Teach Soap

As business increases, I'm finding my hands more and more full. I was wondering if anyone had any little tips/tricks to speed up the process of shrink wrapping, shipping, tracking, or anything else? This is a pretty vague question, I just don't know how you veterans keep up with your growth and still have time to market, make new products, etc.

Good question. I looked at your etsy and read your a new Mom, congrats!

I dont have little ones anymore, and work 12 hours most days, not complaining as my business is my baby. My advice would be to to stock up on product first, then spend your time on the packaging and worry about the shipping and tracking as your orders come in. Do you have a separate soaping area/office? I find that helps, where you "go" to work and not trying to do it in the family kitchen where there are distractions.

At this point, I only make 25% of the soaps I sell. 75% I wholesale in, I couldn't imaging trying to make all the products myself. And am in awe of the soap makers that do it.

I first have to say that I do not have a business but maybe an idea... think streamline. One day is for measuring, are your receipes similar? Could you measure out all of the oils, butters on one day. do the soaping the next day - as many as you have room for. Then the 3rd day cut soaps & make up the labels and packaging, 4th day for tracking,marketing, follow up, ordering etc. The fifth day for dreaming up designs, mixes etc. The only thing I think you would have to do daily is the shipping, with the thought being that you want to get out orders as soon as you get them.
I do not have a separate soap area but I agree with Margo, if I was to do this as my income I would find one, that way your mind can take a break from the "work".
Even with the small amount of soaping I do I have some of my oils premeasured into smaller containers that I can grab and go. And I am starting to make up the labels the same day (unless I don't have the name for them decided on ).

I hope some of the experienced buisness soapers can help you with this as well. I think you should be proud that your buisness is growing. I am sure there are others that wish they were in your shoes!

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

Thank you both! I'm definitely glad that business is growing, although admittedly it's growing very slowly. The part that is growing quickly are my ideas; now I just need the customers to catch up! lol

I do have a separate area to do soaping in, but it's not ideal. It's quite small, the work surface is low (and uneven, so I have to let my soaps set up elsewhere) and there is no sink. But it's nice to have a place to store everything at least.

Bubbles, you make a good point about measuring and such ahead of time. I do MP rather than MP, but I'm still going to go chop up all of my bases and such into small chunks and stick them in freezer bags so they'll be ready to use when the time comes. I'll see how many of my materials can be portioned out this way, and that should save some time

During my busy season I find my craft show tables invaluable as an extra working area for wrapping, labeling or shipping. I try to do any measuring ahead of time. I keep items that I need the most the closest to me. My fragrances and essential oils are in alphabetical order. That order goes in my master book and gets updated as soon as it's used.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I alphabetize my cooking spices, don't know why I did not think of doing that for my FO??? Another task to do this week. Thanks for the tip.

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Great Ideas! I buy my base 25lbs at a time, and cut into cubes and store in a 5 gal pail. When I need some i just grab some out of my bucket and weight out what I need. I usually have everything weighed and measured and molds all ready to go before i start making product. it goes faster for me. I have a counter top were production starts and also have my craft tables that I use all the time for shrink and labeling. I personally shrink wrap and label a lot of products all at the same time.

I never thought about putting my FO's in alphabetical order great idea soapbuddy.
thepomseed- if you can find tables for $40.00 i would buy them, they are around $80.00 here in Canada not on sale. ( I bought 2 on sale) I have 5 in total. It is a lot of money out but I keep a couple set up all the time for different working areas, which is a great help.

How about 2 sawhorses and a board/door instead of a table? Or an old desk from goodwill?

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

I got that kind of table and was pleasantly surprised at how high I could set it. The top setting was a very nice shopping height.

If you have a Big Lots or Aldi's they usually have some nice foldable tables for cheaper than $40.

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