It’s a fact that business these days has been going paperless since the early 2000s. However, we still have the need to have physical file storage. There is something oddly reassuring about having physical copies of important documents, and some people really struggle to read documents set out on a screen, so it’s likely that at least some paperwork is set to stay indefinitely. If you’re tasked with organising the document storage for your office, here are our tips on how to do so efficiently, securely, and cost-effectively.

1. Be confident about how long paperwork must be stored.

There are rules about how long documents should be stored, depending on what the documents are, and on the nature of your business. If you’re a sole trader or limited company, check out our indoor document archive storage.

2. Shred, recycle or store any old paperwork.

Duplicates and outdated documents that no longer need to be retained can be disposed of so they don’t clutter up your office file storage space. If you’re worried about getting rid of something important, you could scan the paperwork and store it in your cloud storage before disposing of the original.

If you’re not quite there with online storage and want to focus on scanning more modern documents first, you could always move your old files into archive storage boxes.

Clearly label each file with the client/file type/subject and label each box with the year it’s stored. To save a lot of hunting around later, make a note on the lid of which files are stored inside.

If you don’t have room in your office’s file storage area to store archive boxes, consider renting archive storage space at one of our self-storage stores to keep them safe and dry.

3. Organise your file storage.

Colour coding your files can also make it a lot easier to find files at a glance – choose a different colour for each type of contract, client, or funding arrangement, for example.

Within each file, ensure that file dividers make it easy to find relevant sections, e.g. invoice, correspondence, court orders, contracts etc.

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Packing up your life and moving down the street or across the country doesn’t have to be disastrous.  Between the laborious loads and mentally draining task of deciding what to pack and what to leave behind, it’s easy to get overwhelmed.

We’ve put together a useful packing guide to help you pack, making your next move simple and painless!

• Get rid of everything you don’t need

Packing all your possessions into boxes, bags, and more can be overwhelming. Make it a little bit easier on yourself by cutting back on clutter as much as possible. Before you pack a single box, do a merciless purge of unused or unnecessary items. You’ll have less to pack, less to move, and less to unpack—and you’ll start life in your new space with a clean slate.

2. Pack up your home room-by-room

Packing up your house can be overwhelming but is manageable when you break it down. Start with the kitchen and clear out all of the cabinets and drawers and flatten boxes under them to create a wide surface for packing. Pack all of the loose items before you start on the dishware and cooking utensils.

Next, pack up your bedroom by sorting through your clothing and laying the items out on the bed. Pack books one at a time or stack them in piles by subject or genre.

Repeat this process for each room.

3. Invest in quality packaging materials

There’s a lot to consider when you’re moving house. One of the most important things to do is secure your things in sturdy packaging materials.

The wrong packaging material could damage your belongings during the moving process, meaning they’ll need to be packed again,exposing the contents to dirt and dust along the way.

4. Create an inventory for all of your belongings

One of the best ways to stay organised and make sure that you don’t forget anything is by creating an inventory. The inventory can be as simple as a list in your phone or it could take the form of a spreadsheet with tabs for each room and subsections for each item, whatever is easiest for you!

5. Number all of your boxes

Numbered boxes are a great way to keep track of your belongings, it’s easier for the movers to sort through boxes that are numbered and it also makes packing up much quicker.

Numbered boxes can prevent confusion if you’re moving items last-minute, or looking for specific items in your self-storage unit.

6. Put heavier items on the bottoms of boxes, lighter items on top

When you pack books for moving, pack them or other heavy items in small boxes; light items, like linens and pillows, can be packed in bigger ones. And if you’re loading the truck yourself, pack your heaviest boxes first, toward the front of the truck, for balance.

Fill in gaps with clothing, towels, or packing paper. Movers often won’t move boxes that feel loosely packed or unbalanced.

Here at M54 Space Centre, our storage containers are perfect for anyone in and around Telford who is looking for an affordable storage solution. If you are moving house or downsizing then our plans offer a low-cost, flexible and convenient solutions.

