Start with the products you expect to make
Choose a small group of products you sell regularly or already have on order. List the main supplies each needs, including the variants that matter: size, color, scent or material. Count what is physically available instead of relying only on what you remember buying.
Keep finished products separate from raw supplies. Ten ready-to-ship candles and ten empty jars represent different stages of work. Recording them separately helps you see what can ship and what still needs production.
Separate available stock from committed stock
Mark supplies already reserved for orders. If you have 20 usable blanks and 7 are committed, only 13 remain uncommitted. This is a simple planning calculation; the number you can sell also depends on other required materials and production capacity.
Set damaged, incomplete or unusable pieces aside before counting. A product that needs a matching lid, label and box is only ready when all of those parts are available. Check the small components as well as the main material.
Check the supplies that slow you down
Look for items that take longer to replace, vary in availability or support several products. Write down the supplier and the lead time you have actually experienced. Do not assume that last month’s delivery time will always hold.
Choose a review point based on your own usage and how long replenishment usually takes. Include a buffer where it makes sense for your situation, then revisit it as you learn. There is no single stock quantity that fits every maker.
Leave yourself a short action list
Finish with three lists: ready to use, needs attention and needs ordering. Add the date of the count and record any stock set aside for current orders. A short, accurate list is easier to keep useful than a large one you cannot maintain.
Use your recent sales records to decide which items deserve attention first. MakerVista’s free Sales Dashboard and Sales Analytics can help you review shop performance after connecting your Etsy shop. A spreadsheet or notebook can hold the physical stock count; MakerVista’s inventory tools are part of Pro.