The New Year is upon us. As 2018 sweeps in, it’s time to revisit the warehouse and get things back in shape ready for everything the year has to offer. Christmas is such a busy time in most warehouses that organisation can become difficult to maintain. All of a sudden, warehouse staff can be spending more time searching for things than handling them.

The New Year is a great opportunity to use these 5 tips for getting your warehouse back in shape.

1.  Use Ergonomic Equipment

Ergonomic equipment makes it easier for everyone to do their jobs by reducing physical and mental frustration.If you have set organisational rules, your employees need to be comfortable while they work otherwise they will never stick to those rules. New equipment is can be a significant upfront cost a warehouse, but it is a smart long-term investment, particularly if it reduces worker injuries and it speeds up efficiency in daily tasks.

2. Reduce Waste

After the chaos of Christmas, it’s likely that there is considerable clutter around the warehouse. This will slow down your operations considerably. Any items that have no further use need to be recycled, or thrown away. There is also the opportunity in 2018 to make better use of recycling and reusing items as much as possible.  Many warehouses throw things away after only one use, when they could be saving money with just a little more efficiency.

3. Use Pallet Racking

Focussing on vertical stacking using pallet racking is so effective, it can often save businesses considerable money, by not having to buy more space. If your warehouse doesn’t currently rack its pallets, then you may want to reconsider. If your warehouse is starting to get out of control and your space is limited pallet racking is the obvious solution.

4. Make use of Containers

For items that simply don’t need a pallets, wire mesh containers are an ideal storage solution. Lightweight and collapsible, they are designed to save space, but are also relatively inexpensive.

5. Improve your Flow Path

Look at ways you can make the best use of your flow path, so there’s enough room to do what needs to be done. Take the time to listen to employee suggestions about how best to arrange the stock. They have the best insight after working with your products day in and day out. Creating the best flow path can reduce inefficiency and reduce the odds of a  warehouse accident occurring.

Take the time this new year to get the most from your warehouse. Talk to us at Monarch to help you organise your Warehouse in 2018.