Total Storage Winnipeg

Local Winnipeg Storage Facility; Convenient and Secure

Retail Storage

Why Your Business Needs Storage Space

Everyone goes into business with the same basic goals. They want to hit it big and find financial security by doing something they enjoy. If your business is taking off, you need to be able to keep up with the flow. The bigger your business gets, the more you are going to find yourself getting buried under paperwork and invoices. To avoid that, you need to make sure you store the things you need neatly, yet keep them close enough to still be accessible.

Things You May Need to Store

Why Your Business Needs Storage SpacePaperwork is the most obvious storage that will come up. You need to keep incoming and outgoing receipts, invoices for items you have purchased from elsewhere, information on payroll, tax forms, and so much more. Each of these items needs to be kept in a secure location that people outside of the top select few of the company have access to. However, you need storage that is secure enough to have no worries that someone is going to walk into your area and walk out with your information.

If your business sells physical products, you are going to need to store those as well. When things are selling out quickly, you may never have much merchandise to worry about. However, when things hit a lull or just before a busy shopping day, you may be trying to squeeze down hallways and shimmy past boxes in the office. This is not effective for your business, nor is it a safe thing for you to try and work around. Storing these items is a much better option.

Opting for Secure Storage Solves All of Your Issues

When you find your business needing storage, you want somewhere that offers everything you need. It needs to be close by and has a wide range of hours so that you can have access to what is being stored at a moment’s notice. You also want someplace that has secure storage so that you do not have to worry about anyone breaking in for your information. Plus, you need a storage facility that is going to be able to accommodate a wide range of items. Sometimes you may only need to store a small amount, while other times you may temporarily need to store much more. If you need a storage facility that can help you with all of these needs, please contact us to speak with a storage specialist today!

Time to Spring Clean Your Business

business office spring cleaning - Total Storage Self-Storage - Business Storage HeadingleySpring cleaning your office will give you that boost to enjoy your workspace.  As we wait for the first signs of green to peek through, it is time to think of the annual spring clean. Most of us generally tend to focus on our homes, but a good clean of your office will help you look forward to going to the office when the sun is shining, and the weather is great.

Even with today’s technology and regardless of the type of business you have, it is easy to let paperwork take over your space. Going through all your paperwork is essential to keeping your office tidy and clean. Start with your filing cabinet. If you have files that are dated and not needed regularly, consider archiving them in boxes to make more space for your current files. If you have the type of business that needs to keep files for a certain period, a self-storage unit can be a great place to keep your archived files. See our blog on preparing your files for storage.

You can then move to your desk. Throw out, shred or recycle any paper that is unnecessary and take the time to file all the paperwork that has been waiting to be filed.

It is equally important to take the time to clean and organize the files on your computer. Plan a half hour a day for two weeks (or as long as it takes) to organize all the files on your system. Trash any files that are not needed to free up space on your computer. You’d be surprised at how many times you have recopied files into different areas.

Also, if you don’t check your antivirus and antispam software on a regular basis, now is a good time. Verify that your programs are working and updated and check that your firewall is up to date and protecting your system.

Organizing Your Retail Space

If you are a retailer, you are probably ending your final winter sales and showing your spring collection. This can be a cluttered time in your store as you also have your summer stock ready to go. If you are having space issues, this can prove to be a difficult time to stay organized. Taking the time to organize your stock room will help keep your sales flowing. Label areas based on seasons and make sure the unsold product is well labeled. If you find you are in need of more space, a self-storage unit can be a great economical addition to your stock room. See our blog on the advantages of using a self-storage unit for retailers on how financially advantageous it is to include a self storage unit for your inventory.

Why A Self Storage Unit And An Online Retail Business Are The Perfect Match

Red Credit Card - Total Storage Self-Storage - Storage WinnipegThe buying habits of the Canadian consumer have changed. Most Canadians will do some, or all of their shopping online now. Data from Canada Post shows that 76% of Canadians shopped online last year and of that percentage about one quarter were frequent shoppers.

For many existing retailers, the move to online sales has been a transition that has enabled amazing growth. And, for new entrepreneurs, low start-up costs can mean having an online business that is incredibly lucrative.

One of the biggest obstacles for the online retailers is space. As a start-up, renting warehouse space or even an office space can be too expensive and often, online retailers who are working from home find their houses overrun with product and packaging. This is where a self- storage unit can be an incredibly cost effective match for your online sales business.

A self-storage unit can furnish you with the space you need to build and expand your online sales quickly and effectively. Of course, it is important that you research the storage unit company you will be using as it must meet your needs. A few points to remember:

  • Make sure the unit is climate controlled.
  • The storage unit facility must have state of the art security.
  • You must be able to access your storage unit at any time. Choose a facility that has 24/7 access.
  • Choose a self-storage unit facility who will accept deliveries for you.
  • Make sure you can change unit sizes easily without being locked into a contract. Your plan is to grow!

See our post on other features your storage unit must have.

Your self-storage unit can help you stay organized and allow you to purchase the right amount of product for your sales. Of course, proper setup of your unit is key to getting the most out of your unit.  See our other post for some tips on getting the most out of your storage unit.

If you are a budding entrepreneur in the Winnipeg area, or, are a successful online retailer and need more space, contact us today. We would love to help you with your business storage needs.

How We Solved the Small Retailers Space Dilemma

In today’s extremely competitive market it is getting more and more difficult for retail stores to compete against large online sales companies like Amazon and Ebay.

Traditional retailers must find new ways to get clients visiting their stores with dazzling storefronts and constantly changing stock. If you are a retailer, you know how difficult this can be. With storage space at a premium, it can be difficult to invest in seasonal items to decorate your store.

Another problem that traditional retailers face today is the need to turn stock over in order to keep things fresh. Shoppers today have everything at their fingertips online and with the barrage of online advertising, it can be difficult to keep your store exciting. Budget and space constraints may keep you from having as much choice in stock as you may like.

A self- storage unit is your answer to these issues. Self-storage units are the most economical way to add to your retail space without the burden and cost of relocating to a larger space. Here are some quick numbers:

  • Net rental rates in Winnipeg have continued to rise. Storefront retail in the downtown core can run upwards of $24.00 per square foot and indoor shopping malls can run much higher. In contrast, a self- contained, climate controlled storage unit is approximately $1.00 – $2.00 per sq. foot monthly.

Renting a storage unit enables you to invest in the seasonal display pieces you need to make your store pop without sacrificing prime space within your retail space. You can also rotate stock without having to always “sale” it in order to bring in new stock. Of course, sales and promotions are important, but, stock that you know can be brought out again for the following season can be easily stored in a storage unit.

Having a climate-controlled, 24/7 secure access, storage unit can bring the needed freedom to keep your store fresh and exciting and give you the cutting edge you need to compete in today’s retail world.

If you are in the Winnipeg area contact our professionals at Total Storage to schedule a free storage consultation today.

Total Storage Winnipeg