Listing Challenge 2020 Thread #1

[Amatino]

Week One starts Monday, December 30, 2019 and ends Sunday, January 6, 2020.

Post your numbers here on Monday January 7. For information and rules on the Challenge, go here.

[Amatino]

Vintage Lacy mentioned listing two thousand twenty items this year and I thought “she’s nuts!” But the idea stuck and I did the math, and guess what? It’s only about 40 listings per week.

Would you be interested in a 2,020 in 2020 Challenge? I can add a line to the spreadsheet for you to tally your progress, if you like.

[Vintage Lacy]

I listed just under a thousand listings in 2018 so my goal in 2019 was 1500 listings and I was able to hit that number. It was very motivating. I really love the idea of 2020 listings in 2020. Count me in!

[Utahbill]

So, we include Sunday’s listings in this weeks total?

[Vintage Lacy]

UtahBill, whatever you get listed tomorrow-Sunday should be included in the total you post on Monday. 🙂

[VintageTreasures]

UtahBill: Just to clarify, the listing week as per Amatino (our fearless leader) is Monday through Sunday. The listing number you post here on Monday 1/6/20 will be for the number of new listings you did from Monday, December 30th 2019 through Sunday, January 5th 2020.

Amatino: Thanks for specifying the listing week, I used to be reporting what I listed from Sunday through Saturday and now I can get on the same page with everyone else.

It will be quite a stretch for me but I’m in for the 2020 in 2020 challenge!

[Libby]

Hi All! I dropped out last year as I had to concentrate on other things, but I would like to join you this year, I think it is a great goal!- Libby

[Libby]

43 this week

[Sharyn]

As I mentioned in the other thread, I’m slowing down and focusing on other things for a while, so I won’t be listing much in the beginning of this year.

I listed 0.

[Utahbill]

I’m done listing for the night. So, my number for the week is 10. 5 on Saturday and 5 on Sunday.
Since several of the items were complex expensive items. I don’t feel too bad about it
I doubt I will be able to compete number wise, but this challenge is already motivating me to list more.

It’s going to be along road to 2020…..

[Vintage Lacy]

I listed 35 items for the week. My weekly goal last year was 50 listings, and while I only hit the goal part of the time it kept me motivated towards my big goal of 1500. My weekly goal this year is 60, since I’ll have weeks where I’m travelling or doing my shows and will have a smaller number. Amatino, you are right…it’s only around 40 a week to hit 2020 listings so I’m hoping my larger weeks average out the smaller weeks. I came up short this week but plan to make up for it next week. 🙂

Hope everyone has a great week!

[VintageTreasures]

41 new listings for me.

Thank you Vintage Lacy for thinking up, and Amatino for implementing the 2020 challenge! I had zero new listings for the last 2 days in 2019 and then 5 per day until yesterday. Realizing I’ll need 39 listings per week to meet the 2020 challenge I listed 21 on Sunday. But I didn’t actually step foot outside my house yesterday in order to list that many. So I’m going to try really hard to stick to my New Year’s resolution of 5 or 6 items listed per day instead of resorting to mini listing marathons to achieve our 2020 challenge goal.

Wishing you all a great first week of 2020!

[Julie B]

Hello, joining along this year in order to keep myself accountable. Only 14 this week. 12 of those were done within an hour at my mother in law’s kitchen table. The lighting was just too good to pass up.

[junque redux]

6 for me. Giving myself plenty of room for improvement, I guess.

[aperture]

I think I am going to aim for a goal of 20 items per week on average in 2020. eBay has been a great money maker for me in 2019, but it is not my only source of income and I need to balance other priorities as well.

Last week I listed 23 items. I am on target so far, but sort of falling behind because I am travelling for four weeks at the end of January.

[Amatino]

Wow! O.O! So many folks this week! New decade, new goals! Welcome to everyone. I sure have my work cut out for me! The new spreadsheet will go up tomorrow, to allow all who wish to join to post today.

Like Sharyn, I had a slow start with zero listings. I’ve still got a lot of the other businesses on my plate. Whomever decided Jan 15 was a good day for taxes was related to the Grinch! Humpf.

[ChristineR]

Well, I’m in but this week was zero and we go to Disneyland this weekend, so seems like I will get a slow start. I’ve kind of been distracted by a couple of non-Ebay projects and I need to get my tax numbers done early this year. Just COGS and Mercari since for once my Tracker Spreadsheet managed to get out all of the Ebay sales successfully.

[Amatino]

Good morning, happy Tuesday! What a great start to the year!

The new spreadsheet is up and running, with all the new peeps. We’re thrilled to have you with us! Three of us clocked in with zeroes, chaoticgood forgot to post, and Libby put the first point on the board, just squeaking past VT to take the crown this week. An exciting finish! 🙂

You’ll see a new tab on the right. I’ve called it “Personal Goal” and it calculates the total you should have each week to make your goal. Aperture’s goal is set to 20 per week, as she logged. The rest of us are all tagged at 40 per week to make the 2,020 Challenge. If you want me to change your goal to something else, please let me know and I’ll adjust accordingly. Please note: if you change it mid-year, it will recalculate for the entire year. I don’t have the time to do multiple personal adjustments. I consider it a win if I remember to update the spreadsheet on a Tuesday! (There are days when I forget. *blush*)

Have a great listing week, y’all. List LOTS! 😀

[littleBlueHouse]

Can you add me to the list? I want to make my goal 20 a week. I know that it’s late, but it will help me stay accountable.

[Sharyn]

Amatino – Go ahead and put me down for a personal goal of 20. I’m trying for higher value, possibly longer to list, items this year.

[Utahbill]

Amatino- I would like to set my personal goal to 15 please. It’s a modest goal, but it will be an improvement over last year.

Thanks

[VintageTreasures]

Amatino: Thank you for taking the time to create the spreadsheet for the 2020 challenge, it looks great!

I’m not trying to create more work for you but could you please change my 40 per week goal to 39? I’ve already made up a schedule for myself that has me creating 39 new listings per week – and while I hope I achieve more than 39 I don’t want to rework the schedule I created.

I’ve got my fingers crossed that we all reach our goals in 2020!

[Amatino]

Updates to goals made.

UtahBill, mine’s even lower at 10 per week, but as I haven’t managed to cross the 500 line in the last two years, it will almost be double my listing total from last year. If I get into my stride later in the year, I might up it. Here’s hoping!

VT, it’s no trouble to change the goals. I can change them any time, so you can revise whenever you want. However, it’s an ANNUAL total, so if you change it to, say, 30, later in the year, it will calculate as if it was 30 for the whole year, not the balance of the year remaining. That’s what I meant about being unable to work on personal adjustments.

If anyone wants to change their overall goal at any time, feel free. Just take note that it will affect the whole year. I can change it for you every week, if you want, but it will adjust for the annual total.

[ChristineR]

I’ll have a goal of 20 per week. I think I can do better some weeks, and that should average out the no time for listing weeks. Thanks!

[Libby]

34 Listed this week. Yikes! Thanks for setting my personal goal to 40, spot on! Now I better get listing because I am going to crush it this week! Lol

[Utahbill]

I better get some listings done tonight! I don’t want to record a zero on only the second week. 🙁

[Sharyn]

I listed five this week.

Better than last week, but still low. Daughter is still home from college for the next two weeks, so I’m not expecting to list high numbers. Kids, even college age, are work.

[VintageTreasures]

42 for me. We’re remodeling our kitchen this week so I’m not sure how this week will be. But I worked ahead today on lots of drafts just in case I get behind.

Wishing everyone a great week!

• This reply was modified 4 years, 7 months ago by VintageTreasures.

[chaoticgood]

12 for me.

I’m trying to batch, and I have a few in the hopper for tomorrow. I better get moving; I went sourcing last week when I heard my favorite thrift store was closing.

@Amatino, can my personal goal be 20 / week?

[Utahbill]

Just 2 for me.

[Vintage Lacy]

It was the week from hell, involving, among other things, an emergency trip in an ambulance to the ER for a loved one from a drug overdose, a stolen car which was totaled (not mine) and even more than that.

Everyone is okay physically, but not emotionally, as to be expected.

We’re in crisis survival mode in these here parts.

So I listed 23 items, which is pretty decent, all things considered.

Here’s hoping for a much much better week ahead, listing and otherwise.

[Julie B]

Only 9 this week.
Am moving my ebay room to a different part of the house so not much time to list. I have found a ton of unlisted inventory in the process.

[ChristineR]

Zero for me. We were out of town, but the trip was a good mental reset I needed.

[Amatino]

4 for me. Less than I’d wanted, but at least I’m on the board!

Wow, VL, what a week! And you still listed? You’re a listing demon, I tell you! Sending you lots of thoughts of strength and support for this week and the time ahead.

[junque redux]

18 for me. Thanks!

[Amatino]

Spreadsheet updated. Aperture didn’t get around to posting, so the field is blank. You can let me know any time and I’ll update it.

You’ll note your personal goal is now higher. It reflects the cumulative total for the year, so you can see how much you’ve done and what your goal is. For example, I’ve done 4 and my goal is 20, I’m 16 behind. In contrast, this week’s winner, Vintage Treasures, has a YTD total of 83 listings against her goal of 78. You over-achiever you! 😉

This week VT tosses her head at last week’s near miss and scorches ahead to a convincing win. Be warned, though, VT, Libby has been doing some gauntlet tossing!

Have a great week, everyone. Go list, dammit!

[Amatino]

I’m done for today, ergo for the week. 17 listings for me this week. I pushed hard because I wanted to catch up on my backlog a little, but I’ve been doing so much work in the other businesses, I couldn’t catch up completely. Still, made a good dent and feeling happy.

It’s been one of those busy, productive weeks, where I’ve got a lot done but don’t really feel like I did. You ever have those? From my TDL I see I crossed off a lot of things, but I actually don’t feel like I made much progress.

A lot of time was spent on research, I’ve decided to go for Windependence. See the thread I’ve started in the forums for more info. (Don’t want to clutter this thread with non-listing stuff.)

[Julie B]

20 listings for me this week. I was surprised I listed anything at all as I’m moving my ebay room and it’s quite the mess. The motivation was to get all of the large unlisted items listed so I could put them away and not have to junk up my new ebay space with unlisted inventory. Some of the items I had for years. I just kept moving them and not listing them.

[Amatino]

@JulieB Oh goodness! I thought it was just me! I’ve gotten really good at relocating inventory instead of listing it! 😀

[Sharyn]

I listed 13 this week. I still have lots of distractions, but I’m happy with that number.

[Utahbill]

Just 4 for me this week. We will be on vacation in Palm Springs this coming week and I don’t think I will get much listing done. However, I hope to get a bit of scavenging in.:)

[Vintage Lacy]

Peaceful week…whew. I listed 52 items this week, not quite enough to get caught up but close enough. I’m hoping for another strong week this week too. I leave Sunday for a business trip to Las Vegas so will be posting numbers early.

Hope everyone has a great week!

[Libby]

Listing like crazy this week. 99 listings up. Don’t expect this every week, LOL!

[ChristineR]

Zero for me. I had some house illness and super distracted by narrowing down my son’s college list and speaking with the counselor. Also pretty steady at my day job. Plus, watched the niners win last night. Basically not dealing with Ebay in any way except shipping. Sales reflect this. I also need to do my COGS and organize my tax stuff so not sure I’m going to be hitting it hard this week. :0

• This reply was modified 4 years, 7 months ago by ChristineR.

[Jen]

Hi, I would love to join the listing challenge if still possible? Was encouraged to join by Libby. I have an eBay store which is found at: eBay.com/str/jensparttimefinds Wasn’t sure how to add my info? I listed 41 items last week and would like to make 40 items my weekly goal. Let me know if I need to do anything else? Thanks! ~Jen

[Libby]

So happy you are here! Nice start!

[VintageTreasures]

39 for me. I met my goal and I’m happy with that. I’m trying for slow and steady rather than intense and burnt out.

VL: I was sorry to hear about all the trying times you experienced. I hope life is much smoother for you now.

