This question is one of the questions that I get asked most frequently. How do you run a reselling business part time – but successfully? I’ve written a lot about this in the past and really it comes down to time management. You have to account for every moment in order to make sure you are putting your time where it matters.

But what about after the time is managed, what then?  I wanted to offer some tips on the topic and share what has worked for me:

1. Source Better Items

This might seem obvious but picking up better quality items has made a huge difference for me. I used to shop blindly. I would grab cartfuls of clothing and much of it was good stuff but it needed a button or a stain needed to be treated. Or I would grab not so great brands but that had a cute print or style that I knew I could sell for $10 or $15.  But the reality is: I don’t have extra time to mend things or make repairs. It also doesn’t make sense for me to spend my time in the thrift store sourcing, prepping, photographing and listing all to just make a couple of bucks. I need the return to justify my time because my time is limited.

Not saying every purchase is a win and I definitely do let things go for a cheaper price when they have sat for a while. My point is that the majority of the items that I source need to make sense for my time and for my schedule. I want things that don’t require much work, that I can list quickly and that will bring me the best return. 

2. Identify the Priorities

Some things need to be done every day. For me, that’s shipping and sharing my closet. No matter how crazy the day is, I need to ship my orders on time. I also know that I need to share at least some of my closet on a daily basis. Now whether I outsource those tasks, ask for help or do it at midnight, I have to make sure it gets done. 

Some times are busier than others, work gets hectic, we have potty training fails at home, you name it. But something that has really helped me is to recognize the things in my business that require attention and I make sure they get done. I’m not always happy about doing them in the midst of the chaos, but I am happy when I see my business thriving. 

3. Spend Time on Growth

We can get wrapped up in the day to day and maintain but it’s also important to take time out to think about what’s ahead. Where do you want your business to go? What kind of goals do you have? How are you going to get there? Spend time focusing on what’s next for you and create a plan. This will also give you an opportunity to evaluate the things in your business that aren’t working. Maybe your listing process needs to be more streamlined or perhaps you need to strategize new ways to lower your cost of inventory. Whatever those questions or issues might be for you, they need time to be addressed. Even though you are selling part time, your business still needs direction. It needs a clear path for growth. Make time to focus on that. 

Just because you are part time doesn’t mean that you can’t get full time results. Give your business the attention it needs and keep finding new ways for it to thrive.