It's Time to Stop!

I have an embarrassingly huge amount of inventory that needs listed, and I'm in the process of planning a December road trip!! What on earth am I thinking? I have bins (!) of great stuff to list. And when that's done, I have 3 bins (!) full of great fabrics that I've given up on ever using. I need to sort through them and get them listed. And when that's done, I have a HUGE (!) bag full of patterns (many unopened and uncut) that I need to list. And when THAT's done, I have an entire closet full of other sewing supplies (vintage threads and trims, pattern magazines, reference books out the wazoo...) that I need to go through and list.
So ... it is with a heavy heart that I am making public my new personal challenge:

That's right, ladies and gents. I have officially put myself on a shopping fast. Not a diet. A fast. I can't do anything in moderation, so diets don't work. It's all or nothing. Between now and the end of the year, I will NOT set foot in a thrift store. I have too much money tied up in unlisted inventory. This fast will be great for my bottom line, because I'll have hardly any money going out the rest of the year!

So there you have it. I've made it public. So now I HAVE to stick to it. No matter what. Heaven help me. And the people who have to live with me during my withdrawal period....

Storage Solutions for the Online Seller!

This subject has been talked to death by online sellers, the reason being that it’s a constant struggle.  Usually the lack of space parlays into clutter.  It’s tough when you don’t have adequate space to stay organized.  But it can be done; you just have to get creative.

 First, I recommend designating one specific area for eBay storage.  Other sellers on our eBayUnderground Group have recommended investing in a small storage shed, which could be a great idea if you don’t have room inside the home.  I personally use my basement, it’s clean and dry.

 Here are my suggestions:

1.  Utilize ALL the space.  That means floor to ceiling, and not just the perimeter walls, but the interior space as well. 

I've got floor to ceiling storage space for my kids clothes, utilizing interior space.

2.  Group like items together; toys with toys, glassware with glassware, clothes with clothes, etc.

 

Here I'm trying to group like items together.  Not just that, but I'm not hiding anything.  Each time you sell something, you don't want to have to hunt it down.  If you have to constantly handle inventory, by moving it around to search for something else, you are wasting valuable time.

3.  Buy or make storage fixtures.  Now this is the part where you are investing in your business.  You don’t have to spend a fortune, we are all resellers, and believe me…there are plenty of used fixtures out there.  OR, if you have something specific in mind you can get your handy hubby to build something.  It doesn’t have to be fancy, just efficient.

I purchased this grid at a going out of business sale, along with the hooks to display items.  Everything is off the floor and in plain sight.

My hubby built these fixtures with some 2x4 and pipe.  It's not fancy, but it works for my storage needs.  I could have used floor racks, but I needed more space.  In this section I have 3 bars, floor to ceiling.  They are not full, so I have room to add to my inventory.

Hubby needed a place to store the bubble wrap.  The floor is not an option, the table was not an option (that's wasting your table space) so he created a dowel to hang the bubble wrap.  More importantly, he doesn't have to move it when he needs it.  He can just measure out what he needs and cut it.

Here we store shoes.  These shelves I purchased 15 years ago at a going out of business sale.  That retail company used them for back room storage, as do I.  Then we have the shoes tucked in their own shoe box and the boxes are numbered for location purposes.

4.  Label your stock so that it's easy to locate once it sells.

Once we list an item, we will make a note in My eBay.  Use the drop down menu to add a note as to where you are storing your inventory.

I don't really recomment hiding your inventory under the bed!  :)

I just sold these shoes and I know exactly what bin to go looking for them in!

5.  Make sure you have room to grow.  It's great to get everything organized for what you have listed now.  But what about new inventory?  Try to think ahead of what your needs will be, based on what your listing goals are.

Do you have a great idea for inventory storage?  Leave a comment below or join us in our group discussion here!