Making The Most Of Your Warehouse Storage Space

Investing in storage space for your business doesn’t come cheap, so it is crucial that you do the maths to make the most of the space available. In an ideal situation, these factors would all be taken into consideration before you start using your storage space, as it is much easier to figure out a storage plan when your space is empty. If worst comes to the worst and your space is already full, then not to worry, you can still improve your warehouse efficiency with these simple tips. 

Store up high

Most warehouses are built to house complex racking systems that enable you to make the most of their cavernous roof space. Failing to use your storage facility’s height to make products easier to access is the quickest way to run out of room, so invest in a quality pallet rack and a forklift and start storing up high. When choosing the right pallet rack for your product, do be aware that not all pallet racking systems work with every pallet type, so you will need to do your research before making any investment. 

Carefully consider your aisle space

Another very common mistake made in warehouses is to either over or underestimate the space needed for the aisles. Aisles that are too close together prevent freedom of movement and can cause accidents when operating heavy machinery, and aisles too far apart waste valuable storage space. As a general rule, all aisles in your warehouse should comfortably fit two-way traffic. 

Keep your star products in easy reach

To save you time and energy when packing orders, try to keep your star performers in easy reach so that they can be packed efficiently. As your stock prioritization changes, rearrange your storage accordingly to make it easier for your pickers and packers. If your stock is date-coded, then be sure to also introduce a rotation policy to ensure that old stock is brought to the forefront before new stock is unloaded. 

Use every inch of space

Warehouses are often sold by the square foot or by the cubic foot but these are two very different measurements. The square foot measurement of your warehouse will tell you how large your floor space is, but its cubic feet value will tell you how much space there is to fill from floor to ceiling. If you’re buying space by the cubic foot, then you need to ensure that you’re making the most of it by using every inch of height, depth, and width. 

Consider hiring a warehouse designer

And lastly, if this all sounds a little too complex, then you may want to consider hiring a professional warehouse designer who can help you to maximize your space efficiency. The first thing that your warehouse designer will do is to measure your space in cubic feet so that they can draw you up a warehouse plan that maximizes every inch of space. 

So there you have it – five easy tips that will help you to make the most of your warehouse storage space so that now all you need to worry about is your shipment fitting in the truck. Have you ever organized a warehouse before?