You probably don’t think of housekeeping trolleys as a place you can save money. Yet it’s possible to establish policies and procedures that ensure less time wasted by your housekeeping staff, simply by paying attention to the trolley.

We’re talking about the trolley you use for housekeeping and guest restocking, usually - hopefully - your janitorial staff will have a separate trolley for their cleaning supplies.

Of course the main advantage of the housekeeping trolley in the first place is that your staff can leave the central housekeeping room, go about their rounds and not have to keep returning to the room for items. This is how you save time and money and help your staff work more efficiently: Make sure the process for having an adequately-stocked trolley are known and followed by staff.

The key to a well-stocked, efficient, time-saving housekeeping trolley is “a place for everything and everything in its place.” Towels, amenities, sheets, they all go on the trolley - in the same place every time on every trolley. Your staff should be able to simply look at their trolley and know instantly how much they have of every item without searching the trolley.

Post an itemised checklist in the staff room where the trolleys are prepared. It might be helpful to post large photos of a properly-stocked trolley as well.

As far as the trolley itself goes, it needs to be as lightweight as possible, in good repair, easy to wheel around and easy to clean. If you find your trolleys are causing your staff frustration or are so dirty they’re putting your hotel in a bad light, it might be time to upgrade with replacements or arrange for a repair and good scrub.

It can be as costly to overstock the trolleys as it is time-wasting to understock them - overstocked trolleys are more prone to accidents and they’re more likely to result in damaged supplies.

Housekeeping staff need a separate hand caddy for such cleaning items as the toilet cleaner and brush, rubber gloves and an all-purpose cleaner.

Oh and lastly, try not to put the most attractive amenities on top of the trolley in plain view, as the temptation for passers-by to filch them is sometimes irresistible.