Storerooms

A storeroom is a room or area designated for storing goods, materials, and supplies. It serves as an intermediate point between receiving and use, and is common in manufacturing, retail, offices, hospitals, libraries, museums, and households.

Typical features include shelving or racking, pallets, cabinets, and labeled storage zones; lighting, ventilation, and climate control for sensitive items; secure access controlled by locks or credentials; and clear aisles for safe handling.

Types vary by sector: in manufacturing and retail, storerooms hold raw materials, spare parts, and stock; in offices, supply rooms hold office consumables; in kitchens, pantries; in libraries and museums, archives and conservation storage; in households, pantries or utility closets, sometimes cold storage for perishables.

Organization and operations: items are inventoried, labeled, and tracked; common practices include category-based layout, FIFO/LIFO, and use of barcodes or RFID; periodic counts and perpetual inventory help accuracy; access may be restricted to trained staff.

Safety and compliance: storage space should meet fire and electrical codes, have proper shelving weight ratings, maintain safe air circulation, spill containment, and label hazardous materials; preserve perishable items with appropriate temperature control; ensure expiry dating where applicable.

Technology and trends: many storerooms use inventory management software integrated with ERP; automation is increasing through pallet Racking, pick-to-light, and automated storage and retrieval systems; sustainable practices include optimizing space and energy use.