Crossing my fingers about meeting my listing goal this week. I’ve got a lot going on with my kitchen remodel and I’m planning several thrift shopping days this week also. Normally I adhere to my rule that I don’t thrift until I get my listing goal accomplished for the day – but I won’t be doing that for several days of this week. I’ll have to see how that plays out.

Welcome Jen! Glad to have you here!

Yikes Libby! You’ll be giving our champion VL a run for the money!

[Vintage Lacy]

Libby I think I need to transfer the title of “Listing Machine” over to you. Good going! This year I am going to concentrate on that 2020 listing goal and not worry about winning weeks. If I can hit 40 a week or average that for the year I will be thrilled. I also really need to work on my death pile.

Thanks VT and Amatino for your kind words. Much quieter week. I’m truly looking forward to getting away for five days next week….it will be a great break and really needed.

[Libby]

VL, thanks but this may be the only week I earn a title, I am going for 40 per week much like you!

[Amatino]

Jen, welcome, and you’re in. The spreadsheet is listed alphabetically, and you’re set up. If you want to send me your last two weeks’ numbers, I can add them in for you. It’s optional, not a requirement.

VL, did you get your prize from last year?

[chaoticgood]

I hit my target, spot on. 20 listings for me this week.
I did too much sourcing: found a few treasures but also found a few things that are becoming more work to get ready for sale. Probably about 30-40 items purchased this week.

[junque redux]

didn’t have a chance to log in yesterday, 29 for me for last week.

[Amatino]

No problem for late posts, junque redux, I will always add in your numbers. You just don’t qualify for the “win” if your number was the highest.

Spreadsheet updated. Libby lived up to her promises and went to warp speed for the win this week. Holey toledo, what a number! The rest of us need to sharpen our lightsabers! Er… I mean lightboxes.. and get some photos done and listings up. 😉

Well done all.

[Vintage Lacy]

Thanks Amatino for the super cute prize for 2019! I’m sorry I didn’t mention it before but things have been in turmoil and I’m now just getting caught up. It’s darling! 🙂

Posting my numbers early because I leave early in the morning for Vegas. 45 listings.

Hope everyone has a great week!

[Vintage Lacy]

https://imgur.com/a/AoKNlaC

and here’s the prize…….. 🙂

[Libby]

73 for this week! Don’t expect me to keep this up.

[ChristineR]

Zero for me this week again. I worked on my taxes and bookkeeping this weekend. I made about half the profit on Ebay that I made the years prior, partly because I took off the summer to help my dad and didn’t source RA, but also because of poor listing. We’ll see if I can do a little better this year. I may have a weekday off this week, then we have a superbowl party next weekend.

[Sharyn]

Zero for me.

I had distractions from personal stuff as well as my daughter. We drove her back to college today. I am so sad to see her go / elated to be rid of her 🤣. I’ll still have some personal stuff this week, but definitely more time for listing.

[VintageTreasures]

39 for me. I was able to make my quota despite my kitchen remodel distractions.

I’ll be attending two birthday celebrations this week so it’ll be a socially busy week. I’m also planning on a long group bike ride this weekend since it’ll be 60 degrees here. I’m going to do my best to still make my weekly listing quota though. I also have to start working on taxes. This is the first year I’ve sold enough on eBay to get an official tax form from Paypal 🙂

Wishing everyone a great week ahead!

[junque redux]

15 for me. Amatino, can you change my weekly goal to 20? I’ll be good if I can make that. Thanks!

[chaoticgood]

21 for me this week. It was close!
I discovered my current home photography setup doesn’t allow for pants. So I’ve got to figure out a work-around on that. In the meantime, I’ve got my pants listings drafted, and and I am hoping for sunshine over my lunch hour.
I’ve got a busy week ahead, but I feel like I’m on track for 20 listings for this week.

[Julie B]

8 for me. Last night I was finally able to photograph and list in my new ebay space after several weeks of rearranging my house. Hope to have a listing frenzy in the next week or so.

Thanks for tallying up our numbers each week! It really is helping me to list. I had 0 listed up until last night and I didn’t want to report in with 0 so I got busy listing.

[Amatino]

VL – glad you like your prize. Sorry I had to make you wait.

Sharyn – now that VL has posted her picture (I didn’t want to spoil the surprise) I have a surprise for you. I made you a 2018 “trash bag” too. If your address is the same, I’ll get it in the post to you. It drove me nuts, I was trying to make a vest for the Elf, but it totally wouldn’t work out. Eventually I realized we’re trash elves, so I made a trash bag full of treasures. LOL. You just slip the bag over its shoulder and you’re good to go.

VT – congratulations! I hope to get a 1099 this year!

junque redux – changed as requested.

chaoticgoods – pants on the floor is my workaround. My mannequin has an offset base so that she CAN wear pants, but she has no legs, so they just hang. There’s a post about stuffing pants with pool noodles, if you want to give that a search. It has some interesting ideas.

This week I had two days of running around after the other businesses and two days sick in bed, so I’m not unhappy with my 7 listings for the week. I’m pleased I got something up! Also, my new cabin was scheduled to come in 3-4 weeks but was manufactured in a mere 10 days! Julie B, I’m going to be empathising with you a lot in the next few weeks as we try to get the cabin finished (we got an unfinished as it’s less than half the price if we do the interior ourselves), move my business in there, and keep everything running. Eep! On top of that, it’s only 8 weeks until my Students do their annual performance, so I’m doing the headless chicken getting costumes ready. Fun never stops around here! LOL

[Utahbill]

Please tell us more about this cabin project. It sounds interesting.

[Sharyn]

The gift that keeps on giving! Yes, my address is the same. You are so sweet.

With the numbers I’ve been reporting so far this year, it is hard to imagine that I won the challenge in 2018!

[Utahbill]

Well I have to report my first 0. 🙁

We were out of town all week and I hoped to get at least a few listings done on Sunday night, but it didn’t happen.
This challenge is really showing me why I have not had as much success as I would like on eBay.

[Jen]

42 listings for me this week. Hopefully I’m off to a good start. 🙂

[Libby]

Great start!

[Amatino]

Utahbill, my business has been suffering from a severe case of urban creep – it’s creeping into every nook and cranny in the house – Himself decided that the best way to regain his home and our equilibrium is by throwing me out of the house. After doing some research, we found that Derksen Buildings are the cheapest option out there. According to more than one contractor, “you can’t buy the materials for what they’re selling the cabins for!” We walked around several sales places looking at the different options on offer and decided to go for a side lofted barn (pg 4 of the PDF linked ^ there.) We upgraded the windows to 3×5 thermapane, one on one short end, one on the side nearest that short end, and got rid of the two shop doors in return for one nine-lite door directly opposite the window. Which gives me three “windows” at one end of the 12 ft by 28 ft building. They thought I was nuts, but I plan to use the back half entirely for storage, and why do I need windows for storage? The front half now has windows on all three sides, where I need all the light! The lofted barn comes standard with two built in lofts, each 8 ft deep, one at each end. We raised the height of the walls so that I have 8ft standing room under the lofts. Total cost of the building, including the customisation, delivery and set up on our property, just over $8,000. It will cost about $500 to $800 for the electrician to wire the place to my specifications, including connecting it to the mains, and we had to buy the mounting blocks for the base, which was also a couple hundred. So, say, $9k for a wired building set up permanently.

The quoted finishing was horrendous, over $2,000 for the insulation alone, so my hubs is going to do the insulation, install the walls, ceiling and floors. He was also going to build me shelves and stuff but I told him to back off. It’s my cabin, I want to develop my own set up over time as I work out what I need. He really is awesome, but he doesn’t work the business, so he builds me what I think I need, or based on what I have NOW, not realising that what I have fluctuates quite a lot. Better for me to work out what I need and then draw plans and ask for it. I do really good 3D plans, he does an even better job of bringing it to life, usually better than I had envisioned.

I currently have an 8 ft by 16 ft shed that I use for storage, and my packing and working station in the garage, with overflow items… er… everywhere. My plan is to move all my listed items into the new cabin, in the planned storage at the back half of the cabin, then move all unlisted items into the current storage shed. In the front half of the cabin, one side will be my packing station, with my shipping supplies and my computer; the other side will be my photo area, with an entire section of wall painted and set up with lights and hooks. I will have my lightboxes permanently set up too, so it will just be a case of switch on the lights and snap away.

As things progress, I’ll post some photos.

[Utahbill]

Amatino- Thanks for sharing that information. I have a piece of land I am thinking about putting a similar cabin. Unfortunately, it looks like Derksen Buildings are not available in my area.

I look forward to hearing reports on your project.

[Amatino]

Spreadsheet updated. Another scorching win from Libby. Looks like VL has some serious competition this year!

Go on, now, y’all. Get listing! I love that this is motivating everyone to get SOMETHING up by Sunday. 😀

[VintageTreasures]

Hello Fellow Challengers!

I’m proposing an additional monthly challenge if anyone is interested. Amatino has thrown down some extra challenges in past years like donate one item per day for a month to clean up your death pile.

I was thinking that anyone interested in participating in this could pick a month and make up the challenge for that month. It’s fun and it gets each of us to accomplish things we normally wouldn’t, which feels really good! I have a simple challenge that wouldn’t take much time to accomplish for January if anyone is on board.

Amatino, our fearless leader, are you in? (Remember how good you felt about that death pile clean up!) Anyone else up for this?

[Amatino]

VT – The One with the Vision Gets the Mission! 😀 Please feel free to coordinate a monthly Challenge.

I’m in.

[VintageTreasures]

Thanks Amatino, I can always count on you, you’ve got game! Since you and I (at least) are in, here’s the January “extra” challenge – due to the late start we will have until the last day of February to accomplish it: Get rid of one LARGE item that has to do with your eBay business.

The way you get rid of it is your choice: donate, sell on eBay, sell locally, throw away, whatever. But if you decide to sell the item it has to be sold and gone from your premises by February 29th.

The item could be something large you bought to sell but never did OR something you thought would be a good storage solution for your business that didn’t work out. Anything goes (no pun intended), as long as it is large and was intended to be used somehow for your eBay business.

My albatross is a huge mechanical vintage angel figurine that I bought years ago to sell. I did finally find a box to ship it in but I’ve never done anything more than find the box. I just don’t want to mess with it, it’s huge! Especially to a seller who mostly sells sewing patterns and craft stuff. So even though it would have brought a good ROI, I’ll donate it before 2/29.

[Amatino]

Hot dog! I have a chandelier, a full size ship’s binnacle, a barrel side table and a full size desk from a famous California hotel that are cluttering up my space and I’m wondering WTF was I thinking! This challenge is right up my alley!

Only problem is… I HAVE the big stuff. How am I going to get rid of it? I know for sure I don’t want to just give up the binnacle, but it’s nearly as big as me and I don’t want to ship it either. What to do?

Oh, photos of your angel? It sounds divine! (hahaha! punny!) I’m looking for some garden art for my front gate. I wonder if it would make a good excuse for me to drive up to OK?

[Sharyn]

@Amatino – You should consider local pickup on eBay, or try Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or similar.

I do have an Indian food grinder that was something on my deathpile list LAST year. It weighs about 30 pounds, maybe more, and takes up some serious counter space. The box will need to be double-walled and pretty big, but first I need to test it.

So, I’m in. It has been sitting around WAY too long.

[VintageTreasures]

Hurrah Sharyn! Thanks for playing!

[VintageTreasures]

Ummm, no photos of the angel. One of the reasons I never listed it! But you are welcome to come visit me in Colorado anytime, friend! BUT you’ll probably be pretty busy in the near future trying to unload all your huge pieces – ROFLMAO! Geez Amatino, a full size binnacle?

And if that’s not enough for you, we’ll be doubling up on “extra” challenges in February to get caught up. Who wants to volunteer to come up with a challenge for February to be posted on February 1st? February will run concurrently with my January challenge.

[VintageTreasures]

Oh BTW Amatino (since I’m avoiding working on my taxes by lurking around the forum) I’ll add that if you don’t want to ship the whole chandelier you could take the crystals off and just sell those. I saw that Lavender Clothesline on YouTube had good results doing that.

