It All Started With a Binder and a Storage Bin

What does it take to run a shop similar to mine? Why do I love eBay so much? What kind of income do I make? 

❥ #1 I am fully licensed to run as retailer and run a small business out of my home. 

❥ #2 I started with a binder, a clear plastic bin, and 5 bags of my mother's old clothing.

❥ #3 ALL of my used items are washed, stored in hanging closets that are located in a heated warehouse built just for me. I still can't believe I started with just one storage container and now I have a full shop, plus a office of my own. 

❥ #4 My first month of selling on eBay was enough to pay my power bill and some on my water bill.  

❥ #5 I photo every single day for a minimum 3 hrs, sometimes more depends on eBay's promotion. 

❥ #6 I offer consignment for people in my community as much as I can, I have 21 clients that are either in need during tough times, struggling as a single parent, but my favorite type of client, would happened to be students. I know first hand what it is like to live on a certain income amount while going to school. 

❥ #7 eBay supported my income (as far as bills go) for the last 1 1/2 of my 3 years of schooling. Which is no different now, for I am saving for my next adventure in school. Returning for my BAS in business. 

❥ #8 Depending on eBay promotions, I work on average 8-10 hrs a day from home off and on. If there is a promotion those hours are sometimes doubled 12-16 hrs a day. 

❥ #9 I pay my own taxes, required by Washington state law. 

❥ #10 After taxes I roughly can clear all my bills and than some, but mostly that goes back into inventory if I am low on donations, or packing materials, ink, paper for print outs which anyone that sells online knows can be expensive in the long run. 

❥ #11 My overall love for eBay is hard to explain, other than it provides me a job, I can proudly tell people I work for myself. I have no one in management to answer to, I am my own boss, I design my own hours. I only get back in return as much as I put in. It isn't easy, but I wouldn't change it for the world. I love my job!!

I hope whom ever takes the time to read this, that it may help someone realize they can do anything as long as they put the hard work into it. Not to long ago I was told I would never be fully able to work, due to a injury to my left arm. This allows me to work my own hours, if I am in pain from typing, hanging clothing, or what ever it maybe I can simply step aside and take a break in my living room. 

  Please feel free to click on any of these images and check out what is listed today! 

Thank you for taking time out of your day to read up on what my shop is all about and how I manage my time, and the effort put into my store. 

Sincerely, 

Lornajane 

eBay ID : lornajanescosignment

Shop Name: PNOCD Pacific Northwest Online Consign Designs 

When am I ever going to have time? Inspired by Fall of 2013

WOW the saying "Time sure does fly" sure has applied to my day to day life after graduation! What a crazy summer!

What went on during this past summer was rapidly fast, everyday just seemed to have collieded together into one big long day. My boyfriend and I bought our 1st house together, rather fast process but a extra long one for me.

Let's just rewind a little:
JAN- MARCH = Was in my 8th quarter of classes. (Getting burnt out a little.) & Yes that is a gin & tonic to help me get through it all.

SPRING BREAK =  ( RE-CHARGE ) ~ * ~ Vegas ~*~ (one last fling before college is over) Look Mom! I am climbing a rock in the Mojave Desert!

I am the little black dot behind the 3 others! SO fun SOOO BEAUTIFUL! 

MARCH - JUNE= My 9th quarter of classes, also the month of graduation.

MID JUNE = Road trip to meet Pat's Parents for the 1st time ( 5 days)

APRIL = Got all the licensing for Pacific Northwest Online Consign Designs. ( Blog for PNOCD )

JULY- AUGUST = House hunting all summer, with the boyfriends parents up from OR. It was a good time spent with his mom, where we celebrated the 4th of July over on Whidbey Island. ( If you have never been and want to go, it's a must! )

SEPT = Paper work for the house, was approved and keys were in possession on SEPT 4th.

3 bedroom, 2 bath, and 3 car garage. 

