If you’re looking for a way to make some extra money, you may want to consider flipping furniture as a side hustle.
Flipping furniture involves buying low-quality furniture for dirt cheap, refurbishing it, and reselling it for a higher price. This can be a full-time job, but it is not the easiest. You can sell cheap items such as end tables, or you can buy solid wood furniture and turn it into high-end items.
Flipping furniture is an excellent way to make money by using your talents and skills. You can start a small business on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. These sites reach a huge audience and allow you to advertise your products easily. You can also set up your own website or create a Facebook fan page to promote your products. Once you have your own website or Facebook fan page, you can start selling furniture and start making money.
Taking good pictures of your furniture is crucial to success. Your pictures should be free from clutter, pets, and other things that may distract potential customers. You can also make your pictures look good by using good lighting. Natural light is best, but lamps can also work well. You can even use soft boxes to take pictures of your furniture.
To be successful in furniture flipping, you’ll need to understand how to assess the worth of different pieces and how to market your products. Flipping furniture takes time and skill, but the more time you invest in your business, the more money you can make. Typically, you’ll need to spend at least 20 hours a week on this side hustle to see any significant profits. However, if you’re passionate about interior design and enjoy working with your hands, furniture flipping can be a great way to earn some extra cash.
Table of Contents
What do I need to get started flipping furniture?
If you are seriously considering pursuing the lucrative business of flipping furniture as a side hustle or even as a full time business, you need to prepare yourself to work on a variety of different projects. Some of these projects may seem straightforward, such as changing a few hardware components. Others, however, require specific tools and techniques. A checklist of the items you will need to purchase is helpful for making sure you have everything you need to get started.
Once you’ve acquired the necessary tools and materials, the next step in the furniture flipping process is finding the right pieces to flip. This is the most important and time-consuming part of the business. You should consider checking out various sales within a geographically viable area to find pieces that are affordable and have character. You can schedule trips to thrift shops, garage sales, yard sales, and antique shops on your free time. When you’re at work, you can also browse classified ads sites as well as the Facebook marketplace and other online marketplaces on lunch and short breaks.
As you’ve seen so far, you have to be on top of things when it comes to furniture flipping. Having said this, the flipping furniture side hustle, is just like any other business venture – it isn’t for the faint of heart. You need to commit time, a little bit of money, and a lot of hard work in this kind of business.
Is furniture flipping profitable?
As you may already know, flipping furniture can be a lucrative business venture. But how profitable is it really?
One of the biggest problems families face in North America is too much clutter that’s why most are willing to part with their old furniture for virtually nothing. They post these items on Facebook and other marketplaces for between $10 and $40, and if you’re lucky – sometimes you can get a good condition leather couch for FREE, just because the owners got fed up with too many stuff.
On the other end of the spectrum, however, are people who are looking to buy furniture but don’t necessarily want to spend a fortune on their furniture acquisition.
This is where you – the furniture flipper – come in to turn a profit!
You can easily earn between $40 and $50 per flip – that of course depends on the the furniture size and the perceive value the item carries. The key of course is to make sure that what you’re selling does add up value to the buyer’s life.
Say, if you’re average mark-up is $40, and you manage to flip 25 furniture in any given 30-day period – that’s $1,000.00 extra income on your pocket!
Of course, this is a side hustle figure, some successful furniture flippers have reported having earned six figures a year flipping furniture, which of course, doesn’t seem impossible, once you get the hang of it and you find yourself finding more and more great used furniture deals, you can either get a warehouse and put up a used furniture eCommerce store or rent a full-on retail space to resell this furniture.
Is flipping furniture easy?
Flipping furniture as a side hustle is simple but I wouldn’t say it’s easy as it can be more involved than you may think. For one, depending on the type(s) of furniture that you’re flipping, you may need access to a pick-up truck and a buddy to help you out with item pick up and deliveries.
Secondly, while some items can be flipped outright without doing anything to improve their state, some items may need fixing and upcycling to maximize your return.
Furniture flipping isn’t easy but it’s a simple, yet profitable business that you can start with very little capital or even free as long as you’re willing to put in the work.
What is the most profitable furniture to flip?
Couches are one of the most popular pieces of furniture, and they can be quite profitable to flip. They come in all different shapes and sizes, so you’re sure to find one that fits your style. When flipping a couch, be sure to take good photos and list all of the features in the description.
Customers will want to know things like the dimensions, material, and color. Chairs are another great piece of furniture to flip. They’re usually less expensive than couches, but they can still fetch a good price. Be sure to list any unique features of the chair, such as the height, width, or type of material.
Tables are another great option for furniture flippers. They come in all different shapes and sizes, so you’re sure to find one that fits your needs. When flipping a table, be sure to include the dimensions and any special features in the description.
Dressers are a great piece of furniture to flip because they’re usually quite cheap. However, they can still sell for a decent price if they’re in good condition. Be sure to take good photos and list any unique features of the dresser, such as the material, color, or size. Beds are another great piece of furniture to flip. They’re usually quite cheap, but they can still sell for a decent price if they’re in good condition. Be sure to take good photos and list any unique features of the bed, such as the material, color, or size.
These are just a few of the most profitable pieces of furniture to flip. With some time and effort, you can make a lot of money flipping furniture.
How do you become a successful furniture Flipper?
