Creating viable warehouse storage layout design is imperative to an efficient shipping and receiving process. Here are 6 ways to improve your warehouse layout.
You can have the freedom to design your own layout any way you want it — inside the biggest warehouse imaginable. But if it doesn’t work well for what you do and it doesn’t make your operation flow easily and efficiently, then it needs improvement.
A healthy bottom line comes with a streamlined ability. And these warehouse storage layout design ideas for improved organization and efficiency can make that happen.
1. Creating Optimal Flow
When you have a warehouse with predetermined, permanent walls or floor plans that have already been carved out, it is hard to create an optimal flow. You need every process of your business to move uninterruptedly from one stage to the next. With a clearspan warehouse tent, you can create the best warehouse storage layout design based on your needs.
This layout needs to be designed in the order of operations. You shouldn’t have to walk through one department to get to another. For instance, if you get a delivery of supplies that has to be sent to a storage area, the storage area should be in close proximity. Having a layout that requires you to walk through other departments or to the other end of the warehouse to get to the storage area doesn’t make sense when you are seeking an optimal flow.
2. Keep Every Area Labeled
If you want a warehouse design that will improve organization and efficiency, then you need to keep every area labeled. This means labeling designated areas for your inventory (giving each piece of inventory a designated spot), where machines and tools or other equipment are to be housed, and various departments. This will allow every employee, regardless of how seasoned, to know right where to find certain areas and certain key things that they need to keep business flowing.
3. Implement Proper Storage Methods
In a new warehouse, you need a warehouse storage layout design that works well for your business. But the physical design isn’t the only thing you should be concerned about. We live in a digital age — and we have all sorts of tools and software programs available to us. That’s why if you are looking for design ideas to improve your organization and your efficiency, you can’t just focus on the physical.
Invest in a warehouse management system. Not only will this new technology keep you incredibly organized with everything moving smoothly, but it will allow you to make decisions based on things you can see since you will have the bigger picture at your fingertips.
You can stack your inventory for days, but if you don’t know what you are stacking or how much or how far back those rows go and how much of each item you have – phew – it is going to be hard to know where you stand.
Being organized means being able to tell where every piece of inventory is at any given moment. This also increases the flow of your business and its efficiency. Having to move boxes go through your so-called organized inventory can waste time and bottleneck your production line in more ways than one.
4. Keep Your Warehouse Space Clean
It is important to keep your warehouse space clean. Not only will it keep potential hazards away, but it also keeps your employees and your inventory safe. Dust, dirt, spills, and the like can cause disruptions in your organization’s flow. To make sure everything can run as you intended when you implemented this layout design, keep it clean.
5. Keep Aisles and Walkways Clear
It should go without saying that keeping aisles and walkways clear is also a must. Your warehouse storage layout design is meant to keep things moving smoothly. But, if an employee has to maneuver around obstacles in the walkway or take alternate routes due to blocked aisles every time he or she is trying to get from one place to another, it is going to slow things down.
Staying organized and having a space for everything will mean that there is no reason for aisles and walkways to feel cluttered and turn into unintentional obstacle courses. The more clear they remain, the least likely you are to face a fall in production.
6. Start with a Clearspan Warehouse Tent
When it comes down to having the perfect warehouse storage layout design to ensure that your company is as organized and efficient as possible, it helps to have the perfect building. Permanent structures don’t allow you the flexibility you need to create a layout that will meet your needs specifically. They come with a one-size-fits-all design – and you have to make it fit your business.
With a clearspan warehouse tent, you have the flexibility to design the layout as you see fit. You can create it in a way that will allow you to gain the most organization — leading to a streamlined flow throughout the entire building, from department to department, without any hiccups. As a result, your productivity will increase and your efficiency will leave you with a healthy, successful business.
Clearspan fabric structures can provide you with many benefits, such as:
- Wide-open floor space with no poles or support beams to get in your way.
- Flexibility on the placement of walls, doors, warehouse doors, sidewalls, and more.
- Flooring options that will meet your needs.
- HVAC system to allow for climate-controlled situations.
- Lighting in all spaces to ensure clear visibility.
These buildings can grow with your business, whether that means increasing in size or adding additional buildings onto your property. And whether temporary or semi-permanent, they can withstand years of inclement weather without fail.
As you begin to put together your warehouse storage layout design for organization and increase efficiency, consider these 6 ideas. Maybe one will work for you or maybe all together you will find success. The important part to remember is that acquiring a space with a wide-open floor plan – such as with a clearspan tent structure – will allow you to transform it into the exact space to fit your needs. And that’s how you can get business done well.
