How Do You Organize Your Inventory?
Starting a product business sounds easy enough... in theory. When I first began, I wasn’t prepared for growth in any way. I was making products, selling on Etsy, launching my own website, and just starting wholesale orders. With each new design I added to my inventory, I needed more space. And I had big dreams for it, too. I imagined beautiful, vintage-inspired storage solutions for my colorful products—think card catalogs filled with washi tape, tall library cabinets for each design. Remember those library card catalogs? I pictured myself pulling out little drawers to find each roll of tape. Order packing would feel like a dream!
Then reality hit. Library card catalogs are antiques now (and pricey ones at that!). Suddenly, I was looking at spending upwards of $1,000 for a single piece of furniture just to hold washi tape. Yikes! And what about the greeting cards, tea towels, and wrapping paper? I quickly realized my “cute” storage wasn’t going to work. I needed functional, affordable furniture that could grow with my business.
Here’s a rundown of the storage pieces I’ve found that are both practical and ready to expand as my inventory grows in tea towels, washi tape, and wrapping paper.
Galant Storage Cabinets
I use these heavy-duty cabinets to store tea towels and washi tape. They’re functional, durable, and give my office a clean, organized look. Plus, the sliding doors are amazing, and they even lock! A serious upgrade from shuffling through random boxes.
Washi Tape Storage Boxes
These storage boxes are a game-changer. They fit perfectly in the cabinets and let me organize each design. No more hunting for the right roll—it’s all right there, beautifully organized.
Ivar Shelving
For my wrapping paper, I swear by the Ivar Shelving system. There are a couple of height options, and the shelves are wide enough to hold my wrapping paper sheets. Okay, one inch does hang off the back, but I’ll take it! It sure beats digging through boxes whenever I get a wrapping paper order… no, thank you!
I hope these storage solutions help you as you figure out how to handle your growing product inventory. I should mention that for a long time, I used big plastic bins to store tea towels. It’s all about finding what works for where you’re at! Personally, I upgrade when I reach that point of maximum frustration—when I’m trying to pack an order, shifting products everywhere, and think, “That’s it. Time to make a change!”
If you’re curious to learn more about the inventory system I use to track sales across multiple platforms, click here.
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