The use of personal storage facilities is old news in the United States and Europe, where people have been taking advantage of affordable, convenient, third-party storage facilities for decades. In South Africa, personal storage is a relatively new concept – but it’s rapidly becoming a booming industry.
Three factors are driving the growth of the self-storage industry in South Africa
Shrinking home sizes
South African middle-class homes have traditionally been large and spacious. However, the average sizes of these homes have declined significantly during the last decade. In 2005, plans for South African homes showed that home sizes were approaching an average of 206 square metres, in keeping with the Australian benchmark. The size of newer houses has dropped by approximately a third since then.
This change has been driven by a move away from free-standing homes, towards gated security complexes with more shared facilities, as well as by economic pressures created by the global recession.
The result is that South Africans have less space to store their goods. This has increased demand for third-party storage facilities.
Downsizing
Retirees are increasingly choosing to downsize as a way to pad their retirement funds, improve their personal security and minimize maintenance costs. Although downsizing can have several benefits, it can be difficult to store the contents of a larger property on a smaller one.
The problem of accommodating a lifetime of accumulated possessions and furniture is easily solved by third-party personal storage facilities. Items that homeowners don’t wish to part with but don’t have space to keep in their homes can be safely stored in a safe, damp-free and dust-free environment.
Security
High crime rates, including house burglaries, are an unfortunate reality of life in South Africa. An associated problem is that the costs of insuring valuable items in a household can be exorbitant. Also, businesses that store excess stock on their premises may incur significant insurance costs, which can drive up their overheads and cut into profits.
Self-storage facilities provide a simple and convenient solution to these issues. They’re typically protected by armed response services, trained on-site guards and 24/7 surveillance camera coverage. In addition, all items stored on site are insured by the storage facility. So individuals and businesses can safely store their valuables at a fraction of the previous insurance costs.
For more information on the benefits of personal storage services, contact XtraSpace on 0861 250 259.