Self-storage units are not only used for storage

Where it all started
The self-storage movement first appeared in the United States of America, where the first storage facility offering tenants exclusive rights to the space that they paid for was opened in Fort Lauderdale by the Collum family in 1958.
Over time, as living spaces in the UK have become smaller, self-storage units have become a familiar part of the landscape of most towns here, too.
It has been found that the average customer uses a unit for five years and friendships are built between people with neighbouring units.
Other uses for self-storage
However, storage units are not only convenient spaces to keep all these pieces of equipment together and secure, they’ve also been used by many fledgling bands for practise as well. In an urban environment, where people are unlikely to have access to a handy farm building, practicing in a self-store unit is a much better option than the garage or the basement (assuming they’re not full of stuff already) and annoying the neighbours.
Units have also been used by music teachers as a classroom for students, and by individual musicians hiring them as a place to practice.
The space is also perfect for choreographers, dance and theatre groups needing somewhere to rehearse, not to mention storing costumes.
People with hobbies have found the spaces perfect for use as dressmaking studios, craft workshops, or working spaces for artists, sculptors, and printmakers. They have been used by videographers and photographers as studios, for which their large, open spaces are ideal.
A Bit Eccentric
Finally, the peace and quiet is an attraction for some people.
There was one case of a chap who actually rented a space to be able to sit somewhere quiet and read the daily paper, while in Bristol, a storage facility owner reports that a customer uses her unit as a living room, complete with sofa, and invites her friends in for coffee.