How to Store Business Inventory in Self-Storage Units

Have you run out of space at your place of business? Can’t afford to pay rent at another location? We have an affordable solution for storing excess inventory with six locations offering climate-controlled storage in Cincinnati. Our Springdale, West Chester, and Blue Ash North locations offer state-of-the-art storage facilities with cameras that record activity, keypad access requiring unique gate codes, and wheeled carts to help move items.

Take advantage of this opportunity with a wide range of storage unit sizes, from 5x5 up to 15x45, depending on your needs. Take a moment to read our guide on how to store business inventory in self-storage units in Cincinnati.

Common Items We See With Self-Storage in Cincinnati

Think about cost-effective self-storage in Cincinnati if you have one of these types of businesses:

E-Commerce and Online Retailers

Overstock or excess inventory that doesn't fit in current retail space.
Seasonal items, such as items sold during specific times of the year (e.g., holiday decorations, summer clothing).
Fulfillment center inventory when storing goods closer to shipping hubs for faster order delivery.

Brick-and-Mortar Retailers

Seasonal inventory, similar to e-commerce, but for brick-and-mortar stores.
Backstock or extra inventory to ensure availability and prevent stockouts.
Sale items and things marked down for clearance are often stored off-site until sold.

Manufacturers

Raw materials for parts and storing components and supplies until needed for production. Think nuts, bolts, screws, metal plates, and more.
Finished goods while holding completed products awaiting shipment or distribution.
Excess equipment and storing machinery or tools that are not in constant use.

Contractors and Tradespeople

Tools, equipment, and storing bulky items like ladders, scaffolding, and power tools.
Building materials such as storing excess lumber, drywall, or other construction supplies.
Seasonal equipment like storing snow plows, lawnmowers, or other seasonal tools.

Event Planners

Staging and decor when storing tables, chairs, linens, and other event essentials.
Props and costumes for items in theatrical productions or special events.

Restaurants and Caterers

Off-season decorations when storing holiday decorations or seasonal items.
Excess equipment, such as large appliances or catering equipment not in daily use.

Artists and Crafters

Raw materials for storing large quantities of fabric, yarn, wood, or other materials.
Finished goods, including completed artwork, crafts, or handmade products for sale or display.
Equipment such as large tools, machinery, or display cases.

Assessing Your Inventory

You need to have proper organization and planning before putting your excess business inventory in a self-storage. Categorize items based on type, size, and how soon you might need to get the items out of storage, whether you’re storing excess equipment, furniture, or products you offer for sale.

Grouping similar products or equipment together simplifies both storage and retrieval processes. Having an organized plan saves staff time, prevents unnecessary searching, and minimizes confusion when you need to retrieve items later.

Evaluate the condition of each item if you’re storing equipment or furniture. Inspect for damage, wear, or other issues before you put it into storage. For instance, electronics and machinery often benefit from protective coverings or climate-controlled environments to limit damage from humidity or dust.

Measure Your Items

Measure the dimensions and weight of inventory to determine spatial needs accurately. Use these measurements to choose a storage unit size that accommodates your items without overcrowding. Allow space for walkways to improve accessibility and prevent stacking fragile items too high. Optimizing the space protects your inventory and reduces time spent searching for specific items.

Choosing the Right Storage Unit for Your Needs

What do you need to store? How much space do you need? We highly recommend climate-controlled storage for electronics, papers, documentation, and items made of wood or cloth. So, if you have excess computer equipment because you downsized the office due to people working remotely, a climate-controlled unit is a great option for protecting electronic components such as circuit boards and processors.

Heavy-duty equipment or power tools could probably do well with drive-up storage. Items made for outdoor use, such as outdoor furniture, also work in a non-climate-controlled unit. Do you have metal parts like bolts, screws, metal plates, and similar items? We have a drive-up unit for that.

If you sell items but don’t have space for them in your offices, we suggest a climate-controlled unit in Cincinnati. You want your items to stay in as good condition as possible before someone buys them. For example, you’re a boutique or T-shirt printing company with more clothing than you can keep in your store or shop.

