For years self-storage units were only used as secondary storage space to store unused household belongings. People only used to perceive it as an additional storage space to hoard all the furniture, clothes, family heirlooms, and random objects they did not want to part ways with.

Over the last decade, self-storage units have become a much more sophisticated service. They are now much more than rows of storage units filled with random objects. Many storage companies now offer additional services like commercial storage units. 

Commercial or business storage facility has opened an outlet of unlimited opportunities for people who want to start their own business. How? Keep on reading. 

 

Storage Unit Related Business Ideas

Whether you already own a small business or thinking of taking the plunge of being your boss, self-storage units can be your best friend. Every business needs space to grow figuratively. You can start your business from your room or garage, but you can run out of reach quickly with time.

Storage companies have business-friendly policies, which will help your business grow and prosper within days. They don’t only provide you with space; some storage facilities also offer transportation, stockholding, and logistic services. You can even get your products packed and palletised till you are ready to ship.

Below are some fantastic ideas of businesses you can operate from a self-storage facility. 

 

Thrift Shop

You can start a thrift shopping business right from your home. All you got to do is visit local thrift shops and markets and choose pieces that you think hold value. Thrift shopping is an art, identifying valuable articles from a plethora of useless stuff requires attention to detail.

If you think you got what it takes, thrift shopping can be quite a lucrative business. Once it takes off, you can start stocking the articles in a storage unit. Keeping your stock in a storage unit will ensure it remains safe and ready to be shipped.

 

Amazon Seller

Amazon is a big name and provides thousands of employment opportunities to people all over the world. You, too, can start your own business on Amazon and make a good living out of it. Amazon is a virtual marketplace; you take orders of your products and then ship them out.

You can rent a storage unit and keep your products there; you can deploy an order fulfilment system right from your storage unit and use it as a warehouse.

 

Jewellery Seller

Jewellery making is an art; it requires creative skills and imagination. If you think you have what it takes, you can start your jewellery-making business right from home.

Everything is digitalised nowadays; you can make your website and start advertising your jewellery pieces without cost. In the future, whenever you think managing a business from home is impossible, you can move everything into a commercial storage unit and operate from it.

 

Furniture Flipping 

Repurposing old furniture and upcycling it into something completely new is good for the environment and a great business idea. It might be a perfect business if you have a creative flare and like to give new life to old things.

You can operate this business from a storage unit and keep upcycled furniture pieces in it until you get a worthy offer. The business model is quite simple; you must visit thrift shops, garage sales, and old furniture shops and hunt for unique pieces. Put on your thinking cap, repurpose it into something beautiful, and put it up for sale.

 

Resin Art Decoration

Resin art is gaining immense popularity right now, and rightfully so, well-made resin decoration pieces look very eye-catching. A resin centrepiece can grab everybody’s attention and be the statement piece in every living room. Enrol in a resin art class if you are artistically blessed and love playing with colours. 

Once you learn the art expertly, you can start your own business and sell resin keychains, centrepieces, frames, coasters, and trays. Indeed, this business can be shifted to a storage unit once it takes off.

 

Clothing Business

Any kind of skill can be turned profitable if you love fashion and like to dress nicely, this might be the ideal business for you. You can sew and design custom clothes and sell them online. Internet is your best friend when it comes to marketing your business. 

A climate-controlled storage unit can be used as a warehouse to store all the garments and keep them dust and moisture free. You can choose a specific style like wedding gowns, maternity clothes, baby clothes, or bathing suits or go in with a mixed bag.

 

Pottery and Ceramics

Another skill that can be transformed into a lucrative business is pottery and ceramics. Hand-made things often take time to make; every piece is unique and perfectly crafted. This is why there is a high demand for such skills; thankfully, it pays well too. 

You can take pottery or ceramics classes and take it up as a business. If you are good at what you do, you will soon make a name for yourself and develop a brand. People love to buy unique things, beautifully crafted pottery and ceramic pieces such as bowls, dishes, vases, and plates, and you can offer them just that.

 

Etsy Seller

Etsy is also a quite well-known online marketplace famous globally. Unlike Amazon, Etsy focuses on unique hand-made and vintage products. Anyone can sell and buy products on Etsy, which means you too can start your business on this platform.

If you are short on space, renting a storage unit to store your inventory will be the ideal way forward. You can sell frames, hand-made cards, and notes, customise jewellery and hand-made candles on Etsy and make a good profit. 

 

Personal Stylist

Do you love fashion and everything about it? Well, here is a fantastic business idea perfect for you. You can sell your services as a personal stylist and shopper online, yes, there is a massive market for this skill.

You can secure rare and exclusive clothing articles from well-known brands and later sell them to people. You can take your markup and turn it into a profitable business. There is a huge demand for luxury articles, sunglasses, and sneakers; you can turn it into a company, starting with a storage unit being your initial work premises.

 

Photographer

Start your career as a photographer and start selling your skills. Photography is a well-paying skill; you can book events and make fast bucks. A self-storage unit can be used as a studio where you can invite clients for photoshoots.

With a photography studio on your resume, you can attract a large clientele and start making profits soon.

 

The Final Word

Self-storage units are great for personal as well as commercial use. If you want to start your own business and a shortage of space is stopping you, start exploring the world of opportunities for running a business out of a storage unit. The results might pleasantly surprise you.