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Controlling the Inventory - Chaos turns to easy shopping ahead

By Melissa Marro

Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams First Coast Realty - The Marro Team

March 12, 2008 10:00 AM

We've been a busy little company lately. Our homes have been turning over quickly and we've been adding new ones to the list. The problem that we've kind of had lately is that we've had no time to unpack and organize. Finally taking a deep breath and scheduling time for this - let's face it, it was the only way it was going to happen - we decided to buy some more shelving units and get organized.

Prior to yesterday and today we had about 8 or so storage racks. We just spent another $500 on racks and wow was it worth the money!

Ok, now that all of our knick knacks, silk flowers, linens, towels, etc are organized we still have another problem. (maybe the first solution to this one is to stop shopping! In the last week we've bought 2 dining room tables, 2 sofas, 5 large chairs and who knows how many accessories - none of them have specified homes - we just liked them and got a good price! We know we'll need them before we blink again.)

Here is next week's project.... .well, if we have time. Bevin & I are both on vacation this weekend and have jobs next week..... at least we'll be taking a lot of the inventory out of here making it easier to organize!

We are buying more large shelves (7 ft high, 2 ft deep, 6 ft long) for coffee tables, dining chairs, end tables, ottomans, etc....

Goodness how we've grown!

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Kathy Riggle

STAGING SMART N SOLD - Houston, TX

Houston Home Staging

Thanks for letting us take a peek, Melissa. I want your lamp inventory!!

Kathy

Mar 12, 2008 10:25 AM

Liz Carla

Ebby Halliday - Dallas, TX

Melissa-Congratulations on your growth. Can I ask-where do you find your furniture? It seems like you are always picking up new stuff. Is it used or new or what?

Mar 12, 2008 10:41 AM

Heather Chotard

In Style - Edmonton, AB

Good Lord!!! I could shop in your warehouse. Thats very cool Melissa!!!

Heather

Mar 12, 2008 10:57 AM

Anonymous

When you started out did you take out a small business loan or just buy inventory as a house came up? Even then, I know that the staging of one house will not cover the purchase of inventory for it. I am trying to expand and gain some inventory so I can start doing vacants without renting possibly but am trying to figure how to financially work it (because we are building our own house and won't be closing for six months - I can't add to our personal credit). Thanks for your insight!

Mar 12, 2008 10:57 AM

Lea-Ann Virnig

Lea-Ann's Home Beautiful Staging and Design LLC - San Antonio, TX

Home Beautiful: San Antonionulls Premier , Home Staging Company

Oops sorry, I didn't realize I wasn't logged in for that last comment!

Mar 12, 2008 10:59 AM

Melissa Marro

Keller Williams First Coast Realty - The Marro Team - Orange Park, FL

Jacksonville Real Estate and Home Staging

Kathy - Bevin & Sue are both going to laugh when they read that... we NEVER have enough lamps! We've probably bought close to 20 in the last month!

Liz - We buy new. A lot of the larger pieces are from Havertys and they are from the back room - scratch and dent or floor pieces. We go over them pretty thoroughly to make sure they are in great shape - often you can't even find what was wrong with them in the first place!

Heather - Thanks! We've been working up to this point. Getting the other half of the warehouse done will make it REALLY REALLY COOL!

Lea-Ann - When I started I took out a small loan (like $15,000) and bought maybe the first house of stuff. Then I used the money from that home and the next job (along with a credit card or two) to buy additional furniture. I'm afraid to say outloud how much personal debt I actually have from the business, but the good news is that I merged with another stager on my team this year and we have written up a note for the company to pay me back with interest & our operating budget is completely in the black, including overhead, loan repayment, etc. We'll take out a business loan later in the year to pay my personal budget back - after the banks feel we have established enough of a record for repayment.

Mar 12, 2008 11:09 AM

Sandra Hughes

Redesigned Spaces - Northern Virginia - Fairfax, VA

Redesigned Spaces - Fairfax County, Virginia

Melissa - your warehouse reminds me of Tuesday Mornings. I saw a few items that I have as well in your inventory. Your warehouse is very impressive!

Mar 12, 2008 01:22 PM

Michele Kurelich

Triangle Home Staging & Design/Lasting Impressions - Raleigh, NC

Raleigh Home Staging and Design

Melissa,

I Love, Love, Love your picture wall! I took over my wine closet in the basement. We never had it finished when we built our home and now there is just no time to even think about finishing it. My hubby wonders if he will ever see the day that it stores wine and not Artwork!