We believe in a flexible approach to storage. So, for a no-fuss solution, choose the M54 Space Centre for your self-storage in Shropshire.

For more information about our solutions for self-storage in Telford, Shropshire, please get in touch.

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With potential clients up and down the UK, restricting yourself to one location can result in a loss of revenue. We also understand that offices are expensive. Starting up a business is hard enough, and with high office fees, making it virtually impossible. Having to supply furniture, and pay for gas, electricity, and water, makes it very hard to create any revenue in the first few months. We may have a solution. Here’s why we think renting a serviced office is the best way forward.

Serviced offices come in all sizes, with shared facilities and communal spaces, they offer everything a usual office would, but for lower costs. They tend to be based in prime locations where business thrives, that way you can gain as much revenue as possible. They can be rented for a time as little as just one month, so you can plan out when you will be having meetings, etc. This fee includes water, electricity, shared kitchens, and cleaning!

If you find that your rented office isn’t big enough due to business growth, you can simply move into a larger office in the centre. Every business centre is professional and clean, so rest assured your clients and workers will feel comfortable. With receptionists in smart lobby areas greeting customers, it means your business remains highly professional.

Desks, chairs, pedestals, and bookcases will not need to be transported as all serviced offices come fully furnished. This can take a big cost away from hiring movers from office to office. Reducing moving times, means more productivity can happen.

If your business is growing, a serviced office may be the right solution for you. With hundreds of offices to choose from, you are guaranteed to find the perfect size for your company. This flexibility means you can make quick changes to your office space, making it a fully adaptable way of working.

At M54 Space Centre, our office spaces are ideally situated, with car parking spaces enough for all clients and workers. Our office space provides a complete business support infrastructure with highly competitive rates. To see more information, click here.

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Virtual offices are on the rise! The idea that the office is where our professional lives take place is becoming less universal and less important.

In the modern-day, we can be productive almost anywhere! This is thanks to smarter mobile devices, faster network access and a growing number of online tools. Surveys show that over 60% of large companies are now letting their employees work from home, due to cheaper overheads and more productive employees.

Technology has made it much easier for colleagues and managers to stay connected. The virtual office gets rid of unnecessary stress and helps to gain back hours in the day. Whatever your business type, a virtual office may be for you.

With a virtual office, you can bridge the gap between a remote worker and a company address used to meet with clients. With us, your office will be fully customisable, ensuring you only pay for what you need.

The benefits of a Virtual Office.

• No commute time.

This makes virtual offices more environmentally friendly than traditional office space. Cutting out the commute decreases carbon dioxide emissions, allowing you to reduce your carbon footprint and help the environment. No commute time also increases employee productivity and encourages employees to be more focused.

• Flexibility.

You can work from anywhere and at any time! A virtual office gives you the flexibility to work from anywhere – from home, from a beach, from the park, from anywhere you want. If all your business needs is an internet connection then a virtual office is the ideal solution for you.

• Saving money on overheads.

There’s no office rent, no utility payments, no hardware and none of the associated costs that come with having a brick-and-mortar space. All that savings can not only be passed along to clients, but it also affects your profit margin, allowing you to invest more in your people.

• Enhance your corporate image.

Having a prestigious business address with a virtual office ensures your brand maintains a credible, professional, and legitimate business image. Using a physical business address and office phone number on your business cards, website, and email increases trust in prospects and clients.

Your Virtual Office Facilities

A virtual office offers many facilities, enabling your business to appear as professional as those who have a physical space. This includes, but is not limited to, a mailing address, telephone answering, parcel storage and reception courtesies.

Our virtual offices use specialist computer software to tell the difference between calls and what they represent. This enables us to provide you a streamlined and professional service, virtual office receptionists are also there to physically handle your mail and incoming deliveries.

Another facility that is offered with our virtual offices is the handling of the mail you receive at the virtual office address. Our handlers work in these office spaces and at your request can open your mail, scan the contents and send it to you via a cloud-based storage system. This enables you to receive your mail immediately.

