A warm welcome to everyone new joining Bildirimlerim today; please settle in with a warm beverage.
During January, the crafting community was quite active regarding 'Craft Room Makeovers,' featuring numerous link parties, which successfully inspired me to set up a craft room in my basement.
I was curious to learn how other crafters manage the creation and safekeeping of their handmade goods, leading to today's discussion.
Day 3: Setting Up a Productive Workspace When Home is Your Office
A query arises: I sometimes struggle working within my home environment too! Do you maintain distinct areas for crafting and preparing items for shipment? How and where do you keep your inventory for sale?
Gina from The Shabby Creek Cottage
My work happens throughout the house, mainly at my kitchen table. We are planning a new studio, likely in the summer. All my stock is kept in various cabinets across my living room and kitchen. It was tougher when my product range was wider, but focusing on fabrics/textiles now makes organization much simpler.
{Burlap Table Runner from The Shabby Creek Shop}
Jami from freckled laundry
Working from home presents both advantages and hurdles. Yes, I have a dedicated studio for making and packing. However, much of my creation occurs at the kitchen counter so I can supervise my children! My packaging and wrapping happen in the studio, utilizing a long, plastic, fold-out craft table ($20 at Target) set up in an assembly line style for clear bags, tags, tissue, twine/yarn/lace, business cards, customer appreciation tags, laundry rectangles, and boxes. Since I sell mainly on a made-to-order basis, I have minimal inventory; pre-made tags are stored in a plastic rolling cart also from Target.
{tags from freckled laundry}
Lisa from The Pennington Point
I am fortunate to possess a separate area for my business. Previously a guest house, it became my shop as demand increased, allowing me dedicated work space without leaving equipment exposed. I converted the guest house living room into my shop, housing my embroidery machine constantly, and also a table for vinyl cut-outs. Finished items have shelving, and a dedicated shipping station with a table and all my boxes and packing materials is right there. I admit, I feel quite fortunate.
{Silhouette Buckets from Lisa’s Shop ~ Shop 24}
Aimee from My Pink Life
This is a persistent difficulty for me! I work in our garage, basement, and kitchen. Lacking a dedicated studio for now, I work wherever possible. Since I mostly handle custom orders, I ship items shortly after creation, so storage isn't a major concern.
{Aimee’s Most Popular sign (I truly adore it!) available on her Etsy site Aimee Weaver Designs}
My key takeaway today is that a separate room for selling handmade items is not essential. We must adapt and remain adaptable to suit any given circumstance. While I appreciate my basement space, painting letters on my signs still requires the natural light found in my kitchen.
And shifting focus to light... tomorrow we will discuss photography!
I look forward to seeing you then. Have a wonderful day.
