Inventorying Your Supplies

by Judy Larson
Many of us want a clean work surface to start the new year so we start to clean and organize our work area and supplies, which can be a daunting task.  
Many computer programs help jewelry artisans organize supplies, costs, vendors, and pricing.

If you're in business or planning to start one, these tools can be lifesavers especially for accurate tax records.

However, some of us just need a simple, paper-based way to track a few supplies.

It's not that we don't want to use software; we just don't really need it.

Sometimes, simple is better.
Do you know what supplies you have on hand?

Over the holidays, I made and gave away a lot of jewelry, using up much of my sheet and wire.

I don't keep close track of what I have or need to replace, nor do I track costs since I'm not in business.

But I do loosely monitor my most-used materials to avoid running out mid-project.

No one wants to be stuck waiting for an order while their creative flow disappears.

In the past, I'd get sidetracked by creating and forget to subtract what I used from my starting inventory.

Now, about once a month, I update my inventory sheets erasing old numbers and noting what's left.

This helps me know when to reorder after sales.

I keep the sheets in plastic sleeves with my materials, so I also see what I use most often.
I keep all my wire separated by type in an antique sewing spool cabinet, but not by type and gauge like many do.

This makes it hard to know exactly what I have, especially with base metals, which I have more of than precious metals.

My base metal sheet is too bulky for drawers, so it's stored in a large pull-out bin in my desk.

All the base metal wire is crammed into cabinet drawers.

Without an inventory sheet, I'd only know I have a lot of wire but not the details.

My Argentium silver and gold-filled wire and sheet each have their own drawer.

It's easy to store sheet with wire since I order smaller, easy-to-store pieces.
Judy Larson's Inventorying Your Supplies - , General Education, , I keep all my wire separated by type in the drawers
Judy Larson's Inventorying Your Supplies - , General Education, , inventorying your supplies
These inventory sheets are designed for home hobbyists focused on tracking supplies, not costs though costs can be noted if desired.

If you're in business, separate inventory sheets for each type of wire and sheet metal can save time when deciding what and how much to order.

After finishing a project, note on the sheet what wire or sheet metal remains.

If keeping inventory sheets with your metals isn't practical, use a thin three-ring binder near your workspace.

Having the sheets visible makes it easier to track what you have and what you've used.
Judy Larson's Inventorying Your Supplies - , General Education, , inventorying your supplies
Judy Larson's Inventorying Your Supplies - , General Education, , inventorying your supplies
Judy Larson's Inventorying Your Supplies - , General Education, , inventorying your supplies

Materials

24 Gauge 0.020 Dead Soft Copper Sheet Metal - 6x12 Inch
MET-705.24M
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $11.90
  • Gold Club Price: $8.93
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24 Gauge Dead Soft Argentium Silver Sheet - 6 Inches
H19-24SM6
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1 Inch
  • Price: $83.14
  • Gold Club Price: $62.35
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20 Gauge Round Half Hard Copper Wire
H11-20H
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1FT
  • Price: $0.50
  • Gold Club Price: $0.37
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Tools

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  • Category: General Education
  • Technique(s): General Education