Tips for Increasing Storage Space in Your Warehouse
Warehouses are a valuable tool for many business owners outgrowing their location. However, optimizing space in storage facilities can be tricky. Organizing inventory incorrectly can slow down distribution and create safety hazards for employees.
The good news is that there are ways to make room for products and materials, even when it seems like you can’t. Use these tips for increasing storage space in your warehouse to improve organization and efficiency.
Remove Unsellable Inventory
The first thing you should do to create more space in your storage facility is remove unsellable inventory. Using various outdated product destruction and disposal methods, you can get rid of any damaged or out-of-season items occupying valuable real estate.
Invest in automated tracking software to help you locate these items with ease. This kind of technology will track how often you ship a product and allow you to observe which ones are moving too slowly. With this data, you can adjust your methods so that you don’t continue to collect unwanted inventory.
Install a Mezzanine
A good rule of thumb when increasing storage space in your warehouse is building up rather than out. The most common way storage facilities make more room is by installing a mezzanine. This raised level adds so much space to the unoccupied parts of your building.
Be strategic when building your mezzanine. It’s best to install it above specific departments to aid those operations. For example, adding storage above your packaging area will keep fast-moving products near their final destination and increase efficiency.
Reduce Aisle Width
If you can’t build “up” but still need more space, consider reducing your aisle width. Moving your pallet racks closer together will create more floor space for you to build more shelves and other storage methods.
Like installing a mezzanine, you need to use strategy for this to be effective. You’ll still need room between aisles to operate forklifts and allow employees to move around. However, the additional space you can create by moving your racks is astounding if you do it right.
Organize the Work Floor
Finally, organizing your work floor will add more room to your warehouse. Find a home for anything occupying floor space. While you might store materials on the ground to free up rack space, you’re doing yourself more harm than good.
Make sure to clear your work floor of any dirt, trash, and debris as well. Asking employees to organize their personal workstations may also reveal some unused space for storage.
For warehouses, “storage” is the name of the game. Use these tips to improve your current methods so that you can enhance your productivity and increase profits.
