Office supplies. Thinking about them makes you yawn. It’s not exciting. But, they’re important to the everyday smooth operation of your business. The first time you’re in the middle of a big proposal and find yourself completely out of printer paper, you’ll understand. Taking the time to organize every supply you’ve got will allow your employees to find what they need with a minimum of fuss, and it will make it easier to know when something is running low… before it becomes an emergency.
The first step is determining what supplies you’ve got.
- Make a list of every office supply your office uses.
- Survey employees on a fairly regular basis about what they need and use. Add new items and delete unused items from your list.
- How much, how often? Trial and error will allow you to hone in on the exact amount and frequency of say, toner, and ink are needed for the printer.
- Automate! Once you figure out things, set up automatic reorders!
Great, your orders are on autopilot. Now you know how much stuff you’ve got. It’s time to organize everything!
- Choose an appropriately-sized space to store everything.
- Purchase organizers and bins as needed. If you’ve got a small office, go vertical if you can.
- Be predictable. Use one location for each item to avoid people wasting time looking for items.
- Keep it logical. Items used together near each other. Like items kept for the desktop, or for the conference room.
- Front and center. Put frequently used items in the front.
- Make it easy. Put taller items near the back so everything is visible, and use baskets for smaller items.
- Keep it neat. In some cases, it will look neater and be easier to find if you keep some supplies in their original boxes
- Get everyone’s help. Provide a sheet to mark when something is low or gone
- Use multiple locations if it makes sense for you. Keep some items (like items for the printer) near where they’re used
- Help everyone out. Extend the organization to include drawer and desktop organizers for employees. Then they can find the supplies they need faster.
- Designate someone to KEEP it organized, perhaps on a daily basis. Putting things back where they belong will help.
When everything is where it should be, your office will run smoother and more efficiently. It’s all about saving time, increasing productivity, and reducing stress and overwhelm.