Childcare Inventory Management: Supply Tracking Tips

Keep your classrooms fully stocked and your budget on track with these proven supply management strategies.

1. Centralize Your Ordering Process

• Designate a single purchaser: Route all teacher supply requests through one director or admin to prevent duplicate orders.
• Set a monthly deadline: Require all classroom restock requests by the 25th of each month.

Why it works: Consolidating orders reduces shipping costs and prevents accidental over-purchasing of shared items like construction paper or wipes.

2. Implement the "Two-Bin" System for Essentials

• Divide backup stock: Keep active supplies in one bin and backup supplies in another.
• Trigger reorders visually: When the first bin is empty, it's time to reorder, while the second bin sustains you until delivery.

Why it works: It creates an automatic, visual low-stock alert without needing to count every single glue stick.

3. Standardize Classroom Supply Lists

• Create a baseline: Define exactly what a "fully stocked" preschool or infant room looks like.
• Audit quarterly: Check rooms against the baseline before ordering new non-consumables.

Why it works: Prevents hoarding in certain classrooms and ensures equitable distribution of resources.

Quick Audit Schedule

Assign staff to check these high-use areas:

Supply Category	Assigned Staff Member	Audit Frequency
Art & Craft Materials	____________________	____________________
Cleaning & Sanitizing	____________________	____________________
Diapers & Wipes	____________________	____________________
Snacks & Paper Goods	____________________	____________________

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