5 Unusual Self Storage Uses

Self storage is best known for being used to house domestic possessions that for some reason or another we simply cannot keep within our homes. Old sofas, record collections and dusty bubble wrapped ornaments that we never found time to open and integrate into our latest colour scheme and interior design.

There are however, other uses for self storage that aren't as well known, here are five of them:

1. E Commerce

There are many E Commerce companies using self storage units as a way to trim their bottom line and take advantage of the short notice, Vat refundable benefits that come with them. You can find emerging ECO brands, upcyclers, recyclers, childrens clothes designers, Christmas card makers - you name it, somewhere in a compact corrugated unit they will have it. It's the new way to escape the economic downturn and for some companies, it means thriving rather than diving during financial hardship.

2. Recording studios

Perhaps not as edgy as a North London industrial set up - complete with graffiti and talented youngsters - but much cheaper and accessible. Cheap self storage is playing host to anonymous recording studios and in some cases, fully functioning academies. For electricity guzzling equipment like amps, self storage is a really cheap option and you can happily drain the electricity all day long and still pay the same amount of money on your rental. You also skip business rates and enjoy much cheaper insurance on extremely valuable equipment.

3. Charity distribution

Many charities take in items that are designed to be redistributed or sold. The idea of a charity as a business is to take in as much money as possible for the cause, with as little unnecessary business expenditure as possible. This is exactly why self storage is ideal for charity distribution centres who are unable to afford expensive warehouse or retail space, particularly when the charity is a local startup.

4. Wrestlers

What is the bare minimum you need for physical activity, apart from your body? Space - in this instance - self storage space. Wrestlers and martial arts experts have taken to using self storage units for their training and teaching. Another business with particularly high insurance overheads, the wrestling and martial arts industry has found an innovative and creative way to use space in a facility you probably wouldn't associate with any physical activity apart from a bit of lifting and packing. Although the showers and 5 star treatments that you might usually expect from your local activity centre aren't included, the customers benefit from the low overheads on a secondary basis because there's less pressure on the business owner to cover excessive rental costs.

5. Bird Fancyer

Selling seed and various other fancying equipment can be a little difficult when you're struggling to squeeze it all into your garage or garden shed. Problems with vermin and pests can also plague your stocks, particularly if you're based in a rural area. Housing bird fancying equipment and similar pet supplies in a cheap storage units in London is not only inexpensive, but extremely practical. You can rest assured any vermin issues are swiftly dealt with and you are guaranteed security on your stock; just make sure you check for any prohibited items in self storage with the particular storage facility you are planning to use.

The author has written and published articles on a wide range of topics including Small Business Advice, Tax and Accounting, Interior Design, House Renovation and Project Management.