How to Set Up Your Picking Carts for Maximum Efficiency
Picking is one of the most important processes in your warehouse, and getting it right can make or break your fulfillment speed. A well-organized picking cart setup might not sound glamorous, but it is one of those behind-the-scenes details that quietly drives serious efficiency.
Here’s how to make sure your carts, totes, and layout are working for you, not against you.
Start with the Right Cart
The cart itself is your foundation. It needs to be the right size, height, and layout for your team and your space.
If your pickers are shorter, avoid tall carts that force them to reach overhead for every pull. A cart that’s around 4.5 to 5 feet tall keeps everything within easy reach.
You also want to think about maneuverability.
- Keep it narrow and compact. This makes it easier to navigate tight aisles.
- Avoid extra-long carts. Longer carts cause gridlock when pickers cross paths in narrow aisles.
Smaller, shorter carts reduce wasted motion and make traffic flow smoother, especially during busy shifts when multiple pickers are working in the same zone.
Optimize Your Totes
Next up: totes. The number and size of totes on each cart depend on your products and order types.
If you’re picking large products, you’ll need larger totes, which means fewer bins per cart. For small products, use more totes to maximize cart space. Some warehouses skip bins entirely and just divide cart sections visually, but using boxes or corrugated totes keeps things neater and easier to track.
A few quick tips:
- Use corrugated boxes if they fit your product types.
- Choose designs with a tapered front so pickers can easily grab or place items.
- Label each tote clearly with a barcode and readable text on the front.
At Warehance, our team prints tote labels directly from the WMS, complete with barcodes that are easy to scan and large enough to read from a distance.
Set Up Smart Tote Naming
A consistent naming system keeps everyone on the same page. Here’s how we do it:
Each tote label includes three parts:
Cart number such as 8
Color code such as red, blue, yellow, or green for each shelf level
Position number from 1 through 4 across the shelf
So “8 Red 1” means it’s on cart 8, top (red) shelf, first position.
We’ve found that color-based organization is faster for pickers to process visually than using only numbers. Adding colored stickers to each shelf makes it even easier to spot the right location instantly.
Plan for Devices and Overflow
Your pickers’ devices matter too. Whether you’re using tablets, phones, or laptops, make sure there’s a designated spot for them on the cart.
Some teams mount tablets to the side or use small platforms. At Warehance, we often place the tablet on top of a shallow tote so it stays secure and visible while scanning.
And don’t forget about overflow space. Leaving the bottom shelf empty gives you flexibility for oversized orders that don’t fit neatly into a tote. This avoids creating special large-item carts that sit idle most of the time.
Scale Thoughtfully
How many carts should you have? It depends on your picking volume and team size.
Start small. You can always add more carts and totes as your operation scales. Overbuying upfront adds clutter without boosting efficiency.
Monitor your workflow. If pickers are constantly waiting for carts, it’s time to add more. If carts sit unused, you may have too many.
The Bottom Line
Setting up your picking carts might sound simple, but it has a big impact on efficiency across your warehouse.
A well-organized cart means:
- Faster, smoother picking
- Less congestion in aisles
- Easier training for new team members
- Happier pickers and packers overall
Get your picking carts right, and the rest of your fulfillment process will run that much smoother.