Rent climbs again, forklift bills grow, and pallets start to sit in empty corners of a traditional warehouse. The space no longer matches how your business works; stock arrives in waves, not in steady blocks. You still pay full warehouse rates, business rates, and service charges, even when racking stands half‑empty. At some point, you ask a direct question: do you still need a traditional warehouse, or do self-storage units fit better? This step‑by‑step guide shows how to move from a traditional warehouse to self-storage units at Spacebox Self Storage in Aston while operations keep running and overheads drop.

Step 1. Check if self-storage fits your business

• Map how you use your current warehouse
  • List what you store: e-commerce stock, office furniture, machinery, documents, event kit, and seasonal equipment.
  • For each group, note how often it moves: daily, weekly, monthly, or rarely. Mark pallets that sit untouched for months.
• Compare those needs with what self-storage units offer
  • Self-storage units work best when you want flexible space, direct control of your layout, and frequent access for your own team rather than full third‑party warehouse labour.
  • If you mainly hold non‑perishable stock, tools, documents, and equipment and your own staff pick and pack orders, self-storage units already match how you operate.
• Decide your direction with a simple rule
  • If your model relies on large pallet‑in, pallet‑out flows with external handling teams, a traditional warehouse still suits.
  • If your main need is secure, accessible storage that flexes with your volumes, moving to self-storage units becomes the logical next step.

Step 2. Audit inventory and space so you stop paying for “air”

• Build a basic space profile
  • Group items into four lists: fast movers, slow movers, long‑term storage, and equipment or machinery.
  • Count pallets, cages, or stackable boxes for each list and write down how many you hold in a normal week and at peak.
• Find waste in your traditional warehouse
  • Walk the building and mark empty high bays, wide unused aisles, and zones filled only with archive boxes or spare desks.
  • Estimate roughly how much floor space you pay for that does not help you store or move goods.
• Translate counts into unit sizes
  • As a working rule, assume a standard pallet or small picking bay uses a few square feet and add 30–40% for aisles and working room.
  • Convert that total into a set of possible self-storage unit sizes, using Spacebox ranges from about 10 sq ft up to 1000 sq ft so you plan for real numbers, not guesswork.

Step 3. Design a self-storage layout that replaces the warehouse

• Decide how many self-storage units you need and what they do
  • Create zones on paper:
    • Zone A (Unit 1): fast‑moving stock and daily picks.
    • Zone B (Unit 2): slow movers, archive boxes, and spare furniture.
    • Zone C (Unit 3): tools, machinery, and bulky kit.
  • Match each zone with a unit size rather than trying to force everything into one large space.
• Set clear rules for internal layout before move‑in
  • Keep aisles clear and wide enough for trolleys and forklifts; fix a maximum stack height so staff do not build unsafe towers.
  • Place fast‑moving products near doors, keep heavy or slow‑moving items at the back, and label every shelf and pallet position with simple codes.
• Align layout with daily tasks
  • Sketch a typical pick path from receiving to pick area to loading; adjust shelf positions until that path does not cross itself.
  • Create a defined returns area, either inside a self storage unit or at its entrance, with a basic flow: unload → check → restock or discard, so units support a full loop rather than becoming a dumping ground.

Step 4. Choose the right self-storage facility

• Test access and location in real conditions
  • Drive from your base to the Aston site at your usual delivery and collection times and time the full trip, including entry and parking.
  • Confirm that you use keyless smart entry and extended or 24‑hour access (T&Cs apply) so staff reach units seven days a week without waiting for a gatehouse.
• Confirm security and building quality
  • Check that each self storage unit has its own alarm, strong lock, and 24/7 CCTV coverage, and ask how access logs work.
  • Inspect units for insulation, watertight doors, and clean, damp‑proof floors so stock, documents, and machinery stay safe over time.
• Check operational support that narrows the gap to a warehouse
  • Ask about free use of trolleys, pallet trucks, and forklifts, plus the design of unloading areas for vans and lorries.
  • Confirm extras such as Wi‑Fi, receptionist and courier services, and access to meeting rooms so you run more of your operation on site without leasing a full warehouse office.

• Step 5. Match unit size and contract terms to your space profile

• Use your space profile rather than gut feeling
  • Start size selection with fast movers and safe working space, then add volumes for slow movers, long‑term storage, and machinery.
  • Pick specific Spacebox unit sizes that together cover this plan with a modest buffer; avoid one oversized unit that recreates wasted warehouse space.
• Build flexibility into your plan from day one
  • Ask how easily you switch between unit sizes as seasons change and what notice period applies.
  • Combine short‑term and long‑term business storage where it makes sense; Spacebox supports both and price‑matches equivalent units while offering 50% off for 12 months on selected sizes between 225 and 450 sq ft, which often fits core stock.
• Understand cost and savings in full
  • Compare your current warehouse bill, including rent, business rates, service charges, and utilities, with the projected self-storage cost plus any offers.
  • Factor in that Spacebox Self Storage include no business rates for customers, strong security, and self‑service access, which often cuts monthly overheads even when you run several units.

Step 6. Plan the move from the warehouse to self-storage units

• Set a realistic overlap window
  • Keep your traditional warehouse and new self-storage units active at the same time for a short period so orders continue without interruption.
  • Use this window to move in phases: clear one zone, stabilise it in self-storage, then move the next.
• Prepare stock, labelling, and paperwork
  • Remove obsolete stock and equipment, decide what you sell, donate, or scrap, and only move what still supports your business.
  • Label every pallet and box with SKU, quantity, and target unit and shelf code, so staff know exactly where to place it at Spacebox Self Storage.
• Arrange transport and on‑site help
  • Book vans or lorries that match your pallet sizes and check loading areas for height and turning space.
  • Use trolleys and forklifts on site for internal moves, and ask Spacebox about van‑higher discounts if you need extra capacity for move days.
    
    

Step 7. Set up and run daily operations in self-storage units

• • Install racking and work areas before stock arrives
    • Build and secure shelving and pallet racking in each unit so you avoid moving pallets twice.
    • Set up simple workbenches or tables for packing and returns so staff handle tasks in one place rather than across scattered piles.
  • Move stock in a controlled order
    • Move long‑term storage, archive, and slow movers into self-storage units first, since they do not affect daily orders.
    • Move fast movers and live pick locations last; flip your picking operation to the Spacebox site only when those units already mirror your planned layout.
  • Lock in new routines for the Spacebox site
    • Define how staff open and close units, record who enters when, and keep aisles clear at the end of each shift.
    • Use Wi‑Fi and meeting rooms for admin and supplier meetings while stock, documents, and equipment sit a short walk away, so the site acts as both storage and a simple business hub.

Book a move plan for your business storage