Author
Zespół Celtic
Running a business and required to keep documents for 5, 10, or even 50 years? Binders flooding your office and you don't know where to put them all? Celtic Self Storage Łomianki offers a solution: dedicated units for business document archiving.
How long must business documents be kept?
Polish law precisely defines retention periods for various documents:
Accounting and tax documents
| Document type | Retention period |
|---|---|
| VAT invoices | 5 years from year end |
| Accounting books | 5 years |
| Tax declarations | 5 years |
| Social insurance documents | 10 years (from 2019), 50 years (before 2019) |
| Employee records | 10 years (new), 50 years (hired before 2019) |
Corporate documents
- Contracts with contractors – 10 years from end of cooperation
- Board minutes – indefinitely
- Shareholder resolutions – indefinitely
- Financial statements – 5 years
Why is an office a bad place for archives?
Problem 1: Office space costs
A square meter of office space in Warsaw costs 50-100 PLN/m² per month. Keeping binders in the office is literally burning money.
Annual cost comparison (10m² archive):
- Downtown office: 6,000 - 12,000 PLN/year
- Celtic Self Storage: 5,880 PLN/year
Problem 2: Data security
Documents in the office are exposed to:
- Theft during break-ins
- Destruction in case of fire
- Access by unauthorized persons
- Flooding (plumbing failure)
Problem 3: GDPR and data protection
Storing documents containing personal data requires appropriate security. A unit at Celtic offers:
- Individual lock – only you have the key
- Access control – every entry is recorded
- 24/7 monitoring – recordings kept for 30 days
How to organize an archive in a unit?
Step 1: Estimate required space
| Number of binders | Recommended unit size |
|---|---|
| up to 100 | 2m² |
| 100-300 | 4m² |
| 300-600 | 6m² |
| 600+ | 10m² or larger |
Step 2: Invest in shelving
You can set up your own metal shelving in the unit. This allows you to use vertical space – fitting 3x more documents than on the floor.
Our recommendation: 180 cm high shelves with 5 levels.
Step 3: Label and catalog
Before moving documents:
- Assign each box/binder a number
- Create an Excel spreadsheet with contents
- Add destruction date (when you can legally dispose of them)
Step 4: Set a visit schedule
Most companies need archive access 1-2 times per month. With 24/7 access, you can come at any time.
Special conditions for businesses
B2B contracts
For businesses, we issue VAT invoices. Storage costs are tax-deductible business expenses.
Discounts for longer periods
- Quarterly payment: -5%
- Annual payment: -10%
Ability to change size
Business grows = more documents. You can move to a larger unit at any time (subject to availability).
Case study: Accounting firm from Żoliborz
Situation: Accounting firm serving 80 clients. ~400 binders added annually. Previously stored in office building basement.
Problem: Basement flooded – documents for 12 clients destroyed. Compensation and record reconstruction cost 45,000 PLN. This is one of many stories showing the value of self storage.
Solution: 10m² unit at Celtic Łomianki. Cost: 490 PLN/month. Dry, monitored space. Check how to get to our facility.
Result: 3 years of use – zero problems, zero losses. Want to see the facility? Take a virtual tour of Celtic Łomianki.
Learn more about our company and why thousands of customers trust us.
Contact for businesses
Celtic Self Storage Łomianki ul. Kolejowa 348, 05-092 Łomianki
Phone: 882 565 475 Email: lomianki@celticselfstorage.pl
Schedule a visit – we'll help estimate required space and prepare an offer for your company.
Have questions? Check our FAQ or contact us.