[junque redux]

I’m in. I had to look up what a binnacle was… now I’m feeling better about my item, which is a folding seat and stool for a classical guitar player. All wood and quite heavy but not in binnacle league. Amatino, I’m sure some steampunk-y person somewhere is just waiting to do something magnificent with that.

[VintageTreasures]

Thank you for accepting the challenge junque redux – I love your moniker!

[Amatino]

https://imgur.com/j98VNPE

It is an honest-to-goodness full size functioning ship’s binnacle, off a ship. Not a knock off. Bought it and a engine room telegraph from a navy guy. It doesn’t have the Kelvin’s balls and the glass is broken, but it does have the original oil lamps. As you can see, it’s huge and it’s HEAVY! Selling it with local pick up is a no, because nobody in my area will buy this hunk. It needs to go somewhere like Virginia where it will get top dollar. But it’s going to be a beast to ship!

[Amatino]

Ohhhhh… junque redux… you just reminded me. I also have a full size kid’s patio set with table and 4 chairs painted in the Texas flag design.

Oy vey! VT, you’re killing me here!

[Sharyn]

Well, then, you might want to call UPS or FedEx (whichever is closer), give them the dimensions and weight, and ask how much it would be for them to package it. Then, add that cost to the cost of the item. Either as a handling fee or roll it into the overall price. Include in the description that it will be professionally packaged and shipped.

I saw recently something about bulk shipping options on eBay, but you would have to look that up. I think that it was for items over 100 pounds, and I have no idea if your binnacle is within that limit.

By the way, it is very cool. What a great thing for someone’s nautical themed beach house! Or a museum even!

[VintageTreasures]

That is an awesome piece! Thanks for the photo. Is that your hubby in the picture giving us perspective on the binnacle size?

Just to let you know Amatino, I was thinking one huge item out by the end of February. You really are game!

[Amatino]

Some folks might be offended, but I am most genuinely amused, because said hubby told me only this morning that I “look like a park ranger in that getup!” Next time I shall get myself into full belly dance regalia before I pose. 😀

[Sharyn]

I remember seeing a video you posted with you in your belly dance group, maybe part of a parade. I thought you had long hair, but maybe that was a wig or something as part of what you were wearing?

Definitely a ship artifact in a museum with the park ranger showing it all off!!!

[VintageTreasures]

Oops!!! I’m glad you are amused and not offended, I’m so sorry!

Now that I do more than quickly glance at the photo I see that I totally missed your girlish figure. I was concentrating on the binnacle and I think having your hair pulled back without seeing the henna color totally threw me off, because I know your hair is very long. Park Ranger: yes perhaps, but man – NO.

[Amatino]

ROFL. Truly, no offense taken. I have a sturdy, mesomorphic shape and a very square jaw line. My hair is very long, almost sit on it long, but after I accidentally taped myself to a order I was packing, I got into the habit of either braiding it or wearing it in a tight bun behind my head. It’s not visible in the photo above, so you are totally not at fault. I had to laugh though – I was so tempted to tell the hubs he needed to lose weight because he has boobies in his photo! 😀 I am so wicked!

[Vintage Lacy]

Amatino…so fun to see a picture of you!

I’m in on the extra challenge. I have three vintage wedding dresses that I have been sitting on (well not literally) since I used them in a Winter Wedding theme in my show in the fall of 2018. I keep thinking I am going to get them listed because they are all gorgeous….one is a designer dress from the early 1990s that originally sold for over 6 grand. The other two are from the 1970s and really lovely. But none of them sold at the show and they take up a LOT of space because they are all full skirted with petticoats. I’m going to donate them to a local thrift shop that does mostly higher end clothing. I love this particular thrift shop because the proceeds go towards helping local veterans who are struggling financially. The thrift shop helps towards their electricity bills and so forth. It’s a great cause.

Out they go in the next couple of weeks. Thanks VT for the nudge!

[Libby]

Hi All, just trying to catch up on forum! I do a ton of large items and list all on ebay as local pickup in conjunction with facebook marketplace. I usually have about 100 pieces of furniture. They do well!

[Amatino]

Libby, how lucky you are! I’d love to sell large items, especially furniture, some of it is just so beautiful and obviously has a story. I’ve tried selling some seriously cool pieces on Facebook marketplace. Crickets. The median income in this area is $23,000 per annum. I guess that explains a lot.

[Libby]

@Amantino, have you tried ebay local pickup? People travel for the right item.

[Libby]

My weekly total is 57. Woohoo!

[Amatino]

@Libby. I have. Obviously I have a severe bug problem, as I had those crickets again. 😀

[VintageTreasures]

40 for me. I met my January listing goal so I’m feeling good about finishing at least 1/12th of my year on target.

It seems to be working for me to go slow and steady and just stick with my daily quota. If I’m feeling ambitious after I meet my listing goal for the day I work on drafts to use in the future (instead of listing more than my quota that day). Having nearly completed drafts has saved me quite a few times when I have a really busy day and don’t have time to list my daily quota from scratch.

Now if I can just keep it up for the next 11 months!

[Jen]

Happy Monday! I had 38 listings for the week.

[chaoticgood]

I’m just going to sneak in hear and whisper 9 for the week.
That was disappointing. Excuses, excuses: We had cloudy days, my dental saga continues, and full-time work is killing me. This week won’t be much better, but I’m really, really going to try for 20. At least I stayed away from the bins and the only thrift store shopping I did was personal – bought two pairs of shoes for my daughter, and one pair for me.

[Sharyn]

I managed 7. Still working through my backlog slowly.

[Julie B]

23 for me this week.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 7 months ago by Julie B.

[Vintage Lacy]

20 for me this week. I was at the Gift Market in Vegas most of the week so I am okay with that number. I have some catching up to do and plan to do that this week.

New Trends seen at market….Lemons for spring and Llamas for Christmas. Lemons and llamas.

[Amatino]

😀 Chaoticgood, if you’re whispering, then I’m not even going to speak. I’ll just hold up 3 fingers! 😀

However, I have Reasons! The most exciting of all, after being quoted 3-6 weeks for the delivery of my cabin, it took 10 DAYS! It was delivered on this darling little tractor thing (I want one!) and my daughter said it looks like they put a bow on it! It’s the grapple from the tractor arm.
https://imgur.com/1pI61qm

By sheer serendipity, it matches the old storage shed perfectly. We painted the shed last year, so it was utterly unplanned, but delightful. We placed the new cabin as close as we could get to create a “corner unit” and the installers did a great job of placement.
https://imgur.com/hegAMFG

I truly believe my listing will improve once we’re done and I’m installed.
In the previous photo you can see the one window on the far side. In this photo you can see the door, which is exactly opposite that window, and the other window in the end. These 3 “windows” give lots of light at this end of the cabin. I really wanted to keep the back half clear of windows so that I have uncluttered storage area. Oh, and the dog approves.
https://imgur.com/F0RU8eb

And now the real work begins. We have to finish the interior. Electrical is being connected tomorrow. Then we have insulation, ceilings, insulation, dry wall, paint, and floors.
https://imgur.com/JNQuggs

[Utahbill]

Your new shed is awesome! Thanks for sharing the pictures. There is a facebook group called “Shed to Cabin” that will give you a lot of useful information and ideas.

[junque redux]

4 for me, ugh. Very exciting about the new building, Amatino!

[ChristineR]

Ugh. Just one for me this week. I’m staging myself for a big comeback. Ear infection, superbowl party, just life chaos and distraction.

[VintageTreasures]

Congratulations on the shed delivery Amatino. So awesome that it matches the other shed so perfectly! You will be a listing monster once you get the inside finished and all your eBay stuff moved in.

[Utahbill]

I have to log another goose egg for listing.

I will turn this around!

[littleBlueHouse]

22 for me. It would have been more, but I was figuring out variation listings.

[Amatino]

So good to have you on board, LittleBlueHouse. Welcome to the group.

Spreadsheet updated! Libby grabbed the win again, well done.

The eagle-eyed may notice a small change to the Goal numbers. Yup, I figured out how to alter the goals so that the total goal amount reflects the actual number of weeks you’re participating, for those of you who didn’t join from Week 1. It’s a small change, relatively simple. Don’t expect me to do any complicated math for special orders though! *wink*

Bonus time! Vintage Treasures has implemented a Monthly Challenge. The January Challenge is to remove ONE big item from your property. Scroll up for more info. In order to support her challenge and motivate you all, I am offering points at the end of the month. As Challenge Coordinator, VT gets to choose who gets the points and why. For example, in the January Challenge, she may give points for the largest item gotten out, or the most big items, or the most interesting big item! Whatever she decides, I will add a point to the board for her “winners”.

Have a great week, y’all. Go forth and list!

[VintageTreasures]

Thanks for the endorsement of the monthly bonus challenge Amatino!

For anybody who cares to participate this is a great way to boost your points totals without having to compete with unbeatable listing machine Libby – go, Libby go – you are an inspiration to us all!

Utahbill, I’m calling you out here – you said you would “turn it around and do better” so here’s your chance.

Also, who wants to come up with an idea for the next challenge? If no one volunteers I’ll post my next challenge idea, but heads up – you probably won’t love it, it involves a lot of time consuming work…

[Amatino]

Ok, February Challenge! (I don’t got time for “time consuming!”) 😀

List as much as you can find that is green, has shamrocks or leprechauns on it, or is green AND party related. Bonus points if you can put St Patrick’s Day or Irish or Paddy’s Day in the title.

If you list it all in February, it will be up in plenty of time for March. Ready… GO!

[VintageTreasures]

Thanks Amatino for thinking up a great February challenge! Even I didn’t want to do the one I had on the back burner – you saved us all!

[Amatino]

I’m on the board for the January Challenge. And SNAFU – none of the items I got rid of were the items listed when I joined! LOL

First out – an older lady, widowed a year earlier, told me she was clearing out her garage and I could have it all, as in “all or none.” So I dragged home two trucks full and sorted through it. Lots of good stuff there, well worth the time, and the not-so-good made its way to Goodwill. However, one of the items she gave me was that huge, wedge-shaped pillow they use for positions in the Kama Sutra or similar. Liberating? Liberation? Liberace? Anyway, I didn’t have a problem selling it, but at about 4ft tall, 3ft across and over 12″ for the wide end of the wedge, shipping gave me a headache. It was HEAVY too! I considered putting it on FB Marketplace, but I live in a really small conservative community, the kind where they ask you “Are you feeling better today, hon?” when you told nobody you were sick. So I thought that was a bad idea. What seemed a good idea was making it an SEP (somebody else’s problem).

Next up was a huge suitcase that I picked up at a street sale for only $2, because Samsonite! The wheels spun and glided like an Olympic skater in a 10-performance, and the sides are so sturdy you could drive over it with a tractor and, upon opening to check the incubator inside, you find it’s still safe and warm and maybe there’s a chick hatching? However, this delightfulness was outweighed by the fact that it was also HEAVY! If you packed it to capacity, it would exceed the airline weight allowance four-fold! I figured it would make a good steamer trunk, or even better, a prop for a human contortionist. Not only would he fit in it comfortably, but he’d have safe travels too! As I couldn’t figure out the keywords for an eBay listing that wouldn’t get me flagged for cruel and unusual punishment, it went.

Finally, VT’s original post about shelving got me to move this one out. It was a set of strong, sturdy wire baskets that stack vertically on each other. The kind of basket that has an angled front so you can get into it, stacked about 6ft high, and it held a LOT of stuff. Glorious! Only problem was that the “stacking” was accomplished by means of little “fingers” that hooked over the baskets below. These had a bad habit of unhooking if you bumped the stack, or moved it, or unbalanced it as you put something in or took it out. Nothing quite as much fun as wrestling a metal Jenga tower as it disintegrates on top of you! I considered a fix, like cable ties to secure the fingers, but I have a new cabin now and decided I didn’t want to move my Jenga game into the new space. Goodwill we go.

I also had a box of small items that were supposed to go to Goodwill yesterday with that lot, but it wouldn’t fit in the car once I wrestled them in there. Ergo, these pieces definitely qualify! 😀

[Sharyn]

So I thought that the “January” challenge allowed us to finish by the end of February? I’ve started on it, but haven’t finished yet.

