Cluttering, piling-up, disorganization – these are only some of the challenges we are facing in the storage spaces of our stores. Meanwhile, our main sales space is getting filled up with everything you have to offer, and special items don’t get enough space to shine.
Redecorating your store is not enough to achieve more functioning and pleasant space. To get the best out of what you got, you should think of remodeling and reinventing the entire concept of the interior design.
By making people feel more comfortable in your store, and highlighting the items you’d like to drive attention to, you can increase the sales and get more recurrent buyers.
Vertical growth in 3 levels
Your store needs to contain a somewhat large storage space and a nice display to show off to your customers. Storing your items can take up quite a lot of space, while the display should be focused on the eye level of the customers, which makes the places for a presentation very limited.
Focus on: creating beautifully designed shelves in the middle of the walls in your store and using everything else for keeping the rest. The tables, closets, and drawers – can be located under this level or above it (all the way to the ceiling).
By organizing your items with this sandwich technique, you get to minimize the display and help your customers focus on what they want. Less is more – and nice windows and shops are focused only on the hot items that week – everything else is over the top and overwhelming for indecisive customers.
Repurpose unnecessary objects
We often speak of minimalism. Bringing your store from a crowded place to an elegant shop doesn’t have to imply letting go of all the things you have. Repurposing old shelves, fabrics, closets, and chairs, can become a part of your artistic output and give an authentic look to your store.
There is an ecological value to it, too – you will reduce the need for more material and avoid throwing things in the garbage (or pilling them up someplace else). Also, not to ignore this fact, it is good for your budget and it can make you more engaged in the process itself.
Pro tip: Create a team building event out of your remodeling project. Let your employees participate in designing the space and finding new ways to use old objects.
To build the team spirit, you can also give them different roles, especially the ones they don’t usually have at work. A sales person can be in charge of the task to minimize mess during remodel, and a team leader can be the craftsman, taking care of the equipment and getting some hands-on fun.
Convert your garage into a storage space
To gain more space is sometimes simply what the words say – expanding the space you are using right now. A garage conversion can be a great solution to create a functioning space for storing and keeping your items sorted.
Garages are close to your space, so transportation is not a big challenge, while garages are often underused and you might not even need it for your vehicle. Most likely, you are keeping all sorts of things you don’t use there already – give it a new life and make your professional life more trouble-free and clutter-free.
Outdoor spaces around your shop can also be redesigned and reused for storage. If you are renting the premises in which your store is located, you should also make sure you understand who has the responsibility of outdoor maintenance and if you have the legal rights to repurpose this land.
Tech-up your space
It’s the 21st century and with the change of demand the change in supply chain is also happening. If you are in need of change and a new, modern store, technology can be your best friend.
Almost every store today has a camera. Besides retail surveillance systems, other devices can be very useful and user-friendly in your space. For example, you can use projectors or screens to showcase your products without physically displaying them.
Customers who need to see the items can interact with a 3D model as well, which is super cozy if we talk about space-consumption, but also a great way of providing exciting customer experience.
Virtual reality is also becoming a thing in our everyday lives. Bringing a second reality to the users who wish to experience your product and test how it might work, can enjoy the simulation in your store – and schedule the actual testing for later.
To wrap up
Remodeling your space with the idea to “clean up a bit” and “make more room” can drive you into difficult decision/making process and cause unnecessary mess. If you need to sort out your store a bit, think about what you want to turn it into – what to create, instead of what to throw away.
