Phase 1 of my new booth, I rushed a move in, going to perfect it over time. Far from finished! Bad phone photo.
Sales were thankfully steady and added up to a good amount this month, which is perfect because I haven't managed my time well or worked very hard on my shops. I rushed and moved into my new booth at Southern Crossing on Tuesday, I only had two hours; will work on perfecting it today.
Thrift Core Blogging Updates
Preview of tomorrow's post, never before seen antique store! Hope you'll check it out, the shop is beautiful.
Decision paralysis and perfectionist streaks continue to hold me back from making the exact content I want, paired with writer's block. I'm working on a new editorial schedule and style, I want more of an emphasis on research, storytelling, activism, and my personal life/experiences. Posts I have scheduled next month include:
- tours of never-before-seen spaces - interviews with indie business owners/artists/makers - gardening/whole living DIYs and informative posts - My Art and DIYS - home tours and before/afters, -funny and helpful personal stories.
Vanessa Updates
Detox: I let myself get off the wagon with eating and I see and feel the difference so I'm going back on the detox in Ani's Phyo's Book
. I wrote about the salads here and posted a review here, it's easy to do, tasty, and I always feel very healthy on it. I'll follow-up with results.
I'm also making new friends and plotting lots of fresh new explorations (so good to maintain a creative state!), plotting work-outs, starting a new writing/marketing job and going through the school re-enrolling process. Still choosing between journalism and photography, my two loves.
Need to Improve
-Scheduling, time management, and organization as always but it's actively improving, at least
To-Do List Update
I made the necessary switches to my master to-do list, here's the latest one's progress with some due-dates to keep me more accountable!
1. Fill eBay store to the brim (they have new seller limits, boo! I'd have it to 500+ now if I could.) - Due Date 5/1/2014
2. Get Every. Single. Vintage. Item in this apartment not yet on Etsy on it! 5/6/2014
4. Organize all art supplies then list their locations in a spreadsheet. 5/1/2014
5. Get every single piece of merchandise into my merchandise spreadsheet w/ it's apartment location. 5/1/2014
6. Merchandise Clearance Yard Sale (Will update on the date)
7. Tackle and complete vintage book page ephemera line. Plan. Organize. Scan Pages. Stage. Upload. 5/16/2014
9. Finish my Indie Business eBook and get it online to help Indie Biz Owners Get Workin'! 5/23/2014 - will try sooner
10. Focus on PROFIT: Get $5K worth of inventory "out" into the world 5/23/2014
12. Start my fresh home project for my friends/family that need it, too.
13. New biz plan.
15
NEW ONES for the rest of May thus far.
16. Re-shoot my oldest/worst photos 5/2/2014
17. Host a mini- clearance to move merchandise IF the interest is there- YOU game for a big fat clearance? - up in the air, may not do this without demand
18. Order banner and business cards, maybe some nice new labels and freebies to send out to customers 5/1/2014
19. Finish my blog archiving process for easy scanning of past articles, doing this by-hand for years worth of writing, takes a while! 5/1/2014
20. One month ahead on high quality blog content! 5/16/2014
21. Apply for 5 magazine and/or website writing jobs. 5/2/2014
22. Perfect a new schedule and to-do lists that ensure all my work is done on time so I can have more time off to go play and explore! 5/1/2014
And that's life lately! Lots going on but I'm excited for the direction I'm moving in. I don't have everything exactly where it should be, maybe we never will, as life's such an evolving journey, but I feel so much closer on a lot of areas I haven't before. Back to work with me! What have you got planned for May?
We need to talk about how lazy you are. Girl, you're just to young to be languishing around doing nothing...:D Hey if you are doing good and getting good feedback if you contact eBay sometimes they will up your limit's for you. From what I've heard thats how it works anyway. Give them a call it certainly won't hurt. I can't wait for all your new blog posts! Just keep telling yourself, the one's of us who are here because we want to read about YOUR life are more than happy to see any and all blog posts from you. Mkay?
