Clear those shelves and save money: 3 keys

Maximizing your facility space saves your company money.

After all, having supply closets and shelves stacked with stuff no one needs anymore only wastes money.

(Not to mention, excess inventory poses safety and housekeeping issues as well.)

You may need to bring together different teams, departments and your facility staff together to stay on top of inventory issues and deal with problems as they come along.

Keep these steps in mind when doing inventory management:

1. One facility’s junk may be another’s treasure

Does your company have more than one facility? Before getting rid of obsolete parts and materials, first check whether the other facilities might want them.

Examples include fluorescent lights and ballasts, air filters, tires, parts, etc.

Have a staffer or two do some Internet research on parts and materials you don’t need. You might find there’s resale value for some items, and your company can actually turn a profit on what at first glance looks like “junk.”

2. Let employees have at it

Whatever you can’t move to another facility or sell, offer up to employees and building occupants before throwing it away (or recycling it if necessary).

Here’s why: Other departments might be storing some of that excess inventory you want to unload.

So giving them one last chance to claim the nuts they’ve been squirreling away can reduce the pile.

3. Let it go …

Sorry for the “Frozen” reference here.

Resist the urge to re-stock what you can’t donate, sell or give away!

Get rid of it for good.