The Benefits Of Running Your Business From A Storage Facility vs. Working From Home

Working from home may seem like the dream to many office-based employees, and it certainly does have several significant benefits compared to office life. But if you have started your own business from home, you may soon discover some drawbacks to the home-working lifestyle. Read on to find out the pros and cons of working from home versus working from a storage unit.

Benefits of working from home

Working from home saves money on petrol and public transportation while increasing productivity hours. If you have no strict office hours, those who work from home can set their own schedule, with no pressure to log early morning hours or stay behind to work late. You can power through your list before the sun rises if you're an early bird. Or, if you're more of a night owl, you can lie in during the morning rush hour and tackle your inbox late into the night while everyone else is fast asleep.

You could enjoy several tax benefits if you work from home, claiming back costs like lighting, insurance, heating, council tax and mortgage interest as business expenses.

Disadvantages of working from home

Working from home has many disadvantages, and some pros could soon become cons.

While setting your schedule sounds appealing, you must be highly driven to stick to an unconventional work pattern, especially once 5pm rolls around and your friends and family are logging off and relaxing. Do you really have the willpower to turn down that movie night or trip to the pub?

While an excellent work-life balance can be achieved by working from home, many people find it difficult to switch off and dedicate their time to the family instead of work. Being self-employed means, the temptation is always there to work that little bit longer into the evening on the quest for that next contract or sale. And who can resist checking their emails when their mobile pings during a Netflix marathon? Even the most understanding of family members could grow tired of your business taking over your home and family life.

Space can also be an issue when working from home. If you're lucky enough to have a dedicated home office in your spare room, attic or shed, that's great news - as it will help you separate your professional and personal life from merging under one roof. However, if you don't have this luxury, you are likely spreading your workspace across communal areas, like the kitchen table.

Another disadvantage of working from home is loneliness. While the peace and quiet may appear appealing at first - especially if you've come from a busy office environment - it can soon feel isolating to work without a community or regular interaction.

Unless you pay for a PO Box or virtual office, working from home also means giving out your personal address to clients, suppliers and more and listing it on your social media and website. This doesn't sit well for many people and could pose a security risk.

Benefits of working from a storage unit

Working from a storage unit has a host of benefits which may surprise you and offer the perfect setup for your startup business if you are looking to escape the cons of working from home.

Basing your business from a storage unit means you have a professional address to publicise online and provide to your contacts without compromising the security of your home and family.

All our team members are forklift trained and have forklift facilities at each storage centre to handle your deliveries easily. We accept deliveries on your behalf, storing them safely until you're next round to collect and organise them.

Choosing a suitable storage facility for your business should offer you more than just storage. Check out whether they have a workstation you can use to catch up on emails or boardrooms available for hire when you have an important client coming to see you. Ask whether they offer free printing for business customers, as this can save you a lot of money in the long run.

Many storage centres with business customers advertise 24-hour access, yet this can incur additional costs in some places. If you are likely to need out-of-hours access to your storage unit, check out how this works at your chosen storage centre to ensure you can get in and out freely whenever you need to.

Free WiFi is another huge bonus of using a storage unit to run your business, as it can help you to stay online remotely and keep on top of your work without disruption or downtime.

When you use a storage unit as a business base, you'll need a space to take a break and relax. Our centres feature break-out areas, vending machines and kitchens for business customers, and complimentary tea and coffee to keep you going. We also have bathroom and shower facilities at every centre.

Startup business owners can travel a lot when establishing themselves, so easy access to a convenient workplace is essential. Most storage centres are in great locations close to motorway networks, and public transport links to make it easy for you, your staff and contacts to reach you.

Another significant benefit of using a storage unit to base your business is the added security it brings to you and your belongings. Ensure the storage centre has 24-hour CCTV, monitored intruder alarms and a sophisticated access system to ensure nobody else can access your storage unit and its contents. Choosing the right storage centre for your business will add an extra layer of security to you and your business assets, which you may not have if you decide to run your business from home.

Disadvantages of working from a storage unit

Honestly? We can't think of any disadvantages of working out of a storage unit...OK, so maybe you can't come to work in your pyjamas, but it's the ideal way to achieve the perfect work-life balance, separating your home and business life and taking your business to the next level.

The only disadvantage of working from a storage unit? You might never want to leave!

If you want to discuss how self-storage can work as a business base for your SME, get in touch.