If you’re a growing business or operate from home, you may need more space for inventory. Many small businesses turn to commercial storage solutions to safeguard their products. Properly organizing your unit with the tips below helps you make the most of your investment.

How to Use Commercial Storage for Inventory

1. Organize the Unit

Organize your storage unit to make items easy to find when you need to fulfill an order.

Use painter’s tape to establish an aisle from the front of the unit to the back wall. Only store items on either side of this section. If you use the unit for personal and business needs, keep them separate from each other. This may mean storing each type of item on one side of the space.

2. Label Containers

Cardboard boxes crumble and degrade over time, so use stackable plastic storage bins with tight seals to protect your inventory. Label them with their contents to make items easy to find.

You can make labels more useful by following the 80/20 rule. Generally, 80% of a company’s income comes from 20% of its products. Use containers or labels of different colors for your bestselling items, as you may need to access them more often.

3. Don’t Let Unused Items Take Up Space

It can be tempting to store extra desks, office chairs, and old electronics in the unit. However, these may take up a lot of valuable square footage.

As a rule of thumb, if you haven’t used an item for six months or longer, donate or sell it. You can use a similar guideline for inventory; products that sit in the unit and don't grow in demand over time may need to be discontinued.

If you’re looking for a commercial storage solution in the Tri-State Area, trust Galaxy Self-Storage. This secure facility provides 24/7 access and a variety of unit sizes for a range of needs. They also have outdoor lighting and video surveillance to ensure your items are protected. Learn more about their seven locations on their website, or call (608) 526-9000 to discuss your needs.