What do the Magna Carta, Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and the Treaty of Versailles all have in common? Answer: They were documents that changed the world for the better. Even within your own business or personal affairs, however, there are documents that are no less important to you – registrations, certificates, licenses, certifications … your map to hidden treasure, with X marking the spot. No matter what document we’re talking about, there may come a time when it’s not needed every day, or even every year or 5 years – but you definitely still need a place to keep them out of your way, safe, sound, secure and protected. So how exactly do we go about storing documents in the smartest ways?

These document storage tips should get you started:

1. Organise

Storing documents in the safest and sound manner starts with good organisation. For instance, if only 1 document in a stack of 100 is really worth saving, then why bother storing all of them? It may well be that unimportant documents to you are like gold to an identity thief or scammer, so you’re better off tidying up your affairs by destroying them rather than keeping them.

2. Filing/labelling

With the wheat separated from the chaff, it’s time to file and label. Remember, you won’t see these documents for some time, so a deliberate filing system specifically for storage is a very good idea. The easiest way to do this is with document archive boxes (easily purchased from a box shop in Melbourne), which are specifically designed for storing and relocating logically organised and clearly labelled and filed documents.

3. Moisture protection

Good storage conditions are controlled for humidity and moisture, which is especially important for sensitive records that are more prone than others to damage including from mildew growth. For similar reasons, you can even protect your documents from fire damage with special airtight and flame-resistant containers.

4. Off the floor

The riskiest place to store your documents is at floor level, opening them up to pest and flood damage. Once on the shelf, adequate ventilation should be accounted for by allowing space and airflow around the stored items, and dust protection can be provided with a cover.

5. Storage facility

While it can be just as handy to store your documents in the shed or ceiling space, a much smarter option is to put it in the hands of a truly professional self storage facility with a space that is perfectly optimised for the purpose. Check for specifics including:

• Security features/policies
• Physical measures (lighting, fencing, gates, locks)
• Advanced measures (in-person surveillance, video/motion monitoring)
• Accessibility (24 hour access?)
• Pricing packages
• Unit sizes/specifications/environmental control.

Storing documents? Jim’s can help today

If you’ve run out of space for your business storage needs, or you require something more safe and secure to keep your most prized documents or other business and personal information or items, Jim’s Self Storage is the wisest option in and around Williamstown and surrounding suburbs including Brooklyn, Altona North, Altona Meadows, Altona, Yarraville, Footscray and beyond. With over 900 units, our award-winning facility is safe, clean, convenient and secure, so get in touch for a chat with the friendly team at Jim’s Self Storage today.