More Floods

866.667.3356

Your water damage restoration company is growing. Congratulations! You’re securing more work, bringing on more employees, and purchasing more tools and equipment to keep up with the demand. Of course, we’d never say this kind of success is problem. However, it can shine a light on poor operational practices and create unexpected challenges.

One challenge we experienced at Power Dry and have seen our peers face as well is the issue of accommodating rapid growth in the work-space. That warehouse that once seemed so big is suddenly packed tight with machines, tools, and people. Here’s how to organize your warehouse for maximum storage and improved daily workflow.

Find Unused Space

It may seem like every inch of your warehouse is being used, but unused space often gets missed because of poor organization. At Power Dry, we were honestly pretty well organized before our company grew but we still managed to find unused pockets of space. This allowed us to avoid warehouse expansion for a time which ultimately saved us a lot of money.

In warehouses, a lot of the unused space is found at eye level or above. Floor space may be completely in use, but there are often creative storage solutions that can allow us to squeeze more equipment into the space by working our up. Additionally, moving shelving around can actually create more space. We created aisles between shelves that had previously been pushed flush up against each other and this allowed us to greatly increase what we were storing on those shelves without hindering access to equipment.

Custom Shelving

At Power Dry, we found more storage space by building shelving around our dehumidifiers. Originally, it felt like this equipment was large enough that nothing else could be squeezed into the space they occupied. We were able to create shelving on top of these machines and free of a ton more space for the new purchases we made to accommodate company growth.

Get creative! If there aren’t storage solutions that work for your space available for purchase, design your own. The time and effort required to do this will ultimately save your company a lot of money if it helps you avoid relocation or expansion.

Keep Workflow in Mind

Squeezing every last inch of storage space isn’t the only priority of warehouse organization. The hope is to fit more equipment into the area without making it harder to load trucks and put items away.

Because of this, it is important that the organization is designed to improve, not hinder workflow. Think about each item that employees need to access daily, how they will get it to their truck and whether or not it will be difficult to get put away each day when they’re done. Get team members involved in the decision-making process, no one understands workflow as well as the individuals coming and going at the warehouse each day.

Get Clear About Changes

Organizational changes can create additional challenges if these changes aren’t communicated clearly. This is especially true if much of your equipment has been moved to a new spot in the warehouse.

To avoid frustration because things aren’t getting stored properly or employees can’t find what they need to do their work, take the time to go over the warehouse organization with your employees. It may be helpful to create a map of the space or hold a meeting to walk team members through the new layout.

Be Open to Adjustments

What seemed ingenious during the reorganization process may not work perfectly once your team hits the ground running. Don’t get so attached to the changes you’ve made in your warehouse that you’re not willing to hear feedback from your employees that a few things still need to be adjusted.

At Power Dry, it took weeks to get our space configured just right and most warehouses will require the same level of thoughtfulness and persistence to get things just right.

At More Floods, we work with business owners in water damage restoration who are looking for creative solutions to the operational challenges they face each day. Whether you’re trying to get organized or struggling with employee training, we have the resources and support you need to succeed. To learn more about becoming a network member, click here or call 1-866-667-3356.

Leave a Reply