Dear Dakota | How Do I Handle Storing Client Items Being Shipped to My Home

Feb 2

Dear Dakota,
I am ordering decor right now for a client's interior design project, and it's all being delivered to me so I can check through it all and make sure i) I like items sourced online and ii) everything is in perfect condition. But my house is starting to fill up with boxes!!
What is the best process for ordering and holding decor, furnishings, etc. for a client? Larger items, I would have delivered directly to the client, and I would check on-site for the condition. But I'm specifically talking about the smaller items like mirrors, hardware, fixtures, etc.
I am not large enough to pay for a storage facility yet. Is that what I should aspire to retain at some point?

Receiving and storing products for a client’s interior design project — perhaps through several means — presents many challenges for designers.

If you live in a larger city, you likely use a receiving warehouse. Read more about receiving warehouses here. A receiving warehouse makes the order management part of the design process seamless and removes the burdens of time, storage, inspection, managing claims, coordinating repairs, delivery, and so much more.

However, utilizing a receiver is often not the right option for interior designers for various reasons, and based on this particular designer’s question, it sounds like the last item applies - they may be ordering retail items. Here are a few reasons it may not make sense to use a receiving warehouse:

There is no receiving warehouse within the vicinity of your interior design business.
You are receiving smaller items that don’t require delivery at a loading dock. It may not make sense to incur receiving expenses for small items.
You may have your own truck dock and storage facility.
You may be ordering retail and don’t want the client to pay double in delivery fees (the client will pay white glove delivery to the retailer and then again to your receiver).

However, before we dig into your question, you should know this:

Receiving items, inspecting them, storing them, delivering them, installing them, and removing the debris (so.much.cardboard) IS A PAID SERVICE that requires a lot of time and energy (and don’t forget physical strength).

Most interior designers with teams and a warehouse or storage space of their own pay a staff member to receive small deliveries, inspect them, log them, store them, package them up for delivery, deliver them, install them, and then remove the debris.

So, if you are doing this for your client, be sure you are assessing a fee for this service or marking up your products properly to account for this level of responsibility.

Another reason to know this is a service? Because it is a giant pain in your butt to do it, and you are saving your client from having to spend the time doing it themselves and having to store all these things at their home or manage all the cardboard boxes and styrofoam. Oh, and also because receivers charge for it, and that fee typically comes in around at least $100-200/item.

So, to answer your question, here are a few options to solve this problem of having items ship to you, the interior designer, directly:

Don’t order retail items on behalf of your client. Let the client place these orders.
If you order retail items, ship them directly to your client.
If you are ordering trade and having smaller items shipped to your home (like mirrors, art, decor, pillows, etc.), set up a designated space in your home to store these items. A large closet, a basement room, a storage room, etc. The area should be clean, dry, and climate-controlled.

Line the room with shelving and label sections of the shelves by client project so you can easily assess the items that have been received.
Have a process for logging items in (and handling claims) once items are received. You’ll likely enter this information into your product management software (Houzz Pro, Design Files, Studio Manager, etc.) so you can always see what has been received vs. what is a claim vs. what is still outstanding.

Rent a small storage space and hire someone with a flexible schedule to be able to meet delivery drivers there to receive deliveries, inspect items, and catalog them for you. The cost to do this will be a fraction of the cost for you to do it, and your client will reap those cost-saving benefits (an assistant to receive your deliveries at $20/hour vs. you doing it at $XXX/hour is a HUGE savings to your clients!).
Once you’re ready to get a designated office space outside of your home, be sure to find a space that has a truck dock and lift gate and ample space for storage of your items. For many interior designers, as their company grows, they need more and more storage, and having something attached to their workspace is key. Read more about how to know when it’s time to rent a studio space here.

Have a business challenge you need help with? Be sure to join The Weekly Install® to submit your question for our Dear Dakota series.