*forever a work in progress*

People always ask me about what we use for our biz, so I put together this list for you. Heads up, all the amazon links are affiliate links, but they're also all products we own and love. As always, shopping secondhand is the best choice, but if you need the new-new, I got you. 

For laundry 

Synthrapol -- Add this into the washer to prevent color bleed. It really, really works. 

Fabric shaver -- Getting rid of the fuzzy little balls on vintage clothing immediately increases its value and makes it look new again. 

Mighty Mend-it -- sometimes a little fabric glue is all that's standing between a wounded bird and a showstopper.

Persil -- it's our secret favorite laundry detergent.  (Sometimes it's cheaper in person, so check the local stores if you're a bargain hunter)

Regular ole Oxi-Clean -- probably my best friend in the laundry room. 

Oxi-Clean White Revive -- perfect for dull/dingy vintage whites. 

Oxi-Clean Odor Blaster -- this one gets cigarette and mothball smells out the best. If that doesn't do the trick, spray vodka on it and then put it in the freezer until you forget about it. That's not a joke. That's real advice. It works!

Shout! -- A classic, and one of my most reliable stain removers.

Starch -- nothing like good old fashioned heavy starch to help your items hold their shape on the racks and at pop-ups. It also adds a crispness that makes the garments feel "newer" and more pristine. 

Collapsible drying rack -- this one packs away into its tube for easy storage, and as long as you balance everything right, is super sturdy and reliable. 

Leather cleaner/conditioner -- give leather goods a nice once-over to restore their luster and make them more presentable (and thus, more desirable). I also have these leather wipes that are perfect for 'light' jobs

A big ole steamer. Ours was gifted to us, but it's just like this one, and we love it.

A good iron -- and it's not even expensive! I love this thing as much as a normal person can love an iron. I'd always rather use a steamer, though. 

A table-top ironing board -- this little guy is compact and packable, and can be used on any flat surface.

For organizing and displaying

First thing's first: racks. I've bought SO MANY of them, and these are by far the best ones. These are double racks on a single z-frame, so you can save floor space and hang twice as many things. We use them for shirts, mostly. They break down and set up really easily, too, which is really great if you do a lot of pop-ups. 

I bought this collapsible rack to use as a drying rack, but after proving it's durability to me, I've starting bringing it with me to pop-ups from time to time. It's not tall enough for long dresses, but works well for just about everything else. 

We have two of these single z-racks, and they're great at home (or in your shop) -- super sturdy and they hold tons of stuff, but they're not practical for pop-ups because they take a while to break down and assemble. 

We also have two 36" circle racks that I love. They hold two single z-racks' worth of clothes, comfortably, and the height is adjustable enough to work for my tallest maxi-dresses. The downside to them is they take up a lot of floor space. Get a little table for the top of the rack to make the most use of your space.

Good plastic hangers. These are the best quality for the quantity that we've found. Plastic hangers aren't my favorite, but they're the best for t-shirts. For my dresses and anything with a wide collar, I prefer velvet hangers. 

Good velvet hangers. These are my favorites. They're super skinny, so I can squeeze a few extra items on the rack. And when you have as much stuff as we do, that's really important. 

Mannequins! They really help people visualize what the garments will look like on their bodies. Full-size mannequins can be expensive, but I found a great workaround: hanging ones. We have a variety of plus-size and "standard" mannequins to display a wider array of clothing. Things sell better on mannequins. I can't emphasize this enough.

Rack signage - Make it easy for shoppers to find what they're looking for on your racks. These fit 4x6 thermal paper perfectly, so you can print (or doodle) on that, slip it into the holder, and clip the holder onto your rack. A word of warning: These fit better on "skinny" rack bars, and will sometimes fly right off the fatter ones. 

Size tags for the racks. Because the quicker they find their size, the quicker they buy. 

A grid wall these are free-standing and can divide your space while also providing a focal point of special pieces you want to display. 

A tagging gun. We spent 8 months hanging handwritten tags onto clothes with safety pins. If only I'd discovered this little bad boy sooner. Makes life 100 times easier. It's definitely sharp as hell though -- so put the cap back on when you're done. Also, get some extra tagging attachments. They go so much faster than you realize.

For barcodes, we use these little labels with our thermal label printer. Barcoding can be kind of a nightmare, but we use a Shopify app, Retail Barcode Labels, to make it easier.

Not ready for the tagging gun and barcoded labels? These are what we used to use.

 

For pop-ups

These blue tubs make packing clothes so much easier. I leave clothes on the hangers, fold in half, and drop into the tub. It zips shut, and because of the soft sides, its super packable and malleable. Also: durable. I've bought about 40 of them, and only had 2 zippers break (and it was 100% my fault). 

You're gonna need a good tent. We got this one. It's 10 feet by 20 feet, has sidewalls, and best of all -- it's pink! They have other colors, too. Note: this size is about double what most pop-up spaces are. (We always get two spaces.) You may want to opt for a 10x10 like this one if you're just getting started, or you don't need that much room to show off your goods.  

 

For listing items online 

Vendoo - this is our home base. everything gets posted to eBay, Depop, Poshmark, Mercari, Grailed, and Shopify from here. 

Shopify - an easy enough platform, not too expensive, and syncs to a super convenient Point of Sale app on your phone/tablet. 

 

For streaming 

Ring light with phone holder - it makes life 100% easier. This was the first one we got. Super affordable and does the job.

Wireless mics. You don't NEED them, but they're really nice to have. It helps make sure your levels stay consistent whether or not you're facing the camera.

  

For packing/shipping orders

You're gonna need a thermal label printer. We have this one. These are great because you never have to replace ink. And it has bluetooth, so you can wirelessly print from your phone. I really used to print these on regular printer paper and tape them on. NEVER. AGAIN.  

You'll also need a ton of labels. This is the best deal I found, and the quality is great. 

Give thanks by always including a thank you note. Usually we get our cards from the Goodwill Bins, but when we run out, we've been known to use these in a pinch. I just like the bright colors. 

I love colorful poly mailers. They spark joy before folks even open their packages. They also are self-adhering, so you don't need tape. Delightful! Here are some of my favorites: 

Mental health matters 10x13 poly mailers

Mushrooms 10x13 poly mailers

Pink lightning 10x13 poly mailers

Spooky witchy 14x19 poly mailers 

Cheetah print 14x19 poly mailers

Not everything will fit in poly mailers, though. We use USPS flat-rate shipping (with the free boxes) for just about all of that. We also reuse our Amazon boxes. But whatever kind of box you use, tape the ever-loving crap out of it. 

 

For paperwork/taxes 

Doxy scanner -- I'm obsessed with this wireless scanner. On the first day of every month, i scan all of the previous month's receipts and file them away neatly for tax-time. 

ZenBusiness - we used them, and they were fine. But they're a little bit predatory, so be careful, and don't say "yes" to any upsells.  

1800Accountant - not great. Get a real accountant. And send me their info.

 

For making content

Capcut - We pay for it. It's great for finding trending content ideas.

Canva - we use the free version. I like the AI features.

ChatGPT -- when in doubt, ask the robots for ideas. They've helped me with all sorts of menial tasks.

 

For branded goods

Stickers - sticker app 

Business cards - Vista Print

a frame sign - Also Vista Print

vinyl sign - Also -- you guessed it -- Vista Print. They have a ton of coupons. 

etc.