Survived my first public market!

[Feelin' Soapy]

When I started making soap, I never intended to sell in a market, but when someone in my neighborhood decided to begin a small monthly craft market, I couldn't resist. We had the first market yesterday, and despite my jitters and freak-outs, it was a great success! I'll never get rich making soap, but I'm supporting my hobby, which gives me the ability to keep making more soap!

I was obsessively organized about preparing and packing everything to set up my booth, but what a mess I've got to unpack and put away today after gathering it all up so quickly at the end of the day to bring home! It was an exhausting day, but so very worth it!

 

[cmzaha]

Congratulations, it will get easier. You will get into the routine that everything goes back into the same space. Word of advice, if this is a regular market it is better to keep everything packed so you can just pick it up and go.

I was lucky we just kept our truck packed at all times, but I never unpacked my crates, I just took a rough inventory at the end of my market day and would pack what I need in a bag to restock. If you unload your crates after each market you will burn out pretty quick, but I was doing multiple markets per week.

 

[TheGecko]

I bought a wheeled cart and purposed bought large containers that would hold my products and fit compactly inside the cart. Because I use the cart for crafting weekends and the trunk for groceries, the containers fit on shelves in the garage. They can be easily refilled for the next market if I'm doing a series or when done for the season, go back into stock.

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

Congrats JoyfulSudz

 

[Feelin' Soapy]

Thanks for the encouragement and ideas. Keeping it small and fun is a big priority because I've ruined too many good hobbies turning them into a business. Once a month seems very do-able, though it may take some discipline to make soap often enough during the beautiful weather of the next few months to keep my inventory up. So much easier to stay inside and make soap in the cold, wet, and grey winter months than it will be during the summer ☀

 

[Jersey Girl]

When I started making soap, I never intended to sell in a market, but when someone in my neighborhood decided to begin a small monthly craft market, I couldn't resist. We had the first market yesterday, and despite my jitters and freak-outs, it was a great success! I'll never get rich making soap, but I'm supporting my hobby, which gives me the ability to keep making more soap!

I was obsessively organized about preparing and packing everything to set up my booth, but what a mess I've got to unpack and put away today after gathering it all up so quickly at the end of the day to bring home! It was an exhausting day, but so very worth it!

Congratulations! I’m trying to work up the nerve to do a market myself!

 

[dibbles]

Congratulations

 

[Zany_in_CO]

We had the first market yesterday, and despite my jitters and freak-outs, it was a great success!

That's great! Good for you! I'm doin' the Happy Soaper's Dance with ya!

 

[Feelin' Soapy]

Congratulations! I’m trying to work up the nerve to do a market myself!

Go for it! Find a small local one and a good friend to help boost your confidence when you freak out

 

[amd]

Yay! So glad to hear you had a great time!

Even after almost 6 years of doing markets, I still get the jitters. Mine start about 4 days before the market, I don't sleep well the night before, and I even relive the market (regardless if it was good or bad) the following night for all the things I could have/should have done differently. I've accepted it as part of the process and try to make jokes about it.

I finally figured out a process for end of day chaos for packing - LABEL MY TOTES! Go figure! My hubby usually helps me setup/packup, and it took me 5 years to figure out that he will just throw stuff where it fits, but if I label what goes into the totes he'll follow directions. It's made things a lot easier for both of us. Bonus is that I can easily check that I have everything when packing too! No more forgotten cash boxes at home. (Seriously. TWICE because I'm a slow learner.)

 

[Feelin' Soapy]

Yay! So glad to hear you had a great time!

Even after almost 6 years of doing markets, I still get the jitters. Mine start about 4 days before the market, I don't sleep well the night before, and I even relive the market (regardless if it was good or bad) the following night for all the things I could have/should have done differently. I've accepted it as part of the process and try to make jokes about it.

I finally figured out a process for end of day chaos for packing - LABEL MY TOTES! Go figure! My hubby usually helps me setup/packup, and it took me 5 years to figure out that he will just throw stuff where it fits, but if I label what goes into the totes he'll follow directions. It's made things a lot easier for both of us. Bonus is that I can easily check that I have everything when packing too! No more forgotten cash boxes at home. (Seriously. TWICE because I'm a slow learner.)

So I guess lengthy jitters, insomnia, and post-market obsessing after my first market aren't too bad (haha). I'll let you know if I'm still doing that in 6 years!

Much of the packing chaos came from two very efficient friends who were helping me by packing as fast as they could. While I was carefully placing a few selected things in a box, they packed and had boxes loaded in the car before I even turned around! On the bright side, a lot of the "just in case" items I brought weren't necessary, so I'll have a little less stuff to haul next time.

 

[AAShillito]

Congratulations!!!!

 

[Cat&Oak]

Congratulations! Very happy for you!