I did test a large cabinet style dartboard and figured out that it didn’t work. Too bad. So, it’s in the garage waiting for garbage day next Monday.

I did get out my Indian food grinder and found out that the plug is for India. It must have been something that the couple brought from India to the US and then couldn’t use it. My husband got out his Swiss army knife of plug adapters, but he didn’t have anything for India. So, now my conundrum is to either buy an adapter plus a voltage converter (the machine doesn’t have one of those 120/240 switches) or dump it? Since new ones cost $250, I might get around $100 for this used, older model. On the other hand, it might not work, someone might not want to pay the shipping (it’s about 25 pounds!), and who would want to deal with all the adapters or the pain of bringing it back to India? I could sell the attachments, but I’m not sure there are many of these older models for US use. Anyway, I’m having issues making a decision here. I need the rest of February to figure this thing out!

[VintageTreasures]

Sharyn you are correct. You will have the rest of February to figure out the Indian food grinder.

The “January” challenge (because I proposed it so late in January) runs concurrently with the February challenge. You will have until the end of February to complete the January challenge. In the future I hope that each challenge will be proposed at the beginning of each month and end on the last day of the corresponding month.

[Sharyn]

So, a two month thing? If so, I might have something to start the beginning of March and end in April.

[VintageTreasures]

Sharyn: No, each challenge is one month long. The January challenge just ends in February because I didn’t come up with the idea until close to the end of January and I wanted to give everyone a month to complete each challenge. 12 challenges in a year, just a late start in January so January and February are running and ending at the same time.

I’d love it if you would post your idea for the March challenge at the beginning of March. The March challenge would end at the end of March, then we’d start a brand new challenge for April on April 1st.

[Amatino]

Oooh oooh oooh! Can I do the challenge for April 1st? Mwaaaaahahahahahahaha

https://imgur.com/gallery/Fy9pK37

[VintageTreasures]

Ummm, I’m kind of scared of your April 1st challenge Amatino, since it is April Fool’s Day. But yes, have at it!!!

I love your picture! I bet you didn’t know that I met Mr. T once (when the law firm I worked for represented him in a lawsuit). He cut down all the trees on his very expensive property in the tony North Shore suburbs of Chicago (I think the suburb was Kenilworth?) and put up a bunch of gaudy statues. The neighbors went nuts and sued him. I don’t remember the outcome, but it was cool meeting Mr. T. He was just like you’d expect, larger than life and wearing tons of gold jewelry!

[Sharyn]

My challenge would end in April for me. I would either make it a March challenge (but I would finish later) or make it an April challenge. Either way is fine for me.

[VintageTreasures]

Amatino can your challenge wait or does it have to start on April Fool’s Day?

[Amatino]

LOL. My Challenge can wait. I just loved the idea of coming up with a funny challenge for April because of April Fool’s day. 🙂

[Amatino]

P.S. I never met Mr T (you lucky dog!) but I always thought he was the best!

[VintageTreasures]

Thanks Amatino!

Sharyn your challenge will be the April 1st challenge, ending on April 30th. Does anyone want to claim March?

P.S. Amatino – I pity the fool who doesn’t eat Mr. T’s cereal. I loved that commercial!

[Libby]

67 for the week. Going to be a low two weeks coming up, have to do a bit of travel!

[Sharyn]

On the other end of the scale from Libby, I did two listings.

I had car problems where I had to bring the car back twice because the issue wasn’t fixed. They didn’t charge me much, but it ate up my time. Then I went to an auction on Friday, which was a full day affair. Oh, and I did sell quite a few things, so there’s that.

[VintageTreasures]

I finished 39 new listings.

Weather permitting I’m going on a day trip to the hot springs tomorrow, so I did complete some extra drafts that I can quickly list tomorrow after I get home from the hot springs. It’s an all day trip. I’ll be getting up early to pack and ship; hopefully I don’t have any sales that will take a long time to pack.

I’ve had a few great sales lately! A pair of ice skates I bought for $5 sold for $200 and a vintage chest of paper dolls that I bought for under $5 sold for $250. The buyer of the paper dolls already contacted me to say how happy she is with the purchase. Fingers crossed that the ice skates are a hit too. High dollar sales always make me nervous. I’d had both of those items listed for quite awhile. In my experience the consistent listing every day really helps with my sales. So thanks Amatino and Vintage Lacy for this great 2020 in 2020 challenge!

Wishing everyone a great week!

[Vintage Lacy]

45 for me this week. Two are part of the “green” February challenge. It’ll be fun to see how that challenge shapes up for all of us. I still haven’t donated the wedding dresses (January challenge) but hopefully that happens in the next week or two.

Hope everyone has a good week ahead.

[chaoticgood]

10 items listed for me this week.
2 green items: some vintage Zena jeans and a New Era hat.

Last week was a blur thanks to 9-5+ work and more work at the dentist. Thought I would have more posted, but I did quite a bit of crossposting. Made 9 sales, which is a great number for me. Also donated a small bag of stuff at the thrift store. I’m also trying to get my phone photo storage under control. Making strides on that, but I want to make sure I don’t have to re-photograph anything.

[littleBlueHouse]

17 listed last week. Pretty good considering what a week I had! Starting out fresh this week and going for more. 🙂

[Julie B]

Mark me down for a whopping 1. This challenge has opened my eyes to how little I actually get listed!

[Jen]

30 Listings for me this week. Thanks!

[Amatino]

I wonder what Libby considers “low end”? Hmm…. LOL

Sorry you had car troubles, Sharyn. Hope they’re sorted now. Awesome sales, VT! Yay for green items going up. I found something to list that’s green. It was going into the Goodwill bin, but I threw it in the box, then realized it would be perfect for the green challenge and dug it out again. Just have to get listing!

Zero for me this week. Too much going on.

The cabin’s electric has been connected to the mains pole, and Himself did the interior wiring. R-30 insulation up in the ceiling.
https://imgur.com/6O6vRIn

Instead of ceiling boards or tiles, we went old-school and used corrugated steel panels. Very 1800s look, but it has the added bonus of reflecting light. R-19 insulation in the walls.
https://imgur.com/RVMxHnl

The sheet rock walls have been done too, only the gambrel ends left to be done.
https://imgur.com/4IrFCpA

Costs to date:
Concrete pads for the base $100
12×28 ft lofted cabin with extended side walls (so that the interior walls are 8ft, not 6ft), 2x therma-pane 3×5 windows, 9-light door, roof felt and upgraded floor $8,400
Electrical to mains connection $575
Interior electrical supplies and various consumables $200
Ceiling insulation and panels $700
Wall insulation and panels $400
Drywall mud and finishing supplies $150
Total: $10,525

It’s not cheap, is it?

[Amatino]

Oh my gosh, just realized that the light looks pink in this photo. It’s actually a rusty, red color. Too funny! I can’t wait to tell Himself he has pink tools! 😀 😀 😀 😀

[ChristineR]

Oh dear. Did not list this week. I did finish my bookkeeping and tax stuff and will turn that over tomorrow to the CPA. I’m also distracted with kid stuff.

[Utahbill]

Yet another zero for me. Sigh… too much travel.

[Amatino]

Julie B and UtahBill – it’s quite sobering when you see your numbers in print, isn’t it? I’ve “lost” this Challenge 3 years in a row now, and I no longer use any excuses for my low sales. It’s me – I’m not listing. It can be a great motivator, or, at the very least, can make you take a look at your work process and figure out why you’re not listing.

Spreadsheet updated – Libby is now renamed Speedy Gonzales! 😀

Does anyone want to change their annual goal total? Have a look at your final numbers and see if you want to adjust for actual listing amounts, or use it as a kick on the keister to get moving!

We’re also almost halfway through February. There’s one January Challenge posted (Me! Wheee!) and a few February greens are up. Yay! Join the fun, folks!

[Libby]

Okay, we are on the road doing college visits, so I am posting my number now! 74. Don’t ask me how . . .I am tired. Thanks for keeping me motivated.

[VintageTreasures]

39 for me. I’m going on a 4 day trip this Friday and I’m very nervous about making my listing goal for next week. I need to channel Libby this week.

[Utahbill]

Only one for me this week, but that’s better than none. 🙂

[Vintage Lacy]

63 for me this week. A nice solid week…feels good and I got caught up finally with my goal. No green listings this week but I already have several lined up for this upcoming week so should have better green numbers to report next week.

Libby I sure am glad I don’t feel the urge to compete and put up the amazing numbers you are getting done. You are a listing rock star!

I’m going to my dad’s beach house in Southern Oregon on Friday for the weekend, so I’ll have to hustle and get all my listing done before then.

[junque redux]

0 for me this week and only 8 the week before (I forgot to post).

[chaoticgood]

16 regular listings for me, with 2 green items. One was even a shamrock necklace.

I was looking for an item that sold, and basically looked in most of the areas that hold listed and unlisted inventory in my office. Oh, boy. There has to be at least 500 items, maybe 1000. I really need to get a move-on or just dump some of this inventory.

This week at the “regular job” shouldn’t require as many extra hours, so I am hoping I can meet my goal and maybe recover some on the previous weeks. I sold four bulky and fragile items this past week, so at least I have the relief of them being gone.

[littleBlueHouse]

Listed 5 – Which considering the family was sick this week with ear infections and colds, I would say not so bad. Picking it up this week.

[Sharyn]

I listed 21 items this week. Finally, I met my goal for once!

Funny, though, I have no green items to list. Nothing Irish either. I did list one large item for the January challenge.

[Amatino]

Libby, I’m changing your name in the Challenge Spreadsheet to Girl on Fire. You’re hot, chica!

100% improvement, UtahBill, and one more than I managed! 😀

Updated for both weeks, junqueredux

Zero for me again this week. Been a busy week of not eBay and not-much cabin either. The ceiling fan was installed, plug outlets wired, and the dry wall papered, but too busy to do much else.

LittleBlueHouse, I didn’t want to clutter the other thread with my info, but I’ve pretty much taken over the entire house with my business, which is why Himself got me the cabin. His business takes up a lot of real estate with half the garage given over to shelving for machines and stuff, but my business takes up the other half of the garage, almost every room in the house, and an 8ft by 16ft shed we bought for it a couple years back. I think he has been incredibly patient with me! Our house is also tiny, less than 1,000sqft, with almost no storage, so that makes it all worse. *wink* By moving my entire eBay business out to the cabin, I will have a dedicated work space, which will hopefully make me more efficient, and we’ll have our home back. Can’t wait!

[Libby]

Your new workspace is going to be a game changer! And I am so excited to watch the progress. Very fun. You can change me to “Girl on Fire”, lol. But my flame is dimming . . . college tours here with my daughter and a lot of juggling 🙂

[Jen]

I listed 29 new listings this week. Thanks!

[ChristineR]

Ebay is just sitting on the back burner unfortunately. We were college touring and I’m finally getting over my unusual month long ear infection. Sold a few items, so that’s great but no listings last week. February has always been my worst sales month. I hope everyone else in the challenge is doing better than me. I don’t even want to look at the spreadsheet yet. :/

[Amatino]

Oh, I forgot! VT, another two out for the January challenge. The chandelier mentioned when I accepted the challenge and another shelf that I love because it’s wood, but it’s unstable and generally just holds junk. I cleared the junk and moved it on with the chandelier to a charity group that supports abused women and children. They were thrilled, so, yay! That’s five out.

Now I have to decide what to do with the patio set, the barrel side table, and the desk. The binnacle is going to be listed, but I very much doubt it will be sold and out by end February.

Huh. Perhaps I should challenge the Universe and list it just to be perverse! 😀

[Amatino]

Spreadsheet updated, Libby wins again.

We seem to have lost Aperture, she’s been moved down. Julie B, post your numbers whenever you have a chance and I’ll update.

Now, go list, y’all!

Don’t forget – January Challenge – get rid of one LARGE item; sell it, donate it, junk it. Post about it when you do. February Challenge – list something GREEN. Bonus points if you can put St Patrick’s Day in the title.

[Julie B]

Whoopsie, I forgot to post on Monday – 9 for me. Thank you!!

[VintageTreasures]

25 for me. Posting early because I’m out of town until Monday night and won’t be listing again until Tuesday.

