Good organization is key to success. If you don’t know where your things are, you will have a difficult time organizing either your schedule, working area or, in this case, storage. Therefore, if you’ve had trouble keeping your inventory storage organized, here are some of the basic tips that will help you tidy things up.
Make a List
Lists are your friends, for everything. This is especially true when it comes to packing and storing items in certain places, because you’ll eventually need those items back. Therefore, lists will help you know exactly which shelf contains the box that has all those papers or tools you need. List all the items that are placed in the storage, create tables with columns and label them with aisle number, shelf number, and box number. This way you’ll get a much easier access to any item you might need in the future. Additionally, don’t forget to update the lists with the place, quantity and date of the stored items as you retrieve and store the items back. Thanks to the digital era, you can now even create an app that’ll make this process even easier. All the staff can have an access to the list, and update it whenever they use certain items. This way the efficiency of the storage will be highly increased.
Pack Properly
The whole point of storage is to keep the items protected and preserved for future use. That’s why you should pay a lot of attention when you start packing the items. Be sure to use the shelves that will keep the storage items off the ground. This is a great way to keep them dry and clean. Furthermore, using bins or boxes is another useful idea, because you can place them on the shelves as well, but also label them so you’ll know which contains which items.
Sort Items
If you place similar products together, you’ll be able to find your way around the inventory much faster. That’s why you should sort the inventory based on the type, and have all the office supplies in one place, and all the furniture on the other. Furthermore, if the items are small enough to fit into a box, be sure to sort boxes either alphabetically, or again, according to the type of items they contain.
Clear the Aisles
Only neat storage is functional storage. Therefore, be sure to get rid of all the clutter, and keep the storage as clean as possible. If you use concrete floor paint for the storage space floor, it’ll be much easier for you to swipe the floors and keep them spotless. It would be a good idea to assign one person to keep the aisles neat and tidy. All the staff members should be able to walk through the storage without tripping over the cords, roadblocks or other clutter.
Create a Map
Having a digital map of an entire storage space will increase its efficiency. The map should include the entire layout of the storage room. What’s more, be sure to mark and group areas according to the type of item. You should have a clear insight into the way your things are organized in the storage space. Remember to always keep the map updated as you add or retrieve certain items from the storage. Furthermore, use keywords in the map so that you can find items quickly.
Having an organized storage unit isn’t always easy, but it’s manageable. If you’re about to take the matter into your own hands, be sure to follow the previous suggestions and your storage will be perfectly organized and highly efficient.
