Sippin’ Sunday: You Don’t Have to Bring Everything

Grab your coffee, because Mother Nature decided she wanted to be part of my market planning this week. 😂☕

Yesterday I returned to a market that was one of my best last year, so I was really looking forward to it.

Then came the weather.

We’d had a lot of rain in Texas, including flooding in some areas, and San Antonio had gotten enough that the organizers moved our market from the park to the parking lot because the ground was too wet.

Immediately, I started thinking:

What if it rains? What should I take? What could get ruined?

And, if I’m being completely transparent, there was also a little part of me thinking:

But if I don’t bring everything, what if I don’t do as well?

There it was. 😂

That small-business-owner voice that convinces you the ONE THING you leave at home will absolutely be the thing everyone wants.

But I couldn’t control the weather. I could control how I prepared for it.

So I edited.

I left my carpet at home. I focused on products that were already protected, like my shrink-wrapped Blind Dates with a Book and journals. I thought about what could be covered quickly, what could handle a little moisture, and what I didn’t need to risk bringing at all.

And you know what?

It didn’t rain a single drop.

It was cloudy, cool, and ended up being a fantastic market day.

And I did really well.

With less stuff.

Well…there was my lesson. 😂

Weatherproof More Than Your Tent

We hear a lot about preparing our tents for outdoor markets.

Bring your weights. Secure your canopy. Have your sidewalls.

Absolutely.

But don’t forget about what’s inside your booth.

If rain is possible, think about your merchandise too. Do you have tarps or plastic covers nearby? Waterproof storage bins? Are products sitting on the ground? Can you quickly move or cover things if the weather changes?

And maybe most importantly:

Does everything really need to come with you?

Sometimes it doesn’t.

There’s a difference between being underprepared and being intentional.

I didn’t bring less because I wasn’t prepared.

I brought intentionally because I was.

☕ Sippin’ Sunday Takeaway

Before your next outdoor market, don’t just check the forecast to decide if you’re going.

Let the forecast help you decide how you’re going.

Protect your products. Have a plan. Bring what makes sense for the conditions.

And don’t let pride pack the car. 😂

You don’t always need to bring everything. You just need to bring the right things—and have a plan for protecting them.