Small Business Must Haves
In this blog post, I’m rounding up all of my Small Business Must Haves including exactly what I use to package my products, how I organize my inventory, and tools/resources for running a business.
*Please note that this blog post does include some affiliate links, meaning that I do make a small commission if you make a purchase. Thank you for helping to support my business.
packaging
Packaging is such an important part of running a small business, especially when you’re shipping items to customers! Here are a couple of my tips and must haves when it comes to packaging.
Add some color! One of my biggest tips is to choose a brand color to use for your packaging! Choosing a fun, eye-catching color helps your packages stand out. It also helps to promote your brand, create consistency, and help people recognize packages from your shop. Items from my shop are shipped in pink padded envelopes or pink boxes. Pink is a main color in my brand and that is kept consistent through packaging. They have lots of different colors including pinks, blue, purple, silver, gold, metallic, etc. Choose one that matches your brand
Here is the link to the pink mailers that I use most often!
I’ve linked a larger size of pink padded mailers here!
Or the gold which is linked here!
I’ve linked some black mailers here.
There are also these white ones which you could customize with branded stickers!
Here are the larger shipping boxes boxes that I use! Super easy to assemble and work so well!
Add branded details! Another way to really personalize your packaging is to use stationery, inserts, and stickers with your brand on them! I designed a set of inserts that have my logo and brand elements on them and they really help to create a cohesive brand experience. I order my inserts packaging stickers from Vistaprint which is linked here! You can upload full designs or use their system to create some.
Protect your products! I use clear plastic sleeves to protect all of my work and give it a clean, professional look! They come in all different sizes so you can find ones that work for all sorts of products. They are resealable and look so professional!
Here are the ones I use for 5x7 prints!
These are the ones I use for stickers and magnets!
For greeting cards, I use this size!
For larger items, I’ve used these 12x12 ones!
Keep your products protected! Another way I keep products protected when they’re in transit is to add backing board. I insert backing board into the clear plastic sleeves with prints. In sticker and greeting card orders, I insert backing board in the package to make sure nothing gets bent! Backing board is also available in all sorts of sizes!
For the 8x10 size, click here.
Here are the 6x9 clear plastic sleeves!
If you need a larger size, I’ve also used these 12x12 ones!
Add something extra! I use ribbon to give my packages a little something extra.
Here’s the link to the ribbon I use! There are so many color options.
organization
I recently purchased new storage to hold all of my inventory and shipping supplies. It has totally changed my packing and shipping process! If you’re interested, here’s the link to the exact shelf that I purchased.
Sticker Display: I purchased this acrylic stand to display stickers both on my shelf and at pop up shops! It has six tiers and is perfect for displaying stickers that are between 1”-4” inches. You can purchase it here from Amazon!
Sticker Storage: I keep my stickers displayed on my shelf so I can easily package them. However, since I order stickers in bulk, they don’t all fit on that tiered display stand. I put about a dozen of each design on the stand and store the rest in this organizer that is linked here!
Cardboard Bins for Prints, Cards and Inserts: These white cardboard bins for holding prints and cards have been a total gamechanger! They allow me to easily find what I’m looking for when packing orders and are cute. Love that they are both pretty and functional! The cardboard bins I use for holding prints and cards are linked here!
Acrylic Drawers for Larger Prints: I love the look of these acrylic drawers! They hold both 8x10” and 12x12” prints and I was honestly surprised by how many prints I can fit in them. The acrylic is so nice because it doesn’t feel super cluttered and allows you to easily see which prints are inside each drawer. I purchased two of them! They are linked here!
Natural Colored Storage Cubes: I’m obsessed with these storage cubes! They are such a pretty color and I love how they contrast with the white shelf. I purchased four of them where I store mailers, tablecloths for pop up shops, my flatlay photo props, and my clear plastic sleeves. They are linked for you here!
Square Blush Pink Bins: These storage bins are so cute and I love how they add a little color to my shelf. Check them out here! They also have them in blue which is linked here! Here’s the link to the flatter blush boxes!
White Photo Boxes: I keep a copy of each greeting card collection for myself in these white boxes linked here! I love storing personal photos and things in here as well. They are super cheap too but work well!
Organizing Packaging Stickers: I use these holding stands to store and display my roll packaging stickers. You can find them here!
Shipping
Dymo Label Printer: I use my dymo label printer for printing all of my shipping labels. It makes it so easy to print my labels and stick them right onto packages. It’s an investment but well worth it in my opinion as it saves me so much time!
Click here for the Dymo Label Printer
Click here for the Dymo Shipping Labels
ShipStation: I LOVE using ShipStation as it pairs perfectly with my Dymo and filters both my Etsy and Website orders to one place. My Dymo and ShipStation subscription have made shipping way less stressful and so much faster!
Click here to try ShipStation!
Tape Measurer: I use this tape measurer to measure all of my packages as I ship them out. Of course, it is pink! You can find it linked here.
Shipping Scale: This scale is the perfect size for weight small to medium sized packages. It’s a shipping must! I’ve linked the exact one that I have here.
home office
Pink Desk Chair: I have this pretty pink desk chair and I absolutely LOVE it. So comfy and a great quality. Worth the price! I’ve linked it here.
Mobile Shipping Station: I just ordered this mobile workstation and I’m so excited to try it out! Linking it here.
Business Tools:
A-Z Directory: Cami + Elisabeth from Biz Birthday Bash (home of the Biz Bash Podcast) have created an incredible resource for product business owners, creatives, and stationers. There’s over 200 different vendors that can help bring your ideas to life- pretty much anything you want to create! The A-Z Directory includes access to this resource as well as membership to a private Facebook page where Cami + Elisabeth (as well as other members) share their knowledge. You can sign up for this amazing resource by clicking here! Use code KELSEYHAVER for a discount on this resource!
If you’re interested in making stickers, here is a link for the company that I use!
Website Template: When I decided to redo my website, I knew I needed to invest in some help. I purchased a template that works with Squarespace which is the platform my website that houses my website. I bought the Sophia template from Big Cat Creative and it has been a total gamechanger! The biggest thing that I wanted when investing in a new site was the ability for me to easily make changes and design parts of it. I wanted it to be full of my design style and branding and these templates allow me to do just that! It’s honestly been so worth it and I’ve already seen better conversion rates because my website finally matches the quality and style of my work. If you’re interested in purchasing a template for your site, click here!
Flodesk: I recently switched email marketing platforms, from Mailchimp to Flodesk and I LOVE IT. I’d been using Mailchimp because it was free but Flodesk is a total gamechanger. Part of the reason for refreshing my website and emails was to put everything on the same level design-wise. I used to feel like my website and emails were not as well-designed as my actual design work. It caused inconsistencies in my brand and made it feel dis-jointed. Using Flodesk helps make everything beautiful and cohesive! Click here to try Flodesk for 50% off your subscription!