronics from electrical surges.

• For the typical home, a simple surge protecting power strip may suffice. Choose a surge protector for your electronics, rather than a regular power strip; surge protectors have a voltage rating in Joules of energy. Some pieces of furniture, like Atlantic Inc’s Simple Desk, have built-in power strip holders, to make it easy to establish protection when you organize desktop electronics.
• Surge protection cables offer a slightly higher level of protection. Surge protection cables protect home electronics and televisions from lightning flashes just by plugging the cables into the wall.
• Surge arrestors offer extra security for areas that are prone to lightning strikes. A surge arrestor kit contains an arrestor and a grounding wire, and an outdoor arrestor kit uses wireless devices, outdoor cables, and underground wires.
• Topping the protection level is a total surge protection solution. This form of protection requires using multiple outlets, a retention screw, and a ground termination point, to protect several electronic devices at once.

When planning your home office, check out Atlantic Inc. With over 25 years in the media storage business, Atlantic has the supplies you need for media storage and organization. Visit the website to get inspired, stay tuned to the blog for organization tips, and connect with the online community on Facebook and Twitter.

Types of Mounts

There are many options to choose from when you are creating a home theatre, but are you familiar with the types of mounts for televisions? If you use an entertainment center, you might not need a mount;  with wall-mounted TVs, however, the correct mount is essential. Fortunately, we have the skinny on the different types of mounts.

• The flat mount is one of the simplest types of mounts. Placing the television very close to the wall, it does not allow for any adjustment of viewing angle, but it’s a good choice for plasma TVs. This type of mount is also known as a static mount, because it doesn’t move.
• Tilt mounts are similar to flat mounts. They allow for limited motion to accommodate  slight changes in viewing angles, which can be particularly helpful if you are experiencing glare from a window or other light source. With these mounts, the television must be placed slightly further from the wall, usually about 2 ½ inches.
• Swivel mounts are some of the most popular types of mounts. They are extremely versatile, and use cantilever arms with one or more articulating joints, which provides the freedom to move the TV away from the wall and point it in nearly any direction.
• Articulating mounts are the most sophisticated of all the types of mounts. Providing the greatest tilt/swivel flexibility, they also feature an arm that folds flat, allowing the TV to rest close to the wall when not in use.

One way to avoid dealing with all these different types of mounts is to choose an entertainment center. Atlantic Inc has entertainment centers to suit every style and décor.

• For the gamer, consider the Game Central TV Stand or the Spyder Gaming Stand.
• If you need to store a large media library with your television, the Nuvo 3 Tier Black Metallic Frame might fit the bill.
• For a sleek modern look, try the Duo TV and Audio Stand or the Uptown Silver Metallic Frame with Blue Glass.

For all your home entertainment and media storage needs, consider Atlantic, Inc. A leader in the field since 1986, Atlantic provides innovative solutions for all media storage and organization needs. Visit the website to learn more, or connect with the online community on Facebook, and Twitter.

• The first step toward a clutter-free home is to find a place for every item. Clutter happens when there is no logical place for your things, so try to think about what you use most often, and organize accordingly.
• Don’t collect more than you can store. The fewer things you bring into the house, the less you’ll have to store. Use the resources at the public library, opt out of mailings, and read magazine and newspapers online instead of subscribing for home delivery. Decide what you really don’t want or need, and don’t allow it into the house.
• Bring something in, take something out. Do you need six hairbrushes? Probably not. Throw away duplicates, and when you buy something new, get rid of whatever you’re replacing ahead of time. Less stuff means you’ll need fewer new home storage ideas to keep it all tidy.
• Don’t be too sentimental. Sure, your child has true artistic talent, but do you really need every scribble he or she ever put on paper? Take pictures of your children’s creations, and lose the creations themselves. Similarly, don’t think you have to keep that blouse, knick-knack, or coffee cup, just because it’s a gift from a loved one. If it’s not useful, beloved, or important, get rid of it.
• Keep things simple. Choose home storage ideas that make sense to you, and you’ll be able to maintain order. Add space wherever you can by removing unnecessary items; if you have a large collection of CDs, for instance, get rid of the jewel cases and store the CDs in a binder. You’ll be amazed at the space you gain.
• Think in terms of kits. Take things you’ll use together, and store them together. You might create a bill paying kit, for example, with a checkbook, ledger, and pens, and a space to put your bills as they roll in each month. Use attractive storage boxes like the Large Media Bin from Atlantic, Inc, and your home will look neat in no time.
• Design your home for your family, not a magazine. Do you have an avid gamer in the house? Choose a cool gaming storage unit like Game Central, instead of a Martha Stewart-worthy armoire, and you’ll find that the games are more accessible and better organized.

