An opportunity for cost containment for small businesses could be easily found in self storage. Self storage units can provide the solution to several needs that small business owners face. Self storage businesses are becoming available nearly everywhere, and their use has the potential for significant savings for small businesses.
Small businesses often start in small spaces, such as a home office or garage. When this space is outgrown, the business will seek a new location. But new businesses cannot always afford space large enough to accommodate future growth. As growth occurs, space issues and employee expansion may once again cause plans for relocation.
Moving a small business involves significant costs. There are mover fees and renovations, and less tangible costs as a result of downtime for the business and potential loss of clientele. When limited space is the primary driver for relocating a business, it may be more cost effective to lease a self storage unit to store records and equipment not required for immediate use. This can reduce the amount of storage required on site and may free up space for staff, eliminating or delaying the relocation.
When moving is required, businesses sometimes liquidate furnishings and fixtures. Liquidation may occur because of a time lapse between vacating the existing location and moving into the new, or because the new location may be in a different city. Selling furnishings such as portable cubicles, desks, chairs, file cabinets etc. results in loss of capital and assets that will be increased when the furnishings must be replaced. The cost of placing these items in self storage units is significantly less. Some self storage companies offer rental that includes the use of a moving truck the first day.
Many self storage businesses will rent on a month to month basis while other self storage companies require a minimum number of months rental or a contract. Costs also vary, dependent on where it is, the size of the self storage unit and additional features. Self storage costs anywhere from $50 to $200 per month, based on all for the above variations. But even at the highest rent, goods can be stored for much less than it would cost to replace them. If the planned move is to another city, portable self storage units can be delivered to the business for packing, and then moved to the new location or stored by self storage company.