Every year, the same story: binders pile up, archive boxes take over the hallway, and the meeting room ends up as a storage room. For an SME, a fiduciary or a freelancer, document accumulation is inevitable — especially in Switzerland, where legal retention requirements are strict. But storing does not have to mean cluttering: outsourcing your business archive storage gives you back usable square metres and offices that can breathe again.
What the law requires: a useful reminder
In Switzerland, the Code of Obligations requires a retention period of 10 years for most accounting and commercial documents. This includes, among others:
- Balance sheets, income statements and accounting records
- Contracts and important business correspondence
- Tax returns and VAT supporting documents
- Payslips and HR documents
Even as digitalisation progresses, many businesses still keep original paper documents, either by obligation or by caution. These documents must be accessible in the event of an audit, but there is no reason for them to occupy your workspace on a daily basis.
These retention periods are indicative (art. 958f CO). Check the periods that apply to your situation with your fiduciary.
The hidden cost of storing archives in your offices
A square metre of office space in Lausanne costs between CHF 250 and 400 per month, depending on the area. Using that space to store archive boxes means paying a premium for paper that is only needed twice a year. Not to mention the impact on daily life: clutter, difficulty moving around, and an unprofessional image if you receive clients. Outsourcing this storage is often far more economical than you might think.
What a professional storage unit offers
A storage unit dedicated to your archives means:
- A secure, dry space, suitable for long-term paper document storage
- Independent access, 7 days a week, to retrieve a file when you need it
- No long-term commitment: a minimum of one month, and you adjust as your needs evolve
- Controlled costs: well below the cost of office space per square metre, with a decreasing price based on volume
For a fiduciary or a firm, a few cubic metres are usually enough for the archives of the past five years. Earlier years, which are accessed less frequently, can be grouped in a larger space at a lower cost. Our unit size guide helps you estimate the volume, and the price list helps you budget.
End of year: the right time to sort your archives
Before closing the accounts, many businesses go back through their files. It is a good time to:
- Sort your archives: identify what can be destroyed (documents whose legal retention period has expired), what must be kept, and what can leave the office
- Reorganise your spaces: once archives are outsourced, you recover real square metres for working, welcoming a new employee, or setting up a meeting room
- Start the new year on the right foot: a clear working environment is also a positive signal for your teams and your clients
Support tailored to professionals
At C-BOX, we regularly support SMEs, fiduciaries, firms and freelancers in organising their storage. Toni can help you assess the volume you need, show you the available spaces at the Belmont-sur-Lausanne site, and recommend the solution best suited to your business. Monthly billing, flexible access, transparent terms: everything is designed so that storage fits simply into your operations.
Free up your offices: we assess your storage needs free of charge.
Request a free assessment · Book a professional unit online
Read on: choosing the right unit size, organising a big clear-out or checking the prices.
