If your office seems to be overflowing with paperwork, you might be thinking it’s about time for a spring clean session. Unfortunately for many businesses, this is not as simple as it may seem. Lots of paperwork has to be kept for a certain period of time, and in a busy office this can mean finding storage space for many boxes full of document archives.
In this situation, self-storage can be a great option for and overcrowded work space. Using self storage facilities as document archives is becoming increasingly popular as businesses strive to maximise their expensive office space by keeping records off site. Here are a few simple tips to creating a document archive in self storage that will really work for you.
- Only store what you really need to. Have a thorough de-clutter before you start, and only hold on to those documents that you absolutely have to. When you are paying for professional storage, this is time well spent as it will save you money.
- Remove duplicates. Often businesses keep the same record two, three even four or more times. Before sending your documents to self-storage, remove all the duplicate documents and recycle them to save space and money.
- Use archive boxes. Lever arch files might be convenient for shelves in the office, but in self storage this is going to be wasted space. Use proper archive boxes with dividers to maximise your available space.
- Pack the boxes logically. When you put them in self storage, place them so that the ones that can be got rid of next year are closest to the front. Label them all clearly, and don’t forget to come back in a years’ time and refresh your archive.