ubure Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 Sometimes I feel I need much too much time for filling an order, creating new stuff for my wholesalers etc. etc...I wonder what you are doing to save time and work effectively(especially as I have to work around my kids, husband, housekeeping etc.)?Are you making time schedules for your orders (the larger ones), do you use special "machines" or tools that are time-saving...?Many thanks for your tips!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 Hi Inez, sorry I don't have any tip. I'm the most disorganized person of the universe and I know I waste a lot of time because I don't plan things. For example I have a big notebook in which I should write every recipe I use for every candle and the name of the person who ordered it, well I end having a lot of small sheets everywhere in the house. Wish I could do better, but sometimes I think it's a mental attitude. I'm chaotic in everything, and also in candlemaking!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crafty1_AJ Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 I try to work ahead when possible. So, to prepare for my summer farmer's market, I make oodles and gobs of soap in my slow season, which is Jan-March. I also pour up lots of candles in the summer to prepare for my busy fall season. Planning ahead and staying ahead of the curve sure helps me not feel like I'm as overwhelmed when it's "crunch" time. Get help when you can. I've trained someone else to pour the tarts and do jobs like labeling and such. Just do the stuff that really requires YOU to do it. lolAlso, know your priorities, know your limits, and plan accordingly. When things are slow, I am tempted to take on more accounts or begin offering more new items. Then I regret that decision during the busy time, because I'm stretched to the max and have a hard time keeping up. Decide ahead how much work you can/are willing to do, and stick to your guns. You may have to turn down opportunities in order to keep your family as priority.Good luck to you in all your endeavors! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjrhsk Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 That is some excellent advice, AJ. If I ever expand to the business side of things, I will be sure to read this often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubure Posted June 21, 2007 Author Share Posted June 21, 2007 Sabrina,it's good to know there are people like me out there:wink2: (my house is FULL of little notes...)AJ,thanks for your post - these are really reasonable things to keep in mind and it shows me clearly I have to plan ahead and write it down!! Very often I'd rather play around with some new ideas instead of actually working. And it should be possible as I have abandoned my retail business and doing only wholesale now, all orders that can be planned accordingly.Thanks again!(I accept more of your tips if you've got any:grin2: ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavenScentU Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 I have a big chalkboard, a dry eraseboard and lots of printouts on corkboard to keep everything in order. My candleroom looks like a tornado went thru it and I clean it up at the end of the day just to start over again. I hate it! I wish I could keep everything nice and neat as I work...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesoapbox Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 /sighI wish I was as organized at home as I am at my job! I too have tons of small sticky notes lying everywhere. I have quite a few notebooks with all sorts of info and can never find what I need when I need it. I bought a few more notebooks for strictly recipes stuff..have one notebook for my soap stuff, one notebook for my dog treat stuff and one notebook for my everquest stuff (yes I am addicted to that game), But, the clincher is, my soap stuff is in all 3 of those books now darnit! LOL!I have got to learn better organization!!Sorry, no help for you at all from meAngi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crafty1_AJ Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 Oh yeah, I use a dry erase board too. Magnetized to the side of the fridge so I don't lose it. Whenever I'm getting low on a scent of candle or soap, I write down that I need to pour / soap that kind (I keep ready-made stock on hand all the time). Whenever I'm getting low on supplies, I write down what I need to order, such as 60z wicks or lilac fo. Then I can just swipe those items off when I've tackled that project. This tip totally saves my sanity. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cindym Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 My secret is to stay organized, prepare ahead the night before if you can. I learned early that looking for something for 10 minutes is hell. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystical_angel1219 Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 My numero uno time saver is TURN OFF THE COMPUTER. Besides planning ahead, list making and always keeping bulk supplies on hand, this is the best advice I can give anyone. I can't tell you how many good blocks of time I have wasted playing on the internet. LOL!