[Jen]

41 listings for me this past week. Trying to catch up to Libby! Hah!

[Amatino]

Julie B, you were updated.

Zero for me again. More work completed on the cabin.

All the drywall was skimmed
https://imgur.com/x8dt7Mi

And we painted. I bought two gallons of “oopsie” paint from Home Depot, then had to rummage through our stash of old “oopsie” paint to find two more gallons. It took all 4 gallons! We tried to find colors that looked like that infinitesimal drop they put on the lids to indicate color, but the drops were deceiving. So now we have a 3-color scheme. The back area which will be all shelving is kind of a concrete color, the loft ceiling above that is a pale peachy-pink, and everything else is off-white. Oops? 😀
https://imgur.com/yZVlQZi

Himself found the perfect ceiling fan to go with the tin ceilings. It has distressed wood fan blades!
https://imgur.com/udTtKca

And this last photo is just to give you an idea of the distance from the cabin to the house
https://imgur.com/PS8YAaB

[Utahbill]

Thanks for the update and photo’s. It’s exciting to see your new space coming together.

[Vintage Lacy]

22 for me this week but the escape to the beach house was much needed. 15 of those listings were GREEN, including one St Patricks item, so I feel pretty good about the February challenge. My total for February is 17 now and I have a few more to do before the end of the month. I haven’t donated the wedding dresses though so that’ll have to happen this week, for the January challenge.

Hope everyone has a great week ahead…let’s finish February strong!

[Julie B]

It’s a big old goose egg for me this week – 0.

[Libby]

41 for me this week.

[junque redux]

3 for me. But one of them sold right away, so there’s that. Instead of listing, I cleaned up my office/ebay receiving area and discovered it actually has a floor. Who knew?

[Utahbill]

Just one again for me this week.

[Sharyn]

Second week I’m keeping to my goal. 20 for me.

[Amatino]

Chaoticgood, ChristineR, and LittleBlueHouse, post your numbers when you can and I’ll update you.

Aperture, I noticed elsewhere that you’re just back from 4 weeks in Japan. Are you coming back to join the Challenge? I can reinstate you easily, you were just moved below the group. I didn’t realize you were away.

Folks, let me know if you’re going to be away and I’ll pre-populate the spreadsheet with zeroes so that we know that you’re away, not out.

Yikes! Last week of both the January and February challenges! Get busy and join in the final stretch. January Challenge – get rid of ONE large item, either by selling it or by just moving it on out.
February Challenge – list something green. Bonus points if you can put St Patrick’s Day in the title.

VT – I’ve added a Challenge Points column to the spreadsheet. You just tell me who earned what.

Now… drum roll please…. for the first time ever, we have a tie for winner of the week! Jen and Libby each get one point! Hey, let’s go for a hat trick! 😀 Well done folks. Don’t forget the Challenges!

[littleBlueHouse]

So Sorry! 10 – and I have no excuse why there isn’t more. Although I am kicking butt this week. I hope I keep it up.

[Amatino]

You’ve been added, LBH.

VT – do you have a March Challenge yet? I just stumbled on a fun one.

[VintageTreasures]

Amatino, you are welcome to be in charge of the March challenge, I’m glad you found an idea! Thanks!

I am about to fail at my own January challenge. I didn’t get rid of the angel, once I took it out of the much too large shipping box I found for it it doesn’t seem as heavy or large as I remembered so I gave into the temptation to keep it to list next Christmas. I’m just too cheap to donate it; I think it’ll bring a $50 profit. Of course I’ve intended to list for the past 2 Christmas seasons and didn’t, so time will tell. Sigh.

[Amatino]

LOL. Maybe it’s because I want it. It will wait for me to get there to visit you and come home with me. Mwaaaahahahahahaha!

Okay, when do you want the March Challenge? March 1st?

[Amatino]

Phew! Just squeaked in for the February Challenge! 😀

https://www.ebay.com/itm/184191606627

Listed one green item with St Patrick’s in the title! Although I think Libby took the crown on this one, she listed a LOT of green! LOL.

And that’s my one and only listing for the week.

[ChristineR]

2020 has not been a good time to stock my Ebay store. A lot of busyness and some struggles. So, I guess you can keep me on with zeros until I get back in the swing of things or just remove me. I still love Ebay selling but it’s had to go on the back burner for now.

[VintageTreasures]

Yes Amatino, if you could add the March Challenge on March 1st that would be ideal. I think we should all report our results for the January and February challenges on March 1st or ASAP too.

I listed 2 green things for the February challenge, and both sold! I found out that I have almost no green things in my death piles, which is odd since I really like the color green…Zero on the St. Patrick’s Day eBay titles for me. I just had some green fabric and green place mats. I failed at my own January challenge completely, I kept the mechanical angel. And I’m betting that Amatino will be the winner for January, she’s been rocking getting rid of big items!

Anyone who wants extra points for the January and February challenges, please report your results!

[Sharyn]

I feel good about the January challenge because it did inspire me to get moving on some big and/or heavy items. However, I didn’t do anything with that food grinder. I did decide not to list it. I plan to give it away, but I have to take a photo and post it to a Facebook group or two.

I tested a large electronic dart board that I bought in March last year, but it didn’t work. Out it went to the garbage, and I can at least say that I met the challenge.

I did test and list two older iMacs and an electronic Smith Corona typewriter. One iMac I just listed today. None of these items have sold yet, but at least they are now available for purchase!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/184171096295
http://www.ebay.com/itm/184191819463
http://www.ebay.com/itm/184183505662

[Sharyn]

As far as the February challenge, I really didn’t have anything green. The only thing I can say is I grouped a bunch of fabric remnants into one lot, and a few were green.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 6 months ago by Sharyn.

[VintageTreasures]

Sharyn you did meet the January challenge with the dart board. Good for you! And it doesn’t hurt that you got those other large items listed for sale either.

I did sell a couple of my larger items but I listed those before the challenge started so they don’t count for me. But it feels good to have a half of an inventory shelf cleared now that those 2 large items are gone.

[Amatino]

Yay! March! I may suck at listing at the moment (ChristineR – you’re welcome to stay and just zero out until you get a listing or two up, look at my weeks! LOL) but these Challenges are very motivating for me!

Okay, March is Daylight Saving Time and therefore the Challenge is… drum roll… Halloween!

Ha! TOLD you I found a fun fact for the Challenge! 😀

From this very interesting article on NPR I found the following:

For 25 years, candy-makers have wanted to get trick-or-treat covered by Daylight Saving, figuring that if children have an extra hour of daylight, they’ll collect more candy. In fact, they went so far during the 1985 hearings on Daylight Saving as to put candy pumpkins on the seat of every senator, hoping to win a little favor.

If you read the article, you will learn that DST is a huge money earner and retailers keep pushing it. We’re now up to eight months of extra hours, due to lobbying.

So, the March Challenge is Halloween. Get your crap up early and you’ll beat the rush in September.

Happy Listing, y’all!

[Utahbill]

This will be a fun challenge, and I have a whole box of Halloween stuff that I picked up at a garage sale last fall.

[Libby]

Okay, I have 84 this week!

[VintageTreasures]

Darn it Amatino I just listed vintage Halloween party invitations yesterday!

[Amatino]

Sorry VT! In my defense, you were the one who said to only post the Challenge on March 1st! 😀

But isn’t it a fun one? Not what anyone was expecting, I think.

I’ve long been on the “ban daylight saving” wagon, now I read that it’s been punted by retailers for extra buying time. And the figures involved! We’re never getting rid of DST. 🙁

[Sharyn]

I wish they would just move to DST and not bother going back. If the change in hours helps with energy savings, sales, whatever, just stick with it. I hate the change in time.

[VintageTreasures]

Hello All,

34 new listings for me. I was still on vacation for the first day of the week, then it took me 2 days to bounce back after I returned. All in all not too bad a number for only listing 4 out of the 7 days.

Sadly our cat passed away on 2/19/20. We had him for 19 years and it’s been hard for me to get over the heartbreak and continue business as usual. But I know the pain will pass. I’m hoping to get back to life as usual next week and make my quota. Fingers crossed.

Hope all is well for everyone and I wish you all a great week!

[Jen]

24 Listings for me this week. Yippee! My taxes are almost complete. Will have to remind myself through 2020 not to wait so long to keep up with my bookkeeping. Hope to reach my listing goal this week. 🙂

[Utahbill]

Two for me this week. It’s not many, but it is an improvement.

[Vintage Lacy]

VT, so sorry to hear about your cat passing. I know all too well how painful it is to lose a beloved cat. Sending you a big hug from Oregon.

I listed 60 items this week. That includes 15 green items. My total for the February challenge is 32 green items, including 2 that are St Pat’s. That was a fun challenge. I am psyched to do Halloween…good one Amatino! I always have the best intentions with my seasonal items but most of the time they don’t get listed when they should. And they sell all year long so I have no excuse. I listed a Christmas item last week and it sold 3 days later. I got rid of the 3 wedding dresses, yesterday, so it was just under the wire for the January challenge. But the important thing is that they are GONE. They had the big bulky skirts/petticoats so they took up soooo much space. Nice to have that corner back! I’m digging these monthly challenges so far…adds to the fun.

Hope everyone has a great week ahead.

[Sharyn]

I listed 33 items last week.

[Julie B]

Only 3 listings this week.

[littleBlueHouse]

30 listings this week! Finally (supposedly) getting caught up!

[Amatino]

So sorry about your kitty, VT. It really does hurt!

[junque redux]

6 for me. I failed on both the previous challenges but I think I can do the Halloween one.

Sorry about your kitty, VT. Peace to you and your family.

[Amatino]

Spreadsheet updated, Libby wins with a blistering week! VL made a valiant effort to oppose.

VT, please advise the points allocation for the January and February Challenges?

Go list folks! And don’t forget the March Challenge: Halloween!

[VintageTreasures]

Amatino, I think you should allocate the points for your challenge in February.

For January I would like to allocate a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. 3 points for 1st place goes to Amatino for countless large items out the door. 2 points for 2nd place goes to Vintage Lacy for 3 large items donated and 1 point for 3rd place goes to Sharyn for 1 item out the door.

If anyone else participated please post about it here as my intention was to give everyone who participated 1 point if they met the challenge.

Thank you to everyone who expressed sympathy about my cat passing. Your kindness and caring is greatly appreciated.

[Amatino]

Ok, using VT’s “rules” for points:
1st place – 3 points to Vintage Lacy who totally rocked green with 32 items listed, plus 2 bonus points for St Pat’s in the title.
2nd place – 2 points to ChaoticGood for 4 green items listed
3rd place – 1 points to VT for 2 items listed.

Sharyn and I both get participation points, and I get 1 bonus point for St Pat’s in the title. It feels weird to allocate myself points! 😀

Oooh, these Challenge points are interesting! In just two Challenges, VL has almost caught up to Libby’s weekly listing points streak! How much fun this is! Go, go, go, folks!

March Challenge – Halloween. Go make some spooktacular listings!

[Amatino]

Wow, what a week! Will post updates of the cabin tomorrow. It was late by the time we finished and I forgot any photographic device.

Listed 25 this week. Feel so motivated to get back to work on eBay now that I have such an awesome cabin to work in. No… I haven’t moved into the cabin yet, but it’s still motivating. Also, I cut fabric wrong, broke needles on my serger, and generally had a really sucky day, so after a whopper of a 2-year-old temper tantrum, I spent yesterday listing. Did more than half of the week’s number yesterday instead of sewing my complicated costume. Procrastination is my friend! Now I have a couple midnight runs to get through to catch up lost sewing time. Gah!

[Vintage Lacy]

Wowza Amatino, congrats! You’ll get the sewing done, you always do, but in the meantime you got so much listed…I can’t wait to see what you get accomplished once you are moved into the cabin completely.

46 for me. I had 2 Halloween items lined up but just couldn’t get to them. Good thing we have all month for that challenge. Can I make a suggestion for the July challenge? Christmas in July? It’s not real original but I know I could use the kick in the pants to get Christmas listed in the summer. I always have the best intentions, but I never seem to get to all the fantastic vintage Christmas I have to list.
The Christmas death pile keeps growing and growing.

