I've had my vintage booth for almost a year

[Marthe48]

We've sold over 600 items, although, you can't really tell if you look in my house. I think the hardest thing to deal with is what to put in the booth. We bought an eclectic variety of things and the booth reflects our unbridled enthusiasm. But I don't know what is going to sell. Some of the things have been in the booth since I started. I'll get ready to take a thing out and replace it, but it sells. I swap things out frequently, or fill up the holes. The mall owner likes the booths to reflect seasons and holidays, other events, so we pattern traditional stores. That switches things up, too. But sales don't really have any pattern.
Going into Year 2, I am thinking of how to go forward. I was thinking of narrowing the variety, but how? After a lifetime of buying things I liked, with no particular aim, I have to think how to be more focused. My other idea is to swap out everything that has been in the booth since the beginning and adding new things that I haven't displayed before. The second idea would be easier, for sure. I put pictures of my booth and new items on my facebook page, and I was thinking of adding a list of things I removed, in case anyone wanted it, but didn't buy it.
The vintage mall has started shipping, so if someone wants an item, there is another way to sell. I like that it is the mall owner who handles the work
It is fun, and I'm glad I have this hobby to fill my time. I'd really rather be doing this than almost anything else!

[LakeArenal]

1. Swap everything out is my vote.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. I had a booth for two years and didn't make a dent in my collections. Sold about $1000

a month. Ended up having 2 estate sales when I got ready to move on and still gave away $20K of items.

I would do a total swap out of merchandise but keep any 'high priced' items in the booth.

[Marthe48]

3. I'm thinking that way

I mostly sell low-priced things. I check prices, and usually tag at 1/4-1/3 sold values. A few things I put a Hail Mary price on, and sometimes I am happily surprised.

We collected from late 70s until 2014 and since we were buying stuff either because it was a bargain compared to prices at the time, or hoping something would become collectible, or something would become more valuable as time went on, I think our stuff reflects collecting trends from that era. I see different trends now, not just Beanie Babies or Franklin Mint type collecting, but era, item, and names. MCM, useful and advertising are all big here. The advertising doesn't have to be super old, either.

During Covid, I sorted, sold 4 large lots of stuff to dealers. I had 1 good sale, one disappointing. And then got the booth. (storage with benefits! lol ) While I was sorting, I wAs time goes on, it is getting easier to add to the sell pile. lol

You sound further along than I am. If I ever get down to where I want to be, hope I can go looking and buying again. I have been out about 3 or 4 times since 2015 and it is still a ball!

[sinkingfeeling]

5. I made the move from my 4800 sq. ft. Victorian house to about 1000 sq. ft. and still

brought too much stuff with me. Including two china boxes full of beautiful glass and china. Tons of photographs and my paintings. Most of what I kept is art supplies, sewing material, craft supplies, and cake decorating stuff.

I really need to part with more stuff! I'm trying hard not to buy again. Have slipped up and bought the very same set of pot de creme cups and a cookbook that I sold at estate sale!

[Marthe48]

11. We did the opposite

Moved to a 1920s era 4 square, the house of our dreams, from a 3 b.r. ranch. We were going to sell the ranch, but were not completely moved when my husband was diagnosed with cancer. We moved back to the ranch, and stayed there, sold the big house after he passed. I was basically moving from 2014-2019. Really glad I didn't give up our rental storage, and my daughter shared hers with me. I just got everything back to the ranch or my storage last year.

My Mom gave me a full-sized version of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica, in a shelf. I've had it for years. My husband and I went to a local house auction, got there late. The auctioneer was selling a box of books and without even looking, I bid and got the box for .75. When the assistant, gave it to us, it was an entore set of the smaller edition of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica! I got to say, "Oh Monte, Monte, I already have a set of these!" lol Anyway, I still have both sets. Crazy.

If I move from this house again, I am taking a bare minimum and auctioning off the rest. Maybe I've told family and friends that if there is something they want, but not right now, to tag it with their name. Glad my grand daughter got behind that.

Happy Monday!

[CANADIANBEAVER69]

4. Are you willing to do a big sale?

Unless you don't want to sell for lower prices, on the items that have been there since you started. It seems that if you are swapping out, you're just really rotating. IMO.

I hope whatever you decide, works out well for you.

[Marthe48]

7. I let the manager know in Jan. that if someone asks

they can have a 10% dscount. And I started participating in the Veterans' discount on Wed. I have the items priced low initially, lots of $1-$10 things. Several of the vendors in the mall stop by to see what I have, and are return customers. The most expensive thing I've got on display is a dairy production ice cream tank.

I worked on inventory this weekend and have over 1800 things tagged or ready to tag. I add 27-54 items at a time. About 300-400 items on display. If I switch out, or rotate a bunch, I've got a lot to pick from.

I appreciate my DU friends with an interest in collecting offering opinions. If I'm trying to decide what to do, it helps me figure out how to procede

[marble falls]

6. Tough business, but if you don't need it to make most of your living, it can be lucrative enough ...

... rotating product and keeping things neat and dusted worked well for me.

[Marthe48]

8. We were lucky that it was always a hobby

I started collecting before I was 10. When I got married, my husband got interested too. After 45+ years, there is a lot of stuff to downsize. The last few years we were buying, we bought several large lots, just to get a few things we wanted. We'd sell things to pay for the lot, so basically everything I don't want is paid for. We donated usable, clean items to either benefit sales or to places that help the homeless or others in need. When I was sorting, I set boxes of stuff out in front of the house for free.

While I was sorting the last few years, I kept things people gave us, or had belonged to my husband, or were pre-1920. Everything else is headed for the booth. So I will probably dust, tidy and rotate.

[marble falls]

9. Never needed it to make rent, but it bought some gas to go pick berries or visit a friend ...

... I was/am too close sometimes to being owned by my possessions. Giving them away sometimes is hard because I want to be sure they're needed and won't end up in a landfill.

I have a storage unit full of art supplies, mostly painting and weaving. I was starting to sell the weaving stuff and then i got sick, but I am working to start back up with selling most of it: three looms and piles of rags for carpets, yarns, associated equipment.

I know I am too old and renting space is too expensive these days. I don't want my three out of state and across the country children to have to deal with it.

I gave away a bunch of books to people here on DU a few years back. I paid the postage because at printed material rates it was very cheap, usually a couple of bucks and it got to the destination in less than a week. But I felt uncomfortable having members' real names and addresses with no way for me to confirm I erased them once the book was sent.

It really is an internal debate inside of me: who or what owns what or who.

[Marthe48]

10. I understand what you're saying

I think of myself as a crossroads or curator. I love my stuff, but I have never minded giving away what I have. My human nature is gleeful over a bargain, and sometimes, right after i give something away, the greedy child inside wants it back.
I feel like we are close to the last generation that will continue the Victorian habit of collecting items to show off, rather than use. For one thing, housing, for another space.

I don't have creative supplies, and if I did, it would be wrenching to give it away. I hope as you find new places for your textiles and art suppllies, the people you gave them too will show you what they've made. What a generous gift!

I have so many books, and I worry about them the most. I wouldn't worry too much about having the names and addresses. I bet more than a couple of us have been in touch with each other over the years.

I hope you feel better. I'm too the age that even missing sleep is exhausting. I'm healthy, but pacing myself so I don't overdo is really teaching an old dog new tricks! Thanks for sharing your insights