Organizing a warehouse can be difficult, especially while shipments are coming in and departing everyday. You can only be in one place at a time and cannot afford to look over everyone’s shoulders to make sure that things are going in the right place. With the right, organized system in place efficiency can be increased. Here are some warehouse organizational tips that may help improve your operations.
Label Inventory & Aisles
For quick and easy access, label inventory clearly. The last thing you want is to extract a pallet that is not labeled clearly, only to find out it is the wrong one. A better solution would be to have a worker quickly add a simple label to each stack, during the storing process. An improvement like this can help to increase delays in pulling out goods from storage.
To move one step further, you could add labels to aisles and sections in your warehouse. If you are often moving the similar items in and out, designate sections so that you know where everything is at all times. Map out the warehouse sections like you would have the map of a mall. If each employee has access to this layout, they can quickly find what they are looking for, even if they are unfamiliar with the warehouse.
Organize Your Inventory For Frequent Access
Often you may receive inventory that is only in the warehouse a few days before it is moved out. Similarly, you could have goods that are moved in and won’t leave for a month. The warehouse should be organized to optimize for these activities. The frequently moved inventory should be up front and more accessible. Inventory that tends to sit longer should be moved to areas that won’t get in the way of other operations. This change in organizational processes can save hours instead of the extended time it can take to navigate and shift inventory each delivery.
Use The Right Shelving
To maximize your storage, using the right shelves is the right way to go. If you are using industrial shelving that can’t handle the load that is required by your operations, it is time to upgrade. This shelving can be a health hazard to workers, and cost you a lot in vertical storage space. Purchasing shelving that fits your needs specifically can help you to better organize warehouse aisles and the number of shelves for each row. Along with inventory labeling and section organization, new shelving is a great advantage. Sometimes working with your existing equipment can make you feel like your hands are tied.
Use An Electronic Inventory System
We have said this one a few times before, but it is still worth mentioning. There are lots of inventory tracking systems out there that can help you manage incoming/outing goods and inventory levels. Once workers are properly trained with the electronic system it could save you from organizational errors and hours time spent reviewing levels.
Taking the time out of your busy schedule to find improvements in your warehouse activities can be a smart decision. At Dura-Ramp we want to help you improve your warehouse efficiency, which is why we designed our portable loading ramps. To see how a loading ramp can improve your warehouse efficiency, contact us at 1-877-820-1333.