The two other problem children I have are linens and clothing. My death piles for both of those keep growing too. They just aren’t as easy to list as other things so I keep putting them off.

[littleBlueHouse]

59 for me. Trying to list as much as I can to hopefully get my sales up, but This week has been rough in sales.

[ChristineR]

hurray! finally got on the board with 16 listings, 11 unique.

VL I love to buy fabric and linens too and not get to listing them.

[VintageTreasures]

Good job, Amatino! I’m so happy that your new eBay cabin is motivating you before you even move into it. That’s great! I’m looking forward to seeing photo updates on the cabin progress.

Only 31 new listings for me. I knew it would be difficult to reach my quota with the International Film Festival happening over the weekend. Fitting in listing with seeing 5 films over the weekend was a fail. Great films though!

I also find just listing death pile items demotivating. While it’s great to get those old items listed I find that I tend to quit listing entirely after a few days of death pile only listing. I need to get out and find some (new to me) items to sell to get my mojo back.

[VintageTreasures]

Vintage Lacy: You are elected for the July challenge idea. That’s the perfect challenge for July. I have tons of death pile Christmas items that have never been listed in time to sell in past holiday seasons. And I’m sure you and I are not the only ones with leftover unlisted Christmas stuff.

Sharyn is handling the April challenge. If anyone wants to grab any of the remaining free months, just say so!

Wishing everyone a great week!

[Sharyn]

I managed 9 listings this week. My number is a bit low because I had several sales that required careful packing (taking longer than normal) and a live auction and online auction on Friday.

I have two things to thank Amatino for (other than inspiring us through this thread/challenge). The first is recommending a small, inexpensive photo studio on a different post. I was photographing jewelry (for commission) this past week, and it really helped immensely.

The other is for the cute prize for my 2018 Trash Elf win! I forgot to mention it last week. Since I’m definitely slowing down on the listing (plus the competition is FIERCE this year), I am happy to revel in my past success.
https://imgur.com/owIQzhE

[Libby]

I have 64 for the week.

[VintageTreasures]

I just sold a Halloween costume sewing pattern. Not one of the 4 Halloween sewing patterns I’ve listed since March 1st for our March challenge but most likely it sold because I listed those 4. It seems to me that listing items in certain categories always begets sales in those same categories. I’m sure this pattern had been listed for at least 6 months. Thank you Amatino for the Halloween challenge!

[Jen]

I was able to list 48 items for the past week. Was a good listing week for me. It’s been in the 60’s here in Indiana today. The weather was a good motivator to Spring clean. Decided to list some of my own clutter this week.

[chaoticgood]

I listed 9 last week. Not much, but better than my big old zero for the previous week.

I traveled the previous week, and then came home and got the flu, I think. On top of 3-4 days of serious fever, it took a lot of recovery time – I even took half a sick day just to nap.

I don’t want to jinx it, but I am off to a good start this week. I drafted a bunch of listings on Sunday night, then took measurements and photographed over my lunch hour yesterday. I don’t know if I can keep up the pace for the whole week, but it looks promising.

[Amatino]

Spreadsheet updated. Libby wins again, with a very close call offered by LittleBlueHouse, just five listings off the mark. Phew! Nailbiter!

JulieB, JunqueRedux and UtahBill, add your totals when you can and I’ll update you. Aperture – you coming back?

So glad there’s fun to be had with the Halloween Challenge. It ends on the last day of March, so you have 2/3 of the month still to get your listings up.

VL has the July Challenge and Sharyn has the April one, so we’re looking for Challengers for May and June. Anyone wanna step forward and issue a call to action?

VT, if you struggle to list DP items, why not set yourself a goal of adding one (or 3 or 5) to your daily listing total? As in, of the 39 you plan to list each week, if you’re working on 13 items in 3 days, make it 10 new items and 3 DP items. You’ll make a dent in your DPs without reducing your listing time or getting burnout.

List, dammit, LIST!

[Julie B]

21 for me. Every week I think finally, this is the week I can crank out some serious listings and then something happens to cause my full time job to keep piling on. But 21 for me, is pretty good given my work chaos.

[Libby]

Okay 47 this week, but no Halloween! I better get on that. How fun!

[ChristineR]

Zero for me this week. I’m completely uncertain about what to expect from my day job. Could be crickets, could be crazy. We’ve been instructed to work from home. If crickets, I plan to get into the piles, even though the kids are home I’m guessing through summer maybe. Here in Cali we are not making any unnecessary trips and some of the thrifts are closing anyway.

[junque redux]

8 for me this past week, 0 the week before. This is my busy season at work. I already work remotely so at least no issues there.

[VintageTreasures]

24 new listings for me.

We left for a driving trip on Thursday to a neighboring state, but after spending one night halfway there we found out someone in a hotel in the town we were headed for tested positive. Since the news story didn’t specify the hotel we turned around and came home. There had been zero positive tests in that state before that, so we thought we would be safe if we drove instead of flying there. Nope.

I spent a day getting ready for the trip and 2 days driving there and back, so last week I only had 4 days for listing. And that is my latest excuse for not making my quota.

Now that we’re hunkered down at home like doomsday preppers I’m out of excuses. I plan to make my quota this week.

Wishing everyone a safe and healthy week!

[Amatino]

Zero for me this week.

SO excited to share photos of my cabin, but someone slipped a scorpion into Himself’s underpants and he insisted we clear out the garage! Now my cabin is cluttered to the hilt and I have to sort it out before I can post pictures. Sigh…

We spent a lot of time this week getting the cabin ready. The floor is in, the loft has a new vinyl floor, while the cabin has a vinyl plank floor, the same Allure Trafficmaster we use in our rental properties. In a MUCH nicer color! My packing station has been moved down there, we installed the filing cabinets I had, and Himself built a photo booth shelf and packing supplies storage facility. Then he built the shelves for my totes and installed the ladder to the loft. We moved my inventory inside and sorted out the shed to become my new storage center. Everything that has not yet been listed is in the shed. Well… almost everything. A few random boxes of stuff need to be rummaged out from under my desk and the bed and the spare room closet and – er – yeah.

I hope to get most of it sorted out this week and then will post photos.

On the COVID front, I’ve been shut down. After all the hard work the ladies and I have done on our incredible costumes, the entire facility is closed and our public performance has been postponed until further notice. So I’m quarantined whether I like it or not. Fortunately, I’m a born and bred farm girl and we’ve been on the ranch a couple years, so we’re pretty self-sufficient. If things get rough, we’ll be contributing heavily to the Texas feral hog eradication problem! 😀

[Vintage Lacy]

So sorry to hear about your performance being shut down, Amatino. It has to be extremely disappointing, after all the hard work. And VT your trip being thwarted must have been very frustrating too. I made the very difficult decision last week to cancel my Spring show. This is our 25th year and I was planning a big celebration, which will be postponed until the Fall show in October. It was pointed out to me that I’ve been fortunate in not having to cancel a show in 25 years, and I am trying to maintain that glass half full mindset. My customers have been tremendously supportive and appreciative of the fact that I am keeping their health and safety foremost in my decision. Who knows, perhaps by October they’ll be back and buying even more in their gratitude. It does however, mean a blow to my income. A rather big one, but we’ll all weather this storm.

We are doing the social distancing now and hunkering down to only go out for essential errands. There’s been one death already just a few miles from here and more cases every day. My mom is at high risk for severe danger from the covid-19, due to her age and lung issues. So no more scavenging or sourcing for now. This is when I am glad that I have quite the death pile. I have PLENTY to keep me busy and many projects I can now tackle.

I didn’t get to the Halloween items this past week but have them lined up to list and will do so this week. I listed 50 items last week and hope to keep listing listing listing.

Onward and upwards!

[Sharyn]

I listed 28 items.

@Amatino: I had requested the April because I had an event that would coincide with the challenge. Just about everything around here has been cancelled or changed to remote (except that I didn’t get out of my dentist appointment this morning). So, the event in April is no longer happening, and I can either change it to another month or leave it as-is. Previously, you said that you had an April challenge that would go well with April Fools. I can now easily switch to May. What say you?

[Sharyn]

I should add that life has turned crazy here as well. My daughter is home on spring break from college, but will be doing online classes for at least two weeks after maybe longer.

My son, who is a sophomore at our local VoTech, started today with online classwork, which will go for at least a week, and I’m sure it is going to be longer. Of course, he can’t do his main elective, Automotive Services, online. The crazy thing is that his teacher, who is new this year, has been out for about 5 weeks due to back surgery. They just brought the previous teacher, who had retired, back in as a substitute. So, now he is going to go for maybe two months without any automotive work except for a few computer modules and tests. Really puts a wrench into everything, literally as well as figuratively.

I just found out that the governor of NJ just announced the closure of all movie theaters, gyms, and restaurants in addition to the schools, so, wow, we are living in a really weird world.

[Sharyn]

Oops, my mistake. I listed 31 items. I forgot three that sold right away!

[VintageTreasures]

Sharyn, we are right there with you. Schools, gyms, etc are all closed here as of tomorrow. My sister in San Francisco has been ordered to “shelter in place”. While I hope it doesn’t come to that here, we are pretty much already doing that. I had a feeling when I went to the gym today that it might be the last time for awhile.

I still can’t find any chicken or toilet paper at the grocery store, but I’ve adapted to no library by purchasing a kindle and to no gym by ordering weights and bands.

On a more positive note: I feel better about having a death pile now 🙂

[littleBlueHouse]

7 – but I have a feeling I might have a bit more next week.

[Julie B]

Another 0 for me. Had to prepare for TWO IRS compliance audits at work, which is a bit unheard of. And then they were both postponed. Oh well, at least I’m ready for them now.

[Amatino]

Spreadsheet updated. Vintage Lacy wins the day, scooting past Libby to snatch the prize with a mere 3 listings! It’s going to be very interesting to see how the numbers change now with the new Hibernation Happening. 😀

Those who didn’t post numbers, let me know when you get a chance and I’ll update the spreadsheet.

Wishing you all a safe, uninfected, week with lots of listings and sales.

@Sharyn Sure, I can pick up April if you’d prefer. Mr T is happy to have his day!

[chaoticgood]

My total for last week was 14. After a really strong start, COVID really started to affect our area, and I’ve been swamped with work and getting ready for social isolation. And — good news — sales were keeping me busy.

I listed 14 items last week. Which was the same number I sold, so that’s great.

[Utahbill]

Sorry, I have been AWOL so long. I was traveling in a remote area with sporadic internet service. Can you log 3 weeks straight of 0 listings for me please? I think that will make me current.

[Amatino]

I’m operational! Himself says I can’t say “I’m finished” because there’s more to be done, but my eBay business is moved in and I spent the last couple days sorting everything out. I feel so swish, I tell you!

