What Are Five Tips For Storing Business Files Safely

Storing Business Files Safely

Although there is little doubt that digital files are becoming the primary storage medium for business documentation, there is a school of thought that for important business documentation, you should build in some sort of resilience. In the unlikely event that the online storage company you have decided to use goes into bankruptcy and all of your important files are lost, you could find yourself in a very challenging situation.

A good rule of thumb is to store all essential legal documents in three separate locations, in three types of medium. So, for example, you would keep them online, which is both a location and a storage medium, on your computer in your office, which is both a location and a medium, and on a hard drive in a self-storage facility.

The reason for this is that if you store everything on your computer and back up to a hard drive which you keep in the office, and there is a fire, all of your important files could be destroyed.

If you utilise the strategy above, you have done everything in your power to protect yourself from numerous potential problems. When it comes to storing business files safely in a self-storage unit, here are four key tips you should follow to make the process easier.

Decide What You Need To Keep – Be Ruthless

Once you have rented a self-storage unit, it can be easy to fall into the trap of believing that you have unlimited space. This is neither true nor a good thought process.

You need to take the time to go through your documentation and decide what is important to keep, and perhaps just as importantly, what is not important.

Finalised documentation is all you need to retain. To protect yourself, you should also invest in a shredder to ensure that you dispose of paperwork and information correctly. Two good examples of paperwork that should be destroyed with a shredder are employee files of people who left the company many years ago or files that contain payment information.

There is also no point storing documentation that you are never likely to need or even look at again- so be ruthless.

Get Organised – A Dymo Labeller Is The Perfect Tool

You are storing these files because they are important, and presumably, you will need to access them at some point in the future. Take the time and the opportunity to label and group the different types of documents together to quickly find exactly what you are looking for in the future.

Work Out A Storage System That You Can Follow

Depending on how long you rent your self-storage unit, you need to work out the best filing system for your specific requirements. In our experience, using shelves is typically the best option, as although stacking boxes will work, it is Murphy’s law that the one file you want to get to quickly will be in the first box on the bottom of the pile at the very back.

Installing shelves resolves this issue and ensures quick and easy access. Consider putting the oldest files that you expect to need least at the back of the storage unit, and work your way forward with the most recent files towards the front.

Keep All Paper Files Off The Floor

Think of your important files as sponges, looking for any and every opportunity to soak up water or any other form of moisture. Regardless of how good your self-storage unit is, a cold floor always has the potential to generate moisture from condensation or other weather conditions. That is why it is important never to store cardboard boxes containing your files on the floor.

If you have any further questions regarding the storage of business files, then contact MCR Storage today. We have helped hundreds of local business owners resolve this exact issue, and we have a wealth of knowledge and expertise to impart.

Call us today on 0161 877 1260