The Set-up of your Lost & Found Storage

Basic layout and zoning

Divide the Lost and Found storage into clear zones
- Intake / quarantine (new items not yet processed)
- Active storage (items live in iLost)
- Oversized / special items (strollers, skis, bikes, instruments)
- High‑value / sensitive items (IDs, wallets, electronics)
- Ready‑to‑ship / pickup area

Keep a simple flow:

- Door → Intake table → Photo point → Storage shelves → Pickup / shipping → Archiving.

Use sturdy shelving with clearly numbered sections (A1, A2, A3… or 1.1, 1.2, 1.3…).
Use stackable boxes / crates sized for common item types:
- Small: electronics like phones, airpods, keys, wallets etc.
- Medium: clothing, bags
- Large: mixed items, suitcases, odd shapes
Label everything consistently:
- Shelf label (e.g. “Rack B, Shelf 3”)
- Box label (e.g. “B3‑02”)
- If you have a label printer, print labels with both text + barcode/QR so agents can scan.
Decide what is by category vs. by time:
- Smaller setups: category (“Electronics”, “Clothing”, “Documents”).
- Bigger / airport setups: time-based works better (e.g. “Week 45 – A” / “Week 45 – B”), because archiving and disposal are easier.

In iLost, use a “Storage location” or similar field for:
- Rack (e.g. R2)
- Shelf (e.g. S3)
- Box (e.g. B3‑02)

Or create storage locations per type of item/catogory:
- Box 1 (Keys)
- Box 2 (Clothing)
- Box 3 (Wallets)
- Box 4 (Electronics)
- Box 5 (Documents / Cards)
- Security / Safe
- General Storage (Backpacks, suitcases, odd shapes*

*Account administrators can add storage locations at the company settings of your iLost account.

Train agents to always add/update this field immediately after the item registration. Without this, the system is great but the physical search is chaos.

Documents, passports, IDs, credit cards
- Store in lockable cabinets or small drawers.
- Use envelopes with label “Date – Category – iLost ID”.
- Keep separate from general storage to reduce misuse / privacy risks.
High‑value electronics and jewelry
- Lockable cabinet or safe.
Oversized items
- Use floor markings or wall hooks (e.g. “O‑01 to O‑20”).
- Tag items with a large, visible label including iLost ID and location code.

Have a fixed intake table/desk near the entrance of the Lost and Found storage room:
1. Neutral background (white/grey board or mat).
2. Good lighting or a simple lightbox for photos.
3. Label printer
Process at intake:
1. Register in iLost.
2. Take photo of the found item.
3. Add item control characteristics.
4. Assign storage location.
5. Attach small label or tag with iLost ID
6. Store item in the storage.

Organize active storage by week of intake:
- Shelves or boxes labeled “W45”, “W46”, etc.
- Inside each week, you can still separate by category if needed.
When items expire:
- You can clear “W45” in one go (either disposal or final destination) instead of hunting individual items across the room.
Tip: Make sure there is a clear structure indicating where the older items are stored and where the newer items are placed. This can be organized using shelving units, for example in a ‘snake’ layout: the tail represents the older items that can be archived, and the head represents the newly registered items.
During the account implementation, we configure the item retention periods, which iLost sets on behalf of your airport. We can define separate retention periods for each item category. These periods can always be adjusted by iLost upon request. Our recommendation is to follow the local legislation regarding retention periods.

Write short SOPs:
- “How to store a new item” (step‑by‑step).
- “How to retrieve an item for pickup/shipping.”
- “How to archive / dispose of expired items.”
Put visual aids on the wall:
- Map of racks and sections.
- Example label and example iLost “Storage location” code.
- Color legends (e.g. yellow label = high‑value, red = urgent / security hold).