These LED tube lights (instead of the old fluorescent tubes) were installed on both ends, one on this side where all the windows are and two at the other end between the shelving. You can also see the trim that has been added around the windows and door.
https://imgur.com/qUCIk1g

The back half is mostly done. ON the right wall is my eBay business. Behind the ladder is shelving, which is mostly eBay but I’ve “stolen” the bottom shelf for sewing.
https://imgur.com/ANn5W9Z

The shelves hold the totes for clothing. Very bottom shelf has invisible sewing items (I hadn’t put them in there yet when I snapped the photos.)
https://imgur.com/hqAc74Z

The file cabinets hold mostly hard goods. I was given the wire shelf, which Himself mounted to maximize vertical space. On the very right (behind the wood shelf) are the plastic shelves used by Cricut folks to hold their paper and vinyl. I was given a box of it and it works to hold all my PFREs and polymailers.
https://imgur.com/A2FjzRB

The packing supplies station has a shelf to hold my giant photo lightbox. The packing supplies are above and below that shelf and overflow up into the loft. You can just see the totes with tissue paper on the top right. I have a tote with packing paper and a lot of extra large boxes flat packed up there too, with loads more room.
https://imgur.com/18K9fab

Next to the photo booth and packing supplies is my listing and packing station. You can see a space on the left of my big lightbox. The little lightbox will go there. I’ll have a lot more room left over, so I will have some space for extra items. Haven’t worked out what to add in there, perhaps more packing materials. I’m sure it will get used eventually. The peg board is only partially packed, I have a whole box of pegs to use, but I’m trying to be judicious in my set up, so adding as I need rather than just cluttering. To the right of the table, cut off in the photo, is a small triangular space created by the door opening inwards. I have a stool in there, so that I can sit if I’ve got a lot of work and I’m tired of standing.
https://imgur.com/ec5Cs6O

The left wall is a bit of a work in progress. My quilt frame is there, for now. It will probably move at some point. We’re still trying to figure that out.
https://imgur.com/WNU6OqE

In this photo on the left you can see the stool I mentioned, and how the door opens into it. You can see the lovely trim around the windows and door. The beautiful vinyl plank floor needs a wash in this photo, and was washed before I locked up this evening. On the far wall, everything is temporary. I have an “intake shelf” on the very left next to the door, so that I can unload new stock straight onto it, and the totes are shoes that haven’t been put away yet.
https://imgur.com/tfvjUfC

This light-filled section will be my sewing area, with a large shelf to be built into the left corner to stay as my intake shelf, but the middle, right corner, and right wall will all be dedicated to my sewing machine and serger. And coverstitch when I eventually get my grubby paws on one! We will build in a floor to ceiling shelf unit on the right wall next to the window, and behind that will be the “parking” area for a sliding ladder (a la library) to get to the loft on this side.

That’s pretty much it for the cabin build, as far as eBay goes. Dunno if you all want to see the sewing and dance progression as they get built, but this is my functional work space for now. The other stuff will have to wait until the Crazy is over and we have spare funds. With me being laid off due to COVID-19, we’re being frugal until the cash flow kicks in again.

[VintageTreasures]

OMG Amatino, I’m green with envy! Your set up is incredible, every single thing has been thought out and set up. You are going to fly through listing, and every other process involved with selling on eBay. Kudos to you and your hubs – your eBay cabin looks divine!

I totally want to see the rest of the set up for sewing, etc when you get it done. I’m looking for even more ideas to steal – LOL!

[Jen]

Beautiful pics of your build Amatino. Loved looking through them and happy for you… I’m behind a week on posting due to not feeling well last week. Feeling much better this week and was able to get up a few listings. Last week my total was 31 and this past week was 26. Hope everyone stays well!

[VintageTreasures]

39 new listings for me. I’m posting now because I know I’m done for the night, whew! I feel good about making my goal # of listings this week.

I didn’t realize how dependent I’d become on constantly sourcing easy to list, fresh inventory in order to meet my weekly listing goals. Now that I’m down to my old unlisted inventory it’s taking more time and effort to make my 39 listings a week. That old stuff all went in the “shelter at home” pile after I sourced it for a reason – it takes more time and effort to list.

So far for me eBay is still ticking along. Not sure what the future will bring for my eBay business but it’s great to at least get my old piles of stuff listed! If not for self isolation I would be at business as usual – out sourcing more stuff without listing what I already have. So that’s my 2 cents worth of silver lining.

Be safe and stay well – list your old inventory!

[Sharyn]

Yup, I just finished up myself. I definitely had a better week because we are all cooped up at home with no place to go. I listed 34 this week.

[Utahbill]

Two new listings for me. I will not be travelling for the foreseeable future and I am retiring next month. So, I am hoping to really increase my listings. My death pile is calling….

[Vintage Lacy]

Amatino, I am loving all the pics of the cabin. It looks amazing and I can only imagine how much you are going to enjoy it! Please do share pictures when you have the sewing area set up. I have a sewing desk in a corner of my office-studio and right now it’s buried behind a couple of stacks of things to list…oh the death piles, or shall we say buried treasure piles. I am rather glad I have them now, since I won’t be scavenging for quite some time it seems. I agree with you VT, it certainly is a silver lining.

Sure hope you continue to feel better Jen.

If you have any fabric, patterns or crafty items to list…do it now. I am selling fabric like crazy. I had one woman on Thursday buy 13 pieces! If they can’t get to the fabric store now due to all the restrictions, all the better opportunity for us! My sales have been much more sluggish in other categories but I’m still glad they keep coming in, even in lesser amounts.

I listed 42 items last week, one was a Halloween item. I have several more lined up and WILL get to them this week, since it’s the last week of the March challenge.

Wishing everyone a good week ahead.

[junque redux]

6 for me. Your new ebay palace looks great!

[Amatino]

Thanks for all the kind words. I passed on the praise to the one who actually did all the manual labor. He’d never admit it, but he’s quite pleased. I’ll post updates then, but it won’t be for a while.

Zero for me again. As you saw from the photos I put up on Thursday, I’ve been very busy with eBay stuff in the cabin, but sorting, not listing. Actually, do I have to deduct points for UN-listing? 😀 I’ve been ending low value items that I really don’t think will sell or that I really don’t want to ship, and will be donating them to Goodwill or my local thrift, whomever is open.

However, all my work came to a screeching halt on Friday and I’ve been busy sewing the whole week. A friend’s husband, a cardiologist, is out of face masks and she asked me to make some. I started with three different patterns and sent them to her for a test run.
https://imgur.com/HGTvkVE

He approved the gold design in the middle, but wanted the thicker straps or ties. That’s easy enough. Made another one with ties and it’s fairly quick
https://imgur.com/DOen4yB

However, there are health care workers in my community now reaching out and begging me to make some for them too. They’re offering to pay, so far I’ve not accepted any cash. I may need to reconsider that if things get out of control, but I don’t feel right profiting off folks in trouble. Now I have a veritable production line going!
https://imgur.com/cePzQ0x

Thanks for the tip on fabric, VL, I’ve got some that I hadn’t got around to posting yet. Get well, Jen!

[Julie B]

27 for me this week. Was zipping right along yesterday, folding & bagging clothes I had just listed on eBay when I threw my back out. That’s right, I threw my back out folding laundry. Siggghhh.

Stay safe and healthy everyone!

[Libby]

I listed 41 items this week, no Halloween 🙁 unless you count some creepy baby dolls, LOL. Ebay palace looks incredible, you are actually inspiring me to redo my shipping area.

[VintageTreasures]

Amatino, we’re on the same page! I made the middle and bottom versions of those face masks over the weekend. Although they don’t take long to make it cut into my eBay listing time.

I made one for me and one for a doctor friend who’s retired from his practice and is now seeing patients via telemedicine. He and I are the only people I know who think we might need the masks at some point.

I read that if you put a filtrite filter (cut from a furnace filter) inside the masks they are pretty darn effective against corona virus. So now I’m going to work on a mask with a filter pocket.

[ChristineR]

Finally made it back to listing yesterday with 12 unique listings. Not sure what day job will bring this week to do at home. So far that doesn’t seem busy so I plan to keep listing as much as possible. Unfortunately, I moved all of my fabric boxes over to my elderly dad’s house. Debating whether or not to have him put them out. So much is here but not sure it is of the type to sell especially well right at the moment. I need to give that some thought.

[littleBlueHouse]

12 Haven’t felt the best this week. Trying to work out how to do everything with everyone working and learning from home!

[ChristineR]

What are you with the death piles listing this week? I pulled vintage children’s birthday party supplies (except invites), Easter (got a whole box done), and a handful of toys – I hardly ever buy toys. After that, I’m trying to decide what kind of home decor to pull.

[Amatino]

Ayup! Forgot to put up the spreadsheet yesterday. Urk!

Vintage Lacy pipped Libby by one point to grab the win for this week! Ha! So much fun!

Chaoticgood is MIA. I hope everything’s okay.

VT, here’s a mask with a pocket for an extra filter AND using a twist tie to make a nose clip.

ChristineR, I pulled some Halloween stuff for the Challenge, but haven’t gotten to it yet. Himself’s business has gotten really busy (lots of folks stuck at home sewing?) and we’ve been tag-teaming the runs to pick up/drop off. Our normal drop off points have closed due to COVID so we’re trying to coordinate to pick up when we drop off, reducing trips. Also, he’s had a lot of house calls from the elderly who don’t want to go out.

Last few days for the Challenge, folks! Six, to be exact. Get your Halloween stuff up!

[ChristineR]

Sold some party supplies already since yesterday. If anyone else has ideas, let me know. I think I have some Halloween to purge but will need to work the day job today. It was nice to have a listing morning yesterday. I feel grateful that I have Ebay as a fallback and can be somewhat productive while home.

[VintageTreasures]

ChristineR: I’m working on counting sewing pattern pieces on the cut patterns I’ve neglected to list due to the time involved in making sure they’re complete. I’m also ironing my vintage sheet sets and lots of fabric remnants prior to photographing and listing those.

I’ve been worried about running out of stuff to list for the 2020 challenge now that I can’t shop, but every time I go down to my basement I wonder why I’m worrying. I have a lot of sewing patterns, craft kits and fabric still waiting to be listed. I don’t think my “shelter in place” piles are going to let me down any time soon.

[Amatino]

I am in LOVE with my new setup! I honestly didn’t know how muddled my old arrangement actually was until I got to use my new system today. No wonder my listing numbers have been so terrible!

Unfortunately, my laptop, besides being nearly 10 years old (possibly older, I think it’s a 2009/10 model), is short on space as it’s an SSD. It looks like I’m going to have to invest some time in doing a rebuild to make it work, or I’ll have to rebuild this computer and take it down. Sigh…

Love my cabin!

All my listings today were Halloween items. This one is my favorite and I’m wondering if I should keep one for myself!

[VintageTreasures]

Hello All,

Posting now so I don’t forget, all the days run into each other and I’m not sure I’ll realize it’s Monday tomorrow! 39 new listings for me. I was hoping to start listing extra to make up for the weeks I didn’t meet my quota but sewing face masks ate up my time.

Also, in case I forget to post my Halloween items listed for the March challenge: I’m at 9 Halloween items as of today.

Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy!

[Libby]

I might have hit a record, but it was mostly because I had very similar items to list: 114 this week. No Halloween, I haven’t gotten any Halloween consignments, maybe this next batch . . . stay healthy and safe and listing!

[Vintage Lacy]

43 listings for me, which includes 3 Halloween items. I have more lined up and hope to get to them today or tomorrow, before the month ends. That brings my Halloween total to 4 so far.

[junque redux]

No Halloween, but I listed 13.

[Amatino]

Folks, may I ask that you all put your TOTAL number of listed Halloween items up by tomorrow, March 31st?

Thanks!

[Amatino]

Correction! Tomorrow is the last day of the Challenge! Totals up on April 1st!

Well, more fool me! Sorry about that! 😀

[ChristineR]

I listed 39 items last week – yeah! Hope to beat that this week but day job is unpredictable. Sales are slow but it’s nice to get into the piles.

[littleBlueHouse]

32 – Every week I am like “Okay…this is it…this is the week I get organized” and then somehow it is Sunday and I got maybe 1/10 of my stuff done if I am lucky. I hope everyone is doing well.

[Utahbill]

I was able to list 2 items last week. We were just placed under a Stay at Home Order, so I should get more listing done this week.

Be well my scavenger friends!

[VintageTreasures]

My total for Halloween items listed in March is 9. Looking forward to the April challenge!

[Julie B]

0 for me. Threw my back out a week ago and have been barely able to move. Has finally started to feel better the last couple of days.

Happy listing this week, everybody!

[Jen]

23 listings for me this week. Thankful that sales have been up. Congrats. to Libby! Happy listing this week. Stay well!

[Amatino]

My listing this week were only the 7 mentioned earlier, all Halloween items. The hubs’ business has gone nuts, everyone stuck at home suddenly pulls out their sewing machines and realize they don’t work right. I’m also still sewing face masks, and I’m working on taxes.

Julie, so sorry your back is still out! That sucks. There’s a book called Treat Your Own Back that my orthopedic surgeon recommended to me. When your back is killing you, some of the exercises are impossible, but it really did help me. I hope it works for you.

[Sharyn]

I listed 20 items this week.

I did not list any Halloween items. I didn’t have anything ready to be listed, and I didn’t find anything interesting at the auctions I went to before life as we knew it ceased to exist.

