Storage guide
Document and archive storage
for businesses and households
Paper records pile up fast, and many have to be kept for years. A tidy, well-indexed archive in a secure unit frees up your office or home while keeping everything you are required to hold within reach.
Why you are keeping these records
Before boxing anything, be clear about why each set of papers exists. Most business archives fall into a few groups:
- Tax and accounting records that HMRC may ask to see, such as invoices, receipts, bank statements and payroll records.
- Company records a limited company is required to keep, such as minutes and registers.
- Customer and staff files that contain personal data and fall under data protection law.
- Contracts, warranties and property papers you may need if a dispute arises.
- History and sentiment: old catalogues, photos, founding documents. Not required, but valued.
Each group has a different reason for being kept, and so a different point at which it can safely be destroyed.
How long to keep things
HMRC sets minimum periods for keeping tax records, and they vary depending on whether you are self-employed, a limited company or an employer. As an example, GOV.UK says limited companies must generally keep accounting records for six years from the end of the last company financial year they relate to, and longer in some circumstances. Self-employed people have their own rules, set out on GOV.UK.
Data protection works the other way. Under UK GDPR's storage limitation principle, explained by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), you should not keep personal data for longer than you need it. That means an archive should have a plan for destroying records as well as keeping them.
These rules change and depend on your situation, so check the official guidance listed at the bottom of this page, or ask your accountant, before you decide what to keep or shred.
Write a simple retention schedule
A retention schedule sounds formal, but for a small business it can be a single page. List each type of record, how long you keep it, why, and what happens at the end.
| Record type | Keep until | Then |
|---|---|---|
| Sales and purchase invoices | End of the period HMRC requires | Shred securely |
| Former staff files | Only as long as you have a clear reason | Shred securely |
| Old customer enquiries | Only as long as needed | Shred securely |
| Company history | Indefinitely, by choice | Review every few years |
Write the destroy-by date on the side of each box. When you visit the unit, anything past its date goes out for shredding. This stops the archive growing forever, which is both a cost and, for personal data, a risk.
Boxing and indexing
- Use proper archive boxesStandard-size boxes with lids stack neatly and can be lifted when full. Lidded plastic crates add protection against dust and damp.
- One subject and one year per boxDo not mix years. When a year's records reach their destroy date, the whole box goes.
- Number every boxMark the number, subject, date range and destroy-by date on two sides.
- Keep an indexA spreadsheet listing box numbers and contents lets you find any file in minutes. Keep a copy off-site.
- Shelve, do not stack highSteel shelving keeps boxes off the floor and lets you pull one out without moving ten others.
Keeping personal data secure
If boxes contain personal data, you are responsible for keeping them secure wherever they are. The ICO's guidance on security says organisations should take appropriate measures to protect personal data, and that covers paper as well as digital records.
- Use a strong padlock and limit who has the key.
- Do not label boxes with sensitive details, such as a client's name and "medical". Use box numbers and keep the meaning in your index.
- Keep a log of who visits the unit and what they remove.
- Shred securely at the end of the retention period, rather than putting papers in general waste.
Our units have 24-hour access and you can view CCTV covering the entrance and the area outside the units on a free app. Those help, but they are not a substitute for your own controls. The storage security tips page has more.
Protecting paper from damp and pests
Paper is vulnerable to moisture, so keep it off the floor on shelving or pallets and away from walls. Lidded crates are worth the cost for anything important. Do not store paper alongside anything that might leak, such as liquids or white goods that have not been fully dried.
Never store food in an archive unit. Mice and insects will happily eat cardboard and paper once they have been drawn in. Visit regularly and look for any signs of damage early.
Scanning is worth considering for records you consult often. A digital copy means you rarely need to visit the unit, and the paper original stays undisturbed. Check the HMRC guidance on whether digital copies are acceptable for the records you hold.
Household papers too
Archives are not only a business problem. Households collect decades of bank statements, payslips, old tax returns, property paperwork and letters. GOV.UK gives guidance on how long individuals should keep pay and tax records, and it is generally far shorter than the time most people actually hold on to them.
A useful split is three-way. Keep originals that are hard to replace, such as deeds, wills, birth and marriage certificates, somewhere secure and accessible, which for most people means at home or with a solicitor rather than in a unit. Keep recent financial records you might need for a few years in labelled boxes. Shred the rest securely.
Family history, photos and letters are a different matter. They are not required by anyone, but they are irreplaceable. Store them in lidded crates, off the floor, and consider scanning the most precious items so a copy exists elsewhere.
Which space suits an archive?
For a handful of boxes, one of our first-floor pods (opening spring 2027, guide prices from £10 a week) may be enough, as long as you are happy to carry boxes up stairs. For a larger archive, a ground-floor unit with shelving works well. The 160 sq ft security-door unit at £69 a week suits archives in particular, since boxes go through a standard door and you do not need a shutter.
If you also want a desk to work through files, the two-storey unit gives you storage below and an upstairs area with a window. Lighting, power and Wi-Fi are connected in every unit. Business use needs our prior approval, so mention what you plan when you message us on WhatsApp.
Questions
Can I keep my business archive in a storage unit?
Yes. Many businesses do. Make sure you can still produce records when HMRC or anyone else is entitled to see them, which is where a good index helps.
Do I have to keep paper copies?
Not always. HMRC accepts records in various forms in many cases, but check GOV.UK for the records you keep before relying on scans alone.
Is my archive insured?
No insurance is included. Check your business insurance policy covers documents held off-site, and think about the cost of recreating records, not just the boxes. Our storage insurance guide explains what to ask.
Can I shred documents at the unit?
Shredding small amounts by hand is no different from any other office task. If you are thinking of setting up a shredding business, talk to us first, as all business use needs prior approval.
Can I get to a file at short notice?
Yes. There is 24-hour access, so a late-night search for an old invoice is possible.
Sources and official guidance
- Running a limited company: company and accounting records (GOV.UK)
- Business records if you're self-employed (GOV.UK)
- Keeping your pay and tax records (GOV.UK)
- Storage limitation principle (ICO)
- A guide to data security (ICO)
Prices are subject to availability. Minimum rental term: one month, then one month’s notice to leave. Electricity usage is charged separately at the supplier rate, with no markup. Business use needs prior approval. Car storage is not permitted.
