Steps to Organizing Your Warehouse

Business owners should expect to get more than just storage functionality from their warehouse facilities; they should also strive to get the most in terms of efficiency and organization so they can store as much product as possible without risking it turning into a mess or easily going missing. If you are in the business of providing goods on a retail or wholesale basis, you already know that the warehouse is an operational pillar of your company, and this is why you need to pay close attention to the way it is organized at all times.

Here are some ideas to help you along the way:

Think in Three Dimensions

Seasoned warehouse managers think of their workspace as 3D floor plans; this means that they look at the horizontal and vertical capacity as they consider how items will be stored. The goal is to never have wasted space in the warehouse; if there exists the ability to turn it into storage or use it in an efficient capacity then that’s what it should be used for. This may take a lot of time and planning to figure out, but the effort will be worth it in the long run. Especially when there’s more product to store. In some cases, it helps to pay attention to the packaging of items because this is something that can be changed or eliminated to maximize space or storage techniques. The basic formula you need to figure out storage capacity is height x width x depth; using this equation you can take the necessary measurements and begin to figure out how your results can contribute to you optimizing the available space.

Basic Inventory Classification

Goods, parts, and supplies that are always in demand need to move faster, which is why you need to classify such items adequately when taking inventory and their storage needs to be easily accessible. In order to decide where fast, medium, and slow-moving items should be placed inside the warehouse, you need to start off by measuring their size, quantity, and shape alongside how hard it is to move them. If you use inventory or warehouse management software, this classification process can be made easier by including relevant data in each stock keeping unit (SKU) and barcode.

Generally, the items that are more fast moving should be immediately accessible while more slow moving items can be stored farther back. You should also remain open to changing the classification of products, and thus potentially their location, should their usefulness or popularity ever fluctuate.

Build Logical Compartments

When you shop for warehouse storage rack equipment, be sure to choose a modular racking system that takes advantage of vertical and horizontal space. The best way to set up rack systems is to get the opinions of warehouse staff members who will have to operate within these racks with regard to which organizational method seems more logical. You may also want to stock up on dividers and storage bins; many of the best organization ideas involve these items, especially for smaller items or parts.

Train Warehouse Workers Accordingly

The importance of on-the-job training is clearly understood by experienced warehouse managers. Not all organizational systems will seem logical to everyone; it is up to the warehouse manager to explain the system and how it is supposed to work. Simply giving staff members a printout of the floor layout is not sufficient.

There is no question that organization is the key to running an efficient warehouse. Don’t forget to review your warehouse organization procedures from time to time in case they need adjustment, especially should your business expand or grow.