27 May Business Document Storage Tips
If your business is considering document storage in Kamloops, the following organization and document packing tips will save you some headaches and time down the road.
First and foremost, the business mini storage facility you choose should meet the following requirements.
- Secure and video monitored storage units.
- Climate-controlled building (very important for paper which is vulnerable to damage from temperature extremes and humidity).
- Pass card controlled access. Valleyview’s business storage units can be accessed from 7am-7pm, 7 days per week by pass card only.
- In-building storage units that cannot be accessed from the building’s perimeter where break-ins usually occur. Inside-only access greatly minimizes the risk of break-and-enter theft.
Valleyview Mini Storage meets all of the requirements for reliable Kamloops business and document storage.
Things You’ll Need
- Document storage boxes (banker’s boxes) with lids
- Folders
- Labels for folders and boxes
- A spreadsheet
Valleyview has the boxes and packing supplies you’ll need to store your documents.
Packing Business Papers
When you are packing business papers, we recommend following these tips:
- Organize boxes by content type
Organize boxes by the type of documents they will contain. Make a list of probable box “subjects”.For example, use separate boxes for tax documents, warranties/guarantees, insurance papers, legal papers, building or rental space agreements (leases, rental agreements, communications with rental property owners etc). - Label boxes
Now that you know the names of the boxes, label them effectively. In addition to the name of the contents within (i.e. “Insurance Papers”), you may also want to employ a box numbering scheme. A good numbering scheme allows additional boxes to be inserted between number sequences. For example, if you number boxes 1, 2, 3, and so on, and later you want to add a box to that belongs between 2 and 3, you’ve got a problem. Numbering by tens or hundreds solves this problem. If you begin by labelling boxes “10”, “20”, “30” or “100”, “200”, “300”, you can easily insert boxes between the sequence later without resorting to confusing decimals or other workarounds.These box numbers become important for the next step. - Document your archive as you file
If you have a large archive of business documents, use a spreadsheet to document the papers filed in a box. Although time-consuming at the beginning, once complete, it will save you a lot of time and frustration if you ever need to retrieve a document. A simple spreadsheet using the following column headings is all you need: Box # (from our tip above), Box Label, Contents (a list files/papers/folders or a description).Remember to label your folders, too! - Pack tax boxes by year or years
When packing tax boxes it’s important that you can easily access a tax year. Either use one or more boxes for each year and label accordingly (e.g. Taxes 2003, Taxes 2004-1, Taxes 2005-2). If you don’t have many tax documents for each year, you can combine multiple years in one box, labelling the box with the applicable years. - Pack in “last in, first out” order
Now that your documents are packed into boxes, it’s time to move them into your business mini storage unit. Remember this document storage packing motto: “Last in. First out”. Consider which boxes will likely be needed first. Your older archives may never be required, so these boxes can be placed further back in storage (and/or at the bottom of stacks of boxes). Most recent years’ boxes of tax papers, insurance documents, and legal papers may be needed, so these can be put in last (and/or at the top of stacks of boxes).
Disclaimer: Valleyview Mini Storage is not a document retention specialist. Always consult a professional and know what business documents you can move into storage.
Questions About Kamloops Business Storage?
If you have any questions about document storage for your Kamloops business, contact our helpful staff at Valleyview Mini Storage. We’re always happy to help.