Have you experienced any of these?

1. You can’t seem to find space to store goods, even during off-peak periods.
2. Your supplier changes their product packaging and you have to accommodate them in the same warehouse space.
3. Your stock tracking department complains of missing stock every day.

Space constraints are a big issue in many warehouses today, but they really don’t have to be.

Increased consumer confidence in online shopping, next day delivery options (same day in some cases),  and better automation have all led to a massive increase in how much freight warehouses process. In all industries, from food to clothing to machine parts, distribution centres report a higher volume of processing.

While this sounds like a good thing, warehouse managers complain of reduced availability of space.

On closer examination, in many warehouses, more space is taken up by existing racking and clutter than stored products. Clutter can be anything from mis-sorted stock to damaged tools to broken pallets etc. Sometimes the stock you distribute can constitute clutter if you have a pile of obsolete stock.

If you are brave enough to go poking around the warehouse, I bet you’d be surprised at what you’d find tucked ‘out of sight.’ The following are our top tips for getting rid of clutter in an around your warehouse.

Be Constantly Cleaning.

It may seem painfully obvious, but I’ve seen many warehouses where debris is shoved out of the way during a busy shift. This tends to pile up in corners, under machines, under racking. The solution to this is to employ a dedicated cleaning crew, one person or a team, whose only job is to scour the building during each shift and remove any debris and dispose of them in the correct manner.

Broken pallets also constitute clutter and a hazard. Most warehouses have to store pallets, whole and broken, until the suppler comes to pick them up. This wait can range from a few weeks to a few months. Working out a shorter pick-up schedule with the pallet supplier can curb this problem.

Rearrange The Layout.

Because many warehouses are filled up-as-they-go, there is often a hint of organised chaos in them. The racking and machines are usually installed based on the flow of materials through the warehouse. But what happens when, for example, the product changes?

It’s a given that inefficient storage will happen at some point. Having cleared away existing debris and stock, how do you organise the space to avoid this reoccurring?

The way you lay out your warehouse will impact on the general flow of operations. Taking detailed measurements, clearly mapping out the positions of aisles, loading bays and other storage areas can help you optimise the flow of inventory and maximise the storage capacity.

Further optimise the layout by:

• Using an aisle width that allows you access stock with equipment, but isn’t so wide that you are wasting space.

• Planning stock picking locations with regard to picking frequency.

Use Multiple Solutions.

Some warehouses take on all classes of inventory, regardless of whether they have the right storage, medium or not. This can go awry when the right type of storage isn’t available. This can lead to freight being dumped ‘out of sight’. To combat this, divide the warehouse into zones, depending on the kind of goods to be processed or stored in each one.

These storage solutions range from pallet racking, industrial shelving, bins, boxes, very narrow aisle racking, cube systems, mezzanines etc. The inventory to be handled should determine the solution used in this zone. Pallet racking is the base model used in most warehouses. It’s also be easily adapted and built up to include more rows and beam. Use a combination of these solutions as an ideal start to stopping the build up of clutter in any warehouse.

For more permanent solutions, consider:

1. Using outside storage, via rented trailers or prefab sheds.

2. Improving inventory management by designing better stock control programmes.

3. Manage inventory better by logging all locations. This makes identifying and finding stock faster.

4. Incorporate technology to improve accuracy of picking and sorting by using a WMS, RFID scanners, voice recognition software etc.

Taking the time to de-clutter your warehouse will help open up and create space. Keeping it that way is another issue, as it will quickly become cluttered again if the recommended steps are not taken. At Monarch Shelving, we understand that the requirements for a business that uses archive storage racking differs from one using predominantly long span shelving. We can offer many solutions to the problem of clutter.

Contact us today and let’s help you create and claim back more space for your company.