Distraught! :-/

[Former_Member]

I was very busy last week, making a few new items AND re-photographing some earrings. Well, I just realized a couple of days ago that five pairs of earrings have gone MISSING!!!!! I'm so annoyed with myself!!!! I've written before about my 'slightly' disorganized studio. And after I started that thread...I decided to straighten up...and things were looking really good! But now, I'm at my wit's end trying to find these earrings! (I even had to de-activate a few of them.)

Has this ever happened to you??

[Former_Member]

I feel for you Judy! It's not like I have very many items in my shop, but I went through a short period of panic when I couldn't find one of the items after it sold! I'm trying hard to keep all of my listed items in one place, but I obviously need to try harder! To your credit, small earrings are a lot easier to misplace then bags of wool!

[Former_Member]

OMG, yes! After the sun goes down (I just came in for a bit from working on my garden) I am reorganizing mine because I found bath teas that I made that I couldn't for the life of me remember what they were called!

After a 25 min search I found the labels which I hadn't put on yet. LOL

[Former_Member]

This always happens to me always loosing the things i need :(!

[Former_Member]

I am sorry to hear that. It happend to me many times:)

[Former_Member]

I made a couple of sets of wine charms the other night. I had a few extra charms leftover that I planned to use for another project. When I went to put all my stuff away (because my couch is my studio - tee hee), I couldn't find those two charms. I know they're somewhere but until I find them I can't start that other project. So yeah, been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

[birdmom9726]

Absolutely! I used to live in terror that someone would buy something from me and I wouldn't be able to FIND IT!!!! So I went out and bought about 10 of those little plastic compartment boxes so at least all the stuff is in the same general area now. It used to be all over my house, depending on where the item was in the process - being made, being photographed, being looked for ---- ! However, I lost a pair of green earrings the other day, realized I hadn't seen "several" pairs of earrings for a couple weeks - had to pass on a sale because they were "lost" - and then found a whole box of stuff I had taken out to rephotograph, buried under a throw in the living room - oh well. So don't feel bad - you're in good company!

[Former_Member]

Oh my gosh, I thought I was the only one! And yeah, I have those 'plastic compartment boxes'. FIVE of them. Plus other "organizational tools'. I'm really beside myself. :-(

[RosesForClementine]

Wow, there are lots of us! My storage is under my bed, but it's so easy to go into panic mode when something isn't where you think it should be. I also tend to lose things that turn up to be right in front of me on my not so tidy work table.
Think we all have too many ideas, are trying to multi task and do all the things to get from idea to listed item....

[Former_Member]

heck yes. Isn't this a prerequisite for selling online? If not, it should be. Most of my items are made to order, so I have to periodically check to make sure I have enough fabric to fill an order if received.

It's because of the fear factor that every time I finish cutting out an order, and find that I don't have enough fabric to make something else, I make a beeline to the computer to pull any listing I have with that fabric.

[Former_Member]

Diann, I think you hit the nail on the head: MULTI-TASKING!! I've always prided myself on that ability...but now I see it much more as a detriment. Not a good thing. I keep thinking that they will show up. And the fact that I lost FIVE and not one....tells me that they're waiting for me to find them...somewhere.

[seemomster]

This is why I have five of those sterilite shoe boxes...
1) Necklaces
2) Bracelets
3) Earrings
4) Photographed, not yet listed
5) Not yet photographed

I had a panic attack one evening after I published a listing and couldn't find the earrings. The Husband found 'em for me (I'd gotten a phone call between photographing and my studio--and set them down by the phone)...and I developed my system the next day. I take my not photographed and photographed but not listed boxes to the window where I do my photography---and if they aren't "on the set" the pieces are in one of those two boxes. Because I NEVER want to go through that again.

[SelkieCrochet]

oh gosh, no, not yet at least!

once items of mine are made they go in a special box :)

[Former_Member]

I've lost a painting before - how does that happen? So frustrating.

Really hope you can find them!

[Former_Member]

Have panic moments...every time I've sold something...terrified I wont be able to find it. (hasnt happened yet..but sure it will 0o)

[ThisNThatbyNikki]

Sometimes when I am working on my projects (my dining room table is my office) My cat comes to help and has been known to carry off various items. For some reason he really likes earrings. It's all I can do to not lock him up forever!

Of course all my organization could be better too, mostly each project goes into a ziploc and then in a paper bag that says finished etsy projects. When I make a sale I then have to dig through the plastic bags until I find the right one. Oh dear.

[Former_Member]

You poor thing - that's awful. I'm only new to jewellery making and selling but my workshop is a complete mess. Your post and all of the responses has given me a good reason to get organised before I make a lot of items so thank you and hopefully you find them!

[Former_Member]

Im so unorganised, have to make a real effort to keep things in order.
Thank goodness I only do made to order so I can make and ship straight away, no time for anything to go missing! Although it seems like a recent order has gone missing during shipping :-(

[HausofAriella]

I'm hopelessly disorganized. The good things is that most of my products can be recreated if I lose them. When I was selling vintage tokens and such on Ebay there were a couple of times that I couldn't find the item and thought I was going to have to issue a refund since everything was one of a kind (or at least the only one in my possession). It's terribly frustrating. At least you realized it before they sold!

[AprilGetsCrafty]

Yes...unfortunately. But your not alone!

[Untwistedsister]

Are you kidding?? I spend 1/2 my day looking for something I just had in my hands!

In fact, I just found a pair of earrings that had been 'lost' for 3 months. I sold the matching pendant to a friend and then she wanted the earrings. I deactivated the listing and when I was going to be near where she lives I packed them up, took them with me and called her. As it turned out she was out of town.

When she got back she called and now I couldn't find them ANYWHERE!!! We looked in the car, all my storage boxes, every nook and cranny in the house. I even prayed to St. Anthony.

Lo and behold....last week I had another item to deliver locally. I put it in a small padded manilla envelope and went to deliver it. When I poured it out to show the customer, I noticed it looked like something else was in the little envelope. Sure enough, there were the earrings!!!

[LamplighterJewelry]

I've done this once...and I'm still gutted about it. It was my best necklace - turquoise, coral, sterling and marcasite. I was photographing my jewelry in the mountains at Crab Tree Falls and hung the necklace on a branch so I could lay other pieces on a rock by the waters edge. I didn't realize I'd left the necklace hanging on the tree branch until weeks later. I still wonder who found the necklace and hope it's a piece they love...that thought gives me some comfort.

[BaloolahB]

I spent half of today looking for a very large roll of elastic, I've had it for years and never used it, today I needed it ( making bloomers for a dressing up outfit!) do you think I could find it--- oh no!!! Had to go to town to buy some more:(

Would love someone to come and organise me!!!!!

[Former_Member]

Oh my GOSH....and here I thought I was the only one. Ummmm...misery loves company?? I know I will be dreaming about these earrings ... Or maybe I'll have nightmares. ::::sigh::::

[Former_Member]

This is why I have five of those sterilite shoe boxes...
1) Necklaces
2) Bracelets
3) Earrings
4) Photographed, not yet listed
5) Not yet photographed
*************************************************************************
That's great advice Melanie. Something all us hopelessly disorganized artist could use.
My boxes would have to be a little larger but would be similar.