💎 Behind the Scenes: How I Reset the Studio After a Busy Season
After a busy season filled with Retail restocks, Holidays and Convention/Event planning the studio always feels a little… overwhelming.
There’s wax to clean up, tools everywhere, half-used scent testers on every surface, and honestly? A lot of boxes laying around. Before jumping straight into the next thing, I always take a moment to slow down and reset the studio 🕯️✨
Here’s what that reset looks like for me.
🧹 Step One: A Big Studio Clean-Up ✨
Before anything else, I do a full studio reset. Not just a quick tidy, I’m talking about a real clean-up that helps everything feel fresh, clear, and ready for what’s next 💖
This is me running around while:
- Reorganizing my tools, fragrance oils, and colorants 🧪🎨
- Clearing off and cleaning my main workspace (it needs it after a busy season 😅)
- Putting away labels, unused jars, and extra lids so nothing’s floating around
- Vacuuming and wiping down the floors and work tables ✨
- Moving furniture back into its everyday spots
- Packing away event totes, bins, and tools until the next market 🎪
It’s a very chaotic while it’s happening and things are everywhere and the studio looks worse before it looks better. But, once everything is back where it belongs, the space feels so much calmer 🕯️
Like a deep breath for the studio 💕
📦 Step Two: Inventory Check-In ✨
Once the studio is clean, it’s time for the big inventory moment, and yes, this part is BUSY 💨
I start by breaking everything down by project and product type so nothing gets mixed together. That usually means:
- Separating each style of product (candles, wax melts, charms, etc.)
- Doing a full count for each collection and project 📝
- Putting everything back into its proper home (future me is grateful 💖)
Once the physical counts are done, it’s time to check in on how everything’s actually doing out in the world 👀✨
I’ll look at:
- What’s selling best at my retail shops 🏬
- What’s moving the best online across my platforms 💻
- What performed best/worst at my most recent event 🎪
This helps me spot patterns, like which anime or RPG themes are having a moment, and decide whether it’s time to restock favorites, shift marketing focus, or start dreaming up what’s next 🕯️💭
🌱 Final Check-In: What Needs Restocking
After all that, I take one last look and ask myself: what actually needs attention right now?
This is where I decide:
- What needs to be restocked soon 🔁
- What can wait a bit longer 😌
- What ideas are better saved for another season ✨
This step helps me avoid burnout and overproduction. It also keeps everything feeling intentional and cozy 💖