     For ones that have known me a while know, I have a house with my mom and a storage unit combined with my shop warehouse and let me just say we are still moving out of all of them. While months of packing & unpacking & STILL packing & unpacking. I came across several bins of beads, charms, ribbons, wire, paint, corks, buttons and MUCH more just packed in random containers. When am I ever going to have time?  Am I a hoarder?  ... I am not a hoarder.. I repeat to myself daily, and with an occasional episode of Hoarders to keep myself in check with hoarding, but you know what I AM a HOARDER! O MY GOODNESS the madness of art supplies, beads, buttons, ribbons, jars, bags, clothes O YES I AM A HOARDER!

     But with this new chapter has offered me a chance to adapt to the process of letting go and moving on. I am going to share with you with how I have been getting organized and settling down into this new life after the storm that lasted the entire year.

     This took some time and is one of the reasons why I've been absent from Etsy, which I am truly sorry to the ones I have worked closely with & along the side with for the past few years!

SO grab your coffee... and lets have a chat!

     OK where do I start (which is also a daily question) I now start my day with a list in the morning. Set 5 small goals to get done that day. I make sure I pace myself to get to these 5 goals, but as well not getting down on my self for not reaching them. This is important you have to remain believing you can do anything to reach your goals, so when I do complete those 5 goals on the list the whole mission comes together as reaching that ultimate goal, and that is happiness with in yourself.

     I started with boxes and many of them so, 1st thing on my list was to get rid of these and stop moving in boxes, So you know those millions of grocery bags you have plastic and the re-usable ones, yup might be a little more of a pain but it didn't cost me anything and the disposal was much cheaper!

So time to get that "hoarding mess" organized!

My Day Job

     There are two parts to my online selling life, My eBay world which is my day job serving the community with service in consignment of items. I am now consigning for 21 great residents from the area ( Port Townsend, Sequim and Port Angeles, Washington). I enjoy working with these people whom I consider my clients. It not only provides me food on my table, helps pay my bills  but I also get to help others! Nothing is better! Which is something I have done for many years and love to do! I  support my community and most of all friends in need during tough times. Best thing I have ever been able to tell someone these days is I  love my job! It's my dream job and I have been working on this job for 5 years in the planning!

Keep your eyes peeled for a future blog of the new warehouse design~ In the process being built now.

My Night Job

     Some of you may have noticed I am back on Etsy (slow process), and oh boy does it feel good to be back! There is one thing your lacking when you're online seller, and that is it can get quite around the house, no one to talk to, no one to say good morning to, and bring a cup a coffee to. It can simply just drag on by! Being back on Etsy reminds me of how important that is to have that interaction I thank my network on several social media sites! Best morning messages are " Good morning, you have been featured have a good day!" This you can not get on eBay although I love my job don't get me wrong!

     I have decided to focus working on one shop at a time and deciding which one is best for me at this time. That would have to be the the supply shop Chromaticity Supply, I opened up in 2011 to help pay bills through school. Now I have even more items I just just don't have time for again! I will re-open my hand crafted item shop soon I am hoping at the end of November to have a few new items I have dabbled creating during the beautiful Washington summer evenings.

Lots of random bins filled with bits and pieces. I am slowly getting them into the bins of where they belong.

     I also started a project for myself and have even inspired friends to help me out, and that be getting into recycled materials & offering some gently washed & reusable materials, such as corks, bottle caps, plastic caps etc. Great for all kinds of DIY projects! You can check those out in my RECYCLE RECYCLE section on Etsy.

I am finding all kinds of fun jars, salt and pepper shakers and little trinket boxes
to store my fun shop items. Once they get empty and the collection of empty jars gets bigger I shall part with them as well, for someone else can use them for fun storage. 

      This recycling project is in the prospects of growing, for I am working with my aunt with raising money for her Non Profit Organization Rancho Laguna  Where she works with police departments & shelters in Washington St., saving animals from shelters who need to be nursed to back to health and to help find forever homes. My Vacation is over Time to Work blog features some of her critters on the Ranch. Very soon percentages and proceeds will be donated for feed and animal needs at the Ranch.

