Type of Self-Storage Services

Small warehouses for rent in Metro Manila are on the rise because of the need in extra storage. Yup, small warehouses commonly referred as self-storage or mini storage. According to Cambridge Dictionaries Online, self-storage is “a rented space in a building for storing property, where you can bring or take away your property yourself.”

Based on Cambridge’s definition, you can rent a mini storage for a month or more, depending on how long you need it. The storage facility is situated in a building or a warehouse which store furniture, documents, instruments, electronic gadgets, cars, boats, and any item that is subjected to de-cluttering or safekeeping are kept.

People who are new to this concept might be apprehensive at first because they’re going to entrust their valuables to someone they’re not familiar with. It is a risky move and to appease the customers some facilities install 24/7 CCTV units, password-protected gates, in-house managers, roving guards and state-of-the-art safety/security features.

You may wonder if a country as small as the Philippines would get on the hype of storage facilities. Who needs an extra space, anyway? It depends on the type of storage the facility offers as enumerated below:

Business Storage

Business owners have specific requirements and their storage unit should be tailored based on their requests. Companies in the moving or delivery industry are the usual customers of self-storage facilities. It would be convenient for them to store their goods in a remote area which is strategically situated from their key delivery points.

Climate Controlled Storage

Some items are sensitive to humidity and temperature such as wood furniture, electronic gadgets, and paintings. This storage is quite expensive because it is designed for a specialized function to maintain the item’s optimum condition.

Outdoor Storage

This type of storage is ideal for owners of cars, recreational vehicles (RVs), and boats. Sometimes it is better to keep your vehicles in a self-storage facility because they have the right equipment and knowledge to maintain it. Indoor Storage Like business storage, this can be accessed through a highly secured building or warehouse where you need to type-in a passcode to enter. It consists of small apartment-sized units in various sizes that have individual safety locks or security pads. You can store anything from books, appliance, toys, clothing, mattresses, or any personal belongings.

Mobile Storage

If you’re always on-the-go, this is the perfect storage for you. This is ideal for house movers who need to temporarily store their things. Or if you don’t have enough storage to keep the clutter you’ve accumulated through the years.

Self-storage is not for safekeeping only. It could be an important asset of your company. Habitual hoarders will have an own place to stash away their precious belongings. Businesses which work from home may keep their supplies or products instead of loitering it around their house. Just make an informed decision when choosing one so you can fully utilize its purpose.

This article was brought to you by: Safehouse Storage

Things to Look Out For in a Warehouse Facility

Familiar with the saying, “the customers are always right?” This is true and should be applicable to all businesses. If you want to succeed in the business sector, you should give great importance to customer satisfaction. If you will ask me what customer satisfaction is, it is a term in business used for measuring if a certain company meets the customer's standards for the products or services rendered.

So, if you are company which focuses on distributing products investing on a warehouse should be well chosen.

So, if you are a businessman who's looking for warehouse, these are the things that you should look out for:

1. Location

Ask yourself, “where are your customers coming from?”. If you already conducted your case study, and determined the location where they are coming then your next step is to find a warehouse near to them. This is vital to businesses where orders are taken from the internet. For example, if you are taking orders from within Region 3, NCR and Region 4A, having a warehouse in NCR, will definitely be the best because NCR is in between Region 3 and Region 4A.

2. Facility and Security

Now that you have chosen a strategic location, check the facility. Are your products safe in their warehouse? Do they have security cameras? Do they have a good inventory system? I'm not saying that if these questions are met, they will the best warehouse. What I am saying is create a list of features you need in a warehouse and check them out personally.

3. Services

What are their services? Do they have a truck to transport your products? Do they offer insurance policies for your products? Are they offering disposal sevices like auctioning your items? Do you need inventory or proper packaging of your things? Know all the services that your warehouse offers. Services like these will definitely make your life easier.

4. Cost

Finally, if they have all what you need, ask the price of renting out the warehouse.

 So, these are all the things that I have in mind before renting a warehouse. Thanks for reading my post!

