We thought it might be useful to summarise the tips here too – so here’s our advice for businesses on how to free up office space and keep everything ship shape and organised:
1 – Don’t waste valuable office space storing things you rarely need. Office space is at a premium, and it will always be more cost effective to use offsite self-storage in such cases. Our units start from just £5 a week!Did you see our MD Mike McCarthy in the business section of the Yorkshire Post last week? He’d compiled some top tips for businesses on how they can maximise self storage units like ours to help their businesses grow.
2 – Don’t store things unnecessarily. Be clear on what you need to keep and for how long. Some paperwork will need to be kept for several years, whereas others will not. Check with financial advisors so you don’t keep records you don’t need – but equally so you don’t get rid of ones you do.
3 – If you have lots of paperwork you need to keep hold of, consider using an external document management service. Our facility in Leeds can archive boxes of paperwork, which is all barcoded upon entry so that should you need to retrieve it at a later date it can be found instantly.
4 – For paperwork, what you don’t need, confidentially shred it. It’s not worth taking the risk on data protection to just bin it all and shredding is the quickest, safest and easiest solution. Our Safe Shred team can leave you with secure units which we come and empty and either shred on site in our vans, or at our purpose built, secure shredding facility. It makes it super easy for everyone involved.
5 – In this day and age many businesses just exist online. Does your business really need office-style premises? Could you cut costs by utilising a self-storage unit instead? Our units can provide power, heating and WiFi, so you can comfortably work from the building as needed, and keep track of stock accordingly. Our staff can also sign for deliveries in your absence, so you’re not tied to being there all the time.
6 – Find storage that can scale up or scale down in line with your needs. Is it possible to reduce or increase your storage at short notice? Some storage requirements are very seasonal – for example, you may have extra stock around key events or Christmas. Look at whether your self-storage can provide temporary or short term storage and what notice period is required.
7 – Whatever you are putting in storage, labelling is key. Whilst it might seem obvious what’s in each box now, it may not seem quite so straightforward in a year’s time.
8 – If you’re using external storage, think about how you may need to access it. Do you want to be able to drive right up to a storage unit with a car or van? Will you require the ability to get to your items 24 x 7? Make sure you’re clear on what security is in place, and what insurance is required to cover your goods.
9 – Self-storage is a true test of your Tetris skills. Think about how you pack things up so you’re maximising space but so you can also reach things you might need more frequently with relative ease. What can be provided in terms of shelving, packaging and other storage furniture?
10 – If you’re struggling to downsize, consider a temporary separation. Box up things you rarely need and move them to a self-storage unit. If in 12 months you haven’t needed to access them, and there is no legal requirement to keep them, it could be time to say a permanent farewell.
So, if you feel clutter is taking over your workspace, why not get in touch to find out more? If you need any further information, you can contact any of our self-storage centres in Wakefield, Leeds or Harrogate.
