Inventory
March 29, 2022

9 Telltale Signs that Your Warehouse is Cluttered

Is your warehouse cluttered and crammed? Are you having a hard time finding what you need when you need it? If so, it might be time for some spring cleaning! Use these nine signs to determine if your warehouse could use a little decluttering.

9 Signs that Your Warehouse is Cluttered

Do you have a cluttered warehouse? Are you wondering how to identify it? In that case, here are the 9 signs to know that your warehouse is cluttered.

1. Underutilized Storage Space

Do you have a lot of space in your warehouse, but still you cannot accommodate several items? If yes, it simply means your warehouse is cluttered. A cluttered warehouse fails to make the most of the available space, thereby failing to accommodate all products adequately.

2. Excessive Travel

If your operators travel a lot within the warehouse to store goods or prepare an order, your warehouse is messy. In cluttered warehouses, movements are not optimized or coordinated. This, in turn, can result in the wastage of time and efforts of the operators.

3. Stock Losses

An increase in stock losses is a potential sign of cluttered warehouses. In a messy warehouse, there is no dedicated space for different products. If you are not well aware of the goods in your storehouse, products may be stored up longer and become obsolete. This can result in stock losses. 

4. Frequent Stock outs

Are frequent stockouts becoming a problem for your business? If yes, it is time to check and declutter your warehouse. A cluttered warehouse makes it difficult to check which products are out of stock and available. This can result in frequent stockouts and delayed deliveries.

5. Overstock

Overstock is also a sign of a cluttered warehouse. When you are clueless about what is already there in your warehouse, you may overstock items. This, in turn, can increase your storage costs, thereby increasing your overall expenses. 

6. Picking Errors

If there are constant picking errors, then a cluttered warehouse will be blamed. Lack of organization in the warehouse can lead to manual errors and affect your organization's competitiveness. 

7. Phantom Inventory

Phantom inventory means a mismatch of items in the warehouse and recorded in the inventory programs. A messy warehouse can give rise to stock mismanagement and an increase in inventory errors. 

8. Inefficient Picking

Order preparation is an essential task in logistics. However, if your warehouse is cluttered, picking may take longer. This may increase the time of fulfillment of orders, thereby resulting in customer dissatisfaction. 

9. Increase in Accidents

A cluttered warehouse may complicate tasks for the warehouse operators. It can even increase the chances of accidents as the operators may collide with different items and get injured. 

Conclusion

If your warehouse is cluttered and crammed, it’s time for a spring cleaning! Use these nine signs to determine if your warehouse could use some decluttering. Are you a 3pl? We build the tools 3PLs use to not only compete but to win new business. Contact us today to see how we can help you streamline your warehouse operations.

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