Mar 12, 2008 01:46 PM

Brian Bloom

www.AllinOneStaging.com 1-630-292-2710 - Bartlett, IL

All in One Staging Inc. - Home Staging Consultant, Redesign Expert

A few more items and you could advertise as a rental store to...LOL

Great pic's and shelves!

Regards

Mar 12, 2008 02:07 PM

Jennifer Duchene

Lift Your Spirit Home Transformations - Palo Alto, CA

Stager & Redesigner

looks like a fun place to shop! sounds & looks like you have been seriously building inventory and now you are organizing. Do you use that tracking system for items? or how do you keep track?

Mar 12, 2008 02:58 PM

Karla Davis

Florida Home Staging & Redesign, Inc. - Orlando, FL

Orlando Home Staging Firm

You go girl! Your storage area looks like a store for sure! Thanks for letting us in to take a peek!

Mar 12, 2008 03:35 PM

Sandi Gregory

details (Redesign and Staging) - Puyallup, WA

details (Redesign and Staging) in the greater Puyallup area

I just love seeing stagers storage spaces -- especially ones that have a warehouse full of inventory.
Do you ever retire items? I purchased some items when I first started that I've yet to use... ones that didn't have a home but I liked at the time and were a good price but for some reason, I just never have pulled them off the shelf. Very fun taking a peek at your warehouse. Thanks for sharing!

Mar 13, 2008 01:35 AM

Melissa Marro

Keller Williams First Coast Realty - The Marro Team - Orange Park, FL

Jacksonville Real Estate and Home Staging

Sandra - Tuesday mornings huh? kewl!

Michele - it was called using what you've already got! We have over 60 pieces of art (smaller) that are not up on the wall - we are still trying to come up with a plan for those.

BB - except we don't keep it in stock long enough.... it rotates very quickly, which is how it got so out of hand.

Mar 13, 2008 05:06 AM

Melissa Marro

Keller Williams First Coast Realty - The Marro Team - Orange Park, FL

Jacksonville Real Estate and Home Staging

Jennifer - I hate to say it, but we use photographs to keep track of everything. We have talked about buying the inventory system, but when Bevin checked into it there was a maximim volume that we've well surpassed. We are still looking into different ideas....

Karla - you are welcome! Glad you enjoyed....

Sandi - We haven't really had to retire anything yet. Most of the pieces we buy are pretty traditional. I'm sure some of our Pier 1 pieces will be the first to go - they seem to get dated more quickly than any other pieces. Some chairs should probably have been retired, but instead we just slipcover them.

Mar 13, 2008 05:09 AM

Marci Toliver

438-4642 - Mauldin, SC

Anderson SC, Spartanburg,Greenville SC, Home Staging

Melissa- it looks great! Yes - you need a vacation! Im tired just thinking of all the things that you do!!

Mar 13, 2008 05:26 AM

Bevin Googer

First Impressions Home Staging and Interior Redesign - Mount Pleasant, SC

www.StagingAndRedesign.com

Ok, so yall are not going to believe me - but I just staged 2 homes in the past 2 days - and we need more accessories!! (I also made a big dent in the florals). I had enough for my 2 homes, but if anyone else gets a vacant job, I don't think we will have enough! It never ends... :)

Mar 13, 2008 04:19 PM

Kym Hough

www.Staged-to-Sell - Danville, CA

Staged to Sell East Bay - Danville, CA

Melissa your warehouse is great. What's the yellow and black dotted line. Do you actually have flow paths? Kym

Mar 13, 2008 04:59 PM

Melissa Marro

Keller Williams First Coast Realty - The Marro Team - Orange Park, FL

Jacksonville Real Estate and Home Staging

Marci - we are actually going away this weekend - but it to my inlaws, not sure that is considered a vacation... lol!

Bevin - Hey, I just got back from there are darn girl, what are you going to do next week with still another vacant to stage? I also just gave out two more proposals last night.... lol

Kym - The warehouse used to be the Dish Network's home. That is left over from them. There were huge cages when we moved in - those had to come down! Eventually we may need those flow paths though.... lol!

Mar 14, 2008 06:11 AM