Tag: business

Storage units are not purely for storing items and documents, their inexpensive pricing and easy access have appealed to all types of business owners.

When the UK recession seemed to end, the independent released an article showing how businesses adapted to the loss of business by turning to storage units to help their business begin to thrive again.

Oddbins, Woolworths and HMV were just some of the large retail stores that were hit hard by the recession and to this day, they have either disappeared or are still struggling to make profits like they once did. With one in five shops having to close its doors, many businesses had to make a change before they lost every penny they had. What did they do? Turned to self-storage.

In order to minimise risks, self storage became the obvious answer due to the reasonable costs, flexibility and convenient locations. For start up businesses and businesses that had to cut back in order to survive the recession, self-storage allowed them to start to grow their business again.

Businesses are able to rent as many units as they wish, which means when business is thriving, they are able to expand, but when business becomes slow, they can scale back. At Spaces and Places, we ask for only a week’s notice.

Every entrepreneur had a unique idea and decided to jump in the deep end and create their own business. When a business first starts up, money is tight, which is why it makes perfect sense to work from a storage facility until the business takes off. If you decide to rent in the city centre, any money you make will go on rent and for many businesses, it will take a while to see any profit in their accounts.

Not having the stress of high rent prices, council tax, business rates and being able to claim back any VAT if you are VAT registered, assist in helping profits come quick.

If you are curious to know more about Spaces and Places business storage options, don’t hesitate to get in touch, you may just create your very own success story.

Running a business from a storage unit is not unheard of, in fact, it has become increasingly popular throughout the years which is why we thought we would bring you a success story from a family law attorney.

Pablo Quiban has worked in family law as a divorce attorney for 20+ years and decided to move his office from the town centre in Honolulu, to a storage unit.

Finding affordable office space for a small business was a large set back for Quiban, which is why he decided to try running his business from a storage unit. This was only meant to be for a month.

After a month, the pro’s weighed out the con’s and he decided to continue conducting business out of the storage unit.

One thing which you all must be thinking is ‘what do his clients think of his setup?!’ Quiban states that his clients have been receptive to his stripped down business office. The free parking is a large bonus as clients can avoid paying city centre parking prices and not worry about finding a parking spot!

The price is the largest incentive for Quiban, and as long as the rent is the right price, and clients keep coming in, then he hopes to stay for 10 more years until he is ready to retire.

Anybody that is a business owner will understand where Quiban is coming from. The stress of driving into the city centre and searching for an affordable car park with a space available is not an enjoyable way to start the day. Similarly, paying high rent prices can have a large effect on the company’s profits, and if you are able to dramatically increase profits by switching business space, then what’s stopping you?

If you are curious to know why you should run your business from a storage unit then click the link to learn about the benefits associated with renting a storage unit to conduct business.

Spaces and Places welcome phone calls to discuss any questions you may have, so do not hesitate to get in touch!

Every business understands the dilemmas that take place regarding paperwork. If you own a large business, you will have more paperwork, and the smaller the business, the less storage space. Countless receipts, invoices, agreements and other important paperwork can become overwhelming, especially if you are not organised.

Fortunately for businesses, there is a solution – self-storage!

Safe and Secure

If your business owns paperwork that needs to be kept in a secure location, then a storage unit would be the answer. Storage units offer high levels of security and only you are able to have access to the unit. The added security and CCTV cameras mean that you can be sure your paperwork is kept safe and secure.

Confidentiality is Guaranteed

You are the only person able to access the unit unless you allow other people to use your key. This stops unwanted people searching through confidential information, which may happen if files are left in an open space in the office. Confidentiality is vital for businesses, which means keeping your documents in a secure, safe and reliable unit will give you peace of mind.

Quick and Simple

If you decide that you need a certain document, regardless of the time of day, you will be able to visit the unit and access the document you need with ease.

Instead of searching through a fragmented file system within the office, you can simply head to the storage unit and take the document with you, or scan the document so you are still able to keep the original locked safely away.

More Space to Play With

Space is crucial within a business, especially if you are situated in the city centre where rent prices are extremely high for the amount of space you get. Imagine all the extra space you will gain once you remove all of your filing cabinets and documents. Your office will not only look more spacious, but you now have room to grow your business by appointing extra staff.

More and more businesses are opting to store their documents in self-storage, whether it is due to lack of business space, lack of security or purely for peace of mind, storage units have the answer. Call Spaces and Places today to learn why we are the perfect fit for you.

