I Was a Teenage Warehouse

[Suzy_Allman]

Today's a big day for us: the truck finally (FINALLY) gets here, with our first order of 6,000 stuffed rescue dogs and cats. If I picture it in my head, the amount of space that takes up in my home expands or contracts proportionate to how optimistic I'm feeling about this whole venture. Anyone else turning their home into a warehouse? How's it working out for you, space-wise?

[Paul_Saunders1]

WOW Suzy ... amazing .. that will sure fire you up ! and clear out any mice :) I have a fair amount of stock but ok space wise, which I will use just for my own home country Oz and then I have set up a system for when I start to sell to US to send orders direct from manufacturer .. but that's a lucky score as I know them quite well ... cudos for commitment and taking the plunge !

[Suzy_Allman]

Hey Paul: Thanks for the response, and fortuitous for me! I have half my family in Sydney, including a risk-taking, adventure loving 22-year-old who would probably feel flattered if I gave him one of your First Aid Kits for his birthday! Missing it over there. :0)

[Rachael_Langley]

We put our stuff in a storage space for the moment, but our first delivery was kind of funny. We live in an apartment and if you aren't home packages get dropped off at the apartment main office. We didn't quite realize what 500 poop bag dispensers would look like when we ordered them but they showed up at the apartment office. There were so many boxes they left them in the middle of the clubhouse area with something about poop bags written in big letters on the outside of every box!

[picassohairfeat]

I have done the same!! You can get quite creative with organizing - I turned a large 25 wine bottle rack into the most useful storage piece as I mounted it on the wall and hung all my products from it. I had the intention to start from home (save on costs!) and as my business grew I would eventually move it to a fulfillment house. I am launching my second website/product now and making arrangements to have everything sent to a fulfillment house (about 6months later) - if you can start from home though, its a great way to cut your initial costs... even if you are seriously sacrificing living space ;)

[picassohairfeat]

BTW CharlieDog and Friends is amazing!

[Gabriel_Soh]

Congratulations Suzy! Sounds like it's going to be an amazing day. We're awaiting arrival of our first order now and will be storing everything in our home as well. Quick question, I noticed you launched your site and started selling prior to receiving your shipment, what was your experience - we're in this state where we're pretty much ready to launch but are hesitant to really push our product and put it out there until we get our inventory. Any advise from your experience would be much appreciated. Thanks! Good luck! Great product and site! Gabriel

[Jennifer_White4]

Isn't it the greatest feeling, on top of the world... :) I wish you so much more in your venture. A huge heartfelt congratulations, Suzy! :) I would recommend to try to keep everything as organized as possible and maybe some light reading about warehousing, lean practice and GMP guidelines, to help keep things organized. LOL, but be prepared to have it overflow, everywhere! We had it in the garage, kitchen, dinning room and living room... then we got another order for 1200lbs a month more. 18 wheeler trucks with trailers were pulling up making deliveries in a HUGELY residential area. Cooking days were great fun, we had air vents sucking the fumes out, doors removed...and you could still smell our house blocks before you found us!! Seeing it grow is the biggest high in the world....and it's just the beginning.

[Sticklas]

Make sure you have insurance for your inventory. Regular home insurance won't cover it.