“It’s just a bunch of boxes. How hard can it be to move?” That attitude can be the death of a successful warehouse move. Don’t let it. Get out in front of yours with careful planning.
Overseeing Your Warehouse Move
Moving a warehouse is a huge job, regardless of how superficially easy it may seem to anyone not involved in daily logistics. If you’re tasked with moving yours, you’ll need to develop a plan that’s not only efficient, but disrupts your business as little as possible. Start planning early and tackle challenges before moving day to guarantee your move is as seamless as possible.
- Plan your new space: Don’t waste time on moving day shifting your inventory around to maximize space or improve efficiencies. Make a plan of your new warehouse layout, down to the amount of space you need for each kind of stock. This includes planning areas for pallet racks, staging and receiving.
As an added bonus, your moving-day map will help warehouse workers get accustomed to their new layout and improve picking time in your first weeks in your new warehouse. - Clear Your Junk: Even well managed warehouses have areas where outdated or damaged merchandise sits. Do a thorough overhaul of your inventory and mark down, donate or trash any damaged items. Moving low-value inventory during your warehouse move is a waste of time and manpower.
- Time Deliveries: You don’t have to move inventory that hasn’t been delivered yet. Work with suppliers and manufacturers to delay large deliveries until you move to your new location when possible.
- Don’t Overlook Safety: Of course, you’ll be vigilant to avoid injuries on moving day, but don’t forget about codes that dictate safety for your new warehouse. Talk with your local fire marshal about requirements for fire-suppressing sprinklers, necessary evacuation routes and signage before you begin you move.
- Watch for Theft: Inventory control is difficult when you move a warehouse, and chances for theft skyrocket during your move when you rely on temporary employees to help with the move. Keep track of inventory with check-in and check-out processes, and by relying on a reputable commercial moving company for help with the move.
Regardless of the size of your warehouse, WSI is ready to help you plan and execute your warehouse move. Call us at 970.568.5210 to get started.
“It’s just a bunch of boxes. How hard can it be to move?” That attitude can be the death of a successful warehouse move. Don’t let it. Get out in front of yours with careful planning.