Pickup-and-Store records service

Small offices, sole-practitioner professionals, medical and allied health clinics and trades businesses that want records off-site without paying for their own space.

Monthly fee per box stored, plus a fee for each pickup, delivery or retrieval. Start with a few units and rent more as boxes build up.

• Organised and reliable
• Comfortable lifting and driving
• Spreadsheet or inventory software
• Trustworthy with confidential material

• Check the storage operator's terms allow business and commercial use and what insurance they provide
• Insurance covering clients' goods in your care and public liability, plus vehicle cover for deliveries
• Privacy and confidentiality, including secure handling and access to boxes
• If you run admin from home, check whether your council needs approval for a home-based business
• Manual handling, since boxes are heavy and repeated lifting adds up
• Make your contract clear on retention periods and what happens if a client stops paying

Estimated startup costs are typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on the storage space you rent, vehicle needs, boxes and inventory software. It is a leaner model than running your own warehouse unit.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around $800 to $4,000, depending on how many clients and boxes you handle and your pricing. The estimates start from about 8 hours a week.

Check the storage operator's terms allow commercial use, insurance for clients' goods, public liability and vehicle cover, privacy and secure access, and council approval if you run admin from home. Make contracts clear on retention periods and unpaid accounts.