Letters, once opened, are then shredded for privacy purposes unless you state otherwise.

Save On Costs 

With a virtual office, you no longer need to worry about spending time completing mundane tasks such as general maintenance and cleaning duties. This allows you to save time and money, so you can focus solely on your business.

With a virtual office, you pay for a prestigious business address without paying large amounts of rent that come with it. This enables you to keep business expenses low as you reduce costs of commuting and transportation, office equipment, office maintenance and utilities and so on. Other expenses such as liability insurance are also reduced, as they are not required unless you have a physical office space.

Many operators provide casual workspaces which allow you to drop in and work in an office environment on a pay-as-you-go basis. This can be beneficial if you need to rid yourself of distractions.

Here at M54 Space Centre, we offer virtual office spaces at our Telford unit, giving you the opportunity to take advantage of all the benefits the virtual workspaces offer. In fact, it’s everything you need to successfully run your business from anywhere!

Our Virtual Office Plan options can include…

• Telephony (designated DDI with call forwarding)
• Mail Handling
• Parcel storage and handling
• Mail forwarding and address
• Flexible terms
• Registered office address
• Physical office space

If you would like to find out more about the virtual office spaces, find out more about virtual office hire by visiting our website:

Telford branch – https://www.m54spacecentre.com/telford/virtual-office

To further discuss your business’s virtual office requirements, please do not hesitate to contact us.

The post The rise of virtual offices appeared first on M54 Space Centre.

Virtual offices are a service that enables employees and business owners to work remotely by providing a range of business functions accessible through the internet.  A virtual office enables businesses to have many of the benefits of a physical office but without any actual space or desks. Here are our top benefits for Virtual offices.

1. Home Office

If your business is home-based, you may be considering renting a virtual office space, to keep your home address out of your business. A virtual office can also provide you with a phone, so there would be no need to take time out from your busy day to answer calls.

Virtual office space is also extremely beneficial for larger businesses where employees work from home. When needed, a virtual office space offers the option of being a central hub for things such as training or staff meetings. This eliminates the problem of trying to get all employees to one location.

1. The Eco-Friendly Choice

Businesses are more concerned for the environment than ever before; a virtual office is a big step closer to being an eco-friendly planet. This option creates no air pollution, from driving to the office, etc, but also a virtual office cuts down the amount of waste your business is producing, due to everything being done digitally.

1. Saving Money

Working in a traditional office is expensive, from the money spent on getting ready each morning to commuting to the office. A virtual office eliminates all these extra expenses you are wasting money on now. Making your office virtual, it allows employees to access work-life in the comfort of their home.

4. Work-Life Balance

Working long hours in the office can be a big strain on your body. It also makes it hard to get a work-life balance. By working from the comfort of your own home, you get the relief of having access to all your comforts whilst working. It also creates more productive workers because the day is easy to end. By not having that long drive home, means you can work right up to the point you are finished.

1. No Long-Term Commitments

Most virtual offices are on a monthly basis. There are no long-term rent contracts as there is for physical office space. This reduces risk as you simply use and pay for the virtual office address for as long or little as you need.

1. More Professional

A virtual office allows you to have a prestigious business address in the city and work from your home in the country, whilst maintaining credibility and prestige.

1. More Employees

Having a virtual office enables you to have a greater number of employees to work with at any given time. With a traditional office, you are restricted to the number of workers depending on the size of your space. However, with a virtual office, you can employ more people, with no need for expansion.

1. Larger Talent Pool

When working from a traditional office you are restricted to the talent in your one location, but if your business is virtual, you can hire people much further away as there isn’t one location!

1. Business support

Virtual office packages offer extra features to support your business so that you can concentrate solely on your business! You don’t need to worry about time-consuming tasks as most virtual office solutions take care of this for you.

