Storage 101: How to Organize the Inventory in Your Storage Container
When you are in the retail industry, it is quite common for sales to ebb and flow throughout the year as business ramps up during certain seasons and slows down during others.
During those busier periods, it may be crucial to carry more stock than usual in your store, as products may very well be flying off the shelves. Afterwards, though, if there is still too much inventory left over, you will need somewhere to keep it.
If you have a lot of space at your storefront and minimal excess inventory, you might be okay. If not, you do not want to crowd your store, as that could hurt the efficiency of your operation and lead to other issues, such as compromised worker safety.
A good solution when you have excess inventory is to keep it in a storage container until you require it at your storefront again. Storing it in this manner will get it out of the way, but ensure that it is somewhere safe and secure so that the condition of these inventory items can be preserved up until they are back on your store’s shelves.
What are the most important considerations when organizing excess inventory in your storage container?
Once you have somewhere to store your excess inventory, it is necessary to create a plan for how you are going to organize it for retrieval purposes.
If your excess inventory is kept in a state of disarray, it will be impossible to find what you are looking for when needed, which will lead to yet another impediment to your operational efficiency.
Consider the following measures while storing your excess inventory to help you optimize the organization of these items:
1. Begin with a plan
It is always easier to figure out how to best use a given space when you have a solid plan in mind. Thus, it is a good idea to visualize what your storage space will look like before you start loading inventory items into it.
It would help if you measure the dimensions of the container to know what you have to work with, and then draw a mock-up of the space so that you can plan how to optimize its use.
Rather than physically trying different arrangements of items and wasting more time and energy, running through a few drafts of drawings could help you sort out a solid organization plan ahead of time.
2. Add shelving and racks
One of the best ways to maximize a storage container is to add shelving and racks inside of it. This will make it easier to organize things and take advantage of vertical space in the unit.
When items are stored on shelves and racks, they are easier to see and access, making life easier when it comes time for retrieval. You can avoid doing any kind of permanent damage to the unit by using freestanding shelving units secured to tie-downs on the walls in tandem with pop-in racks.
This also makes it easy to reorganize the space whenever you need.
3. Use clear plastic tubs
It makes sense to store certain inventory items in boxes to maintain their condition while in storage. However, cardboard boxes can degrade over time, especially if they are repeatedly handled or if they are exposed to humidity or heat.
On the other hand, clear plastic tubs are perfect for storing excess inventory items because they are simple to stack, easy to open and close, and offer solid protection to the items within.
The best part is that, since they are clear, it is also much easier to know what they contain so that you do not have to shuffle through multiple boxes to find something particular.
4. Use labels and make them visible
Another measure to ensure that you know exactly where everything is in your storage container is labelling. It is important to label all of the boxes you intend to store. You may even want to label entire shelves or sections of your storage unit if you are going to store things categorically.
As you are labelling things in this way, make sure that you use large, dark letters to make it simpler to read them, and place the labels in places where they will be easy to see.
5. Consider size and weight
As you are strategically arranging everything in the storage container, make sure you keep the various sizes and weights of different items and boxes in mind. It usually makes more sense to place bigger items towards the back of the storage container and then work your way forward.
It is also important to avoid stacking heavier items on top of lighter ones. This could lead to accidental damage to certain items’ packaging or even break the items themselves, and could also pose a safety risk if heavier things fall from high up spaces.
Why Sigma Container Corporation’s Storage Containers Are Perfect for Storing Excess Inventory
While all the tips mentioned above are incredibly useful, before you start organizing a storage container, you need to have one to work with. If you are searching for new containers for sale in Ontario, Sigma Container Corporation can help.
We have containers of various sizes and types that are available to buy and use for the storage of your excess inventory. Our storage containers are in impeccable condition, as they are freshly painted, have minimal dents and scratches, if any, and are wind and water-tight with working doors and seals.
We are so confident in the condition and durability of our containers that we even offer a 1-year warranty on all of them that guarantees they will remain wind and water-tight when used under reasonable conditions.
All you have to do is select the size and type of container that you want, and we will deliver it directly to you quickly with one of our tilt-and-load trucks.
If a permanent storage solution is not what you are looking for at this time, we also have rental options available. This may be better suited to your needs, as you can then figure out your storage requirements on a month-to-month basis. If you change your mind over time, you can also use our rent-to-buy option to accommodate your changing needs.
For more information about our new containers for sale in Ontario, or to learn more about how our container rental options work, call Sigma Container Corporation at 855-340-3342 or contact us here.