👉 NEW SERIES: "Why Bookkeeping for Your Handmade Business Feels Hard"👉
Bookkeeping for Makers (Without the Overwhelm) Pricing, COGS & Inventory

What is Inventory? (And Why It Matters) for Handmade Businesses

Inventory is one of the most misunderstood parts of running a handmade business — and it directly affects your expenses, pricing, and taxes. In this post, we’ll break down what inventory actually is, why you can’t deduct materials when you buy them, and which makers truly need to track it. No accounting jargon, no overwhelm — just clear explanations that finally make inventory make sense.
Originally written & published in 2020 – updated in 2026 for clarity.

an image of a makers desk with a laptop with multiple spreadsheets open
Bookkeeping for Makers (Without the Overwhelm) Courses & Freebies

Do You Really Need 15 Spreadsheets in Your Handmade Business?

Running a handmade business isn’t a “one spreadsheet and done” situation — no matter what the gurus say. Most makers are juggling pricing sheets, inventory lists, COGS logs, craft fair trackers, mileage logs, and at least one mystery tab they’re afraid to delete. If it feels like your business needs 15 different spreadsheets… it’s because you’re running a real business with real moving parts. Let’s break down why this happens — and how to make it easier.

image of a maker desk with a laptop, calculator, notebook, glasses, pen and yarn
Bookkeeping for Makers (Without the Overwhelm) Pricing, COGS & Inventory

Overhead Expenses Demystified for Your Handmade Business

Overhead expenses are all those behind-the-scenes costs — rent, website hosting, shipping supplies, subscriptions, and more — that keep your handmade business alive… but often get ignored when you price your creations. This post shows you how to gather your expenses, calculate a realistic hourly or per-item overhead cost, and bake that number into your prices so you stop working for free.

Post feature image - crochet doily, text overlay "Tracking the costs of your handmade items got you frazzled?
Courses & Freebies Pricing, COGS & Inventory

Pricing Your Handmade Items for Profit … or Pricing on Vibes?

Pricing your handmade items for profit and tracking the cost to make them doesn’t have to feel like a math-induced meltdown. In this post, I’m sharing the upgraded Handmade Product Pricing & COGS Calculator — a simple, maker-friendly tool that helps you track materials, remove the guesswork, and finally price your products with confidence. If you’ve ever juggled yarn scraps, sticky notes, and “I’ll figure it out later”… this instantly makes your life easier.