I want to start by saying I'm a verbal processor.
When I was posting about the problem with organizing everything, that was me being at the end of my ideas and needing to say it 'out loud' - both so I could hear it, and so I could get valuable feedback. Which I did - so thank you! Sometimes people think I'm resisting their suggestions because I come back with more questions or point out an obstacle to the idea - far from the truth! That's me wrestling with the idea and trying to get it immersed into my brain to see where it fits or how it can work. That is usually a vital step in finding the solution I end up going with.
As a reminder - the challenge here was how to store
• over 1,000 earrings
• All one of a kind (even if the same design is in play, it is at least slightly varied or in different styles)
•Sold both online AND in pop-up vending, while being able to find and keep a solid inventory count ... HOW?
I'm excited to show you how I got to the solution you can see above. It took some effort to put into effect, and a few false starts that required rearranging, but it's fairly simple and it might help you (even if you don't have 1,000 earrings) to organize your merchandise.
Tip #1 - Get everything out and really look at it
Yes - this is the chaos stage. You may have experienced it when you pulled everything out of the 'junk drawer' or the 'coat closet'. It's that stage where everything is everywhere, practically mocking you, and you might regret taking this first step because once it's all out, you have to just do it (or live in chaos.)
But you've got to do this step if you really want to see the problem for what it is.
Tip #2 - Be honest with yourself about the situation
Self reflection in the face of a challenge is something I encourage everyone to do. How did I get here and what is really going on?
The answer was easy this time - I made these pieces when everything was completely different and the way I had them stored made total sense in that situation. Because the situation changed, nothing made sense anymore (about the earrings - I didn't spiral out, just felt overwhelmed by so many earrings.)
Be honest - it's time for self reflection
When I pulled them out and looked at them, I was looking for patterns beyond the obvious categories. Obviously there were studs and dangles; animal prints, glitter, flowers, etc., designs; earrings, necklaces, bracelets, etc. There was also stud earrings on at least 2 different earring backs ... that was due, primarily to how they were being displayed and when they were made, but it was also keeping similar style earrings (and sometimes even the same basic design) separated in both display and storage. I realized that would need to change and I needed to embrace that instead of allowing it to continue being a reason to put this whole process off. Basically it was work - I had to put the earrings all on the same backing. I've come to realize if I'm resisting something it's because I don't yet know what the best answer is - if I'd switched them all to the other "same" backing, I would not have been able to solve this as easily. I've learned to stop berating myself or thinking I'm lazy - I'm usually conserving energy until I know the best way to expend it.
Even though I'd done an inventory about a month ago, I ran the inventory and redid it -- this time grouping like items together even if it meant a box with all different backings. I got a much more accurate inventory this way.
Tip #3 - Define your categories
I recommend being very intentional about this. I had items that could have been listed as part of multiple categories and, honestly, I worked through to this place by grouping things at the lowest level into the most categories, then considering what small categories could be grouped together into a new category. I looked at how many I had of each thing, considered what people at the venue where I've been doing pop-ups were the most responsive to, how many/how heavy the items were, you get the idea.
Ultimately I decided on this overarching division:
1) For Sale Online
2) For Sale at Pop-ups
3) For Sale in both places
I decided to literally divide the inventory count into these categories. I created new categories on the website - resulting in more focused categories than I'd originally used. You can see this when you go to the shop and look around.
1) 'For Sale Online' has the count for things that I would be selling through the website. Everything is listed here until it is pulled from inventory to be shipped, or sold in person.
2) 'For Sale at Pop-Ups' has the count for all of the items that I will be selling in person only. You can't see these on the website - they are only visible in the Point of Sale that I use for sales when vending.
3) For Sale in Both Places does have some pieces but it is mostly for things like the clocks, or the journals, that are much easier to keep track of.
The inventory for items that would be sold in person are removed from the overall inventory and aren't at risk of selling in both places when there is only one item for sale. As needed, items are pulled from the official inventory and moved into the 'For sale at pop ups' inventory. I know what I have in all places, at all times. The stress over earrings is gone!
Tip #4 - Find the best storage
Once I had my overarching categories, and I'd look honestly at what I have for merchandise, I did some searches online for storage containers. I was looking for something that had drawers or spaces for different sized items, large enough to keep everything in one place, and small enough to fit well into my art room.
Until you know what you're storing, you can't find the best storage.
Until you know your storage, you can't find the best way to store what you have
I was looking at all sorts of pieces, evaluating what would and wouldn't work for each. Then my brain connected things into that one aha moment - I knew what would work!
Best of all, it was in the art room all along!
At some point during this process, I'd gone in search of some earring backings. They were stored in a piece I'd loved so much I bought 3. It was perfect for holding small collections of things like buttons and price tags. While getting the backings and labels, I noticed one of the larger pieces was almost empty - noted it and went back about my business.
Tip #5 - Follow through and finish strong
Once I had my categories defined, and my storage chosen, I got to work.
I had added sku numbers to organize things in the hopes they would be easier to find on my register. As I worked, I made sure everything had one. This became the foundational way that I organized pieces into the storage. Ultimately I mixed everything together in the drawers so that they are labeled from lowest to highest sku throughout the storage. Where I had similar items on different backings, I either put the different backing into the Vending Sales pile , or changed the backing so they would all be able to stay together. The one additional separation is the one that can't be overcome - size of the piece of jewelry. So this pattern is used in the smaller drawers, and replicated in the larger ones.


Then, of course, the things that are being sold in pop ups are pre-set into the displays that I use when I'm there. When something sells at a pop up, I look for an item to be pulled from inventory to replace it. Until it's pulled, it sits where I can very easily find it, ready to go.
Defining the problem really does help you see the solution
I hope that all made sense. I thought the big division was between types of earrings - turns out, it was between online sales and in person sales. The inventory total is the online count plus the pop up count. As I move things back and forth, they get documented.
In person sales come directly out of the pop-up count. Online sales come directly out of the online count.
It's all stored in an amazing multi-drawer storage. Comparing this to how things looked when I first set out to tackle this challenge, I can honestly say this solution has taken the the need to vent out of inventory!

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