2022 (too soon?) Soap Making Goals.

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2022 Soap Making Goals.

I have so many things; it's time to either to...you know what...or get off the pot.

1) Finalize my product line. I'm still waffling too much.

2) Finalize my labels and packaging. I finally found the paper, but I need a more cost effective source for soap boxes. I was getting them from Elements Bath & Body, but their shipping as just gotten outrageous.

3) Get my website up and running or pay someone to do it for me (most likely).

4) Purchase my fancy beveler.

5) Clean out the garage so I have more room to soap. The kitchen has been fine for small scale, but I have recently invested in a half dozen 5lb molds and I'm not going to be wanting to walk them, and soap, back and forth between the kitchen an garage all the time...to fill, to unmold, to cut, to bevel and plane, to cure, to package blah blah blah. And I wouldn't have to listen to hubby complain about the 'smell'. Some scents he does okay with, some scents give him migraines.

6) Find a new source for a Cantaloupe FO. It's the only scent (my husband's favorite) from RE that I have been unable to replace yet. As with Elements, their shipping is now outrageous.

7) Develop complimentary products using many of the ingredients that I already use.

Some goals that I would like to have since they would mean that my business is successful:

a) 18" multi-cutter.

b) 25lb Slab Molds & Slab Cutter

c) A Soap Drying Rack
 
My goals are pretty small in comparison since I have been soaping for under a year; I don't sell and have no intention of selling.
That said, they are:
  • I want to obtain a ~2Kg loaf mould so I can make larger batches of the fragrances that we love and keep being requested. There is one on my Christmas wish list, but cash for presents is a bit tighter than usual this year so who knows if it'll materialise. Oh well, birthday is in a couple of months, I can be patient...😆
  • I want to create a better (and bigger) curing space. I have an idea in mind, but I need our building works to be finished before I can measure up and figure it out.
  • I want to try some new swirl styles and techniques that I've not attempted yet, like a hanger swirl, soap dough, imbeds and those cute mini drops.
I'm sure there are more things I'll try this coming year, but those are the immediate thoughts I have at the moment. 😊
 
I want to get my fragrance oil stash down to just the ones I use and love. That means doing some test batches and getting rid of those I don't love. And stop buying new ones! I probably need to find somewhere to donate some soap to. And I need to plan better- set some sort of reminder so that holiday soaps are made in time to cure before the holiday....
 
Build it! It’s not too hard! Mine is just like that but a little taller! Also, be careful… the wooden trays can be a little heavy packed with soap! I’ve found I don’t take the trays out of the rack much. I take the soap to the tray!

My goal for the new year would be to turn my sunroom into my craft/sewing/soap studio! I have plans in my head…
 
I probably need to find somewhere to donate some soap to.

Homeless shelters; cut the bars in half. DV shelters for men and woman. Some local food pantries will take it.

Build it! It’s not too hard! Mine is just like that but a little taller! Also, be careful… the wooden trays can be a little heavy packed with soap! I’ve found I don’t take the trays out of the rack much. I take the soap to the tray!

I'll have my BIL build it, but it will have to wait until after we clean up the garage. Hubby wants a crafting space for himself. We were going to do it 2019, but Covid the garbage company was completely unreasonable and they quadrupled their rates. Rates came down the following year, but building materials were cost prohibitive. Part of what we want to do is to build a wall and insulate it we can have storage in the front and not break the bank to heat the space.
 
I would like find somebody's multi cutter that I can plagiarize some design ideals from, so I can go out to my recently unused garage and use my unused table saw and cutoff saw and all the guitar strings that I have saved (don't ask me why) so I could feel I accomplished something useful with them.
Time will tell if intention leads to action.
Cheers
gww

Ps will guitar strings cause dos?
 
Yes, it is too soon!! 🤪 I'm still wondering where September went. What day is it? Blursday is my new favorite pandemic word.

Every January, Mrs. Zing performs "Operation Empty Cupboard" where she will not buy groceries (except staples like bread and eggs) until the fridge, freezer, and cupboards are empty. I need to do an Operation Empty Soap Shop. I go thru all my soaping oils and butters pretty quick -- but I have several items for making lotions and balms that I need to use up. Also, I'd like to try mixing essential oils in clay. I've got some silk and lots o' shredded loofah. I don't know what to do with dozens of small bottles of essential oils. And I want to try the Circle Taiwan Swirl again.

And, @Ugeauxgirl , what @TheGecko said. I run a food pantry and love it when a couple of local artisans donate their ends and pieces!
 
I love this thread…

My 2022 goals
1) I need to insulate my studio ceiling, construct an insulated door to the second floor, maybe create a cold room for oils, butters, and essential oils.
2) Find more markets and outlets. I launched into selling because a local museum store wanted a new vendor, but it all happened in a flurry. Markets are hard to break into where I live.
3) Website? Maybe. Etsy? Maybe.
4) Continue refining product line. build up some inventory of standards.
5) Deal with soap fails that are piling up and depressing me.
6) Stop creating soap fails. 🙄
7) Keep the fun and magic and creative part of soapmaking alive.

Every January, Mrs. Zing performs "Operation Empty Cupboard" where she will not buy groceries (except staples like bread and eggs) until the fridge, freezer, and cupboards are empty. I need to do an Operation Empty Soap Shop. I go thru all my soaping oils and butters pretty quick -- but I have several items for making lotions and balms that I need to use up.
I love this idea! For both my kitchen and soap studio. Stealing.
 
I don't know why I hadn't thought of a Soaping Resolution List...I do it for my Quilting every year.

1. Reduce my molds and implements to those I use. Found out I do not like square molds. Daughter #1 will use.
2. Try out my latest purchase of shampoo bar recipe, decide which one I like the best and de-stash the items that I no longer need...or find a way to use them up
3. Try a swirl or two. Several on my list and every time I make a batch of soap I end up saying "Not now". Make the time
4. Order soaping supplies for the year, as I got rid of mine last spring so they wouldn't set in the garage and spoil in the heat of the summer

Not a big list as I don't sell and am pretty organized. Just those things I buy thinking, "I could probably use that when I'm soaping" OR "If I start making_____ I'll need something like this." LOL Happy New Year to all.
 
Streamline my supplies inventory and ordering. (I just ran around to 3 stores and I’m waiting on 3 different delivery days from amazon.)
Too soon? NO. I start my next year business planning in June/July, and start getting my supplies for the next year by no later than October, so, nope, not too early...
 
I guess my goals for next year would be to nail down the process of getting my soaps to gel. I'm still trying to figure that out. I thought I had it down, but then I went and changed from using a cardboard box to a real wooden soap mold and now I'm having to figure it out all over again.

I would also love to discover my standard soap recipe by next year, but that might be too much to ask.
 
@Zany_in_CO mentioned my goal of keeping down my supply of FO's. I went and counted them. I have about 50. My goal for the end of the year is 25. I'm going to try to accomplish that by keeping track of the bottles of FO's used. I can only buy ONE new bottle of FO for every 2 bottles I use till I get down to 25. Somebody needs to bump this thread every 3 or 4 months so we can see how we're doing...

I thought about not letting myself buy ANY till I was down to 25, but that seems unreasonable, don't you think? I KNOW I wouldn't stick to that! 😂
 
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