How-to Declutter the Shop

Anyone who has worked in a shop can tell you it’s not always the cleanest, most organized environment. Sometimes, you must make a mess to get the job done. While it may not seem like a big deal if a corner of a shop is cluttered or messy, these problems can add up and prove to be costly.

Some common problems that occur from a cluttered shop are disorganization, old or unusable inventory, mislabeled or poorly sorted inventory resulting in difficulty finding the right size or not being able to use the product at all. All these problems can result in costly downtime for your shop as employees run to the store to get a bolt that was misplaced, or they accidently grab a specialty chemical that has expired. This downtime can result in extra costs, poor customer service, tech dissatisfaction and other undesirable outcomes.

Kimball Midwest offers storage solutions that can remedy any disorganized shop. The first step is to get in touch with a sales representative who will help you on your journey to eliminate downtime. Once you have a trusted rep on site, they will help you survey the current situation, design a solution, review the plan with you, then implement and maintain your shop so it stays clean and organized from Day 1.

Once a rep is in your shop, they will look at your current inventory and gain an understanding of potential causes of disorganization and downtime. Once they understand the root cause for disorganization, they will design a solution where Kimball Midwest products can best serve you.

Kimball Midwest has storage solutions tailored to the specific needs in many product categories:

• Aerosol Cabinet (708) for chemicals
• Gravity Feed Dispenser (715) abrasive discs
• Wire and Hose Rack (647)
• Cable Tie Dispenser Rack (679)
• Metal Peg Board (611) for abrasives, tool storage and other shop supplies
• Hydraulic Hose Cabinets (743, 745, 744) for bulky hose that might be sprawled or spooled on the floor

Once your rep designs a solution, they will further explain how it would fit into your shop in a space-saving design suited for your exact needs.

Then comes the implementation phase. Your rep will merge your existing setup and inventory into the new shop: sorting, organizing and making everything clean until it sparkles and shines.

Kimball Midwest’s storage equipment has certain attributes that set it apart from competitors:

• Laminated and color lid charts that align with the holes of a drawer – the images are of the exact product and part number, so you never have to fumble around trying to figure out what goes where or what part number you need to tell your rep you need more of.
• High visibility yellow labels with descriptive titles and images – reduces time spent searching different drawers for products – get into the drawer you need the first time.
• Descriptive size labels for bins with image, size information and part numbers.

Having the part numbers right there makes it simple to reorder online or through your rep by being able to easily communicate what you need more of.

Once your setup is complete and your Kimball Midwest equipment is stocked and in place, your rep will maintain your account. They’ll regularly stop by, checking in to make sure your area stays organized, full (but not too full) and helping you reduce downtime.

If your shop is cluttered, disorganized, dirty, unsafe or otherwise inefficient, contact your rep today. If you don’t have a rep, we can help you