How to Organize your Warehouse
A warehouse is a necessity for many businesses in the region which produce, import and export inventory. No matter what you are storing in the warehouse, the inventory needs to be easily accessible, in an organized manner. Maintaining an organized warehouse not only allows you to move the goods in an efficient manner, but also allows you to stop feeling like the stuff is about to fall on your head or foot (how many times have you felt that walking around your warehouse??).Here are my strategies for helping you to organize your warehouse so you can track your inventory, feel safe and uncluttered:
- Remove the clutter
Remove the stuff that you can tell immediately is broken, will never be used or doesn’t even belong in your warehouse. If you have fax paper or paper that has faded so much that you cannot read the contents, it needs to go. Old photocopies, phones and fax machines from the 80’s also need to be thrown away or donated.
- Make a pile of scrap
Whilst going through the items in the warehouse, put anything that can be sold as scrap in one corner of the warehouse. Once you have completed the declutter process, call someone to pick up the items and get money for the scrap.
- Divide your inventory
Divide your inventory into categories by type, size, frequency of use. These are factors you need to consider when organizing your warehouse. For example the heavy items should be stored at the bottom of the warehouse or on sturdy overhead shelving that can be accessed easily by a forklift.
- Position your inventory in logical place
Position the inventory that is frequently used in easy to access locations. If you have a lot of small items, box the same items together in boxes. Which will then lead you onto…
- Label your items
Label your inventory by section and if you have used boxes, label the boxes. Large labels will enable others to locate and access the items as quickly and efficiently as possible.
- Use a warehouse management system
A warehouse management system will ensure you can keep track of your inventory and order new products when stocks are running low. If you need help to declutter and organize your warehouse, get in touch with us by filling in our contact form and find out how we can help you as quickly and easily.
© Image - Charly Birdsinger