What to Do With Unclaimed Pottery (A Policy Template)
Every studio ends up with orphaned pots: fired mugs nobody collected, bisque from a member who moved away, half-glazed bowls from a course that ended last year. They take up room, and you feel bad throwing them out.
A written policy, shared in advance and applied the same way every time, protects both you and your members.
This is general guidance, not legal advice. Rules about abandoned property differ by place, so check what applies to you.
Why you need a policy
- Space is limited, and unclaimed work blocks it.
- Without a rule, every case becomes a personal decision.
- Members feel safer when they know the process.
- It avoids hard feelings and awkward conversations later.
What a good policy covers
- A clear time limit. After how long is work considered unclaimed?
- Notice. How and how often you contact the owner.
- Options for the owner. Collect, extend, donate or discard.
- What happens next. Donation, resale or disposal, and who decides.
- Where members read it. Onboarding, the website and a sign at the shelves.
Unclaimed work policy template
Edit the numbers and wording to fit.
| Step | Timing | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Ready for pickup | Day 0 | We tell the member the piece is ready. |
| First reminder | Day 14 | A friendly message with the pickup hours. |
| Second reminder | Day 30 | A message with the deadline and what happens next. |
| Final notice | Day 45 | A last message, by every contact method we have. |
| Move to unclaimed shelf | Day 60 | The piece moves to the unclaimed shelf. |
| Decision | Day 90 | The studio may donate, use for teaching or dispose of the piece. |
Add a line members agree to at signup: "Work left in the studio for more than 90 days after our notices may be donated or disposed of."
Make it easy to comply
- Photograph the piece and the label when you move it.
- Keep the contact details current.
- Allow the owner to ask for a short extension.
- Offer to ship, if you can, for a fee.
Tell people early
Put the policy in the signup form, the onboarding and the shelf sign. See member onboarding and shelf space rules.
Be kind about the pieces
Handmade work has feelings attached to it. Wherever you can, donate rather than discard, or use pieces for demos and glaze tests, as long as your policy says so.
Want this in your studio?
Claybook handles this for your studio: reminders that follow your policy, and a clear list of what is waiting and for how long.
Tell us how you run things today and we will tailor it to your studio. See everything we offer studios.