      It feels never ending but I find that I am having more time during the work day if I follow my short goal list, I can see the end to the ultimate goal and that would be happiness! Every box unpacked, every jar & bin getting organized, every tweet, every photo that goes by I am reaching my goal.

     AND with that being said one last thing, I thank you all for your support during school, this past summer and the new friendships along the way. I enjoy watching you all growth along the way as well. It is something not ignored, I've watched several of you soar with sales and online media growth. I look forward to new stronger friendships along the way as well as re-kindling a few old.

     Now that I have finally found some time....

Social Media Links:
~ eBay Twitter ~ https://twitter.com/LornajaneCosign
~ Etsy Twitter ~ https://twitter.com/LornajaneonEtsy
~Pinterest ~ : http://www.pinterest.com/lorna146/boards/
~ eBay Facebook~ https://www.facebook.com/PNOCD?ref=br_rs

Shops:
~ eBay ~ http://stores.ebay.com/PNOCD
~ Etsy ~ https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChromaticitySupply

Inspiration

I have been inspired to change a lot of things in my life and life style. I have one more year of college left and I have been so busy with teams and online networking. I have come to not having the proper space inside my house. So with my insane addiction to Pinterest and the inspiration from fellow Etsy friends, I created my own space. Hope you enjoy.

Before, This was my bead and stash spot in my room.  Over the summer  I have made myself a promise to create a space for myself so I can continue to grow.  This spot was hurting for a make-over

I had to find a space for the d-stash items for the d-stash shop.

Some know I love me some salt shakers :) 

After:: Everything you see is what was once cluttered in my room , I gave my whole room a make over. 

One of my favorite candle holders that I had stuffed in a drawer. 

Last but not least some seating, I have had this seat chest for a long time just hiding behind my bed. 

I feel great, good things are going to happen in this space. Some of you know I am leaving for vacation and what a space to come back to refreshed, organized and ready!! 

New Inspiration Treasury Feel free to click on photo to check out shops. 

Summer Budget Part 1

     As you some of you may know I live in one of the most beautiful states and one of the most quietest towns. Way out in the middle of now where and on a student summer vacation, It can get boring. Living on a college summer budget finding things to do with out costing money is also  limited.

     One of the things I like to do at the beginning of every summer is do a super clean in every room. Removing all dust, garbage, and unwanted items. Lately I have been about "less is more" and use only "what you need".

When I get creative time and later as the summer nears end I can do a few fun things with out the worry of the cleaning up later. I don't know about you but I can not create and process business in a messy environment.

Here is my latest and ever going summer project on a 75 dollar budget.


Things I already had. table, chairs, umbrella. Most all pots have been collected over the years by either gifts, second hand stores or, recycled materials. AND my favorite great garage sale finds.

The main expense was the flowers, But I was able to find some good deals, and was able to get what was needed. After all the storms last year our flowers took a little beating. We did loose a few but were able to bring some back to life.

     In the photo below located in the upper left hand corner is the Before photo the happenings of a long winter here in the Northwest. This is what I call my summer office. I create mostly outside on the table and read alot on the lounge chair. I cant wait to use it this summer !!


      Next outside project is touch up painting the chairs and table red. I do at least every other year. And to sew the cushions for the chairs. Which was found for 4 bucks and a few yards of red and black thick fabric for re-covering, for 3 dollars.

Few second hand candles to help decorate and light at night. As well as some hand painted shells to decor the flower planter boxes. Cheap and fun project to do.

There are 5 light up decors located in the photos and oh my let me just say its amazing to sit out here at night. The newest addition is the brass stem and yellow-orange glass flowers. They are solar and are so beautiful lit up at night. They were 29.00 at Costco.

The rest was just a little elbow grease and a cute dog :) That's my beautiful Leerha.

Click on Photos to Enlarge....