1. Flexibility

Working from home can make your work life more flexible for you to do family tasks in the day, such as doing the school run, and making up the time later. This flexibility means a decrease in holidays taken by employees.

To find out more about Virtual Offices in Telford, contact us today.

The post Virtual offices are becoming increasingly common in business life. appeared first on M54 Space Centre.

You may be due a clear out, and what better time than at the start of the new financial year! Start decluttering your workspace and watch your productivity fly high. If you are struggling to decide if things need to be kept or can be thrown, consider self-storage.

Trying to solve and manage problems gets more and more challenging when the workspace is full of useless items. These items may include full cabinets, old computers, broken machinery or just a messy desk! Finding things becomes harder, making expectations harder to reach, eventually making workers dissatisfied with work and unmotivated to carry on.

Efficient housekeeping isn’t just about increasing work speeds, not done correctly,  it can be incredibly detrimental to health and safety. If floors and halls are filled with cabinets, wires, or general waste, it can be a slip/ trip hazard to visitors or staff. Low cleanliness of workspaces requires close attention to reduce the chances of someone hurting themselves. Good housekeeping is also a basic part of fire prevention.

If your workspace has cabinets, they most likely contain things that are no longer needed in the process of your work. By filling our storage solutions with old equipment, paperwork, etc, you can be living the idea of being effective and productive throughout the day.

It is understandable that you may not want to throw away your equipment or machinery, even if it isn’t used often. If this is the case, it may be worth having self-storage. Self-storage is for people who have lots of excess stock or don’t have enough storage space on their own premises. Therefore, storage containers offer the simplicity of holding your stuff, .without the sacrifice of security.

At M54 Space Centre, we understand how valuable your possessions are. That is why we offer secure 24-hour storage space. Whether you’re moving house, or your business/workspace has too much stuff – we have the solution for you. With low-cost, flexible solutions, we are suitable for both businesses and individuals.

To see more about self-storage and containers available, click here: https://www.m54spacecentre.com/telford/self-storage-containers or contact us today on 0845 209 2660.

The post New Financial Year – Time for a Clear Out! appeared first on M54 Space Centre.

Self-storage containers are a great way to store your things temporarily, especially when you’re moving house! They give you the freedom to pack at your own pace, keep your belongings safe, and reduce the stress that often comes with relocating.

In this article, we’ll look at the main benefits of using storage units during a move. From saving time and money to keeping your belongings safe and accessible. You’ll discover why storage containers are the perfect solution for anyone moving.

Eliminate Stress

Moving house or office can be a stressful process. Temporary storage solutions can help you relieve that stress. They store your belongings safely and securely until you are ready to move them.

Reduce moving costs

Storing your belongings in a storage container before moving can also save you time and money. Most removal companies calculate how long it will take to pack your belongings and determine how many trips they need. Therefore having all your belongings in one place, all packed up and ready to go should reduce the prices significantly.

Redecorate

Your new house may need some renovations and/or revamping for it to feel like home. Once full, storage containers can go straight into designated secure storage facilities. These are easy to access and in your preferred location.

Some storage companies also give you the option to have the storage units delivered. This is ideal if you have the space to store it.

Peace of mind

Another benefit of temporary storage solutions is the added protection you receive. We equip our storage units with 24/7 CCTV surveillance and place them in a dedicated container park. This ensures that your belongings are safe at all times.

Discover Temporary Storage Solutions in Telford

Overall, temporary storage units can help save you time and money. They give you extra space to store your belongings safely for as long as you need.

At M54 Space Centre we have a wide range of self-storage options available for both short-term and long-term leases. With 7-day access to your storage space, you can enjoy convenience and flexibility all year round.

For more information on temporary storage solutions in Telford contact us today.

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We love a good stat and fact here at M54 Space Centre, especially when the theme is, you guessed it – containers! In this blog post, we’ve rounded up our top facts and interesting stats about containers and the container industry that we think you’ll enjoy!