 

 

Every business is not paperless and in fact, have important documents and files that need to be kept in a safe and secure place. If these documents are taking over your workspace, office or home, then it may be time to start thinking about using a storage unit.

Once you have made the decision to keep your workplace neat and tidy and place your documents in self-storage; read on for a few tips to keep in mind when storing.

  1. 1. Make sure each box weighs less than 50lbs. Anything higher than this weight will be hard to move and lift.

2. When packing documents, make sure each box is filled to the top. Use filler material to reach the top of the box and not newspapers as the writing will imprint onto the documents.

3. In order to store documents in a neat and tidy manner, use shelving units. This stops wear and tear on the lower boxes, and also allows you to search for each box more easily.

4. When placing your documents, make sure older documents are at the back of the unit, and documents that you will need to access more often are closer to the front of the unit.

5. Label all boxes. We would advise leaving a spreadsheet near the front of the storage unit that describes where each document is.

6. Do not share keys with many people, use the storage unit like you would save documents on the computer – only certain people are able to access files and the same rules should apply to the storage unit.

At Spaces and Places, we have round the clock CCTV surveillance cameras so relax, your documents are in a secure place.

Spaces and Places also provide cartons and purpose-built racks for you to store your paperwork in our safe and dry units. Whether your business is expanding, or documents are taking over your office, call Spaces and Places to learn which sized unit would benefit you best.

Every business started because a person had an idea and a passion to create something that hadn’t been done before. That person could be you. Working from a self-storage unit is not only cost-effective, but it is also convenient and a financially safe option. Read on to learn which ideas have been successful in creating profitable businesses from a storage unit.

Seasonal

Many businesses are in higher demand during certain times of the year due to the product they are selling. During the summer months, you may decide to rent out paddling pools, bouncy castles and even barbecues; the options are endless. During the winter months, you may rent out Christmas decorations, design personal gifts or supply extra dining room items. These business ideas are simple to start up and will allow you to gain extra cash during the season.

Professional eBayer

When you create a business through the internet, visual effects are extremely important. In order to sell items, you need to make sure the background brings the full potential out of the product.

Start-Up

Whether you decide on starting up an editorial business or an importing and exporting business, a storage unit is the best place to start. Over time, as your business increases in demand, you are able to expand and rent more units.

Sole Proprietorship

When you become an entrepreneur, you will notice over time how your home becomes your work zone. Your papers, files and documents will take up the majority of space, and being organised become near impossible. By renting a storage unit, you can separate your work life from your home life as well as keeping your work in order.

Fixer

If you have knowledge of repairing bicycles, computers or mechanical items; a storage unit allows you to fix these items and store them in a safe environment without cluttering your home or garage.

The beauty of using a storage unit to run a business is that you can rent out more storage units when in high demand and just as easily, decrease the number of storage units if the business is slow. Call Spaces and Places to learn more about renting our business storage units.

Self-storage has become, and continues to be a popular option for many people; it is not just a place where you keep items safe, it is a place where businesses grow.

New to Business

You have decided being an entrepreneur is the path you wish to take; brilliant! However, one key reason why only 20% of businesses survive in the first 18 months of starting a business is cost. You will have created a business plan and expect to see profit fairly soon, but if all your money is spent on rent and other costs, you will barely break even. If you rent a storage unit, you can reclaim your VAT if you are VAT registered and you will not have to pay any council tax and business rates.

Also, you are not restricted to long-term lease contracts, so if your business takes a turn for the worse, you only have to give a week’s notice. However, if your business is succeeding, you can rent more storage units easily, and continue to grow.

Seasonal job

Your business may be providing bouncy castles, large paddling pools or Christmas themed goods to customers; these businesses are in high demand during certain months. Instead of cluttering your house, or leasing a building for a year, you can work out of a storage unit. Have a look at an article by the BBC where small firms ran from storage units during the winter months to keep up with demand.

Internet Business

If your business solely relies on the internet, then you understand how you need a perfect background to entice customers to buy your products. If your internet business sells furniture or large items, a storage unit would be a sensible option as your house will not become cluttered, and you have a professional business space to work from. Spaces and Places actually have a customer that sells pre-loved furniture on eBay, have a look at how she designed the space in the storage unit to encourage buyers to purchase her products in our blog.

Call Spaces and Places to talk through which unit would be most beneficial for your business today.