Business Startups & 3 More Unconventional Yet Convenient Uses for Storage Units
It is a safe assumption that most people are familiar with self-storage facilities. However, not enough people know that quality storage unit in a well-managed facility can provide many other beneficial uses, including the following, somewhat unconventional ones.
Growing the Home-Based Business
Developing a successful home-based business, even a small one, requires a significant amount of time, energy and space. Unfortunately, the amount of space found in many smaller homes today simply is not sufficient for many types of home-based businesses, especially those that require an inventory of supplies to produce a product or storage for finished products waiting to fulfill customer orders. In addition, many municipalities and homeowner associations do not allow residents to operate a home-based business if it causes increased traffic in the area due to customers or supply deliveries.
In many cases, a storage unit can serve as a secure, affordable option for home business owners to store excess raw materials, as well as finished products that are waiting to be shipped or delivered to customers. In some instances, you may even be able to meet supply trucks and take delivery of incoming materials at your storage unit's location, instead of your home.
Remember to consider temperature fluctuations when shopping for a self-storage option. If your products or materials are likely to be degraded by temperature fluctuations, such as the wax used for by a candle maker or the finished soaps created by a soap maker, you may want to opt for a storage facility that offers climate-controlled storage.
A Seasonal Extension for Family Closets
If your home has limited closet space, or a family member has an extensive wardrobe, a storage unit will allow you to store seasonal clothing that will not be needed for several months. To do this as easily as possible, consider investing in covered clothing racks, as well as some sturdy totes to protect shoes, accessories and bulky sweaters and coats. At the beginning of each new clothing season, simply transport last season's clothes to the storage shed and retrieve those for the new season. Your home closet will stay organized without feeling as if you must purge garments that you really want to keep.
A Location for Household and Clothing Exchanges
Another very convenient use for a storage unit is to use one as a communal depository where friends, relatives or neighbors can take outgrown clothing and household items. Periodically, the depositors can meet at the storage unit to take part in an exchange with the other participants.
By using a storage shed to collect the items that will be exchanged, the participant's homes are kept free of clutter. Once the periodic exchange of items is over, any leftover can be conveniently assembled for donation to an area church, shelter or civic organization, leaving the storage unit ready for the deposit cycle to begin again.
TEOTWAWKI Caches
Due to increasing unrest in the world, preparing for disasters, such as an economic collapse or a terrorist attack, participating in TEOWAWAKI is something that many people feel compelled to do. Often referred to as "The End of the World as We Know It", many of these survival-minded folks prefer to maintain caches of supplies such as food, camping gear and tools, in several places to reduce the risk of being unable to retrieve their stored supplies during a crisis.
Since self-storage facilities allow the tenant to access their unit whenever they choose, these units could be an excellent choice for caches of non-perishable survival supplies, such as freeze-dried and canned foods, extra clothing, backpacks, water filtration equipment, tents supplies and tools.
When considering renting a self-storage unit for unconventional uses, such as those listed above, always discuss your plans with the manager of the facility. They will be able to provide you with a list of items unacceptable for storage, as well as many other tips to make your experience as convenient and pleasant as possible. For more information, visit resources like http://redondovanandstorage.com.