This article was brought to you by: Safehouse Storage

Small Warehouse for Rent

The title seems misleading but, yes, you could rent a miniature version of a warehouse nowadays. This business concept is called self storage wherein a warehouse or a building is turned into a storage facility and rented for a period of time. The difference is it doesn't cater only one company but it is designed for the general public who needs extra storage space. 

This article is brought to you by: Safehouse Storage- a company who offers warehouse for rent in Metro Manila.

So, J. K. Rowling's vaults operated at the Gringotts Wizarding Bank is not a first after all. For Harry Potter fans, the said bank has secured chambers called vaults where wizards and witches could keep their valuables such as money or sometimes a Gryffindor sword. Sans the magical security features, it is pretty much similar to the real deal.

Who originally thought of renting a space for those who wants to hide their excess or secret stash of goods or possessions? This is conceived by Rodger Dudding who made it his life mission to acquire all the unused garages in the United Kingdom which he used to start his self storage business in the 1970s. We could say that garages were the first self storage facilities rather than warehouses. In Europe and the US, they call self storage units as lock-up garages.

Self storage is ideal for:

• Who owns or rents a small house or apartment
• Companies who are in the moving or delivery business
• Who needs a temporary storage before moving in to new dwelling
• Workers who transfers or travels frequently
• The classic hoarder that considers any stuff has a sentimental value.

The success of this business lies in the location and the demography. Well, it is a rule of thumb to achieve these two factors before opening a business because through these potential customers may pour in. Another aspect which must be addressed is how secure the facility is. Because of the high-risk it entails, security must be the top priority and concern of whoever wants to start a self storage business.

Another way of keeping customers happy and satisfied is the overall condition of the place. It should be clean, dry, and in a controlled environment. How will your clients entrust their valuables to you if you're unable to maintain it to its mint condition? At the other side of the scale, don't pamper them too much in terms of bill collection. Set strict yet considerate guidelines for them to know you will never be lenient about it. Don't also forget to conduct a thorough screening of the contents or items. This is to avoid being an indirect and unwilling accessory to the crime because of illegal contraband that could be slipped in without your knowledge.

It is not easy to convince people about the concept of self storage. Some are even hesitant to be separated from their stuff. But once you get the right formula, such as applying the factors we mentioned above, the customers will surely be the one to find you.

Alternative Uses of a Warehouse

Whenever we spot a “warehouse for rent” sign the first thing that comes into our mind is the word storage. A structure full of racks, shelves, boxes, crates, containers, and other equipment used to store merchandise or goods in an organized and systematized manner. This is the common – we can say – misconception because nowadays warehouses are not now limited to its original and intended use.

The large and spacious space of a warehouse offers a lot of business opportunities. Imagine it as an empty room without its bulky contents. It is quite an overwhelming sight, isn’t? What are the quirky things you could do about it? Aside from being spacious, a warehouse is an enclosed sturdy building, which is why it is ideal to convert it to any of these:

Residential/Apartment Complex

Install solid partitions to create several rooms inside the structure. However, expect it to be an expensive endeavor and check first if the warehouse is zoned for residential.

Events/Occasions

With a strategically located warehouse that is accessible to the public, it would be an instant hot spot for the latest happening in town.

Gym

Leave for a while the classy and sometimes sophisticated ambiance of fitness centers we see today. The physical structure and look of a warehouse gives off a rugged atmosphere perfect for an intense body workout.

Supermarkets

Exchange the boxes or crates with consumer goods and aisles for towering racks. Then assigned an area where a couple of cashier stations could be lined up.

Sports Activity Center

I've seen one of these humongous structures turned into a badminton complex. A small portion was set up for Zumba sessions.

Showroom

Aspiring artists can showcase their artworks or sculptures inside of it. Just layout the place into your liking with a splurge of creativity, a dilapidated building can be transformed into an art hub.

Retail Stores

Top and well-known brands use warehouses to sell their products or introduce new creations for the public to see. This is ideal for caravan type of promotion and sale. It is more cost-effective renting one than constructing a new store from scratch.

Shooting Location

Yes, warehouses could be perfect for a location shoot for an action movie that is. It would add an appeal if the area is worn-out and abandoned. It is a large “playground” or battle ground for the good guys and the bad guys.

This article was brought to us by: Safehouse Storage