For a wealth of home organization and media storage solutions, consider Atlantic, Inc. With almost thirty years of providing customers with unique and innovative storage solutions, Atlantic has what you need to get organized. Browse the website for home storage ideas, or connect with the online community on Facebook and Twitter.

• Choose a room that’s quiet enough to allow for concentration on homework. That said, you want to take a few things into consideration.
  • Your child should feel comfortable. Too much quiet drives some people crazy, so if you have a child who thrives in the middle of activity, putting a kid’s desk in a far-off, quiet corner of the house may be counterproductive. Choose the level of noise/traffic that best suits your child’s personality and needs.
  • You should be able to easily access your child’s study area. There will be times that you need to help with homework, so to avoid creating the distraction for your child of having to walk back through the house to find you, situate his or her desk somewhere that is likely to be near you. Will you be making dinner? Perhaps there’s a corner of the kitchen or keeping room perfect for a child desk. Do you work from home? Place your child’s desk next to yours, and you can work together.
  • Stock your child’s desk with plenty of supplies. Pencils, pens, paper, markers, and more should be within easy reach. Choose storage solutions that fit your space and hold your child’s supplies, so that he or she will be able to keep it neat and well organized. Bins, boxes, and other containers are great storage accessories, and they can be changed out when the study area needs some fresh décor.
  • Personalize the study space to make it your child’s own. A corkboard to hang artistic masterpieces and mementos of academic triumphs can encourage your son or daughter to achieve his or her personal best. Accessories in a favorite color will brighten the space and make it more comfortable.
  • Plan a space that will grow with your child. A cutesy kid’s desk might be great for kindergarten, but remember, your child will need a study area for many years. A simple desk like Atlantic Inc’s Youth Activity Desk has clean lines that will easily transition from little kid to big kid, and the sturdy steel frame is built to last through years of use.

If you’re looking for a kids’ desk, and the storage accessories to make it your own, check out Atlantic, Inc. Committed to providing innovative storage solutions since 1986, Atlantic has what you need, with different options to fit any style and budget. Browse the website to get ideas and find what you need, or join the online community, for a deeper connection.

Best Modern Home Desk

Creating a sleek and modern office is all about finding the best modern office desk for you. When it comes to your home office, you have the luxury of making all the choices, including choosing the desk that best suits your needs. With the right storage solutions and accessories, you can create a workspace that is comfortable and productive.

• The best modern office desk is sleek, with clean lines. Made of materials ranging from wood to glass to metal, the modern desk has many looks, but the common factor is minimalism, with simple lines and intelligent design.
• A clutter-free surface is best. Modern office desktops should incorporate the right storage solutions to keep office supplies tucked away and surfaces clean and clear. Depending on personal style, you might choose a sleek binder system, unique containers, or simple bins to hold the things you need to be productive.
• A desk needs to accommodate your electronics. Today’s desktops are less about paper than they are about gadgets, so make sure you choose the best modern office desk for your technology. A desk like Atlantic Inc’s Simple Desk is the perfect example, with a cable management system that prevents cords from becoming unwieldy. With office accessories like a three-unit charging station, a power strip holder, a laptop drawer, and a headphone hook, it becomes not only the best modern office desk, but also the perfect workstation.

• Of course, the best modern office desk for you is the one that reflects personal style and sensibilities. Your home office should complement the rest of your home, with a harmonious style that lends itself to a calming and peaceful flow.

For all your media storage and home organization needs, consider Atlantic, Inc. From the best modern office desk, to a wide array of media storage solutions, Atlantic has tools to help you create the perfect environment for you. Visit the website to learn more, or connect with the online community on Facebook and Twitter.

Electronic Cables

Electronic cables can be a real nuisance, cluttering up an otherwise entertainment center, and turning it into an eyesore. Unfortunately, the more gadgets we acquire, the more electronic cables dominate the landscape of our living spaces, and there’s not much to do about it, right? Wrong! The right media storage can virtually eliminate all of the cable mess, and keep your living areas aesthetically pleasing.

