Moving Books

"By Trudy Connor"

I sell books on line and have over 2,000 books at the moment. Each book is cataloged and item location is noted. My mind is good but not always good enough to remember where all the books are.

How do I...

1. Relocate them without jumbling them to much?
2. Move them without getting hurt?

First I have collected wine boxes yes the boxes have come from Costco and do not have lids. I will be moving my entire inventory myself. The last move I discovered if I used larger boxes I hurt myself. The smaller the box the more trips, but also less risk of injury.

Each of the 12 stacks have between 6 -12 shelves. I have begun at the top keeping the books in order filling a box and placing the box on the shelf the books were on. Items are still actively for sale and I plan to keep them up for sale except for 3 days of actual relocation. Preparation is the key!  Now I have 10 of the stacks boxed up and plan to finish by tomorrow the last stacks.

The actual move will entail loading the car and carrying them to our new home. boxes will be lined up in order I hope. Then the big job will come of disassembling the bookshelves and moving them.  

Two of the bookcases are 8 foot tall and 10 feet long, 4 stacks each.

To Choose a blue or is it green

"By Trudy Connor"

To Choose a blue or is it green?

Oh these drapes might work well in the adjoining bedroom!

The bathroom project is an interior space receiving no natural light. I want a color with some life to it, but I do not want it jumping at me. My husband is leaning more to the blue grey colors. Until we close on our new home I cannot paint sample swatches. But I am collecting paint swatches to check during the home inspection. A drive to the paint store is in order. Finding colors on line is great, but I know there are subtle differences in each computer.


       

New wall colors

"By Trudy Connor"

A change in setting.
A change in life.
A new abode.
Changes to be made.
Handicap alterations needed.
Shower no Tub
Grab Rails
higher toilet.
Storage higher up.
A few of the colors considered.

Hopefully, only 6 weeks to begin the work.

I want to save the floor, a no lip shower in place of the tub. Large medicine cabinet to add storage.  Drawers below would help.

     

Cinderella's White Mouse and Pumpkin Smiley Jack O' Lantern Halloween Decor

"By Trudy Connor"

Cinderella's White Mouse 

Smiley Jack O' Lantern 

Halloween Decor

A spooky evening is coming up! Halloween is a favorite of adults and children.

While a scary decor can be fun sometimes it is just as fun to add a touch of whimsy.

Why is this called a Cinderella's White Mouse Jack O' Lantern you ask? A young girl saw this pumpkin from the back and insisted this was Cinderella's pumpkin. The white mouse turns into a horse that pulls the pumpkin carriage after the pumpkin turns into the carriage. The mouse is just waiting on the magic to appear! When I turned it around she laughed and said they were dressed for Halloween.

As the years have passed I have pictured the young girls face many times. Perhaps this will bring the magic to your home!

Blog Revival

"By Trudy Connor"

I want to thank David Kutcher and his Google+ post. A trigger I need to begin blogging again. 

In May I opened an WhatnotGems on Esty shop, slowly building the inventory to 280 listings. Sales have been slow and varied. Several Vintage Patterns, A vintage Movie Projector, some felt, a table cloth, and one of my favorite cordial glasses have found new homes. 

Visitors to my shop have been low, but not missing. The key is patience. Many of the items I have for sale are unique.

How many know to search for a Vintage Smoking Head Ashtray? This Porcelain Whimsy has Wanna See Smoke Come Out My Ears on the base. 

"A single wink and a cigarette resting in my mouth, will produce smoke coming out my ears!"

Do you collect Ashtrays or other tobacciana also known as tobacco artifacts.

Purchased in Japan by a Navy Officer this ashtray was carried by aircraft carrier to the United States. I remained in his collection, until I listed it for sale. The crack in the glazing is original according the the GI.

You can find my Smoking Head listing at WhatnotGem on Etsy.

Thus I have began again, can I maintain this blog is the question!

Selling on Line

1. Selling a wide variety of items, most one of a kind, on the internet variety takes time. 

   

   Enhanced with colors.

