An all-too-common struggle for small business owners is finding a space to store inventory. This is especially a problem when you run your business through an online platform instead of a traditional brick-and-mortar storefront. At least with a storefront, you can try to stuff your inventory into a backroom or basement.
Without this essential storage space, you’re forced to keep your inventory at home. It clogs up your office. It sits in piles on your garage floor. It’s haphazardly stuffed into any space you can fit it — the broom closet, the furnace room, the attic, etc.
You can’t store your business’s inventory around your house. You need to find some storage solutions and fast.
Why Shouldn’t You Store It in Your House?
Poor Organization
One reason why you shouldn’t store your business’s inventory in your house is that it will be difficult to keep organized. The items might get mixed in with your personal belongings or get completely lost in the shuffle.
Temperature Control
Certain areas of your house may not offer proper temperature control for inventory storage. Areas like your basement, attic and garage will not be well insulated and will not be able to protect your items from fluctuations in humidity and temperature. High humidity can cause mold and mildew to grow nearby your items or directly on them—you won’t be able to sell them then. That will be a huge profit loss.
What Storage Solutions Are There?
A Storage Unit
You could rent a storage unit for your inventory. Choose one at a neighborhood facility so that you don’t have to travel far to access your inventory.
You should check for units that offer features like 24/7 security cameras. This feature will prevent your inventory from succumbing to damage and theft.
A Storage Container
Repurpose a shipping container into a private storage space for your business’s inventory. You could place the container in your backyard so that your inventory is always close-by. If you ever need to grab items for shipping or displays, you can take a short walk out your back door to your fully-stocked container.
Where do you get a container? You can buy storage containers through an online shipping container portal. They will have a selection of different shipping container grades, sizes and types to choose from!
At the very least, you will want a shipping container that has a wind and water-tight grade. This grade means that your container will protect the contents from the outdoor elements. You don’t have to worry about rain touching your items.
For additional protection, you can add insulation to your storage container walls. This will stop extreme temperatures from affecting the contents.
A Public Warehouse
Larger companies can afford to have their own warehouses, sometimes right beside their corporate offices. These are called dedicated warehouses. Dedicated warehouses only store products made by the parent company.
A public warehouse is different. A public warehouse stores the products for multiple companies all at once, dividing its shelving space into different zones. It caters to small businesses that don’t have the product size or the budget for a dedicated warehouse. You could be one of those small businesses!
A public warehouse is a great storage option if you need help with assembling, packaging and shipping your items to customers. These warehouses often offer 3PL services for the businesses that have signed up with them.
Pick the storage solution that works best for you, and finally get your business’s inventory out of your basement.
