Being a Work At Home Mom can make anyone frazzled.  Anyone trying to run an Ebay business and raise a family is bound to have moments when they want to pull their hair out.  I am one of those moms.  In the beginning I felt like I was consistently chasing my tail.  Here are my top ten hints to bringing sanity back to your life.
                                                                                                

1.  Invest in a crockpot.  How many times have you realized it is now 3 p.m. and you have no idea what is for dinner?  I know I have been in that spot more times then I would like to admit.  The crockpot can save you from that horror.  There are lots of free crockpot recipes online.  Pick a few you like and give them a try.  By having dinner taken care of first thing in the morning you can free up the rest of your day.

2. Get dressed.  Sounds easy right?  WRONG!  Anyone with small children will tell you there are days when your highest goal is just to get a shower.  Set your alarm for at least 30 minutes before your kids wake up.  As soon as you get out of bed get into the shower and get dressed.  This will give you more energy for the rest of the day.

3.  Delegate.  Delegate to your kids.  If they are old enough to make the mess they are old enough to clean it up.  If you are going to be successful at creating an online business you cannot spend your day fishing Legos out of the couch cushions.  They may whine and fuss but in the end you are teaching them a valuable skill about being responsible.

4.  Use Paypal Shipping.  You have to save time and money any way you can.  Paypal shipping is very easy and it will save you money.  All you will need is a small postage scale that you can purchase at any major discount retailer.  The cost may make you question the purchase at first but it will be the best purchase you ever made.  Once you have your scale simply click on print shipping label.  Then you just enter the item's weight, mail service chosen (priority, 1st class etc), and when you are going to ship it and off you go.  By doing this if you mail using Priority mail you also get free delivery confirmation.  All those small charges add up faster than you think.

5.  Schedule Carrier Pickup.  Who wants to drive small children to the Post Office only to have to wait in line?  Inevitably someone will have to go potty.  Carrier Pickup solves this entirely.  As long as you are shipping at least one item priority mail you can schedule your pick up for the next day free of charge.  It couldn't be easier. 

6.  Research.  You should always be researching what sells and what doesn't sell on Ebay.  There is nothing worse then spending hours listing an item only to have it go unsold.  Talk about losing time and money.  Always be aware of what is selling and what isn't selling.

7.  Get Organized.  Once an item is listed you should have a specific place it goes.  This is the items home until it sells and is ready to be shipped.  This will eliminate the time spent frantically searching for the item once it sells.  It also prevents little fingers from finding it and ruining it while it is at auction.

8.  Get the Kids Involved.  My nine year old will sit at the computer and insert information into Paypal shipping to help speed up the process.  My 5 year old loves to be in charge of taping the box.  This doesn't always save you time but it does create some great memories.  My kids have learned about countries from around the world because of Ebay shipping.  When I have an item going to Australia we all talk about where Australia is, what kind of animals live there, and what we would like to see there.  My little kids just really like the tape though.  :)

9.  Ship Priority Mail.  It isn't always possible but if you can ship Priority do it.  Not only will your customer get their item faster but the supplies are free.  You can order the priority mail supplies directly from the USPS website.  They are free and the Post Office will ship them directly to your door.  Again no where to go so you save time and money.

10.  Set Realistic Goals.  There will always be someone on Ebay that sells more than you.  You have to set realistic goals for yourself though.  Maybe you can only list in short spurts while the kids are asleep.  There is nothing wrong with that.  When you sit down to list though set a realistic goal for yourself though of lets say 5 items.  Then don't do anything else until you are done.  Don't check your email, read up on a celebrity, or check the weather.  Tell yourself just 5 items and then I am done.  Then when you are done acknowledge yourself for a job well done.
                                                                                          

Being a successful Ebayer is possible with small children, it just takes hard work, determination, and organization.  You can do it though!!!