ReplyDeleteI tracked my post performance neurosis down to one factor: I'm not pleased with the writing. Not fresh enough, not enough research, when I do my best on something I don't care how it performs but when I know I rushed it... I'm excited to try my best on writing and photos again, they're my first loves. Trying to put more of myself/personality into this blog to change it to more of a lifestyle blog :D
DeleteI called eBay and got my limit up a few weeks ago and am allowed to call again today so I think I shall and move some Etsy stuff over. Along with the rest of my comic book and nerd stuff, it does better on eBay than my vintage wares. Let me know if you're game for an interview on your eBay expertise!
You are such a ball of energy! I am pretty good at making lists...I can do that all day long. Nothing much happens after that. My plans for May? My daughter is having her tonsils out on Tuesday, so I will be homebound with my little angel and I am stocking up my shopping now, since I will have plenty of time to list things. Working out has been going very well and unplanned. My son and I go for nightly bike rides, usually anywhere from 6-10 miles every night but sundays. I have too much to do that night so we have that our off night. I am hoping May picks up at my stores. Last May was crazy busy for me. Best month of the year aside from holiday shopping season. Fingers crossed. I may throw in a few extra quickie blog posts during the week, just for fun,,,and since I'll be home for the next two weeks. I cannot wait to see your blog on that antique shop. That picture looked pretty cool! (oh Photo journalism still has my vote:-)
ReplyDeleteAw, I hope your kiddo will do fine. I hear it's so much easier to get it done as a resilient child than a less pliant adult. Love the idea of nightly bike rides with your son, I need riding partners! My school of choice, UNF, is supposed to have the best journalism programs in the area but only has a photography fine arts program and a very separate journalism and production program. The journalism production has some video production classes but no photography focus I can see. Stop making me choose, school! I need to soul search, talk to counselors, and graduate friends for some more guidance on my choice.
DeleteI also started cycling every day but I need a motivation to do it, for eg. need to go grocery shopping and then I can cycle for one hour :) I think you could decorate a bit you new booth to call more costumers, some fabric triangle flags would look cute :) Can't wait to see the progress of it!
ReplyDeleteWish you all the good luck with your list, keep doing things that makes you happy outdoors to get motivation and inspiration.
Yep I had two hours so I'll definitely be working more on the booth as soon as possible. Pennant flag banners or something similar would be good, I think maybe red paper lanterns for me to go with my asian style. Will definitely try to do lots outdoors and go to more shows :D I'm the same way, I like to bike to the grocery store or post office.
DeleteGood idea on the streamers, thanks, didn't think of that :D
DeleteYou're crazy! You have popped up into my head lately. I'll go out & I can sometimes buy items that would match the amount I would make in a day at work after sales. I would love to quit & be one of those creepy people who sit there at the thrifts & wait to the bins to roll out. No uniform & you play by your own rules. I have been reselling since 2000 on eBay. Although I gave it up years ago, deleted my account & now shared my boyfriends. People on eBay.. man, ain't what it used to be! But I am sellling some of my stuff, drop offs today are making me $75.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the bigger booth! Hope sales will be booming.
The only thing you'll miss is the steady paycheck. ;) I already don't like playing by other people's rules with the writing work-- more posts on that craziness to come! I need to change my approach and be more business-oriented, only buying what I can turn quick for more money. I do believe that clearance is a must!
DeleteI'll work hard at the booths and see what happens. What drop-offs are making you $75? :) Sorry not sure what you mean by "Drop-off" on that context. Thanks for the kind words!
What's in store for me for May? I have an interview next week. I am shitting myself because I didn't get the job before. We move. My boyfriend got us gym memberships. Big month is upon us!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with all the craziness going on! I hope to piggie back off my friend's gym membership if she'll have me ;D
DeleteThis was a good, inspirational article for me.... I was able to start thinking about what my "wishes" were for my own life and business and made my own to-do list. I got one of the items knocked off today, and now I have a lovely clean office to work from. I was also able to get my "holding area" for unsorted/uncleaned/unlisted vintage wares set up. I have a huge storage space under my garage, but it's filled with stuff from the previous owner of our home (an ailing family member) and as I was sorting today I even came across a beautiful 1920s/1930s gal in a large oval frame and hung her up in my vintage work area. She'll be an inspiration!
ReplyDeleteGlad it inspired you! I soooo wish I had a giant storage space in a garage to work with! :D I'm always shuffling things trying to find the best arrangement in my apartment.
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