As the pandemic continues, a storage unit seems to be the last thing to think about. But, surprisingly, there’s been an increase of inquiries on self-storage units by domestic customers during the lockdown. Customers of self-storage unit services can be simply split between domestic and business customers. The situation brought about by COVID-19 (e.g., lockdowns and social distancing) have forced both domestic and business sectors to rethink the space of the home and the workplace.
Read more about limited hospital space is limiting the fight against coronavirus here. Questions that have arisen from this situation come to include things like, “How can I turn my home into a workplace?” or “How do I keep my home/workplace safe in the case of another situation like COVID-19?”
When the pandemic hit, one worry for both home- and business-owners was space. Space had to be remade to incorporate social distancing protocols and to convert the home into a workspace. Of course, in the case of cluttered or unspacious areas, some decluttering and organization have to be done. To accommodate the excess or the unnecessary items sorted out during this clean-up, it seems that people turned to self-storage units as a solution.
Transforming the home
Prior to COVID-19, domestic customers made use of self-storage units for a number of things like renovations, moving, school, etc. COVID-19 has not put a complete stop to life milestones like those – most of these have only been postponed until after the pandemic.
The current situation has forced people to be more conscious of their homes. For the work-from-home employees living with their families, they are faced with the hurdle of creating a workspace for themselves where they can get their work done efficiently.
Some may convert an unused room or space to suit their needs, but this may involve painstakingly finding space in the garage or shed for the furniture or other objects that had to be moved. A handful of people may still have spaces in their homes for storage, but often than not, don’t. Their solution for this dilemma can be to rent a self-storage unit to house their stuff temporarily, that is until they can sort the storage space in their own homes.
What’s your pandemic hobby?
The phrase “pandemic hobby” has probably become a familiar sight across social media as people turn to acquiring new hobbies or returning to old ones in order to cope with the pandemic. Photos and videos of sewing, painting, baking and gardening have graced people’s personal social media accounts and news outlets, but pandemic hobbies have also come to include things like furniture making and raising chickens.
Whatever the pandemic hobby, homeowners may find their homes full of their pandemic projects. Some turn to making a small business out of it as the pandemic’s effects also trickle down to finances as well. But, there’s only so much space in the house for products meant for selling.
Businesses go online
Cost-cutting measures for some businesses involve closing down their physical shops to go completely online. But, even online businesses still need some sort of physical space to store merchandise. The UK Self Storage (SSA UK) Annual Report 2020 identifies small to medium businesses as their main business customers.
The same report notes that the self-storage industry helps local businesses during their shift from being a family, home-based business to a larger, more legit business. The work-from-home situation has also led companies to consider downsizing their office space for a more spacious setting and for possibly keeping the work-from-home scheme even after COVID-19. In a similar manner as decluttering a home, downsizing the office space will most likely end up with a pile of stuff that needs to be either sold or stored.
Rent a storage unit for personal or business use!
For whatever reason arises that leads to renting or buying a storage unit, it’s best to do some research. It’s important to consider the factors that need to be kept in mind when renting a storage unit in London. What will it be used for and for how long?
When doing an inventory of things in either the home or the office space, it’s also important to identify which objects can be stored in a self-storage unit. Wooden furniture, for example, will not fare well in regular self-storage units due to their vulnerability to humidity. Thankfully, there are climate controlled storage units available.
A lot of self-storage businesses have also followed the trend of going online. It won’t be hard to do a simple and quick search on the internet for available storage units in the area. Additionally, some even offer reservations and payment online. The self-storage industry also innovates. The technological advances in improving services seem to also hint to a near future that includes remote interactions and 24/7 access to a storage unit. Nothing is lost in making a simple inquiry to make life a bit more bearable during the quarantine.