5S Workplace Organization

The 5S system of workplace organization was first developed by the Japanese and used in conjunction with the Toyota Production System.  It quickly became apparent that it was applicable in everyday life in any work or home environment and continues to gain wide acceptance.  Here are the steps in the system translated from the Japanese terms:

• Sort – Remove unnecessary items and dispose of them.
• Set in Order – As you sort, create 3 piles:  Keep within easy reach for items used more frequently, keep but stored away for less frequent use, and DISPOSE
• Shine – When everything is removed and sorted, clean your workspace and all the items going back to it.
• Standardize – Maintain everything according to the STANDARD place it belongs
• Sustain – Keep everything the way it is by performing regular audits on yourself and make it a daily habit.