Three First Things After the Holiday: Count the Goods, Reset the Props, Check the Lighting长假归来先做三件事：清点货品、归位道具、检查灯光

The first thing to do after the National Day holiday is to go through the counter from head to toe. Over the six days of holiday, customers came and went, pieces were picked up and put down, props were nudged and pushed back. By the time the holiday ends, the counter is no longer the way it looked before. This article is not about redesigning a display, but about one thing: how to quickly put the display props back in place and give them a health check, so the counter is in good shape on the first workday.

Start with the order of resetting. The post-holiday counter check should follow an outside-in sequence: windows first, then the outer counters, and finally the inner counters and the warehouse props. The window display is the most neglected place during the holiday. During the day the spotlights hold it up; at night when the lights go off, the dust, fingerprints and smudges on the display stands all show. When cleaning the window, do not just wipe the glass. The velvet boards behind the glass, the velvet surfaces on the display stands, and the shoulders and necks of the mannequins should all be cleaned with a soft brush and a dry cloth along the direction of the pile. The key to resetting window props is to set the angles back: the mannequin face should face the entrance, and the tray direction should face the customer. If these two angles are off by even one degree, the window loses three points of its character.

Next, look at the outer counters. These are within easy reach of customers, and they are where the most props were touched, tried and turned over during the holiday. The first step of resetting is to count: which tray is missing a ring stand, which neck form has two chains that do not belong there. All should be sorted before work starts. The second step is to restore the spacing: the gaps between trays and the widths between slots that were pushed out of place during the holiday must be adjusted back to the standard spacing. The third step is to check the velvet: in the slots that were repeatedly used during the holiday, the velvet can easily fluff or sink. Where it fluffs, apply a warm towel briefly and brush along the pile. Where a tray cushion has sunk, replace it with a new one. Do not make do.

The spare props in the inner counters and the warehouse should also be reviewed. Are the display trays, spare velvet cushions and replacement light tubes prepared before the holiday still in their places? Have the out-of-season props stacked in the warehouse been moved, and are they damp? Props hate dampness most of all: velvet grows moldy, wood deforms, and metal parts oxidize. If the weather around the holiday is rainy, run a dehumidifier in the inner counters and the warehouse, or place desiccant in the corners. When opening the cabinet door every morning, touch the surface of the props in passing; if it feels cool and moist, keep an eye on it.

Check the lights and wires next. During the holidays the most common problems are LED strips and track spotlights: a section of LED strip not lighting is usually a loose connector, and a spotlight out of angle may have been nudged by a cleaner. Check the lights counter by counter: ceiling lights, in-cabinet strips and display-area fill lights, all three sections must light up to pass. If a bead is dim, do not replace just the bad one. Replace the whole section of the strip; otherwise the old and new beads have different color temperatures and the counter lighting will look patchy.

Finally, deep cleaning of the props. Post-holiday cleaning is done in three layers: remove surface dust daily with a feather duster; vacuum the velvet once a week on low power; and for hidden dirt spots such as right-angle gaps, hinges and drawer rails, wipe them after the holiday with a cotton swab dipped in mild cleaning solution, then apply a little lubricant. Hinges age the fastest among props. Open and close box lids and pull drawers gently. During inspection, apply a drop of oil to the hinge pin and it will last half a year longer.

Here is a small suggestion for stores: turn the post-holiday reset into a checklist and stick it behind the warehouse door. Count the pieces, restore the spacing, check the velvet, repair the lights and deep-clean. When all five boxes are ticked, the holiday syndrome is gone. The finer you reset the props, the easier the coming peak season will be. The goods are the stars and the props are the stage. When the lights and the scenery on the stage are all back in place, the star will look good when they come on.