How a Self Storage Unit Can Benefit Your Business

At first glance, it seems that running a business and working out of a storage unit would be a simple solution. Rent is affordable, it’s easy to find the right size space, and most facilities are safe and secure. Sounds easy. However, most self storage facilities aren’t going to let you set up shop and run your boutique out of your unit.

That being said, there are ways that you can utilize storage space to support your business while you’re moving forward to bigger and better things. Following are just a few of the ways you can get those entrepreneurial juices flowing and use self storage as a home base for your business.

Using Self Storage to Boost Your Business

Online Retailers

In the past few years, there has been an explosion of online crafting businesses. These people have websites, Facebook pages, and Instagram accounts, as well as Etsy and Ebay stores. One crafter that I’ve watched for the past year has expanded tremendously and is using self storage to facilitate her growth. She started working out of her home and a small booth in an antique mall. She started with a small storage unit, out of which she would go live from time to time to feature her supplies and other items.

In the space of a few months, she began selling a small line of clothing as well as her crafts. This expansion was the catalyst for her move to a much larger space and eventually to warehouse storage, where she was able to have an area to organize and pack her inventory for shipment. Another growth surge pushed her to an even larger warehouse. She still has her original storage unit, and will probably continue to add roomier spaces as her business continues to grow.

Independent Publishers

Book dealers and independent publishers handle mountains of magazines, pamphlets, brochures, and books. A self-storage unit is the perfect place for an independent publisher or dealer to store inventory and supplies. To keep these products in retail condition, a climate-controlled storage unit is safer that a damp garage or a hot, dry attic. If the publisher rents from a facility with delivery acceptance services, products can be directly shipped to the storage unit without the business owner having to be present to accept shipment.

Theaters, Galleries and Artists

The sheer volume of things that require storing for art shows and performances makes self storage the ultimate solution for galleries and theaters. There is so much that goes into managing a gallery or putting on a show, it’s pretty clear that there’s a sizable amount of material involved. Space is not easy to come by at a small, locally run theater or art gallery, and the paintings, costumes, and props that need to be stored typically require special conditions to prevent deterioration. A climate-controlled storage unit will provide the optimal temperature and humidity to keep everything in pristine condition.

Sales Professionals

Sales professionals are either visiting local businesses, traveling, or spending hours in front of a computer or on calls. They are overloaded with sales literature and documents. It is cumbersome and inconvenient to store these materials in the trunks of their cars or their briefcase and drive or fly with them to each customer. Renting multiple storage units that are close to their clients is a far more convenient option.

Pharmaceutical sales reps especially need the safety and security of a self-storage facility to store samples. Unfortunately, in today’s environment, it’s not a good idea to keep these samples in a car trunk or even at home. A safe storage unit provides a necessary layer of security, and the ease of having everything in one place.

Landscapers and Contractors

The items that these companies accumulate are usually bulky and irregularly shaped. Lawnmowers, leaf blowers, spreaders, circular saws, wood, and drills take up a lot of room in a garage or in a trailer in the driveway. A self-storage unit for these items keeps them from inconveniencing the family and annoying the neighbors.

Contractors have the added problem of heavy-duty vehicles like backhoes, trucks, and trailers. Instead of appropriating the limited space in their business parking areas, they can store this equipment securely at the same facility that they store their tools and supplies. Moving these vehicles away from their business will upgrade their curb appeal and provide more parking space for customers.

Try It…See if it Works for You

These are just some of the examples of businesses that can benefit from the additional space provided by self storage. You don’t actually have to set up shop and run your business out of a unit to gain the advantages of the extra space. Try a small unit for your business overflow, and see how it goes. With flexible month-to-month leasing, as your business grows you can upgrade at any time.