Furniture Storage & Self Storage Tips
How to store your archives in furniture storage?
What should we know about the documents to be archived in storage?
The accounting documents to keep and the risks
The advantages of storing your archives in a storage unit
Why choose the furniture storage to store your documents?
The different types of archives to be stored in a storage unit
The criteria for choosing the storage unit to store your archives
In the event of a temporary move or in the event of insufficient space to contain belongings, objects, furniture and important documents, it is currently common to use furniture storage services. Furniture storage is a great help to people who need to keep their belongings safe until they are needed again, whether in a few weeks, a few months or even years. The main thing is to keep these objects unscathed.
What should we know about the documents to be archived in storage?
The furniture storage not only takes care of heavy and/or bulky furniture or boxes, but also documents of all kinds. When the customer is going to have to put his documents in a storage box, he is not solely responsible for the archiving system and the protection of belongings, which can deteriorate easily. It is not a question of throwing away, in the sense of classifying without follow-up, all the documents which cannot fit in a space at home. You absolutely have to sort it out.
The sorting is based on the type of document, on the regulations in force, on the time necessary to keep them, etc. In general, the documents that pile up with an individual and possibly with a company director are made up of supporting documents of activity, accounting documents, various registers and books, invoices and purchase order stubs, various contracts, land books, etc. It is important to know, or even master, the usefulness of these documents to avoid sanctions and fines if a third party requires them one day as proof or proof. Mainly, it is necessary to know the legal retention period to prevent the inability to provide archived information if necessary to prove an act, at the risk of harming the company or oneself in a dispute with a third party. To this end, it is necessary to sort and classify the documents according to their types, their usefulness and according to an archiving system. In case of non-mastery of the management of archive removal, it is essential to entrust the mission to a furniture storage. However, it is necessary to have at least a notion about the documents to be archived.
The accounting documents to keep and the risks
In general, a company uses 4 types of accounting documents which must be kept for a period stipulated by law, even if the related activities have already ended. In addition to the accounting documents, there are also documents relating to civil and commercial activities, tax and social activities and personnel management.
The documents signed as a contract between salespeople, between a salesperson and a non-salesperson, concern civil and commercial documents whose retention period is set at a minimum of 5 years. If it is a contract relating to real estate, the conservation is up to 30 years. As for accounting documents, such as supplier invoices or customer invoices, purchase orders, bank documents, they must be kept for up to 10 years from the closing date of the accounting year.
The tax documents include in particular corporate tax and income tax returns, VAT returns, payroll tax returns, business property tax. It should be noted that these tax documents must be kept for a minimum of 3 years following the title the title of the due date of the tax. With regard to documents relating to social declarations, such as social security or employment center, etc. the retention period of 3 years is indicated, but can go up to 5 years in the case of tax declarations relating to supplementary pension funds. If it is a document specific to commercial companies, namely the company’s articles of association, the merger agreement, the acts concerning the operation of the company, the various registers such as the minutes of AG or CA, movement order, etc. the minimum retention period is 5 years. If care is not taken to check retention periods during sorting, there is a risk of discarding sensitive documents that are still regulatory in terms of retention.
The advantages of storing your archives in a storage unit
If a company entrusts the sorting and archiving system to the storage unit, the managers take care of all the necessary arrangements to consider both the retention period and the security of the documents. Furniture storage companies operating in France try to offer flexible and secure solutions by giving customers complete confidence. Rates are debatable in relation to the criteria duly informed to customers. This is the case, for example, of the geographical location, the volume of cases and documents to be archived, the s
size of the box made available, etc.
In any case, the storage and archiving solution in furniture storage is always advantageous, if only the possibility of accessing documents every day, even on Sundays and public holidays. The customer may require the correct storage conditions, including archive boxes, protective films and adhesive tapes. The customer can choose the box that suits him, for example a well-ventilated storage box to guarantee perfect storage conditions. Also note that the duration of occupation of the storage box can be unlimited, depending on the contract signed between the two parties. And then, the client can request a more spacious box if his documents become more and more voluminous. This is the principle of scalable storage space.
Why choose the furniture storage to store your documents?
If the archives must be moved, the best solution is to find a place that can provide security with flexible management. Indeed, the furniture storage, through his experience, can help the customer to manage the time allowed to keep his documents. During sorting, if this task is entrusted to him, the furniture storage can already make the classifications. For example, knowing the rules of taxation, accounting and the chamber of commerce, it is possible for him to make a classification according to the time limit, from 3 years to 6 years and even more. The filing cards will be ticked according to the dates and deadlines. However, it is possible to protect confidential documents from prying eyes.
The storage unit is also a solution in the event that the change of premises does not allow the secure storage of important and confidential documents. This storage solution may be needed during transfer instead of leaving documents lying around. The furniture storage also helps teleworkers who lack space at home. Professional documents can be stored in a cabinet to save more space and to work with peace of mind. Many are natural or legal persons who want to systematically save their documents and put copies in the storage room on a regular basis. It’s a good idea that doesn’t cost very much but helps to avoid problems with archiving and loss of documents.
The different types of archives to be stored in a storage unit
Note that a storage unit is different from a self-storage box. A self-storage box can be of small volume, from 2m², while the furniture storage is traditionally in a wooden container or a maritime container of 20 to 40 feet. In a self-storage box, even larger, the customer can access it at any time, he can deposit things there and withdraw according to his needs, he can change box during the rental contract. While the storage unit presents a contract which stipulates that the sealed container is not accessible until the end of the rental. It is really an exception if the company that stores objects in a storage unit can go there as it sees fit. And archiving benefits from this exception because, the management of archives must comply with the legislation in force,
For companies, in general, they use different types of accounting documents. The law stipulates that these documents must be kept and archived, although the related activities are completed. They must be kept for 10 years from the accounting closing date. There are also documents related to civil and commercial activities that must be archived in a well-secured storage facility. Nor should documents relating to fiscal activities, social activities and personnel management be destroyed before the prescribed date.
As for documents relating to commercial activities, the retention period is set at a minimum of 5 years. Documents relating to taxation, including tax declarations, VAT declarations, taxes, business property contributions, the retention period is a minimum of 3 years. It is necessary to provide a furniture storage rental contract according to the deadlines required by type of document.
The criteria for choosing the storage unit to store your archives
Company, it is important to keep your archives, both financially and administratively. This is not only convenient for management, but it is also a legal requirement. From now on, you can store your documents in a storage unit to save space on your premises. You still have to choose your box carefully. Here are some criteria to focus on to do so.
0 humidity
Paper documents hate humidity. It is therefore important to check this point when choosing your storage unit. Otherwise, you risk destroying all of your company’s records. This can complicate audits and subsequent management of the business. In order to ensure that you have an airtight box, we can advise you, among other things, on storage cellars. Nevertheless, the services of the latter can cost you more than a classic box.
Quality fire alarm
For the security of your documents, also remember to check compliance with fire safety rules in establishments. You will never be safe from an incident. And the best insurance in the
world will not be able to cover the loss of your official documents and your archives. A fire alarm will allow you to respond quickly to fires and protect your documents.
Maximum security
The level of security does not stop at fire protection. You will need a storage unit that will be able to guarantee the inviolability of your box and therefore the confidentiality of your archives. Surveillance camera, security guard and many others: all measures must be taken to minimize the risk of burglary as much as possible. Even if it means paying more for the rental of your box, you might as well do it for a more upscale service in this area. You can therefore be sure to preserve these documents, which are important for the proper functioning of your business.