• Make sure you have the right entertainment center for your media storage needs. You spend a great deal of money on the right electronics, so invest in a unit that will hold them efficiently. If you have a large collection of CDs and DVDs, plan accordingly. Depending on the unit you choose, the entertainment center itself may go a long way in hiding the electronic cables.
• Labels are your friends. Near the plug of each of your cables, place a small piece of electrical tape, color coded or labeled, so you know which cord goes to which device. This will make sorting them much easier.
• A simple piece of plastic tubing can make a world of difference. Many home organization and storage retailers sell tubes in which to stash your cords. This is a simple concept, but it works fairly well—cords slide into the tube through a slit in the side, and then you have one larger tube, instead of several tangled electronic cables.
• There are other ways to hide cords as well. An electrician can help you stash your flat screen’s cord inside the wall, if you are really serious about getting it out of the way! Cords can also be hidden under carpet, or snaked along the baseboards and walls using cable raceways and cable tacks, which can be painted to match your décor.
• Consider going wireless. Streaming HD home theater kits and wireless speakers can help you decrease the number of wires you need, to streamline your media storage.

With the right storage, electronic cables do not have to be the bane of your existence. Atlantic Inc. has media storage cabinets and other organizational solutions to fit all your home entertainment storage needs. With media storage solutions to fit every décor, Atlantic has plenty of styles to spark your imagination and get you thinking of new ways to organize your media collection. Visit the website to find your storage solutions, and be sure to join the online community on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

DVD Case

If you’ve moved your DVDs to space-efficient media storage sleeves, you may find yourself wondering if there’s any other use for an abandoned DVD case. The answer is, yes! There are many creative uses for old DVD cases, and maybe this list will spark your ingenuity, so that you can think of some projects of your own.

• Make a trendy clutch purse. They’re all the rage on the runway, and now you can make your own. Choose a high-definition image, and print it to fit the sleeve of the DVD case. Cut the ring out of the inside of the DVD case, and line the case with felt, velvet, or some other soft fabric. Attach a decorative clasp, and you’re ready for an evening out!

• The fishing enthusiast in your life will love a new fly case. Line an old DVD case with two thin foam inserts, into which you can insert the hooks, then decorate the outside of the case, and you have the perfect gift for anyone who loves to fish.

• Use an old DVD case to frame your favorite photos. Cut scrapbooking paper to fit the DVD sleeve, and create a background for your photo. Then it’s easy to glue your photo onto the paper, slide the whole thing into place, and snap the case shut. Your frame is ready to hang on the wall, with a Command strip.

• Keep your little artists organized with a cool coloring case. Here’s how:
  • First, cut out the round part, from the inside of the case. This will leave a hole, but that’s okay.
  • Next, cut a piece of cardboard to fit that side of the case. Don’t glue it in, though, because of the next step.
  • Cut fabric to cover the cardboard, and another piece of fabric to create a pocket. Affix the first piece of fabric to the cardboard, using spray adhesive, then put the other piece, pattern side down, onto your work surface, and set your colored pencils, crayons, or markers on top of it. Put the fabric wrapped cardboard on top of that, and use the spray adhesive to attach the end of the pocket to the back of the cardboard. (You might want to reinforce that with some tape, as well.) Glue that cardboard backed pouch into the circle side of the DVD case, and then slide some paper, cut to fit, under the clips on the other side. Use a decorative piece of card stock to create the insert for the case, and your kids have everything they need to create masterpieces on the go, in one decorative package!

Still using a DVD case to hold a DVD? That’s so 2010! Atlantic Inc. has media storage that will free up your cases for cool projects, while your DVDs rest in stylish comfort. In fact, Atlantic has all sorts of organizational solutions, to fit all your home entertainment storage needs. With home media storage solutions to fit every décor, Atlantic has plenty of styles to spark your imagination and get you thinking of new ways to organize your media collection. Visit the website to find your storage solutions, and be sure to join the online community on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Entertainment Center

The phrase “entertainment center” probably conjures up images of a huge, clunky piece of furniture, perhaps quite wide and unattractive. Fortunately, today’s media storage units are a far cry from the cumbersome beasts of yesteryear, and can often be used in homes where space is at a premium. Even for the tiniest apartment, you can find an entertainment center to suit your needs, as well as your personality.

• Think tall, instead of wide. You may not have much in the way of square footage, but you can always choose an entertainment center that has plenty of space from top to bottom. Not only will decorating from floor to ceiling give you extra area in which to store your stuff, but it will also draw the eye upward, making your place seem more spacious.
• Choose clean, modern lines. Urban living can be cramped, and nothing makes a room look smaller than clutter! Create the illusion of space by choosing furniture with sleek lines and a minimalistic feel. Metal pieces often look more modern, and more compatible with urban home living, than wooden furniture. As long as you choose wisely, you can even find wooden pieces that are simple and chic.
• Keep it flexible.Your entertainment center should have moveable shelves, so you can adapt as needs evolve. Another good option is a conglomeration of modular units that you can add to when necessary.
  

