People often find themselves struggling for space at home, or in the office, for a host of different reasons. Sometimes this need for extra space can be a short term, or temporary, situation – perhaps decorating or preparing for a house move – and, at other times a more long term solution is required. One answer to this dilemma is to rent storage units locally – many facilities offer great spaces in safe, dry and protected environments.
All this, of course, comes at a cost – here are some things to think about in order to minimise costs when considering renting personal storage units:
Only store essentials
Fairly obvious calculation here – the less stuff you need to store, the smaller the storage space you need and, therefore, the cheaper it is! So, for each item you consider storing, ask the question, “Do I need it?” If the answer is ‘yes’, then store it – if the answer is ‘no’, then either sell it, give it away or bin it!
Sell items you don’t want
Once you have sorted your essential storage, any items that fall into the category of “sell”, then do so, either online or to relevant shops. This not only disposes of the items, but also raises some money towards the cost of the storage of the items you’ve opted to keep.
Avoid buying anything new
If you’ve already got too many items for the storage space you have, then carefully consider buying anything else! Two advantages to this – one, you won’t need even more storage to house the items and, two, the money you’ve saved by NOT buying them further goes towards the storage costs of your existing ‘stock’.
Dispose of unused electrical equipment
One of the biggest users of space these days is technology – many of us hold on to old TV’s , computers, laptops, games consoles and such – always with the remit of “I’ll use that again sometime” – then end up trying to dispose of it a couple of years later having never been touched again! Dispose of unused electronic equipment NOW – and save yourself storage and a future task!
Make use all of available space
Ensure any storage space you’re renting is efficiently used. Make use of all the available space you have by stacking correctly, using the vertical space, and perhaps consider shelving and storage boxes in the unit, to allow for more items. Space optimisation can be a money-saver when renting personal storage.
Ensure easy access to items you’ll need
Consider the items you are storing – if there are items that you will need to access regularly, then ensure these are stored in an easily accessible place, either within your personal storage unit or, perhaps in a separate storage unit altogether. If you have smaller items that you need to access often, or are only for short-term storage, it may be more economical to have these in a separate space from a long term storage unit, thus allowing more effective space optimisation in both units.
Consider why you’re using storage
For example, if you’re a student having to put furniture and belongings away for a specific period of time – with no need to access any of it until you need the whole lot again, then you may be able to rent a smaller storage unit and just pack it to the rafters, as you don’t need regular access to it. If, however, you need regular access to some of the items, then you may need to consider a larger personal storage unit with convenient space to work within.
Chelsea Self Storage
Chelsea Self Storage we have 30 years experience in providing the ideal storage solutions for businesses. We understand the optimal storage methods for archived documents and records and can help you calculate the right size of unit you’ll need to maximise your budget. With some of the lowest competitive rates in the capital, we’re convinced that we can offer a file management solution that’s just right for your business.
We are conveniently located near Kensington, a short walk from the Kings Road in Fulham, and have satisfied clients right across London who can testify to our capability and customer service.
If you need to reclaim valuable office storage space then contact us today and we’ll be happy to help you archive your records safely and securely.
