my folding checkout stand (aka an absolute GAME CHANGER at markets).

i typically only attend 2 shows a year. yes, you read that right: TWO.

they're always in november and they're always indoors because before this year, i had only done one outdoor market (since launching in 2022) and nearly lost my canopy from the wind.

so needless to say, i was a little put-off after that.

but this year, i decided to give outdoor markets another go. and once again, that unpredictable weather reared its ugly head (with rain this time). i still had a successful day, don't get me wrong. but there's just something about having something that you can't control that just urghhhh.

anyway, what i COULD control was my checkout situation. before last year, i had just been utilizing the backside of one of my folding tables that i had product on. i.e. not ideal.

eventually, i said "enough is enough" and thought "how can i solve this?"

and, naturally, pinterest was the first place that i went. i already had a general idea of what i was looking for but i'd know just the thing when it jumped out at me.

and it JUMPED:

A FOLDING CHECKOUT STAND WITH SHELVES.

i was HOOKED!

luckily, i mentioned it to my dad who's always looking for something to build and he decided to take it on as his next project!

you can find the original inspiration post from pinterest here: https://www.allthecraftythings.com/post/diy-checkout-stand

basically, we went to our local home depot and got multiple cedar fence posts. yep: FENCE POSTS. we trimmed them down to size (the entire stand worked out to be about 3' tall and 2' wide in the end) and then stapled them together and prepared them to be wrapped in fabric.

i wasn't about to risk splinters because fun fact about me: i have this debilitating fear of infection. okay, maybe not debilitating but the first sign of a papercut is cause for vaseline and band-aids STAT. so . . .

ANYWAY, hobby lobby was my saving grace for this almost wood-like fabric. paired with a soft baby pink for the shelves, i was all set!

i decided to brave the staple gun to wrap the fabric how i wanted it and i was only still mildly terrified of the thing by the time i was done, so i'd say it went well!

then came time for the pieces of wood to hold the shelves in place (2 pieces per side + 1 longer piece on the front to effectively hold everything and keep things stable. you'll just want to make sure when attaching them that you do it in a fashion that will allow them to "notch" into each other rather than overlapping, otherwise it won't fold flat) and then the hinges to turn it into a collapsible unit!

the hinge deal took a little bit of work because somehow, we had it so that when the two side panels went to fold in, they didn't fold in properly (i.e. they wanted to overlap instead of nestling in alongside each other) and the hinges ended up getting too much pressure placed on the them, causing them to actually bend. but we eventually got it figured out, it just took some trial and error!

finally, in the end, i had a functional collapsible checkout stand!

it was just missing something on the front!

so with the help of one of my mom's coworkers, i was able to get a circular wooden sign (also hobby lobby) with my logo printed up on it to hang on the front for a little added touch of flair.

i just tied a piece of twine to it with a knot on the end and tucked it under the top of the stand as i set it into place and it holds for the entire duration of the market!

the shelf inside makes for the perfect spot for my bags, care cards, cash box, etc., keeping everything close + right where i need it! not to mention that the little space at the bottom is perfect for storing my purse and any empty bags that once contained product, etc.

it has totally streamlined the entire checkout process and now that i have it, i can't imagine my life without it! heck, i can barely remember what life was like without it!

i hope you try it out for yourself + be sure to let me know how you get on with it!

i HIGHLY recommend it!