5 Expert Tips to Organise Your Warehouse More Efficiently

Keeping your warehouse in an organised manner is beneficial in many ways. It helps you to manage time efficiently, allows you to keep control of inventory and streamlines your business processes like ordering, storing and delivery.

If you have a warehouse, but have no idea how to get it in working order, this guide will show you what to do. You might need a few pairs of hands to help you get it done. But once your warehouse is tidied up, your business will run like a well-oiled machine and you’ll feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. Here’s how to organise your warehouse more efficiently.

Design a Floor Plan

The best place to start is creating a unique floor plan for your warehouse. Having a floor plan on paper allows you to see space limitations and any limitations of the actual building. Aim to group similar items together and put products nearer to the front that comprise 80% of your orders. This saves so much time for your staff when deliveries pile up.

Keep Your Inventory Lean

Keeping your inventory lean means only keeping enough stock that you actually need. If you have too much product, your staff may take a lot longer sifting through piles of stock when orders come in. Talk to your suppliers to see if they can deliver smaller loads more frequently.

Label Shelves, Containers and Equipment

Labels are your best friend when it comes to organising your warehouse. If items and shelves are not labelled, it may become very hard to find certain things, lowering efficiency. Label shelves, containers, important equipment and warehouse storage rows, to help your staff find what they need.

Make Safety a Priority

Safety should be a priority in your warehouse, to reduce the risk of staff accidents. Don’t try and cut corners on safety, thinking you will boost profits. Sick or injured staff will cost you more money in the long run. A safe warehouse, is an efficient and profitable warehouse.

Organise Regular Maintenance

Frequent warehouse cleaning and maintenance is needed to keep dust, clutter and broken equipment at bay. At every point of the day, staff should be able to walk about the warehouse and perform their duties without tripping over something. Train your staff to tidy as they go and have a regular maintenance team to keep things in working order. A well maintained, clean warehouse allows you to keep track of inventory and your staff will be able to work efficiently.