  Duo TV Stand

• Make sure there is space for your media collection. Even with the popularity of digital music, most of us still have collections of DVDs and CDs. Choosing a media entertainment center with space to tuck those items away will help to keep your living area uncluttered, making it appear larger.
• Add your own personal touch. Keeping your entertainment center neat and sleek does not mean forgoing all personal effects. A few items, like photos, collectibles, or plants, dispersed among the electronics, will give the room some personality.

No matter the size your apartment, or what kind of entertainment center you prefer, Atlantic Inc. has organizational solutions to fit all your home entertainment storage needs. With media storage solutions to fit every décor, Atlantic has plenty of styles to spark your imagination and get you thinking of new ways to organize your media collection. Visit the website to find your storage solutions, and be sure to join the online community on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

You may be familiar with Apple TV, a digital media player that is one of the most popular on the market. Developed and sold by Apple Inc., this digital media receiver has the capacity to play digital content from the iTunes Store, Netflix, Hulu Plus, YouTube, Flickr, iCloud, MLB.tv, NBA League Pass, or  NHL GameCenter onto an HD television. It can also play content from a computer running iTunes, whether that computer has a Mac or Windows operating system. It supports a wide variety of photo, video, and audio formats, allowing consumers to view photos, play music, or watch videos, either streaming or downloaded.

There are plenty of other receivers on the market, and one of Apple TV’s biggest competitors is Roku. This brand of digital media receiver costs slightly less than Apple TV, and offers a comparable selection of streaming audio and video services. It can be connected to older analog TVs as well as HDTVs.  Another competitor is Logitech Squeezebox, which CNET reviewers ranked above Apple and Roku, but which costs significantly more.

Whether you choose Apple, Roku, Logitech Squeezebox or another digital media receiver, like Western Digital Media Center, Boxee, or Google TV, the technology is basically the same. A digital media receiver connects to the home network using either a wireless connection or a wired Ethernet connection. The user interface allows consumers to browse through their digital media libraries, as well as streaming content, and some DMRs will even allow internet browsing. A digital media receiver can also be used to pause, rewind, and record live television. Most of these players are plug and play, and very user friendly.

Of course, the more high-tech the world becomes, the more your living space needs storage, whether you’re looking to store a digital media receiver, game systems, or a large collection of DVDs. Atlantic Inc. has a media storage cabinet, entertainment center, and any other organizational solutions you might need, to fit any budget and style. With media storage solutions to fit every décor, Atlantic has plenty of styles to spark your imagination and get you thinking of new ways to organize your media collection. Visit the website to find your storage solutions, or join the online community on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Organization Tips

An organized desk is a great starting point for increasing productivity. While it’s easy for a desk to get cluttered and messy, especially when you are very busy, keeping it organized will help your creative process, as well as your efficiency. Fortunately, with the right storage and organization tools, keeping an organized desk is easy! Here are a few organization tips to help you get on track.

• Clear out extraneous supplies. While it is important to have everything you need within reach, how many pens and pencils will you realistically be using? Get rid of surplus supplies, and you’ll find it easier to keep your desk uncluttered.

• Keep the things you need the most, closest. The things you use every day should be within easy reach, for a truly organized desk. Although it’s easy to get caught up in aesthetics, it is always best to organize desk items based on practicality. For instance, a filing system should be set up so that you can reach a manila folder, label it, and file it, without leaving your desk.

• Consider going virtual. By keeping your important files on your computer, you’ll free up your space and make it easier to keep an organized desk. You can scan important documents, turn them into searchable PDFs, and eliminate the need for paper copies at your desk. In addition, keeping things on the computer instead of on the desk makes it easier to transfer them between platforms, so that you can use them on your laptop or mobile device.

• Give every item a home. If you know exactly where everything goes, it will be much easier to keep your desk tidy. Part of knowing how to organize your desk is knowing what organizational tools will work the best for you, and with the bounty of options on the market, it shouldn’t be hard to figure this out. Take some time to assess your needs, and then buy whatever is necessary to make your desk convenient for you.

• Maintain it as you go. Organization is not a one-time event. Rather, it is a process, and staying organized requires daily maintenance. Be careful not to let files and papers pile up, but find homes for things as you go along. Then, at least daily, reassess and get rid of extraneous clutter.

• Keep it clean. Keep paper towels and spray cleaner handy, for frequent wipe-downs. This will inspire you to keep the clutter to a minimum, in order to make cleaning easier.

Having an organized desk is just one part of living an organized life. Atlantic Inc. has all sorts of organizational solutions to fit the needs of both your office and home. With media storage solutions to fit every décor, Atlantic has plenty of styles to spark your imagination and get you thinking of new ways to organize your media collection. Visit the website to find your storage solutions, and be sure to join the online community on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.