How Can Co-Working and Storage Help Entrepreneurs?

Co-working and self storage can help entrepreneurs separate daily work from approved inventory, supplies, displays, equipment, and extra furniture. Use a co-working space for meetings, focused work, and collaboration, then use storage to organize business items that do not fit a home office or active workspace.

A storage unit is for storing approved business items only. Do not use it as a business address, office, retail location, customer meeting space, or operating workspace.

Co-Working and Storage Essentials:

• Use co-working space for focused work, meetings, and collaboration.
• Use storage for approved inventory, packaging supplies, displays, equipment, and extra furniture.
• Keep high-use business materials near the entrance of the storage unit.
• Group inventory by product type, season, project, or order frequency.
• Use labeled bins and freestanding shelving for smaller supplies.
• Place heavy boxes and equipment on the floor or lower shelves.
• Leave a clear walkway through the storage unit.
• Keep customer records, employee records, payment information, contracts, and other confidential materials out of storage.
• Do not use the storage unit as a business address or operating workspace.

Co-Working and Storage at a Glance:

Why Combine Co-Working and Self Storage?

Combining co-working and storage can create more room for an entrepreneur without immediately moving into a larger office. Co-working can support day-to-day work, while storage can hold approved items that would otherwise crowd a home office, garage, retail area, or shared workspace.

This setup can help entrepreneurs:

• Separate work activities from inventory and supply storage
• Create more room in a home office
• Put away seasonal displays and event materials
• Organize packaging and shipping supplies
• Manage growth without filling active work areas
• Adjust storage needs as inventory and equipment change

Public Storage rentals are month to month, which can support businesses with changing inventory, project, or event needs.

How Can Entrepreneurs Use Co-Working and Storage?

Entrepreneurs can use co-working and storage differently based on the business type, inventory level, and work routine.

Create More Room to Work

A graphic designer can use a co-working space for focused computer work and client meetings while putting away approved art supplies, display materials, and bulky equipment in storage. This can help keep a home workspace more organized.

Organize Business Inventory

An online seller can manage orders, marketing, and customer communication from a co-working space while using storage for approved inventory, packaging supplies, mailers, and labeled product boxes.

Store Event and Workshop Materials

A consultant, instructor, or event business can use storage for approved banners, folding tables, signs, display materials, and workshop supplies. Keep the materials grouped by event or project so they are easier to retrieve before travel or setup.

Manage a Home-Based Business

A storage unit can help a home-based business put away approved inventory, supplies, and equipment that take up too much living-space or garage room. This can create more room for daily household routines and work tasks.

What Can Entrepreneurs Store in a Storage Unit?

Entrepreneurs can store approved business materials that do not need to remain in an active workspace. Group similar items in labeled containers so employees or business owners can find supplies without moving the entire unit.

Items to store can include:

• Approved inventory
• Packaging supplies
• Shipping boxes and mailers
• Marketing materials
• Event displays and signs
• Folding tables and display fixtures
• Extra office furniture
• Approved tools and equipment
• Seasonal storefront displays
• Labeled project supplies

Do not store customer information, employee records, payment details, original contracts, intellectual property, food, liquids, hazardous materials, or other prohibited items.

How Should Entrepreneurs Organize Business Storage?

Organize business storage by product category, project, season, or access frequency. Keep high-use items near the entrance, place heavy containers low, and leave a clear walkway through the unit.

Use labels such as:

• Shipping Supplies
• Product Inventory — Spring
• Event Display Materials
• Extra Office Furniture
• Marketing Materials
• Packaging and Mailers

Update an inventory list when items enter or leave the unit.

Should Entrepreneurs Use Climate-Controlled Storage?

Climate-controlled storage can be useful for approved business materials affected by high heat or changing humidity, including electronics, paper-based marketing materials, product packaging, textiles, office furnishings, and display materials. Heat can contribute to fading, warping, or changes in paper, fabric, plastic, and electronic components, while humidity can affect metal, packaging, and textiles.

More than 90% of Public Storage properties offer climate-controlled units. These units are designed to help maintain more consistent temperature or humidity levels than non-climate-controlled storage.

Pack business items in labeled containers, place boxes on shelving or another raised surface, and keep confidential business records out of the unit.

Do Entrepreneurs Need Drive-Up Storage?

Drive-up storage can be useful when a business moves inventory, event materials, folding tables, displays, boxes, or equipment directly from a vehicle. Vehicle access near the unit can shorten the distance between a car, van, or truck and the storage space.

More than 45% of Public Storage properties offer drive-up access units.

Choose drive-up storage when you plan to:

• Load inventory directly from a vehicle
• Move event tables, signage, or display fixtures
• Store several boxes of packaging supplies
• Make regular trips to rotate business materials
• Retrieve approved equipment for an event or project
• Move extra office furniture during a workspace update

Use the Public Storage size guide to compare unit sizes for inventory, equipment, display materials, and a clear walkway.

How Can Business Storage Support a Growing Business?

Business storage can support a growing business by providing room for approved inventory, supplies, event materials, and furniture that no longer fit active work areas. A storage unit can change with the business as inventory levels, event schedules, or workspace needs change.

Review the rental agreement and facility rules before moving business items into a unit. Keep the unit organized around storage needs only, not business operations.

Make More Room for Your Business.

Co-working and storage can give entrepreneurs more flexibility by separating daily work from approved inventory, supplies, displays, and equipment. Use co-working for focused work and meetings, then organize storage around the materials that do not fit your home or active workspace.

Find a Public Storage location near you to compare business storage, climate-controlled storage, drive-up storage, and unit sizes for approved business materials.

A clear workspace and organized storage area can make business growth easier to manage.

Co-Working and Business Storage FAQs

Can entrepreneurs use storage with a co-working space?
Yes. Entrepreneurs can use storage for approved inventory, supplies, displays, equipment, and extra furniture while using co-working space for focused work and meetings.

What can a small business store in a storage unit?
Small businesses can store approved inventory, packaging supplies, marketing materials, displays, event materials, extra furniture, and equipment that fits facility rules.

Can you run a business from a storage unit?
No. A storage unit cannot be used as a business address, office, retail space, customer meeting location, or operating workspace.

Should entrepreneurs use climate-controlled storage?
Climate-controlled storage can be useful for approved electronics, paper materials, packaging, textiles, office furnishings, and displays affected by heat or changing humidity. More than 90% of Public Storage properties offer climate-controlled units.

Is drive-up storage useful for business inventory?
Yes. Drive-up storage can make loading and unloading inventory, displays, boxes, furniture, and equipment from a vehicle easier. More than 45% of Public Storage properties offer drive-up access units.