Lesson 3 of 4

Storage and picking

Much of the time in a warehouse is spent looking for things and walking to them. A good storage plan cuts both. This lesson covers where to put goods, and how to collect them for an order without mistakes.

Every product needs a home

A home is one fixed place for one product. When every product has a home, anyone can find it and anyone can see when it is missing.

  • Label the home. Put the product name or code on the shelf or the floor space.
  • Use a simple address. It can be as basic as "Shelf 3, bottom" or "Floor, bay 2". Any system works, as long as everyone uses the same one.
  • Keep look-alikes apart. Two products with similar packaging, such as two sizes of the same brand, should not sit side by side.
  • Do not make a new home in a corner. If a home is full, ask your supervisor what to do.

Put the right things within easy reach

The space between knee height and shoulder height is the easiest to reach. Use it for the products that leave most often. Heavy goods go low, so that nobody has to lift them above the waist and so shelves are not top-heavy. Light, slow-moving goods can go higher.

What goes where on a shelf A shelf with three levels. The top level, above shoulder height, holds light slow sellers. The middle level, between shoulder and knee, holds fast sellers. The bottom level, below the knee, holds heavy and bulky items. Above shoulder Shoulder to knee Below knee Light items, slow sellers Fast sellers, easy reach Heavy and bulky items
Fast sellers at easy reach, heavy goods low, light slow sellers high.

Why distance matters

Example

Example numbers only. A picker fetches a fast-selling product 30 times a day. The shelf is 40 metres of walking away from the dispatch area on each trip, counting there and back.

Before: 30 × 40 = 1,200 metres a day.

The product is moved to a shelf that is 10 metres of walking away. After: 30 × 10 = 300 metres a day.

Distance saved = 1,200 − 300 = 900 metres a day, after a one-off move.

Picking: collecting an order

Picking means collecting the goods for an order. A mistake here becomes a wrong delivery, an unhappy customer and a return trip. Work through each order line the same way.

  1. Read the line. Do not work from memory.
  2. Go to the product's home.
  3. Check the name or code on the product against the line, especially for look-alikes.
  4. Count the quantity. Do not guess, and do not assume a full box holds the number you need.
  5. Tick the line once the goods are in your hand or on the trolley.

If you cannot find a product in its home, tell your supervisor. Do not swap it for something similar without approval. The customer may not want the substitute, and the missing product is still unaccounted for.

If you pick for more than one order at a time, keep the orders separate on the trolley so they cannot get mixed.

Key points
  • One product, one labelled home, and look-alikes kept apart.
  • Fast sellers go at easy reach and near dispatch. Heavy goods go low.
  • When picking, read the line, check the label, count the quantity, tick the line. Never swap without approval.