2. Researching to verify the information is correct. Some Gems collected have no dates, brands, or other marks and my knowledge is just the beginning.
3. Photography. Being a novice photographer I have learned a lot over the last 2 years. But there is always room for improvement. Taking a marketable image is not always easy.
4. Editing the photos. 99% of the editing is done on the backgrounds. Very little to the item itself and the usually then only the color adjustment. I want all flaws to show.
5. Writing the listings. Each item gets different information in the listing. Title, manufacturer, Publisher, Author, Illustrator, MPN, ISBN, UPC, Color, Size, height, length, width, texture, material, description to name a few.
6. Double checking the condition. This a chance to get a listing correct. I try to list all flaws.
7. Storing neatly and recording location. Not all items need the locations stored. Selling books entailed over 10,000 titles. With the drop in the book market, Donations have reduced the number. A relocation reshuffled many more titles. A shelf coding helps immensely, as inventory changes and shifts this coding is invaluable.
8. Determining the price. Although some research has been done, as to price, the numbers a second time. I want to price items fairly.
9. Now it is time to activate the listing. How does it look? Any errors. Yes I make them. and I correct them when I find them. Hopefully, I do not miss to many.
10. The hard part, wait to see if an order comes in. I have had items sell the day I list them and other sell a year later.
11. Shipping, this is the tricky part I usually use the USPS, Books ship media mail, other Items shipping is determined by weight and speed. One Store front has a USPS calculated shipping method the other, strictly a flat rate. Changes in postal rates mean a change in the shipping rate. Invisible cost must be considered. How much does the packaging cost? Bubble wrap tissue paper, shrink wrap, the boxes, envelopes and the shipping tape. Printer ink and labels. Time allowing, I turn used boxes into shipping containers. Recycling is great to a point. As a caregiver I am finding less time to make the boxes. My time is getting more precious. 

Look at My Display Tent!

It has been awhile since I posted here. Season has begun in Southwest Florida and I am raring to go.

This last Saturday, I began by setting up my display tent at the Promenade in Bonita Springs where I will set up every Saturday Morning until April!

The day began at 3 am. Preparation the day before, included loading the car and managing to squeeze in 5 large boxes of Children’s Books. Preparing the day before allows me to sleep in.

Friday included an 8pm phone call from our real-estate agent; the house was going to be shown at 1pm on Saturday! Ah preparing for an event always leaves bits and pieces lying around. (Displays not being used, signs cardboard little things.

Thank heavens the car was loaded, I finished cleaning the house to show before leaving at 5 am. Arriving at my assigned location at 5:30 began setting up my display in the dark. By 7 am I was ready. My new earring display board is working out very well. I want to do more to display necklaces and sets!

Now the morning always begins watching the shoppers racing each other to be the first inline for the fresh fish stall. One of these days I will manage to get some fish this week he was sold out by 10am! The flowers and vegetables are always wonderful! My first sale of the day was a mini book. I love selling these are they make great card replacements. What a beautiful morning with many smiling people. I did catch a few without smiles, but they were smiling as passed my booth. One couple, I told them I love to see the romance, they came back they were holding hands to keep form falling over. What a great laugh. Another couple, I just said “Hi Smiley” and they began to smile. A beautiful morning is complete with a smile.

I had several little girls trying on necklaces, I had told them before, they began I sold Adult jewelry, but they could try on one necklace each to see what they thought. They left with instructions to show me something they made next time they come.

You may ask why I do not sell to children, it is simple, young children tend to put jewelry into their mouth. I just do not feel comfortable with them potentially swallowing a piece of jewelry.

Harry Potter Sorting Hat

I also showed them the mini books I had with me! Two of the children really wanted the Harry Potter Sorting Hat Sticker Kit (Mega Mini Kits) they are saving their allowance to come back next week.

A slow day as season begins, a few looking for gift ideas, I handed cards out and several told me they would be back.

At noon, I began to dismantle! 4 tables boxes of jewelry bookshelves, and the grab bag box all where gathered together and place into the car in 45 minutes along with the canopy and sides, the fastest I have ever managed to break down. Off to the next event, which began at 3pm in Fort Myers.

Eating a small snack in the car the temperature had risen, by 1:30 I began to set up. The canopy first, it is warm I left the sides off, and the set up began, many of the vendors expected the event to be indoors. They did not even have umbrellas. Here, I unloaded the boxes of books for donation, I had left in the car. Off to the side they waited until I could get them moved into the school. By 3pm, I was exhausted but set up they way I wanted. I need to paint the back of my display boards!

In the car, I keep two golf umbrellas, these I shared vendors. I wish I had had more.

The bounce house was busy; the school activities in progress and the shoppers did not show. I had planned on donating 10% of my sales after I sold $50.00. I did not meet my minimum. I sold 1 pair of earrings.

The event ended at 6pm and I began the break down, finally catching someone who could take the books indoors. Finishing at 7pm, I ran home unloaded the car and collapsed.

NEXT TIME ONLY ONE EVENT IN A DAY!