Did you know that…

• Malcolm McLean invented the world’s first metal shipping container in 1956.
• 95% of the cargo in the entire world is transported by ship, with the remaining 5% being transported by other modes of transport.
• If you had a lot of shoes to store, you could fit around 3,500 shoe boxes in a standard 20ft container, and more than 8,000 shoe boxes in a 40ft container.
• Around 96% of all shipping containers are manufactured in China – which is a crazy amount! The reason for this is because the Chinese labour rate is much lower than many other countries, similarly to a lot of other products being manufactured there. It is easier to produce containers close to the shipment, rather than relocating containers around the world.
• In a whole year, around 675 shipping containers (and potentially their contents too) are lost at sea – that’s one every hour! The lost containers are damaged by waves and will sink quickly, but some of them may float for a little while before. The ones that don’t fully sink straight away hang around just below the surface of the water, which causes damage to other sailing vessels that steer into the container they didn’t know was there.
• There are currently over 17 million shipping containers in the world, with five or six million of them currently shipping around the world at this current moment.
• The busiest shipping port in the world is Shanghai. It handles more than 31 million containers in a year, either arriving or departing from there.
• The UK’s busiest shipping port is Felixstowe which handles 42% of the UK’s total container traffic. It handled just under 4 million 20ft equivalent containers during 2013.
• If every container that exists in the world was laid out end to end in a line, they would circle around the world twice.

Don’t forget that we at M54 Space Centre, have a wide range of container sizes available to suit your needs and budgets, so please feel free to give us a call to chat through as well as arrange a tour of our storage site. We’d love to hear from you!

The post The Only Facts About Containers You Need to Know. appeared first on M54 Space Centre.

Whether you’re an individual needing to store some household items or a business that requires some additional stock or office storage, here at the M54 Space Centre, we have the perfect self-storage solution for you.

You will have 24-hour access to your storage unit, which is well secured and housed in its own designated container park. We believe in making the process as hassle-free as possible. This is why we offer flexible arrangements to suit you.

The units are 20 x 10ft2, meaning that there is plenty of room to store your belongings. So, whether you need to store a few household items, or house a large amount of excess business stock, there is plenty of room! The units are locked and CCTV monitored at all times, so you will have peace of mind that your possessions are securely locked away.

Our location in Telford means that we are ideally located, giving excellent transport links across the country. This is ideal for businesses.

Our on-hand staff can assist you with any enquiries you may have, making this a simple, no-hassle storage solution. So for self-storage in Telford, the M54 Space Centre should be top of your list!

For more information about self-storage in Telford, contact our team today. We would be happy to talk through your storage requirements with you and provide you with the best recommendation.

The post Self Storage: A flexible Approach appeared first on M54 Space Centre.

Our light industrial units in Telford have everything you need and nothing you don’t.

We offer a flexible letting approach, creating the perfect solution for you. There’s a lot to get right when you’re looking for a new light industrial unit. The right location, size, layout, facilities and of course, the right cost. At The M54 Space Centre we make finding that perfect unit much easier to source than you would think.

We know that you will almost certainly need some specific requirements and it’s our job to cater for this. You will only pay us for the space you use with the choice of fully inclusive rents. It’s your win, win solution.

On demand, no lease, no worries.

Our light industrial units in Telford provide a no-nonsense flexible solution for your immediate and on-going needs at very competitive rates. Situated on Halesfield Industrial Estate and Business Park, just off of the M54, we’re ideally located not just for operations in Telford, but for conducting business across the country.

Other benefits of our Industrial Units in Telford:

• 300 sq ft to 4900 sq ft units.
• Available with an office attached.
• Refurbished to a very high standard.
• Flexibility of size catering for a wide range of business needs.
• Accessibility for deliveries.
• Designated kitchen area and washroom facilities.
• Flexible terms.
• Competitive pricing.

For more information about our industrial units in Telford, please get in touch on 0845 2092660 or email us at: sales@m54spacecentre.com! We would be more than happy to talk through your requirements with you and provide a no nonsense solution!

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