Think about the last time you ordered something for your home. Was it a decor item such as a cozy throw blanket, or a table lamp you’ve been eyeing for the past two seasons? Or was it something larger, such as a coffee table or a sofa after it becomes time to retire your last trusty sectional that has been with you through your past two moves?
With the smaller decor items, once they ship and you receive that magical “delivered” notification to your inbox, you probably don’t put much thought into how much time you are spending opening the package, placing your new shiny item where it belongs, and discarding of the packaging. Maybe you spend about fifteen minutes with the whole process, maybe longer.
You may only notice the true time commitment receiving can be with the larger deliveries. When it’s time for your new sofa to be delivered, you have to schedule a time that works for you (between work, kids, school, and countless other obligations) that also magically aligns with the allotted times the freight company can deliver your new sofa. Even worse yet, the company you ordered from does not offer white glove delivery and you have to navigate getting your new piece in place all on your own! That’s a whole day’s worth of commitment! Not to mention if your home is going through a remodel and the delivery just so happens to line up with the exact time your living room is being gutted.
Enter receiving! Receivers and the receiving process are priceless resources to an interior designer. Their purpose is to streamline the entire process, from first receiving a package to the final installation.
The first reason that receivers and receiving warehouses are so helpful is because when it comes to a project, we more than likely are not ordering just one item. If we are furnishing an entire home, there are hundreds of items being procured throughout the entirety of the project, from larger furnishing items to smaller styling items. This can so easily become an overwhelming amount of deliveries to keep track of. Part of the value of paying to use a receiver is that these facilities have tried and true processes in place to handle large quantities of inbound deliveries. This is true not only in regards to their physical storage space, but with their organization processes as well. The receiving companies that we use have trusted systems in place to keep track of where each item is stored and what project it is being used for, assuring items can be easily located and pulled when it is time for an install.
The photos below are a visual representation of how much of an undertaking receiving all the items from a single project can be. These were not even all of the boxes from each project, there were more behind the scenes!
Another important function of receivers that is so important to us as interior designers is their inspection processes. Upon receiving any delivery, the receiving warehouse carefully inspects and opens each package, taking note of any damage or deficiencies. If anything is found, they follow the pipeline of alerting us right away so that we may take the proper steps to getting a new item ordered and replaced, ensuring that we are still staying on the desired timeline.
When it is time for a project’s installation, surprise! Receivers have yet another seamless process in place to ensure all items arrive! On installation day, receivers play the role of the white glove delivery professionals. They arrive on time with all furnishings, unbox and unpack, assemble, and set in place. They also take care of discarding all packaging material. We truly do not know where we would be without the role of receivers on installation days.
Utilizing and paying for receiving services means you are passing along the time, space, organization, and diligence commitments that undoubtedly add up on to trusted professionals specialized in their work. Receiving is an essential service offering both the designer and the client more time, ease, and efficiency in the completion of the project.
We are always happy to talk with you and answer any questions you may have about our design process at Gem and Clay Interiors. Give us a call, leave us a message or question in our contact form, and follow us on Instagram to see what we’re currently working on.
If you are ready to start your design journey, Book your Discovery Call with us today. We can’t wait to talk with you!
