{"id":11928,"date":"2019-11-05T17:02:39","date_gmt":"2019-11-05T23:02:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.partstown.com\/about-us\/?p=11928"},"modified":"2019-12-05T10:22:49","modified_gmt":"2019-12-05T16:22:49","slug":"how-to-organize-commercial-kitchen-stockrooms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.partstown.com\/about-us\/how-to-organize-commercial-kitchen-stockrooms","title":{"rendered":"How to Organize Your Commercial Kitchen Stockrooms"},"content":{"rendered":"

An efficient commercial kitchen must run on the mise en place<\/em> principle, which means \u201ceverything in its place.\u201d From your tools to your work stations, when everything is in its place, your kitchen runs much smoother, and you can fulfill orders easier. This same principle goes for your stockroom\u2014both your dry ingredients storage and your supply storage. Here are some helpful tips and advice on how you can efficiently organize your restaurant\u2019s stockroom spaces.<\/p>\n

Organization Principles<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Before you go and try to rearrange everything, there are some industry tips and tricks to keep in mind for organizing both your dry storage and supply stockroom.<\/p>\n

Organize Stock by Category<\/em><\/h3>\n

As easy as it may seem to just throw all of your supplies into one closet, it isn\u2019t best practice for a few reasons. For starters, dry food goods, janitorial supplies and spare equipment parts should not be stored in the same room<\/strong> due to the risk of cross contamination. Instead, you should store dry goods, non-perishable items and canned goods together in one space, and spare equipment parts<\/a>, cleaning equipment and chemicals should be stored away from any food or food prep items. We\u2019ll expand on how to do so for each category later on.<\/p>\n

Maintain the Storage Environment\u00a0<\/em><\/h3>\n

Your stockrooms require their own environment to make sure they remain usable and safe. You should store any goods away from any heat-producing sources in a dark, windowless room. The room should have a light, of course, but it should only be on when necessary. You should also keep the temperature and humidity mild, making sure that the room is between 50\u2070-70\u2070 F with a 60% or lower humidity level<\/strong>. You can keep tabs on both of these by installing a thermometer and hygrometer.<\/p>\n

Map Out Your Storage Space<\/em><\/h3>\n

Creating a map or organizational chart of your storage spaces will help you and your employees know where everything should go. When everyone on your staff knows where each supply\u2019s proper place is to be, there\u2019s less risk of losing that item, and you\u2019ll have an easier time cataloging what your actual stock is before ordering more.<\/p>\n

Label Everything (Seriously, Everything)<\/em><\/h3>\n

If an item doesn’t have a clear identifier on it, you should label it, no matter what it is. This is especially important for items that are in bulk like napkins, spare parts and consumables like fryer filter paper, to-go containers and dry ingredients and spices. Make sure that when you label you clearly list the item and an expiration date if applicable.<\/p>\n

FIFO Rule<\/em><\/h3>\n

FIFO stands for \u201cFirst In, First Out,\u201d which is a well-known organizational and storage principle in the commercial restaurant industry. The FIFO dictates that the first consumable good that goes into the stockroom should be the first one to be used, and newer stock will be placed behind the first until it\u2019s time to use that item. When storing goods with expiration dates on them, this is an important rule to follow, as it ensures that you are using the item well within its lifespan. The FIFO rule also helps ensure food items stay safe and consumable, and it\u2019s a great way to keep tabs on what\u2019s expiring soon.<\/p>\n

How to Organize Dry Ingredients Storage<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Dry<\/p>\n

Organizing your dry ingredients storage is incredibly simple when you think about it, but the general points to keep in mind as you organize this space are:<\/p>\n