Clothing is an ideal thing for climate-controlled storage in Cincinnati because the temperature and humidity range can limit degradation due to environmental factors. Do you create and sell handcrafted items? Having climate-controlled storage can be an asset until a customer purchases your items.

Organizing and Packing Inventory

Once you decide which business inventory needs to be in storage, organize and pack it properly for the best results.

Barcode the Inventory

Label and document your inventory with a digital tracking system using barcodes, just as you would at the office. Assign labels with barcodes for quick identification and keep an inventory database updated with a description of the item.

Consider an alpha-numeric labeling system for quick identification, like Row 1 would have items stacked from top to bottom with 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, and 1E, all of which would be listed in the barcode database. Make the database searchable when trying to locate the inventory. This practice streamlines inventory management and provides a clear overview of stored goods for both daily operations and audits.

Packing Depends on the Size and Quantity of Your Items

The size and quantity of your items will dictate how you pack and store items. For large equipment, that will form the basis of how you organize the storage space because the heaviest or largest items go on the bottom.

Organize your items around the largest and heaviest things you have. Let’s say you need to store a riding lawnmower as your landscaping business shuts down for the winter. You would put the riding lawnmower in first. Consider having a folding table to go over it so you can lay down some edgers, shovels, or other tools on top.

Let’s say you’re a manufacturer that produces custom auto parts. You keep boxes of nuts, bolts, and metal plates in stock for when orders come in. You also have specialty equipment you only need for certain orders. Since metal parts are heavy, you could store crates of them on pallets in a storage unit.

The specialty equipment, though heavy, would be lighter than the pallets. You could stack the equipment on the crates or get a big enough unit to keep the equipment separate if you need access to the supplies rather than the equipment.

Make Aisles and Rows for Larger Storage Units

If you’re stacking boxes and tubs, put the heaviest items on the bottom. Don’t stack items more than 6 or 7 feet high. Make aisles 2 to 3 feet wide to easily get to your items. Put items you need first and foremost toward the front of the unit for easier access, no matter the size.

Inventory Security and Insurance

Make sure to assess the security features of the self-storage unit in Cincinnati. Our facilities include cameras that record activity as well as gated/limited access. We highly recommend a disc lock for your storage unit for the best results.

We offer third-party insurance coverage for your items in storage, but your business liability policy may have more robust coverage. Check with your insurance provider before discussing your insurance options with our team. This requires precise documentation of everything in storage, which is where maintaining a database is crucial.

Self-Storage Management

We highly recommend checking on your items once a month to make sure everything is in the right condition. Remember, keep the inventory you need to move out closest to the door to make visits to storage more efficient.

Accessing and Rotating Your Inventory

Create a schedule for visits to the self-storage to maximize your time. Make a list of items you need to get out, rearrange, or move into self-storage in Cincinnati. That way, it’s a fairly quick trip once a week or month, however often you need to check on your items.

This is where an updatable inventory database comes in handy. You can update the database with your smartphone or handheld scanner as you move items in and out. Just scan the barcode on the item, change any status of where the items are (in storage, at the office, or whichever location suits your company), and place them where the items need to be.

Cost and Budget

Make sure to pay your monthly storage bill on time. Talk to us about paying in advance or enrolling in an automatic bill pay every month. We can also discuss your options when you need more storage space.

When You Need to Expand Your Storage Needs

We have cost-effective ways to expand your storage needs. Rather than simply adding another unit, you can move your inventory into a double-sized climate-controlled storage unit in Cincinnati.

For example, a 5x10 climate-controlled unit at Blue Ash North might rent for $89 per month. Meanwhile, a 10x10 unit could be $139 a month. If you need to double the space you need, you won’t pay double the pricing.

Using this hypothetical example, two 5x10 units would be $178, however, by renting one 10x10 unit, you would save $39 a month. Your individual results may vary. However, this is a cost-effective way to manage your storage so long as you can move your items from the original unit to the new one.

Contact Us for Business Storage in Cincinnati

If your business needs extra storage, count on our locally owned and operated self-storage company in Cincinnati. We have eight locations all over Greater Cincinnati to help with your storage needs. We’re also one of the largest independently owned and operated storage companies in the area!