How to Plan a Pick List for Packing
May 1, 2025
Optimizing warehouse operations often comes down to one thing: efficiency. When it comes to resellers who manage large inventories, creating an effective pick list for packing shipments is one of the highest-return efficiency improvements available. Instead of walking aisles multiple times for different orders, streamlining the process with intelligent pick list planning saves time, reduces labor costs, and improves accuracy.
Why Pick List Planning Matters
A disorganized picking process leads to wasted motion, misplaced items, and slower order fulfillment. Poor planning also increases picker fatigue, which can result in mistakes and slower turnaround. By grouping orders strategically and producing a clear, route-optimized pick list, warehouse teams can fulfill multiple orders in a single pass through the warehouse instead of doubling back repeatedly.
Step 1: Group Orders by Aisle or Bin
The foundation of an effective pick list is spatial organization. Grouping orders by aisle, bin, or shelf location minimizes unnecessary walking. Many resellers make the mistake of picking one order at a time in full, but this results in retracing steps over and over. Instead, by batching items that share the same physical locations, your pick path becomes streamlined.
For example:
If Order A contains three items from Aisle 1 and Order B contains two items from the same aisle, pick these during a single aisle run before moving forward.
By cross-referencing storage locations within your warehouse management system or inventory spreadsheet, you prevent wasted movement.
Step 2: Prioritize by Pick Route
The order in which you traverse shelves is just as important as grouping items. A well-designed pick list should follow a predictable flow of movement, such as left-to-right travel down aisles, or a designated U-shaped route through your warehouse. This avoids backtracking and helps new staff quickly learn the layout.
One simple approach is to map zones and assign item pulls based on the shortest route through all zones required for that batch of orders. Route optimization tools (which are commonly used for delivery logistics) can be adapted to internal warehouse pick paths. Even a basic mapping exercise done on graph paper can meaningfully cut travel time.
Step 3: Create a Centralized Pick List
Instead of generating lists per order, create one central pick list that includes all items required across your batch of orders, arranged in order of bin or shelf location. This consolidated resource ensures that items are only visited once. As pickers move through the warehouse, they check off items pulled and mark which orders should receive them back in the packing station.
Good warehouse management software, inventory platforms, or even spreadsheets can handle this consolidation. A central pick list eliminates the fragmentation that comes from separate order pull sheets and gives your staff clarity about exactly what needs to be picked and in what sequence.
Step 4: Use Physical Aids for Organization
Having software that creates smarter pick lists goes a long way, but it must be reinforced physically at the picking stage:
Carts with dividers help separate items by order at the moment of picking rather than waiting until the packing stage.
Reusable bins or totes labeled by order number can be carried on carts to keep items grouped during a batch pick run.
Color-coded tags or stickers provide a fast visual confirmation of item-to-order assignment.
Step 5: Mark Items Pulled Clearly
A recurring challenge for growing resellers is duplicate pulls. To prevent confusion, systems should mark each item immediately once taken. This can be digital or manual:
Digital scanning with a barcode reader updates the inventory record in real time, marking an item as picked.
Printed pick lists can include a check box or signature line for each item, ensuring a clear record of what has been physically pulled.
If using bulk printed pick lists, train staff to mark items off the moment they are taken from the shelf, not after the full batch run, to eliminate skipped or duplicate pulls.
Step 6: Integrate Digital Tools (Optional)
While pen-and-paper methods work, more resellers are using digital systems to automatically generate organized pick lists. Platforms like Gavelbase provide central order management features that can output smarter pick paths, and other general-purpose tools (like mobile route planners or handheld inventory devices) can be adapted to the warehouse environment. The key is ensuring your software aligns with your physical space and can handle grouped orders efficiently.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Picking per order instead of batch-picking – leads to retracing steps and slower fulfillment.
Lack of route structure – allows each picker to make their own choices, resulting in inconsistencies.
Not keeping the pick list updated – inventory mismatches occur when items are not marked as picked in real time.
Overcomplicating grouping – group only by location, not by item category, or you risk slowing pick decisions down.
Actionable Tips for Resellers
Audit your average walking distance per order and track improvement after adopting central pick lists.
Batch pick orders during consistent time intervals (e.g., every two hours) to prevent constant interruptions.
Test different cart or tote layouts to find the most intuitive way to separate orders during pulls.
Train staff to follow scanning or checklist protocols religiously, keeping inventory accurate.
Review pick reports weekly to ensure your process is balancing speed and accuracy.
Conclusion
Planning a pick list properly affects every stage of fulfillment — from how fast your team can move through aisles to how few mistakes make it to customers. By grouping orders by aisle or bin, establishing a clear pick route, and generating a centralized list that marks pulled items in real time, resellers can save significant time and money while boosting customer satisfaction. The goal is simple: reduce walking, reduce errors, and keep fulfillment flowing smoothly.