Storage units are often used to contain excess clutter or possessions people aren’t using at the moment. However, these spaces can be quite versatile. They are only limited by the imagination of the person renting them.
More people utilize portable storage units in their businesses for many reasons. These can be particularly useful to those running a startup based at home. Read on to learn more about how these mobile units can help your business and how to make the most out of them.
Business Advantages of Renting a Mobile Unit
Renting mobile storage facilities to support a home-based business can be a much better idea than keeping your work equipment at home in the garage or shed. The units are usually weather-resistant and can keep anything inside them in pristine condition.
Below are some more benefits to renting a storage unit for your home business:
1. It helps keep overhead costs low
For a small business that is just getting on its feet, it’s best to have low initial overhead costs and keep expenses to a minimum, which is why renting storage units is a good option. Renting a portable storage unit can cost less than leasing a retail store or warehouse.
Extra space will always be necessary for any business, and the more it grows, the more room you’ll need. But that doesn’t mean your wallet should suffer as well.
2. It offers extra security
The inventory and professional equipment you need for your startup can be securely kept away inside portable storage units. Take note, however, that you must do some research on storage companies before you rent one or two. Make sure they offer you the security you need.
3 It is highly adaptable
Usually, mobile storage solutions are leased on a monthly basis, meaning you are not obligated to keep a space you don’t need for longer than necessary.
Their adaptability is quite advantageous during peak seasons when there is high demand for your business’s services or products, and you may need more space. After the spike in customer purchases, you can reduce the number of storage containers you’re renting.
4. It keeps you organized
Storage facilities are excellent provisions for keeping essential files that you don’t need on a daily basis. Storing excess paperwork in a separate location will declutter your workspace, thereby helping you focus on the pertinent tasks ahead.
5. It helps keep home and work life separate
There is a psychological study that has found that the brain associates spaces with specific tasks, along with the emotions and mindset that go with them.
For instance, if you sit in a desk every day at work, your mind will connect the area with the stress and anxiety you feel while on the job. It may also relate the spot with determination and concentration, so when you sit at the desk, your mindset automatically shifts to work mode.
This is one reason why some people firmly believe that not bringing work home is crucial. The home is their personal space which should be used only for spending time with family and for decompressing. Work, and its associated stresses, should be left in the workplace.
Renting a mobile storage unit can help you separate home and work life if your home-based business is just starting and you don’t have another location where you can keep your equipment or inventory.
Tips for Renting a Mobile Storage Unit for Your Home Business
1. Do research on the storage company’s services
As mentioned before, it is always best to have a good understanding of the storage company’s policies before you rent. Make sure to ask about their security protocols, your access to the storage unit, and the payment schedule.
Inquire about any other services they may offer as well. For instance, some facilities help their renters pack their items. And remember to get a quote for the storage unit rental cost.
2. Clean everything going into storage
Make sure that all the ites going into storage are clean and properly sealed, so when you take them out, it’s less of a hassle.
3. Take inventory and label everything
If you’re using the unit to store products, then it is vital that you keep an accurate list of your items for your financial records and label them properly so you can find them easily.
Separate your merchandise into groups and place similar items in the same unit. For labels, make a list of the items in each box, print it out, and stick it to the container. This way, every time you’re searching for an item, you won’t have to open each box and physically look through the items.
4. Use your storage space wisely
Buy uniform boxes so you can stack them on top of each other vertically. Make sure to leave space between the containers and the wall for better ventilation. Use pallets so air can pass underneath the boxes as well. Allow for some space in the middle of the storage unit where you can walk through, and create aisles between the stacks of boxes for easy access as well.
Stay Positive and Keep At It
If you’re thinking of renting a mobile storage unit, it could be a good sign that your home business is growing. That would mean you’ve been doing a good job running your startup. Securing more space for the things you need for your growing enterprise is just the beginning of an upward climb.
AUTHOR BIO :- Chris Humphrey is the General Manager of Easytruck Moving & Storage. In 2013, the company combined their expertise in professional moving services & storage to create an entirely new approach to the business – and mobile storage was born! Easytruck now operates over 30,000sqft of air-conditioned facilities in three convenient locations in Dubai and is the only Mobile Storage operator in the UAE.
