When you’re starting out in a small business, you often find that your storage requirements can’t be met by your current location. The inventory, merchandise, and equipment you need to run your home business may be overflowing your house, or your small business may require extra storage space. Finances may not allow you to build a larger garage or warehouse just yet. When you need temporary, convenient storage for your business needs, renting a self-storage unit may be the solution.

Self-storage facilities are springing up everywhere, and there may be several close to your home or place of business. Self-employed plumbers, carpenters, electricians, and mechanics often have large equipment or tools they don’t use every day but still need easy access to. Retailers and wholesalers may have large inventories that they just can’t keep organized in a home environment or too-small warehouse. A conveniently located self-storage locker can give you that extra space you need and easy access to your inventory, tools, extra office supplies and other business equipment.

When choosing a self-storage facility for business purposes, there are a few questions you need to ask the owner of the self-storage facility. You may need to do some basic maintenance on the equipment you keep there. Does each individual unit have a light inside, and is an electrical outlet available? Will the facility owners allow such maintenance work in the unit?

Ask about the self-storage facility’s security features, too. Is there video surveillance and are the grounds patrolled regularly? Are the grounds well-lit and carefully maintained? Is the security fence intact, with access available only to tenants? Have there been break-ins recently? Are fire alarms and sprinkler systems installed? Move on if you’re not satisfied with the safety of the self-storage facility.

Some self-storage lockers are climate-controlled, but many aren’t. Ask about climate-controlled units if you need to keep your business assets from extremes of temperature and humidity. Most self-storage facilities will offer basic insurance for an extra fee, but it may not cover the full value of your contents. Some homeowners’ or buisness owners’ insurance policies may cover stored possessions; check your policy before buying extra insurance.

Since the cost of self-storage increases with the size of the unit, you’ll want to be sure not to rent too much extra space, but you’ll need enough space to move around in and to move equipment in and out. Estimate the amount of space you will need by arranging your equipment or inventory in an open space, and measuring the square footage. You can put free-standing shelving units or file cabinets in your self-storage locker to increase the storage space, or hang a peg board (ask the self-storage facility owner first) to keep hand tools and other small items within reach.

Using self-storage units can pay off in more than just extra storage space. Your work environment will be more relaxed when the tools of your trade are organized and convenient, and workspace isn’t full of stress-inducing clutter. You’ll be more productive when you aren’t constantly tripping over the overflow, and you know where to find what you want!

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