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mizbizzyb Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 My numero uno time saver is TURN OFF THE COMPUTER. Besides planning ahead, list making and always keeping bulk supplies on hand, this is the best advice I can give anyone. I can't tell you how many good blocks of time I have wasted playing on the internet. LOL!!Ditto to what MA said.....also notes - I usually make a list (outline) of what needs to be done and prioritize that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 I always make my to-do list.. then I lose the sheet regularly.There's no hope for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubure Posted June 22, 2007 Author Share Posted June 22, 2007 Aha, many many more of my sort of chaotic...good to know:grin2: !But again a lot of useful tips again, thank you so much!AJ, you seem to be perfectly organized - bravo! I take my hat off to you!And: my computer is my worst enemy, too, when it comes to saving time:embarasse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramaroa Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 It's a battle, but I try! I'm always trying to make time, if anyone has the recipe for that I'd pay good money for it. I don't know that I ever actually save any time but I try to have things available to 'grab and go' for those days when you just have too much to do. If I have to do one of something I'd rather do several at the same time, so for example if I have to make up a packing box I do several, so next time I want one, there's one ready for me. I also stick my return address label on the box, so it's one less thing to think of. I also do things like stick wicks in jars in advance, so here's one I prepared earlier.I have my labels already printed and kept in a folder in alphabetical order, so I can easily find the one I want, address label, fragrance labels, warning labels. Packing is my biggest bug bear, and time waster, the place where it's so easy for all your hard work to turn to chaos and for things to go wrong. So I make a big effort to make sure that everything there is where it should be, scissors, pens, labels, bags, tape etc. My greatest investment was a proper packing tape dispenser. Woohoo, it saves me heaps of time looking for the end of the tape - give me that gun baby and I'll stick anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 It's a battle, but I try! I'm always trying to make time, if anyone has the recipe for that I'd pay good money for it. I don't know that I ever actually save any time but I try to have things available to 'grab and go' for those days when you just have too much to do. If I have to do one of something I'd rather do several at the same time, so for example if I have to make up a packing box I do several, so next time I want one, there's one ready for me. I also stick my return address label on the box, so it's one less thing to think of. I also do things like stick wicks in jars in advance, so here's one I prepared earlier.I have my labels already printed and kept in a folder in alphabetical order, so I can easily find the one I want, address label, fragrance labels, warning labels. Packing is my biggest bug bear, and time waster, the place where it's so easy for all your hard work to turn to chaos and for things to go wrong. So I make a big effort to make sure that everything there is where it should be, scissors, pens, labels, bags, tape etc. My greatest investment was a proper packing tape dispenser. Woohoo, it saves me heaps of time looking for the end of the tape - give me that gun baby and I'll stick anything.I'd love to prepare something in advance, but I don't have any room to store things, and I have three curious cats so I make everything only when I need to.But I agree, packaging is a big time waster, like you I bought a tape dispenser and it's the smartest thing I did in these months!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire and Ice Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 I take inventory, of candles and supplies, once a week and keep notes.I really do my best to keep ahead of the rush for things like a big show and such but generally something is always missing:Supplies on backorderWax not in at my supplierJar not in locally.*When getting ready to pour for a whole day, I will wick the jars the night before*Clean my pots the night before* List what needs poured first and then go down the list, pour a dozen of each scent. Then I pour the clamshells in that scent after candles!*Labeling and packing are a pain but I just do it all at once and it done!Fire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissMary Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 I've only had a few orders, but I'm organized and ready for more! I have 4 dry erase boards. 3 small, 1 large. As an order comes in, I write in the large one the order. I have 4 colors of pens to checkmark. Pink for mixed, Red for poured, Orange for packaged and Green for packed. The 3 small have different shopping lists. 1 for Wal-Mart for random stuff, 1 for candle stuff and 1 for soap stuff. They each sit over the shelving I have for each set if items.I also use an excel spreadsheet to keep track of inventory, pricing, links to each ingredient I use, costs, automatic formulas to calculate cost, wholesale if I want to do it and retail. This way, if one thing goes up like wax, it changes the cost and pricing across the board.I have 4 notebooks, one for container candles, one for soaps, one for pillar candles and one for random stuff. Each one has header pages that show the most consistent wicks. Another header for coloring. Another header for label size.I have a huge file cabinet where all my testing sheets, burning sheets and wick test sheets are organized by scent, this way it's easier to find an specific item for an order.Lastly, I save a TON of time using a cheap ice scraper to clean up my tables. Whoosh whoosh and it's clean.Now if I could get some more orders to put all this organization to use..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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