Clutter, an app-based startup business specializing in valet self-storage services, recently launched in Los Angeles. The business model is designed to make the process of obtaining self-storage easy for consumers by allowing them to use the companys iPhone app to schedule pickup, storage and retrieval of their belongings.
Customers can use the Clutter app to request up to five 20-gallon reusable storage bins to be delivered to their home. They then take photos of the itemslabeling both the images and the binsbefore scheduling the boxes to be picked up. Clutter then stores the property in its warehouse.
When customers want their belongings back, they can click on the Bring Me My Boxes function in the app, and Clutter will deliver the bins the following day, according to the source. The company charges $10 per bin per month to store property and has a $15 flat fee to retrieve bins from storage.
In terms of security, Clutter founder Brian Thomas said the company ensures each bin for up to $1,000 and has its warehouse gated and monitored. The company does not disclose the location of the storage facility to customers and conducts background checks on its employees. We put our employees through rigorous background checks and thorough tests to ensure that the users have a safe experience, he said. Plus, weve added anti-tamper stickers so the user can see that a box hasnt been opened since they closed it themselves.
Liquids, illegal substances, perishables and hazardous materials are explicitly prohibited from being stored.
Clutter currently serves customers in Santa Monica, Venice and West Los Angeles, Calif., but Thomas envisions expanding the operation to other cities once it has established itself locally. The company plans to launch an Android app as well as add a Web-based version of its services.
The company has raised some money through friends and family, but Thomas hopes to raise $500,000 in seed funding, according to the source.
Sources:
- Business Insider: This Startup Could Be The Uber Of Self-Storage
- Clutter: Website
- TechCrunch: Clutter Just Made Self-Storage Super Simple
