And now one of the UK’s newest storage firms, HOLD Storage, has unveiled its first facility in the heart of King’s Cross Storage – a new building that its CEO, Fred de Ryckman de Betz (pictured below), says will offer a myriad of answers to the problems of daily life in a packed urban neighbourhood.

Mr Ryckman de Betz has been in the storage industry since 2007. He set up his first outlet in Bow and his new venture HOLD, has opened in King’s Cross.

The aim is to turn the self-storage industry on its head – and in doing so, making life in London a little easier for all of us.

“I was looking for a business that already existed but could be vastly improved – and self-storage was the answer,” Fred said.

“The industry was well overdue a disruptive, modern player that not only provides effective storage solutions but also does right by people and the planet so that’s what we’ve set out to achieve with HOLD.”

“It is a great business, a very friendly industry and I feel passionate about what we do.”

“These ideas form the way the facility is used”, he says.

“People come in for primary reasons: they are moving, they are getting married, they have a new job or perhaps they have lost a loved one,” he says.

“These have been the key drivers behind the business. We have all sorts of different people come in who are going through different things. We help make it work.”

Shifting objects from A to B is never high on anyone’s list of fun but HOLD believes it can make it a pleasurable experience, and say customers respond to the subtle extras it offers.

“Sometimes people come in looking upset and leave smiling – that is special,” he adds.

And while storage is a perfect answer for temporary needs, the culture is changing.

“Storage today is often permanent – people rent a space and hang on to it. They use it as an extension of their home. In the US, 50 percent of all baby boomers have a storage lock up. Self-storage has been a major aspect of life for 50 years, but we didn’t see it in the UK until the 1990s – the concept of self-storage in a dedicated warehouse where you can come and go as and when you want. In the UK, it’s been available for about 25 years, so it is still a young industry.”

The cost of living in London and the shoeboxes available for eye watering rents means storage can help with the pressures of city life.

“The growth of self-storage is a response to the lack of space in London.

It is a very effective use of space and frees up storage in the home. It can help you declutter or empty a box room. We cannot just magic up more land but we can offer a solution to the space shortage in London.”

Innovation is important to HOLD and is a way for the firm to tell customers that it can do storage differently.

“We felt there was room for a business that really cares about people and could offer a better experience. It meant developing new technology and processes to make it as easy and simple as possible.

“We wanted to ask – how can we make moving stuff into storage actually something enjoyable?”

This ranges from how staff are trained to help, to 24-hour access, the offer of a free Zipcar to help you move in, and possibly the most important thing – technology that makes booking and accessing a unit hassle free. We can make a difference by looking at what we offer through the lens of a camera,” he adds.

“Today, customers are used to ordering Ubers, buying things from Apple so they expect a certain level of service. The storage industry was not meeting these expectations. You can buy a ticket to travel round the world from your sitting room on your Apple watch, check in and show up at an airport with it all arranged,” he says.

“So why is it easier to fly to Madrid than rent somewhere to store things?

“People expect a cold, dark space with minimal design and cheap cladding. We were not going to do that. I wanted to create somewhere that is safe and accessible at any time of the day. We make it bright, welcoming and have the highest standard of green building you can have.”

Choosing King’s Cross was another step away from a traditional storage model. While there are some to be found in central London, many storage facilities, due to their use and size, are found on industrial estates.

“It is vital to make them accessible and local or you just do not get the ease you need,” he says.

And while not widely known, HOLD can be used for many different things.

“It is a five-star hotel for your things, he says.

“And we have had all manner of items stored in the past. We have had everything from giant film props to record collections.

“But it can be much more. We have had musicians use their space for rehearsing. It is cheaper than a studio and you can come and go when you want. We have one unit with a full set of drums, and the owner comes to practice. It is lovely to hear him play. It is about the different needs people have – we can help fulfil them all.”