I just started a job this week, of all things, so my numbers will stay lower from here on out. It’s great, though, to restart my career.

[Amatino]

Interesting week! Libby has a slam-dunk win this week with a record breaker. (Your previous record was 99, back in Week 3, Libby!) Spreadsheet updated.

You’ll see I put the total Halloween items on the right of the March challenge column. Today is the last day for the challenge. Please update me tomorrow if your listing total for Halloween items is different to what I have in there, or if I didn’t put your total in.

LAST DAY TO LIST HALLOWEEN! New April Challenge goes up tomorrow!

[Amatino]

https://imgur.com/kErhDOS

[Vintage Lacy]

Three more items for Halloween listed yesterday. Had more to do but also had a month end project that HAD to be finished by last night. That’s what I get for being the Queen of Procrastination. So seven Halloween items in total for the month.

Littlebluehouse you are SO right…the week goes by before you know it! Best intentions and all….

But I did finish binge watching Tiger King last night, so there’s that. Have to have priorities, right? 🙂

[Amatino]

Ok, Halloween Challenge totals:

3 points to Vintage Treasures for 9 items listed! Well done, Halloween Queen!
2 points to Vintage Lacy for coming second with 7, according to her total. However, I did a search in this thread for Halloween to see if anyone else posted something, and I think she has 8.
1 point to me for 7 items.

And we were the only three that listed Halloween, according to the report. O.o?

Well done to everyone. Ready for the new challenge. I’m psyched! Are you psyched? It’s a good one!

With a BIG smooch to Mr. T…
https://imgur.com/gallery/Fy9pK37

The April challenge is GOLD!

Real gold, fools gold, fake gold (bronze, brass), bright gold, old gold, antique gold, aged gold, patina’d gold, trashy gold, kitchy gold, gold coins, gold jewelry, gold lamps, gold bedspreads (dang, I just sold one!), gold clothes, gold tablecloths, gold tableware, gold edged glasses, gilt edged plates, gold trinket boxes, gold Faberge eggs… whatcha got?

According to Quora, the difference between gold and yellow is a slight tinge of orange. You be the guide of whatever you want to call it.

April hath 30 days, so you’re one day short for this challenge. Go forth, my little Alchemists!

[Vintage Lacy]

Amatino, I love it! Ha! Great April challenge. And five minutes ago, right before you posted I just listed a piece of gold fabric. So I am already on the board with one! I see big numbers ahead (grin)

I went back and checked my notes and I truly had 7 Halloween items in March. So you and I tied for 2nd.

Challenge accepted! Woot!

[VintageTreasures]

A Mr. T Challenge, I love it! He really did wear all that gold jewelry, even to his attorney’s offices where I got to meet him back in the day. But I can’t think of a single gold thing that I have to sell. Not even in my vast fabrics hoard. And I only wear silver so I don’t even have any jewelry of my own to list in order to get on the board. This one’s gonna be a hard one for me! Good job Amatino!

[Amatino]

Anyone in your vintage patterns wearing a gold dress? Is there some gold in your fabric? Like a blue and red print with a gold swirl in the background? Totally counts! Especially if you dig it out and deliberately list it for the gold challenge. Stick “gold” in your title and you’re golden!

mwaaaaahahahahaha. I kill me!

• This reply was modified 4 years, 5 months ago by Amatino.

[VintageTreasures]

Okay I love those relaxed rules! I am going to count the gold fabric with red and green dots that I just listed this morning. Thanks Amatino!

[Sharyn]

I happened to be listing jewelry on commission. Most of them are sterling, but I’ve got a few that are gold over sterling. I know that I have one ready to list that is white gold. Then, I might have some costume jewelry that is gold in color. I should do OK with this challenge!

[Libby]

Okay great fun with gold. I have 124 unique items listed this week, and 9 are gold (goldtone, not real gold, I wish, LOL). Fun challenge!

[Vintage Lacy]

This was a bittersweet week for me. It was the week of my cancelled spring show. Someone called me on Wednesday and asked if my event was still going on. I wanted to ask them if they live under a rock, but I refrained. Ugh.

However. Silver lining is that I would have normally closed all of my online shops this week and they have been going like gangbusters. Fabric, especially. I sold 33 pieces of fabric yesterday(Saturday). 33! I think that’s a record for my shop. Those are all sales I wouldn’t have gotten normally. And I went to town listing fabric….65 listings for me, and 3 were gold. More gold to come this month…definitely a fun challenge. And my listings would normally have been zero for the week, so there’s that.

I don’t know how long this fabric wave is going to last but I’m up on my surfboard riding it. Cowabunga!

[junque redux]

10 for me, thanks Amatino!

[VintageTreasures]

Only 25 for me, I’ve been busy making face masks for everybody who declined them when I offered them a few weeks ago. Uh huh, I was pretty sure they’d come crawling back 🙂 Plus the animal shelter where I (used to) volunteer has requested 100 masks for the paid staff caring for the animals. Hopefully there are more volunteers who know how to sew than just the handful I know of. I’d have to abandon eBay entirely to make 100 face masks along with all the masks I’ve promised to friends and family.

Like Vintage Lacy some of the fabric I’ve had listed forever has sold recently. I’m probably going to put face mask in the titles of all my cotton fabric listings. The listing I had with those words in the title sold immediately. I also feel better about my fabric collecting problem now that everyone needs fabric. I have plenty to list AND to use for all the masks I’m making.

[Utahbill]

11 for me last week. My goal for the coming week is at least 21.

How do you guys list so many items? Any tips or tricks to share?

Thanks and have a great week.

[Amatino]

Libby, you’re supposed to give the rest of us a chance to break your records, not break your OWN records! Sheesh! 😀 Go you, listing demon!

Cowabunga, VL. Glad you had a positive to counter the neg of cancelling your show!

VT, you managed to list AND sew masks? You’re amazing! It may sound horrible, but I’m fed up with sewing masks! I’m doing about twenty a week, this weekend’s batch was 27. I have severe ADHD, sitting doing repetitive tasks like this is pure torture! I’m SO done! Himself said I should just say no, but can you imagine if someone in my community dies from this and they say to me “well, we asked for a mask…” Shudder! So I’m plowing through them with the best attitude I can muster, and then I go away and do something else when my attitude slips. Don’t want to infuse these masks with bad attitude, even if I am a fan of Mr T! 😉

So glad everyone’s enjoying the Mr. T Challenge!

Utahbill – when you work it out, share? I think I’m amazing if I can do half a dozen in a day. And often, that’s the count for the whole week!

Zero for me this week. VT showing me up!

[Julie B]

12 new listings for me this week. Spent most of my ebay time ending, fixing and relisting stale listings but I did manage to get 12 new listings up.

Zero gold items.

[VintageTreasures]

Amatino, your mask count is my eBay count and my mask count is near your eBay count. If I sew 1 mask a day that’s a lot for me. You are awesome to be making so many masks for so many people!

I really like repetitive tasks but even I am tired of mask sewing already. And I’ve probably only made a half dozen so far. Like you I’m thinking “what if a mask I make saves someone’s life”? So I’ve promised many more and I’m trying to production line sew the shelter masks this week: cut a lot first, all in the same color with no thread changes – in order to speed up the output. I love the creative side of each mask being different – but it just takes too long. I have been getting up at 3 every morning though – which helps as far as finding time to do stuff.

Utahbill: I think the trick to listing a lot is to list all your similar items at the same time. Write one listing and then just “sell similar” and change the photos and a few details. For instance if you had 50 pieces of fabric to list. And not write a novel for the description – like I still do – LOL!

[ChristineR]

I listed 34 unique items, mostly on Ebay with a few lower dollar Mercari. I listed two sets of art in gold frames. It’s nice to get back to listing on days I don’t work. I took the weekend off though because I was pretty tired of sitting at the computer.

I got bored with fabric pretty quickly and switched over to small art work. Also bought a handful of RA clearance items and those are all listed as soon as they arrive. I asked my dad to bring over a box of fabric but he ended up bringing cartoon character sheets instead, which I’m not super excited about washing and listing. So I’ll either face that or continue with art work I suppose. Still interested in hearing what is selling well for people…

[VintageTreasures]

ChristineR: What’s selling well for me are sewing patterns, fabric and craft kits. But I’m not sure if that really means anything since that’s pretty much all I sell. All low dollar things and things that can be done inside the home and great when you have a lot of extra time on your hands.

I did finally sell a puzzle I’d had listed for a while. I wish some had puzzles to list but I rarely pick them up if they are open – due to the curse of the missing piece. What is selling well for you?

[ChristineR]

@VT Almost exclusively home decor – vintage, new and used contemporary. Over the last year I’ve generally sold off or listed my holiday items. I have a lot of art, textiles, and ceramic / pottery items in my piles and lots of newbie coffee mugs left – Starbucks, etc. I have some of my mom’s ’60s vintage purses, shoes and costume jewelry I haven’t got into yet. I’m personally not into jewelry but it would be easy to list and ship. So, these are pretty much my pile choices.

I like to sell craft kits and they do well but they are all listed already. Unfortunately I stopped buying puzzles because I found that even the sealed ones were lower price, long tail.

[Sharyn]

I listed six items this week. I listed two items with gold (real gold!) and one item with brass accents, so three so far for the challenge.

My low count is partly due to the new job I started. I didn’t do that many work hours, but I did have to set up my work computer and get things arranged. Also, my daughter and I went to her dorm room to grab everything else that she had left before spring break. She wants to transfer for next school year, so that might be the last time we are there, unless we have to return her books to the Barnes and Noble on campus.

As far as stuff I’m selling, very little can be attributed to the pandemic. I did sell a puzzle, 3 pounds of crayons (leftover from our kids), and some spools of elastic (the previous week), but everything else is the normal range of things that I normally sell. I see my fabric come up in “send offers”, but, strangely, none of it has sold.

[VintageTreasures]

Amatino, what about extra points for listing fool’s gold? In honor of “I pity the fool who doesn’t eat my cereal” and April Fool’s Day.

[Amatino]

LOL, VT, that’s funny! One bonus point for Fool’s Gold.

Hey, VT, email me at snratoni@yahoo.com with your postal address and I’ll see what I can do about sending up a batch of masks for your animal folks. I swore blind I wasn’t going to volunteer any more masks, but I’m a sucker for animals. I can’t promise huge numbers, but if I can send you a dozen or so, that should help, right? We have two people in my community, one who has offered to do them for free (as I have been) and one who is charging only $10 per mask, so I’m forwarding general requests to them and only taking orders for personal folks I know. A neighbor has told me she has a tote of ribbons, so if she has the right stuff, mine will all come with ties (tie the ribbons behind the head, more comfortable to wear all day than elastics) but they are convertible, so if the folks want to switch out for elastic, they can.

[VintageTreasures]

Aww, Amatino you’re the best! I’ll email you with my info. Thank you a million times over!

[littleBlueHouse]

Sorry for the delay in posting – this has been a difficult week just in general. I think I had 8 post, but I did a lot of changes on some active posts and ended/sell similar for some as well. I am not handling this thing at all, and my water heater went out yesterday. Found out it was leaking and it rotted the floor all the way down to the sub floor. It’s not in an easily visible or accessible area so we didn’t realize it was leaking until much later.

Sorry for unloading, it’s just overwhelming trying to get my business up and going with everything piling on. I should be able to be cranking out posts with all this time on my hands!

[Utahbill]

I’m sorry to hear about your troubles. Things will get better. Make a list and prioritize it. Realize that you will never get it all done, but that’s ok.

[Amatino]

Ah, LittleBlueHouse, that’s rough! I’m so sorry! Lots of sympathy and empathy, because it does feel more stressed than usual, doesn’t it? Deep breath, kiddo, we’re all behind you offering all the moral support, warm and fuzzies, and best wishes that we can through an impersonal computer screen!

Elbow touch!

[Amatino]

Sorry, folks, kinda lost touch of the date. New thread created for the second quarter of the year.

https://www.scavengerlife.com/forums/topic/listing-challenge-2020-thread-2/

THIS THREAD IS CLOSED! PLEASE DO NOT POST HERE

[Author]

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