Document & Archive Storage in Perth

Older records can consume a surprising amount of commercial space. A few filing cabinets may eventually become an entire room of paperwork, even though only a small percentage of those files are likely to be consulted regularly.

Moving archived records elsewhere can release space for current business activity. Offices, stockrooms and back rooms can be used more effectively when they are not permanently occupied by documents that only need occasional access.

Off-site storage can also encourage better organisation. Once active and inactive files are separated, it becomes easier to maintain a clearer filing system for the records your staff are actually using day to day.

Archive storage can be used for many forms of paper-based business documentation that still need to be retained but are no longer required at the main workplace every day.

Examples can include:

• Historic accounts and financial paperwork.
• Completed project and client files.
• Contracts, agreements and administrative documents.
• Older correspondence and company records.

The exact records you decide to store should reflect your organisation’s own retention requirements, legal obligations and internal document-management procedures.

A consistent indexing system is more important than the physical order in which boxes leave your office. Every box should have a clear identifier that corresponds with a list or database showing what it contains.

Choose a method that matches the way your business normally searches for information. For some organisations this may be financial year, while others may find client name, project number or department more practical.

Avoid vague labels such as “old paperwork” or “miscellaneous”. More specific descriptions will save time if a document needs to be retrieved months or years later.

Yes. Filing cabinets and archive shelving can occupy floor space that becomes increasingly valuable as a business grows. Removing inactive records can help delay the need to reorganise or expand premises purely because of paperwork.

The space recovered may be suitable for desks, stock, equipment or general operational use depending on the type of business.

• Reduce the number of archive cabinets on-site.
• Clear storerooms filled with historic files.
• Keep active records closer to staff.
• Use commercial premises for current business needs.

Regularly moving completed files into an archive system can prevent paperwork from gradually taking over the workplace again.

Start by counting the archive boxes, filing cabinets or other containers currently being used. The number of employees or size of the business does not necessarily indicate how much storage is required because records accumulate at very different rates.

If paperwork is currently spread across several areas, gather an approximate total before choosing the space. You may also want to allow for additional boxes if new records will be transferred into storage regularly.

The Perth Self Store unit size guide can help you compare the amount of material you hold with different storage options.

Clear labelling is strongly recommended if you expect documents to remain stored for any meaningful period. Even a relatively small archive becomes difficult to manage when boxes are indistinguishable from one another.

Labels can include a reference number, date range, department or category. The important point is that the information corresponds with whatever index your organisation uses to track records.

It may also be useful to label more than one side of each box. This makes identification easier when several containers are arranged together and only part of each box is visible.

Records that are still used frequently usually belong closer to the people who need them. Archive storage is better suited to material that must be retained but is referenced infrequently.

Your organisation should decide what moves into storage according to its own document-management procedures and applicable retention requirements.

• Separate active files from completed records.
• Identify material that still needs to be retained.
• Record the date or category before archiving.
• Keep an index showing where each file has been placed.

Where there is uncertainty over how long particular records should be kept, obtain appropriate professional or regulatory guidance rather than disposing of them prematurely.

Document storage is not only relevant to large organisations. Sole traders, consultants and other self-employed professionals can also accumulate accounts, invoices, client files and business paperwork over several years.

For someone working from home, even a modest archive can have a noticeable effect on available space. Boxes stored beneath desks, in spare bedrooms or in cupboards may eventually interfere with both working and living areas.

Moving older business records elsewhere can help keep the home office focused on current work while allowing retained documents to remain organised separately.

Yes. An archive should not necessarily grow indefinitely without being reviewed. Businesses can periodically check stored records to identify what still needs to be retained and what has reached the end of its required retention period.

The review process is easier when boxes have been indexed properly from the start.

• Record relevant dates when files enter the archive.
• Group records with similar review periods where useful.
• Maintain a list of stored boxes and their contents.
• Review retention requirements before disposing of records.

Any confidential or sensitive documents that are eventually removed from storage should be disposed of using a method appropriate to the information they contain.

Retrieval starts with the system used before documents enter storage. Give every box a unique reference and maintain a separate index explaining what is inside rather than relying only on handwritten descriptions.

Consider how frequently different records are likely to be required. Documents that may need occasional reference can be organised differently from records that are being kept solely for long-term retention.

When a file is removed, update your records so everyone knows where it has gone. A simple, consistent process can prevent archived documents from becoming difficult to track as the number of boxes increases.