Whether you have just received your starter kit or if you've been a consultant for a while and have collected even more than those original three boxes, you need to THINK about where to store your business supplies. Here are some suggestions:
Literature
If you have a home office or desk, this is the most obvious place to make room for your literature. Notice I said "make room." You need to carve out a place specifically for your PartyLite literature and work. If you don't have that space, you might need to create it. A simple solution might be to buy a shelf, install it, and then use boxes or other small storage items on top. Make it easy for you to check levels so that when you need to restock, you can check it all at once and save on shipping for your Consultant Orders.
Your kit
I keep my kit in 2 bags, one for literature (over the shoulder) and one for product (a rolling shopping bag). The kit isn't very big and I can roll it inside after a show and put it into my office. It is black and doesn't look silly, so if I didn't have an office, I could probably find a closet or a corner in the living room where it could find a home. Look around your house and decide where you will put your kit each time you come home. Make sure it is a place where it won't get too hot so your wax products don't warp or melt.
Candles (literally anything wax)
Think about how much product you really need. I need a lot because I burn a lot myself, I do a lot of shows each week, and I give away a lot of tealights. So a few years ago, I bought a dresser and I store my votives in one drawer, tealights in another, pillars and jar candles in another, and so on. You might not need a dresser to store yours... perhaps another shelf with small storage boxes will do. Make sure you store the candles in a room that will not get too hot. And always store the candles in places that you want to smell MARVELOUS. If you find that the fragrances are too strong, store the candles in plastic tubs with lids.
Full boxes/Empty boxes (non-wax = won't melt)
Over time, you will collect lots of product. As a consultant you will be able to earn free products and as a consultant you will find the host specials are sometimes in the "too awesome not to buy" category. So... over time you collect stuff. Those are the full boxes.
My kit doesn't have boxes in it, but I keep my boxes so that I can store my products safely and eventually raffle, donate, or sell them when the time is right. These are the empty boxes.
It is important to keep your home as a showcase for the beautiful products not for the beautiful boxes. :) You need to develop a storage solution. All of these non-wax items can be stored in your garage, at the top of closets, in sunrooms, etc.
When you find that you have too much inventory, it's simple, clear it out. Products (especially retired products) can be used as booking incentives, gifts, raffle prizes, or donations to charities. You really don't need to keep it all. Of course, it you like it, use it. Put it out and make your house look beautiful. You earned it!
Clean, De-Clutter and Decorate
Part of the PartyLite motto is to Decorate Your Home, so use your business as an excuse to have a clean, decluttered, and well-styled home, filled with beautiful fragrances, and the soft glow of candlelight. Get rid of the clutter. Find a place for everything. Do one room (or even one corner) at a time and let PartyLite inspire you to have that beautiful home. You'll find that your family will appreciate the space and the ambiance (and the separation of your business from the rest of the house). You will also be able to invite your FRANK list over with confidence that you walk the talk.
It takes a bit of thought and it might take a little investment in some storage solutions to make it all work, but it's worth it.
Do you have any tips or tricks to manage your business supplies? Add them as a comment here.
Happy burning!
