Proactively manage office supply inventory to ensure everyone on your team has the supplies they need to succeed. In this post, we’ll cover everything you need to tackle office supply inventory management, including supply closet organization, inventory supply lists, and free supply request templates. Never run out of envelopes again!
Scroll below for more on the following topics:
Ensure each supply has a storage location. Without a designated spot for each supply, your closet will get out of your control. It’s a lot of work—we hear ya!—but in the end, an organized supply closet will save you time and money.
Use small boxes, bins, and containers to hold each supply. These will add visual appeal to your supply closet while keeping your supplies organized and secure. This is especially helpful for smaller supplies that can get lost or roll off of a shelf if not stored in a container.
Ensure each supply has its own location organized by the type of supply and the frequency of its use—store all of the writing utensils in the same area, keep all of the paper in the same area, etc. Store the most frequently used items in the most accessible areas, if possible, closer to the entrance of your supply closet/room.
Once you have a designated spot for each of your supplies, you need to label them. Don’t skip this step even if you think it’s obvious where the supplies are stored. Each person in the office might have a different interpretation of where a tool should go, and as new hires join your team, labels will ensure they understand your organizational system from day one.
We said it! Supply closets need cleaning. Don’t wait until your supply closet or room is unwieldy. Regularly scheduled cleanings or organization days will ensure your office supply management is functional and up to date all year round.
While an office supply closet will keep the majority of your inventory, there are some cases when you need a designated area for supplies throughout the office. Take care when choosing what supplies are stored outside of your inventory area as they will be more challenging to manage and can cause clutter. Only keep office supplies around the office in cases that will make your team more efficient.
📑 Keep paper near the printer or fax machine. You can save your team time and effort by storing paper by any machine that requires frequent paper refills.
🖊 Keep extra dry erase markers near dry erase boards. If a dry erase marker runs out of juice or rolls underneath a table during a meeting or presentation, you don’t want to pause for a trip to the supply cupboard. Always have a sufficient supply of markers available wherever you have whiteboards. Keep them in a designated cup or container for optimal organization. Bonus points if you can match the container to your company branding or office aesthetic!
Which supplies should have a designated location in your office outside of the supply closet? Determine which supplies get used by your team most frequently and which supplies need to be on hand at all times. A simple container for these essential tools will help your team be more efficient.
To properly manage your office supplies, you need to have an inventory list. We recommend using an online spreadsheet for ease of use and so that the document can be effortlessly shared with other team members. A Google Sheets spreadsheet saves automatically and you can designate editing permissions. They are incredibly customizable so you can design your inventory list to meet the specific needs of your business.
If spreadsheets aren’t your thing, you can easily create an inventory list in a Google Document. Whichever you choose, we recommend using an online document for your inventory so there’s no chance of losing an unsaved file, and to aid in a simple transition whenever new admins are hired.
