posted on December 16, 2000 11:09:19 PM
Over the last year it has been brought to my attention that I have a REAL problem with organizing things. I get started and then I think of another way to do it...stop...start...stop...start...giveup!
I sell LOTS of baby clothes...some new...mostly used. I have NO IDEA what I have...can you help me?
Where do I start?
When I go to garage sales etc...I might spend all day out doing it and have NO IDEA what each item costs. I know the total I spent for the day...
BUT
I buy an assortment of stuff..so how do I remember I spent $1. for that baby shirt...and $3.00 for those shoes.
I have about 20 plastic bins do sort down by sizes, girls,boys,new etc...if I fill up a plastic bin how do I know what it's worth?
I don't list them all at once...just a little here and there...so how do I keep track of what I should start my aution at?
Does anyone have a good inventory system? I also tend to FORGET what I have, I have so much!
Help...I'm desperate to start NEXT year off organized....aarrggh...
posted on December 17, 2000 04:21:03 AM
I'm RIGHT there with ya! I have so much stuff hanging around my house I don't know what I've got in any given nook on any given day. I try to enter things into Auction Manager as I buy it, but that isn't a true inventory system. It would be nice if these kind programmers here would allow Auction Manager to delete items from inventory, list profit loss, add shipping etc. when auctions close. But it just seems to be a bulk lister that collects this information (for what, I wonder?).
My New Years resolution is to get organized! I'm going to carry a notebook with me from now on to all garage sales, list items I've bought and the price, follow up with listing / sale price, note date of purchase and sale.. all on an old fashioned piece of paper! Seems easier that typing in to AM Pro and then re-typing in to a spreadsheet?
AW, how about a TRUE auction management program? Not just a bulk lister?
posted on December 17, 2000 05:05:26 AM
I built a simple spread sheet program to help me keep track of what I buy and sell. The spreadsheet also deducts eBay fees, tracks postage fees, and any other expenses. It also gives me my profit or (shudder)loss. Carry a packet of small sticky notes or yard sale dots with you and when you buy something write the price on it and attach it to the item(s)
posted on December 17, 2000 09:34:54 PM
I have a spreadsheet..that lists every auction, my cost, selling price, any fees, shipping costs, buyer with address and email, when and how it was paid for, when and how it was shipped, if they left feedback, if I left feedback, if I sent them a thank you card, when the money actually went into my bank, day and time auction went online and closed. All this adds up to me being able to track profit and loss. And, this is all linked to my master inventory list (also in Excel)..so I know what I have, etc.
It is not perfect, I do forget sometimes..but it is better than any commercial product I have seen so far, that I can afford.
It really didn't take a lot of time to setup..a good day if you know what you are doing and it has saved me countless hours wondering who bought what and if they paid, etc.
And I do carry a small notebook and pen to write down anything I bought while out. I write down on every receipt what I bought, how much I paid for it, etc. Then when I get home I add this to inventory. It is a never ending process. But I still have my hair and a little extra cash.
posted on December 17, 2000 09:56:06 PM
I use good old fashion masking tape. (It sticks better then the dots, I think.) Mark it with the price I paid. When I get home I sort the stuff into piles as I do not have bins (but like that idea for small stuff). As I write the descriptions in word, I put the title on an excel spreadsheet, list the price I paid, the starting bid.
After the item launches from AW, I enter the listing date, closing date, the ebay fees at set to calculate etc. I use the filters in excel so I have a column where I put a C for closed and an F for Finished. That way I can filter and look at the Closed (unpaid) and the still running auctions only.
It works great for me. I copy and paste item #'s and title when the item is paid to another sheet to watch my bank balance. I take only my $ spent on items out so I can shop for more. Everything in one workbook, but I do use several sheets.
But I to have stuff that I forgot I had because I do not record it until I write the description. I use to record it when I purchased it but then I had a hard time remember which red shirt it was, as now I had 5 of them. So it seemed to be better for me to masking tape it and record only as I wrote it up.
I keep track of my daily increases, my monthly cost, income, ebay fees etc. I also know my monthly as while as YTD profit and expenses.
I do everything in excel. KEEP IT AS SIMPLE as you can for yourself. Otherwise you we stop doing it.
posted on December 17, 2000 10:05:38 PM
Boy am I confused...I am what they call a 'concrete' person..or a 'black and white thinker'...so I get confused even trying to picture it in my mind....sigh...
Perhaps my hubby can figure it out...he's made forms before for scouts...
I CAN see where in January I can START keeping track of the new inventory..however..I have this room full of stuff...yikes!
I was using a simple notebook - the black ones without the metal rings on the side. My sister uses a binder full of sheets that she made a master for, then ran off. She enters her info as she goes - and removes the sheets when she is finished.
It sounds like a lot of people bring notebooks to garage sales, record their information, then reenter the information into a spreadsheet. Here's an idea that could help you save some steps! Try investing in a PDA device (like a Palm Pilot). These are great little devices that you can carry with you in your pocket. You can download free spreadsheet software to your PDA, and then enter the information into your spreadsheet while you're at the garage sale! (plus you can have instant access to your entire inventory so you know whether you really need that item or not!) PDA's have really gone down in price (you can get them for less than $200.00 now). They're pretty easy to learn, and once you start using them you'll love their convenience! I use mine all the time! Just a thought for a way to help us all keep better track of our inventories.
posted on December 18, 2000 08:48:44 AM
You need to marry someone who can help you with this. Sounds like you are half a team. I procure and leave heaps of stuff all over. My husband puts it places with labels and stuff.
posted on December 18, 2000 09:08:59 AM
here's an even easier way. I try to determine an average price paid per type of item. in your case, you might decide, based on experience, that you pay an 'average' of, say, 50c per. sometimes higher, sometimes lower, but usually close to that. If you can do a reasonable job of that, then to hell with inventory control.
posted on December 18, 2000 01:32:12 PM
Verymodern:
Hahaha..I've been married to the same man for 31 yrs...5 children and 14 grandchildren...
Is idea of organized is "Don't move it..leave it out til next year when you might need it again."
Time after time we've had arguments because he gets ANGRY I put it away!
Orgainzed? I'm more organized than him!
Would I trade him...even though he still doesn't pick up his dirty clothes etc? NOPE..
I almost died this year...was in the hospital a total of weeks...and he would go to work and afterwards drive the 1 1/2 hour drive to visit me every night. And stayed every Fri-Sat-Sun with me.
posted on December 18, 2000 02:33:11 PM
I keep a spirol notebook for my mileage record and just flip it over and start in from the other side to record garage sale items and prices. If I don't do it before I drive away I would never remember.
posted on December 27, 2000 02:49:05 PM
I bought huge plastic tubs at Wal-Mart for under $6. Filled them up and stacked them along the cellar walls. Now all is clean. Just grab a box and list it all.
