6 Best Practices for Smarter Warehouse Storage Solutions

Warehouse storage is more than just holding space. It is a strategic asset that supports faster freight, stronger service and lower transportation costs. By adopting the right warehouse storage solutions, shippers can streamline operations and create a more responsive and efficient supply chain. These six best practices will help you get more value from every square foot. 

1. Choose Storage That Scales with Your Business 

Best Practice: Look for storage warehouse providers that offer both short and long-term options. This flexibility allows you to expand or reduce your footprint as needed without committing to excess space during slower periods. 

How It Works: A consumer brand with a major product launch avoids signing long-term leases. Instead, it accesses short-term capacity near key markets to support fast fulfillment during high-demand periods. 

2. Use Bonded Storage for Customs Control 

Best Practice: A bonded storage warehouse gives you the ability to delay duty payments and manage customs clearance on your own timeline. This approach supports better cash flow and improves control over when inventory enters the domestic market. 

How It Works: An importer stores goods in a bonded facility while awaiting customer orders. Once ready for release, goods clear customs and move into final distribution without additional delays. 

3. Accelerate Freight with Cross-Docking and Transloading 

Best Practice: Choose warehouse storage solutions that include cross-docking and transloading to keep freight moving and reduce storage time. These services support rapid mode changes and improve delivery speed. 

How It Works: A shipment arrives at port and is transferred to a nearby storage warehouse. There, products are quickly sorted and loaded onto outbound trucks, avoiding extended storage time. 

4. Integrate Warehouse Systems for Visibility 

Best Practice: Partner with providers that offer a warehouse management system (WMS) that can integrate with your ERP or provide access to their own system if you don’t want to invest in one. This ensures real-time inventory visibility and accurate order tracking. 

How It Works: A distributor’s ERP syncs with the WMS at the storage warehouse, enabling real-time inventory updates and minimizing order errors across sales, logistics and operations. For companies without their own WMS, using the provider’s system still enables visibility, control and streamlined communication. 

5. Consolidate Inventory to Lower Freight Spend 

Best Practice: Centralize product into well-placed warehouse storage locations. This allows for fewer split shipments, more full truckloads and reduced transportation cost per unit. 

How It Works: A supplier shifts fragmented inventory into a central storage warehouse. Orders are then combined into more efficient loads for outbound delivery. 

6. Build in Buffer Space and Compliance Support 

Best Practice: A flexible warehouse storage strategy includes buffer capacity to manage inventory swings and space for services like reworks, labeling or order fulfillment. This becomes especially important during seasonal peaks, when volumes rise and operational agility is critical to maintaining service levels. 

How It Works: A manufacturer holds reserve inventory in a storage warehouse near key customers ahead of a seasonal peak. The site provides extra space for product inspections and last-minute labeling to meet final delivery requirements. By building in buffer capacity, the business avoids bottlenecks, supports compliance, and keeps fulfillment moving even when demand surges. 

Make Your Warehouse Storage Work Smarter 

Warehouse storage solutions are not just about physical space. They are critical to better decision-making, faster freight movement and long-term cost control. When planned with the right practices, your storage warehouse becomes a key part of supply chain success. 

To see how these practices come to life in a flexible, full-service solution, explore our warehouse storage capabilities.

Megan Bowen

Senior Director, Warehousing

Megan Bowen is the Sr. Director of Warehousing at Nolan Transportation Group (NTG), bringing years of experience managing and overseeing supply chain operations. She currently leads all facets of warehousing for NTG customers including operations and partnerships. Prior to her current position, Megan held roles as Director of Drayage Strategy, Assistant General Manager, Senior Sales Manager, Sales Manager and Broker Services Manager at NTG.