This is how it all started...

Sue_C

According to the Self-Storage Association (SSA), personal storage may have started in England when "British banking institutions were asked to safeguard valuables for clients embarking on extended voyages."

"In the 1850s, the first warehouse specifically constructed for household and personal items was built. This two story structure was built with packing on the lower floor and private storage rooms on the second." 

For more on the history of self-storage and other interesting facts, read the SSA's Introduction to Self Storage