Easy Peasy! 10 steps to Organising your Packaging Station

• June 12 2024, by Jo Hilton
• 14 min reading time

Did you know that setting up and maintaining a well organised packaging station and supplies will streamline your fulfilment process and add to your organisation’s overall operational efficiency?

Well, if you're an e-commerce company operating with any degree of success, you probably did. But here's our take on the subject and it's definitely worth a quick read. We might just surprise you with one or two suggestions you've not yet considered.

What is a packaging station?

A packaging station might be a room in your home, a corner of an office or a designated space in a warehouse. Wherever it is, it’s enables the lifeblood of your company - your products - to flow. Here, they are sorted, wrapped, and boxed before being shipped to the customer.

By its very nature, a packaging area is highly functional and there are, of course, a number of highly important jobs that must be done alongside the packaging. Printing shipping labels, for example, as well as final checks and quality control. 

One major aim of the packaging station therefore, is simplifying the many tasks that go into the overall process, making it more manageable for employees. And if you’re a business owner with a single employee – you – a packaging station not only makes things more manageable, but far less overwhelming and time consuming.

Whatever the size of your business, give thought to the three Ss: space, set-up and storage. These may be obvious, but they'recommon areas which can be hard to get right. The following ten questions have been designed with at least one of the 'Ss' in mind. Considering them will provide the answers you need to guide you towards organising your packing supplies efficiently.

Have you evaluated the space properly?

Have you evaluated your space properly? What are your requirements, big, medium and right down to the nitty gritty? What are the ins, outs and in-betweens of your fulfilment process? 

First things first, have you got a designated, dedicated packing station? If not, you should have. Bigger organisations might want to consider how products arrive at the packaging station and the size of these products before they decide where exactly is ideal. For small outfits this might not be relevant, but other factors might be, (especially if you’re running a business from a family home or a shared office space).

Secondly, you will need furniture – a work table at the very least - but it must fit the space. Perhaps you need bespoke equipment like void fill or strapping machines? If so, where will it go? Is there enough storage? And if storage could do with an overhaul, what are you going to go for? Stackable containers, bins, boxes or shelving units? Is it possible to make use of the vertical space as well as the horizontal?

Before putting up shelves or purchasing containers, consider the dimensions and weight of your inventory. If you’re buying bins might it be a good idea for them to be transparent (so you can see inside) or forward opening (for easier, quicker access)?

Once you’ve established the answers to the basic space and storage questions, it’s time to optimise your packing station as much as possible.

Is your packaging space ergonomic?

Whatever the size of your packaging station, it must be ergonomic, i.e., comfortable to use. Being comfortable as a worker means not only general health and well-being, but achieving higher levels of productivity and efficiency.

But being comfortable isn’t just about having an easy chair, it’s also having a work station that’s the right height. Don’t forget to check both the height of your table AND the people working at it.

Account for the fact that people are going to be bending and stretching as they reach for packaging materials and ensure they’re not at risk of injury or repetitive strain. Ask yourself, what are the items most needed or often used? This will help you decide on where best to place them. 

Would it be good idea to provide a mat to stand on, something that provides cushioning if packers are going to be on their feet for long periods? Is there enough light and easy access to water? Are there bathroom facilities nearby so employees don't have to spend their break times trudging down corridors? In a packing station, the little things can have a big impact.

Is your packaging station flexible?

When you’re designing your packaging station, be positive, think ahead and account for expansion and growth and the ways it might one day affect the station’s layout. Maybe you also run the type of business that needs to cope with busier periods, market fluctuations and seasonal shopping.

Decide how many packers could work at the station comfortably at any one time. Would you have the physical space and resources to double or triple their number if necessary? Could extending the space be a possibility even if only for temporary periods?

It’s worth having strategies for multiple future scenarios so you can maintain operational efficiency whatever hits you. 

How are you storing your materials?

Packaging station materials can be divided into two categories: tools and supplies. Examples of tools include things like strapping machines, void fill machines, barcode scanners and printers, scissors, utility knives, etc. Examples of supplies are the packing materials themselves: boxes, packaging tape, envelopes, mailers, cardboard tubes, protective packaging (void fill) and inserts or dividers.





So, will your materials be stacked or in storage bins? Will they be hung on a wall system like a peg board, organised in specific places on work station table or stored underneath the work station itself? Would it be a good idea to lay them out left to right according to which is used first? Can your packaging materials be kept flat or do they need to be stored horizontally (like cardboard tubes). Which are the most used and which the least? 

Remember, extras such as tape, scales, scissors, staplers and pens need to be kept at the packaging station at all times. Nobody should be borrowing them with the promise of bringing them back because we all know that never happens. Chain them to the workstation if necessary. (That's a joke, but do make sure you have enough resources throughout your organisation so no one has to fight over the one Stanley knife.)

Whichever category they fall into, every single item in your packaging station needs to be readily and accessible. Supplies should be labelled, stored in the right category, easy to find, easy to reach and safe. And top tip, if space is tight, you might want to consider aiming for a smaller selection of packaging, a type that is adaptable and will work with many different kinds of products (click here to see one such tried and tested option). 

