I work with manufacturers, helping them become more efficient. Specifically we utilize the Toyota Production System tools of Lean Manufacturing to help companies reduce the
8 wastes, which the Japanese call "muda": defects, overproduction, waiting, transportation, inventory, motion, extra processing and non-utilized talents. Recognize any muda at your workplace? At home? Thought so!
Exercises planned to reduce muda are called "kaizen," meaning good change.
We teach manufacturers how to use lean tools to conduct kaizen and reduce muda. Some of the tools predict cost or resource savings, improved delivery time, expressed in dollars and hours -- or even days, helping the CEO prioritize kaizen. The Japanese model, and many of its Japanese terms are used throughout the world for continuous improvement in many aspects of business... so why not try it at home?
OPPORTUNITY: I thought I'd tackle my "inventory." Inventory at our pagoda is kept in various storage warehouses, and for my kaizen, I focused on short-term warehousing (the kitchen freezer) and long-term warehousing (the big basement freezer.) The goal is to reduce inventory and save money on upcoming supply orders (grocery shopping.)
PROBLEM STATEMENT: Inventory is a waste because money is tied up and not being used to make income. ) I decided to use a quick 5S and the POUS for my kaizen, which took 2 evenings. I am going to conservatively estimate the value of the contents in these 2 warehouses at $400. Money tied up, not working for me. (Obviously! This stuff is frozen!) Not scheduled for production any time soon, because we don't know what's there.
METHODOLOGY: The 5S tool: sort, shine, set in order, standardize and sustain. Estimated kaizen implementation: 2 hours.
ACTION: SORT - First I inventoried my warehouses. I can't even begin to list what I found in these 2 freezers. Suffice it to say, there are 2 Pennsylvania gringos who really like their Mexican food, and enough frozen meat and seafood for a month or a large meat party with 20 of our closest friends. Plus single serving remainders and half bags of veggies, side dishes, breads, french fries, and breakfast foods. Then fruit, leftovers, appetizers, frozen treats, frozen dinners, ice... a whole chicken? Some pitas missing their gyro meat, some freezer burned unidentifyable link-type meat (mini stalagmites observed), a whole big bag of unopened shrimp (jackpot!), and a big box of Texas toast with 2 toasts left. There was crap that was no good, which I threw out. In a true 5S, I should have tied red tags to the mystery kielbassa and the 2 lone wheat rolls.
SHINE - I cleaned everything.
SET - I reorganized everything, using the POUS tool, which is Point Of Use Storage. Stuff used for making dinner or breakfast was placed in the kitchen freezer. Large quantities of appetizers, desserts, and occasional convenience meals were placed in long-term storage. Meats were grouped together in the large easy-to-see door rack - ready for advanced planning (a.k.a. thawing.) And folks, looks like we got enough for a Cinco de Mayo party!
STANDARDIZE - This will be challenging, because all of the workers (family members) need to be trained (told) to the standardized work methods. At home this means, "Hey, honey, the meats are downstairs." or "When you put the groceries away, do you mind keeping the veggies all together so we can see what we have?" What will help this is if I write up a list and post it on the employee bulletin board (outside of the refrigerator with magnet), so that dang Procurement Manager (me) quits buying aluminum bushings (pork tenderloins.)
SUSTAIN - Obviously the goal is to keep this up and reduce inventory to recoup our investment. So far, we've had previously frozen pork chops and steaks that we forgot about, and have some great chili on the thaw for tomorrow. For the 2 of us, we should be able to go 4 weeks without needing a meat or vegetable, figuring we cook about 5 nights a week, and will only need to supplement with fresh produce, breads, cereal, dairy and deli. This could amount to another $200-$300 in savings over a period of a month.
Check out my before and after pictures. Don't you just love getting organized? And yet I feel so international taking on my freezer muda!
Here a teacups doubles as a sugar bowl atop a beautiful antique embroidered table runner featuring lilacs in baskets. Each person had an egg cup with a personalized egg.
Some antique Easter post cards on display in a tag shop photo display. These sweet fabric bunnies I made myself several years ago, cut with pinking shears, stuffed and sewn. It's hard to make out but they each have a grosgrain ribbon around their necks.
Loving the purple tulips this year!
Back to the tablescape -- see the cute rabbits looking around for a tuft of grass? You can also see a couple of crystal goblets I just picked up at a yard sale for $12 - set of 6, never used!
Happy Easter!
