Starting a reselling business can be exciting. You find great deals, list your items, and watch the sales roll in. However, there’s one problem that many new resellers overlook: where to store everything.
At first, you might keep a few items on a shelf or in a spare room. That works until you start listing more products. Before long, you’re searching through boxes to find something you already sold.
Fortunately, you don’t need an expensive warehouse or complicated software to stay organized. Instead, you can start with numbered storage bins or boxes and a simple spreadsheet.
Start With Numbered Storage Bins or Boxes
One of the easiest ways to organize resale inventory is to use plastic storage bins or cardboard boxes. You can find affordable options at Amazon, discount stores, thrift stores, and big-box retailers.
First, choose a designated area for your inventory. This could be a spare room, closet, basement, or even a corner of your garage. The important thing is to keep your items together in one place.
Next, assign each bin or box a number.
For example, label your bins as follows:
- Bin 1: Clothing
- Bin 2: Electronics and accessories
- Bin 3: Home goods
- Bin 4: Toys and games
- Bin 5: Small miscellaneous items
You can organize by category, but you don’t have to. If you sell a little bit of everything, simply number your bins as you fill them.
The goal is to give every item a specific home. That way, you won’t have to remember where you put something weeks after listing it.
Create a Simple Inventory Spreadsheet
Once you have your bins ready, you need a way to track what goes inside them. A basic spreadsheet is perfect for this job.
You can use Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel, or another spreadsheet program. Best of all, you can start with a free option.
Create columns for these details:
- Item number: A unique number assigned to each product.
- Item description: A short name that helps you identify it.
- Purchase cost: How much you paid for the item.
- Listing platform: Where you listed the product.
- Storage location: The number of the bin holding the item.
- Listing price: Your current asking price.
- Status: Listed, sold, or not yet listed.
For example, you might enter “Vintage floral coffee mug” as the description. Give it item number 0017 and record Bin 3 as its location.
When someone buys the mug, you can find it quickly. Simply check the spreadsheet and head straight to Bin 3.
No more digging through every box in the house!
Give Every Item a Unique Number
Although bin numbers help you find your inventory, individual item numbers make the process even easier.
Assign each product a unique identification number when you bring it home. Then, record that number in your spreadsheet.
You can also write the number on a small removable label or attach it to the item’s storage bag. This works especially well for clothing, collectibles, and smaller household items.
For example, your spreadsheet might look like this:
| Item Number | Description | Bin | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0017 | Floral coffee mug | 3 | Listed |
| 0018 | Blue denim jacket | 1 | Listed |
| 0019 | Wireless controller | 2 | Sold |
Notice that each item has its own number. Even if you have several similar products, you can tell them apart.
As your business grows, this small habit can save you considerable time.
Update Your Records When You List an Item
Consistency is what makes this storage method work.
Whenever you photograph and list a new product, add it to your spreadsheet. Record its item number, listing price, and storage location before putting it away.
Then, place the item in its assigned bin.
It might seem easier to skip the spreadsheet when you’re busy. However, those missing records can create problems later. You could sell an item and have no idea where to find it.
Therefore, make inventory tracking part of your listing routine. It only takes a few extra moments per item.
Keep Sold Items Moving Out
When an item sells, update its status in your spreadsheet. Next, use its recorded location to retrieve it.
After you pack and ship the order, mark the item as shipped or remove it from your active inventory. You can also record the sale price and fees if you want to track your profits.
Finally, return the empty space to your available inventory area. You can use it for your next purchase.
This simple routine helps prevent sold items from getting mixed in with products that are still available.
Why This Method Works for Beginners
A numbered-bin reseller inventory system offers several advantages, especially when you’re just starting out.
It’s inexpensive. You can begin with boxes you already own and upgrade to plastic bins later.
It’s easy to maintain. A basic spreadsheet provides the information you need without complicated software.
It saves time. You can locate sold items quickly instead of searching through piles of merchandise.
It grows with your business. Add more bins and spreadsheet rows as your inventory expands.
Most importantly, you don’t need to organize everything perfectly on day one. Start small and improve your setup as you learn what works best.
Final Thoughts
Reselling involves more than finding bargains and creating listings. You also need a reliable way to store your products and fulfill orders efficiently.
Numbered storage bins and a simple spreadsheet provide an easy starting point. You can set everything up in an afternoon without spending much money.
So, before buying expensive inventory software or filling your home with storage furniture, try this basic approach. Give each item a number, record its location, and put it back in the same place every time.
Your future self will thank you when that first unexpected sale comes through!
**Reseller tip: Start organizing your inventory before you think you need to. It’s much easier to manage 20 organized items than to sort through 200 items later.
When I was first starting out as a reseller, I had to figure out a lot of things on my own, and I wish someone had shown me a simple way to organize inventory before things started piling up!