What is the best place for your printer and is there an electricity supply?

Most labelling takes place at the packaging station itself. If this is the case for your business then you will need to make space for a printer. Account for the type of printer you use in your original work station design layout (as well as any supplies it might need) and ensure there is a suitable electricity supply. You absolutely do not want to be tripping over cables or extension leads. 

Have you accounted for extras or personal touches?

The following as being make or break as regards the efficacy of your packaging station, but we like to consider every single eventuality, however seemingly innocuous or inconsequential.

Do you run promotions? Are you intending to insert extras like brochures, flyers or handwritten thank you notes adorned with stickers into your packages and parcels? Perhaps a strand of lavender, some retro sweets or free samples? Maybe you can't stand it if your space doesn't have at least three plants, two motivational posters and an oil diffuser?

We're not making fun of these things. We think some are lovely and others downright non-negotiable. But think about where these things are going to go so they don't end up getting in the way.

Have your packers received the right training?

It makes good business sense that packers follow an identical method when boxing up products. Consequently, not only do tasks run smoothly and handovers or shift changes become seamless, but the consistency and coherence of your brand is also maintained. 

Remember, that it isn’t fair to expect packers to know automatically how you want it to be done. Just because we’ve all wrapped a birthday present doesn’t mean we understand (the often pressured, fast paced) role of order fulfilment. Packers need to be comfortable and safe at the packing station (see points one to four), but they must also be aware of expectations/targets and given training on equipment and materials properly. 

Additionally, demonstrate to your packers how you would like shelf/storage organisation maintained and prioritised. Every single person should be singing from the same hymn sheet and that entails making sure that every single person is informed about the status of supplies, especially if they’re about to run out. The most annoying thing in the world is getting the packet of biscuits out of the cupboard to find it empty and the same analogy can be applied to the packaging station setting. Lines of communication need to flow as quickly as the boxes being packaged on the work station table. 

How are you going to keep your packaging station clean and clutter free?

A well organised packing station will have a measurable impact on its success. You want to have the reputation of being able to deliver a fast turnaround as this is a positive image for any business.

Being clean and clutter free will help to eliminate mistakes like incorrect labelling, misplaced shipments, or even worse, breakage. Containers that are organised and shelves that are tidy will ensure you minimise the risk of ordering supplies that you already have and will also help you to know what you need to restock and refill.

Regularly declutter. Remove nonessential items and rubbish on a daily basis.

Are your packers invested in your company?

Packaging isn't just be about the actual, physical process of packaging. A packer should understand the product, what kind of person buys it and where it's going to end up. From the moment the customer places the order, to how best to package the product, to where it is going and how it has to get there, to whether it can be put through the letterbox and finally, if packaging materials can be returned or recycled - an overview of all these stages is crucial. The packing station is a vital link in the supply chain, but it's one of many. Could employees from different areas sometimes switch roles, each to understand the job the other has a little better?

If your business has targets, these should be communicated with packers. If they'll be assessed on how many parcels they pack in a certain timeframe, then dialogue is even more key. Not only should they understand the expectations on them as workers, but they'll benefit from knowing why these expectations exist. Is it to meet business targets or to fulfil customer demands? Is it to beat a competitor? Is it to improve on past performance or encourage repeat business? Maybe it's a combination of all these things?

Make a point of asking for feedback from your packers. What works well at the packaging station? Are there any sticking or niggle points? Does anything cause them frustration, slow them down or get in their way? What is their point of view about the flow of the operation? After all, they're the ones on the ground.

Are you continually assessing and monitoring your station?

As with anything, the only way to improve or, at the very least, maintain excellent operating standards is to continually assess and monitor your packing station.

Asking for packer feedback (see above) is one way of doing this and would form part of the monitoring of a wider assessment plan which should also include general organisation, compliance, safety, consistency, performance and efficiency.

Consistently strive to find ways to streamline and upgrade your station’s work efficiency and don't stop even if you think you've reached optimal performance levels. Every so often, there will be that little bit extra that you can do, one more step you should take, tiny tweaks that will enable you to refine your packing process and redefine your success.

Of course, change for change's sake is never a good idea. Any improvements must be able to evidence what additional value they can add. Don't reinvent the wheel just because it looks good. Change has to go hand in hand with evidence-based decision making, a practical, achievable plan and measurable outcomes.

Conclusion

There you have it, ten ways to organise your packaging supplies more efficiently. Easy peasy!

We think we've covered pretty much everything from the happiness and well-being of your packers to physical organisation (space, setting and storage), the necessity of recognising how pivotal a packaging station is to the success of your business and resulting loyalty of your customers.

Do your business a favour and unpack your current packaging system. Look at each component closely and see how you can improve. Think of it this way: Achieving a high operational standard when it comes to packaging is equally as important as your choice of box, the branding on it and the product inside. And it doesn't have to be difficult.

Tags

Cardboard Boxes Dispatch Warehousing

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