If you are planning to sell furniture for cash, it is important to select high-ticket, high-quality items. For example, a sofa made from Ikea will not fetch a decent price, so you should choose pieces made of real wood. This will make your furniture more valuable and will make it easier to sell.
People love retro, vintage, and upcycled furniture, and you can reap good profits if you know how to list it online. You can also look for old pieces on classified websites, which are full of bargain furniture.
To be successful, however, you have to commit a set number of hours a week to this business as you have to constantly hunt for bargains, improve the items if necessary, and constantly post your inventories on online marketplaces.
How much money do you need to start flipping?
When you start flipping furniture for profit, you don’t necessarily need a lot of capital to get started. You can start by asking pre-loved furniture from friends and family. If you want to flip high ticket items such as couches, dressers, and dining tables, you may need access to a pick up truck and if you’re serious about this little venture of yours, I would suggest that you buy a used pick up truck so you need not borrow or rent every time you pick up an inventory.
You may also need to hire help on a part-time basis, that’s why it’s important to plan your pick-up route so you could maximize the productive hours that you’re paying your employee or hire on a per-commission basis where the person comes in as a deal partner and gets paid a percentage of every sale they helped you with.
So in essence, you can start flipping furniture for as little as $0 or $100 and work from there.
Can you make a living flipping Furniture?
If you need to make a full-time living and you’re considering furniture flipping as your source of income, you will need to treat it like a real business.
Treating your venture like a real business means “work”. Just like any other business venture, the furniture flipping business works, if you work it!
There’s no question as to the demand when it comes to furniture as people do need them, however, you have to be able to identify which of the furniture you’re looking to buy are fast-moving, and which ones move with high margins.
You will have to factor in your costs such as gas, labor, and other miscellaneous expenses in each furniture time that you pick up, spruce up and deliver.
The furniture flipping business is technically an upcycling business, and while some items are flip-ready, meaning, you need not fix anything but can resell them for a profit, most of the items, may need some refinishing work, so if this is the business venture that you’re planning to get into, you need to love working with your hands as well as factor in the costs of painting, fabric treatments, and other repairs on your pricing to be truly profitable in each flip.
The great thing about this business is that it is scalable, so if you want to make more money, you can easily do so by adding more hours into your work week or by delegating some of the tasks so you can take on more projects.
To sum it up, yes, you can make a living flipping furniture. Like any other business venture, however, there are certain risks involved when it comes to furniture flipping. These risks can be minimized by taking the necessary precautions and by being knowledgeable about the business.
One of the biggest risks is buying low-quality furniture that will be difficult to sell. To avoid this, take the time to learn about different types of furniture and only buy pieces that are high quality and in good condition.
Another risk is not being able to sell the furniture you’ve flipped. This can be avoided by taking good photos, writing compelling descriptions, and pricing the items competitively.
With a little bit of hard work and dedication, you can make a full-time income from flipping furniture.
Furniture Flipping Success Tips
Inspect the furniture for damage and repair as needed
Before you begin flipping furniture, it is important to inspect it for damage and repair it as needed. Depending on the type of furniture, this may involve tightening screws and bolts, sanding down rough spots, or using wood filler to fill in cracks. By taking the time to repair any damage before you start flipping, you can help ensure that your finished product is of the highest quality. In addition, flipping furniture can be a great way to save money on new pieces. By breathing new life into old furniture, you can give your home a fresh look without breaking the bank. So next time you’re considering buying new furniture, consider giving flipping a try. With a little elbow grease, you can end up with beautiful furniture that is uniquely your own.
Clean and sand the furniture as necessary
If you’re in the furniture flipping business, you know that cleaning and sanding furniture is a necessary part of the process. Not only does it help the furniture look its best, but it also helps to protect it from damage. When sanding furniture, you’ll want to use fine-grit sandpaper to avoid damaging the surface. Once you’ve sanded the furniture, you can then clean it with a mild soap and water solution. Be sure to rinse the furniture well and allow it to dry completely before applying any finishes. By taking the time to properly clean and sand your furniture, you’ll be able to create beautiful pieces that will last for years to come.
Paint or stain the furniture to match your desired style
One of the great joys of furniture flipping is that you can take a piece of furniture and give it new life by simply painting or staining it to match your desired style. Not only can this breathe new life into an old piece, but it can also save you a lot of money as you won’t have to buy new furniture to get the look you want. Of course, there are a few things to keep in mind when embarking on this project. First, make sure that the furniture is clean and free of any dirt or debris that could prevent the paint or stain from adhering properly. Second, sand down any rough edges so that the finish will be smooth. Finally, choose a quality paint or stain that will provide long-lasting results. With a little elbow grease and some creativity, you can transform even the most ordinary piece of furniture into a unique statement piece.
List the furniture on online marketplaces such as eBay, Craigslist, or Facebook Marketplace
The great thing about the internet today is that you’ll never run short of places where you can post your furniture for sale. You need not put up a storefront because you can sell your furniture from the comfort of your home; simply take good pictures of your pieces, post them on popular platforms like Kijiji, Craigslist, or Facebook Marketplace, and watch the buyers come to you.
Conclusion
Flipping furniture can be a great way for you to make some extra cash on the side, or even replace your current income. By taking the time to properly inspect, clean, and sand the furniture, you can create beautiful pieces that will last for years to come. In addition, by painting or staining the furniture to match your desired style, you can give old pieces new life, and sell them for a profit. With a little elbow grease, you can end up with beautiful furniture that is uniquely your own.
