Work smarter, not harder!
At one point or another we have all wished for a magic wand that would give us a few more hours in a day, a perfectly clean work-space or a storage cupboard that never runs out supplies. Alas, I have yet to come across such a magical item. Should I do so, I’ll be sure to let you know!
Rather than trying to weigh everything you need, make your product, scent and color, package your material and label the finished product ALL in one day, I recommend splitting it up. It makes production days far easier and more manageable .
Try spending one day making production kits. Weigh out the oils for a lotion, lip balm, salve, or soap. Make several kits and label them so you know what they are. The next time you are ready for production, use these pre-measured kits rather than weighing out your materials each time. This allows you to get right to the crafting part with minimal set up.
These pre-made kits can also help when you only have a few hours to work but need production to happen to restock shelves, gift baskets or fill an urgent custom order. They are both a blessing and a time saver for when you really need them. Remember, you can even save jars when your butters are all gone and use those as your kits. Just another way to upcycle and reuse!
How else can you work smarter? I want to hear!
This year I found that making in batches and storing is better for me. I am a one person business and I do everything, from formulation my products to putting labels on the containers. I can batch make everything and when it is ordered with different fragrances, I can add the fragrance, get it in a container and get it shipped. I schedule production 2, maybe 3 days a week when I’m busy. When i’m stocked, I can take production down to maybe 5 days a month.
Sherri,
You make an excellent point. There are many ways to simplify things. We just need to tailor
our methods to our space and working style. 😉
Cheers!
Great tip! I do exactly that for soaps and lotions that I make from scratch for a wholesale customer.
Another time saver is, rather than using my own formula, I use MMS Lip Solutions for lip balms and lotion bars — tweaked, of course! LOL It not only saves time, but storage space, and money too, because I don’t have to buy oils/butters that may not get used up over time — in other words, no leftovers!
Cee,
You make an excellent point! Customizing bases save time yet make the finished product as unique as the maker!
And not having leftover helps with storage space and stress levels!
I love it!
Taylor