In London, a side hustle often starts on a kitchen table and grows fast. Stock piles up, packaging takes over hallways, and daily post runs become a time sink. For many small sellers, the missing piece is simple space.
That is why lockups and self-storage sites now play a quiet role in the city economy. They offer a place to hold stock, sort orders, and keep home life separate from business. In a high rent city, that separation can be the difference between stopping and scaling.
The shift is not only about convenience. Trade reporting suggests storage has become part of the UK’s flexible business infrastructure, pushed by high property costs and the rise of online selling. It also fits the growth of part time entrepreneurship, where work happens around other jobs.
Why storage suddenly fits modern side hustles
A lockup can act like a back room for a business that does not have a shop. It gives side hustlers a fixed base that is not a living room. As a result, home based trading can feel more organised and more sustainable.
When the spare room stops working
Resellers and makers usually outgrow home storage in predictable ways. Products arrive in bulky cartons, returns need sorting, and packaging needs its own corner. In many London flats, there is no garage to absorb the overflow.
A small unit near common routes can take pressure off a flat. Others prefer a storage unit with drive-up access. To find the option that suits you best, you can easily compare cheap storage units at Henrikson Storage or other providers that offer storage solutions.
Separating work from home helps to keep stock dry, labelled, and ready to move. Once stock moves out, the home can feel like a home again. That can matter when a side hustle runs for months, not weekends. Clear space also makes it easier to stay consistent with dispatch times.
How units turn into work hubs
Many business users set up a unit for simple daily tasks, not heavy work. Trade reporting notes common layouts that use racking, shelving, and basic work benches for packing and dispatch, and many operators reference cheap storage units as suitable for that use. Sites often set rules that limit activities, with full retail trade or manufacturing usually not allowed. Relevant industry priorities are summarised in the SSA legislative agenda and provide useful context for operators.
Access and safety details also shape what a unit can do. Industry guidance stresses checking access hours, security, insurance needs, and any limits on what can be stored. Some operators also expect clear responsibilities for safe use and compliance with site rules.
Practical checks often decide whether the setup runs smoothly. Access hours need to match courier drop offs and evening packing sessions. Security basics include gates, lighting, and on site monitoring. It also helps to confirm insurance requirements, storage limits, and whether drive-up access is available.
Used well, a unit becomes a repeatable routine rather than a storage gap. That routine saves time on each trip and reduces missed collections. It can also create a clean break between home life and work. Flexible space lets traders test new products without long property commitments.
The numbers behind the lockup shift
Industry surveys suggest storage based trading is no longer niche. One UK report for 2025 found that 24 percent of users now operate a business directly from their unit. It also found that micro businesses dominate that segment.
The same reporting suggests storage can be more than overflow space. Around 20 percent of all business users are said to run their entire business from the unit. For those traders, the unit works like a low-cost incubator where stock, tools, and packaging stay in one place.
Trade analysis links the trend to high commercial rents, the growth of e-commerce, and the rise of part time entrepreneurship. It also points to the appeal of lower overheads, short agreements, and the ability to flex space up or down as demand changes. For many side hustlers, that flexibility reduces risk while they test what sells.
What this means for London’s small traders
Storage backed side hustles sit between two worlds. They feel more serious than selling from a spare room, but they avoid the cost and commitment of a shop or warehouse. That middle step can help a micro brand build steadier habits and clearer finances.
London’s side hustle economy will keep changing, but the need for workable space will not. For many traders, a lockup supports routines that make packing, returns, and restocking easier to manage. Over time, that extra structure can help small ambitions last longer and grow more predictably.
