Virtually all items can be recycled and reused for economic purposes. Flipping furniture is one of the easiest side hustles that involve the refurbishment of old items for economic purposes. It’s a highly profitable side hustle that involves repainting, refixing, and redecorating old furniture to make it more attractive. Are you hatching plans of venturing into this lucrative business,? This article will serve you a great deal because you will get to know the necessary information about making money by flipping furniture as well as how and where to go about it.
How Furniture Flipping Works
The steps in flipping furniture are the same for both hobbyists and full-time furniture flippers. Here are the steps in flipping:
The first is to source for the item, after which you pick it up and refinish it if necessary. Ensure that you take photographs of the item before going ahead to create your sales listing. Lastly, you should negotiate with buyers to increase sales.
Interview with a Furniture Flipping expert
Ryan Cron, a side hustle show enthusiast is an expert Furniture flipper and in a chat with him, he briefed me on how he started his flipping furniture business.
Ryan’s First Flip
Ryan’s wife taught Ryan how to flip and rehab furniture. He watched his wife keenly while she refinished a few furniture and dressers in the house. Ryan decided to take the bold step by taking up his first flipping task.
“As a project, I went out and I got a dresser for about $30,” Ryan said. “She showed me how to paint it, do the hardware, and I flipped it about two days later. I think I listed it for about $150, and it sold within two hours.”
Types of furniture to flip
No client will recommend you for more sales if the flipped furniture they bought from you breaks down after a few days. Your first target should be to get furniture that is made of strong wood. You will always have patronage once your refurbished furniture is not only alluring but long-lasting.
Ryan recommends solid woods and dressers as the best kind of wood for flipping. They are suitable for use as outdoor furniture and they don’t wear or tear easily. However, you can try out antique woods because of their high profitability. Antique woods are highly valuable, but you should scrutinize them thoroughly to ensure that you get the best.
Types of Furniture to avoid
Ryan made it clear that a good reputation matters in this business because that’s what will attract more referrals to you. Durability is of great essence; hence, you should avoid the low-quality wood-like plague. Particle board and medium-density fiberboard (MDF) are not good for flipping no matter your style of sanding and painting.
Antique woods are profitable, but you should scrutinize them thoroughly before using them. Ornate woods will waste your time, so you have to avoid them, especially during your early days in the business.
Where to find Furniture to flip
Nowadays you can own a shop in cyberspace and carry out your marketing without spending money to rent a shop.
Facebook marketplace is Ryan’s number 1 place for buying and selling furniture for flipping. A simple Facebook search with keywords like – Dressers, solid wood, antique woods, etc will do the magic. Set price limits and see your results.
Craigslist is also a great option, but you have to be wary of scammers. Some real estate companies usually conduct sales and auctions of unused furniture. Kindly be in the know because you can visit their website for your furniture needs. The flea market is another great hub for finding furniture to flip.
How to Restore Old Furniture
Before starting to restore the piece of furniture, it is important to remove the finish from the wood to restore its original appearance. In the case of wooden furniture that does not have paint or varnish, you just have to clean it with a damp microfiber cloth with neutral soap and let it dry before following the other restoration stages.
Ryan revealed that sanding is an excellent method of removing old paint and varnish that are present on the surface. You can sand by hand or use an orbital sander to remove the finishes. Then use a rag with solvent to clean it.
Paint removers are also an effective means of removing varnish and paint. So apply the solvent or stripper with a brush and remove the product with a spatula. Then clean the surface and sand it gently with fine sandpaper. Three coats of paint will do the magic in restoring beauty.
You don’t have to be perturbed about where or how to learn. You can acquire some basic carpentry skills in your vicinity, though you have to pay some training fees. You can learn virtually by watching free tutorials on YouTube.
Tools you need to flip furniture
Cleaner
Before you can flip a part, it must be clean. “You can use dish soap or you can use a spray; it just needs to be a degreaser,” explains Ryan.
Orbital sander
“The first thing I would recommend, and that’s just a small investment, is an orbital sander,” says Ryan. “It will save you a lot of time and effort and help you prepare your piece.” Sanding the item first results in a piece that Ryan describes as “teeth” for the paint. Sanding makes the finished surface to be smooth and alluring.
Brushes
Brushing is an important painting step. Your brush should be synthetic, says Ryan. A good brush will remove any twist while giving you a smoother and more precise painting.
Primer, paint, and sealer
Ryan likes the paint formula to be specific to furniture, glossy, and long-lasting. “The more you invest in quality products, the happier you’ll be with the results,” He says.
Drill and screwdriver
A drill and screwdriver are necessary items in your toolkits. “I have a drill and an electric screwdriver which I use for Flipping my furniture.” You need them once you begin to get enough patronage.
How Much can you make Flipping Furniture?
Your dream of earning Big bucks via furniture flipping will certainly manifest if you have the skills and knowledge required. According to Ryan, this business is very profitable and can easily earn you $1000 income per week. He makes $100 – $250 for each flipped furniture.
Your running cost can reduce to the barest minimum if you have the tools and the skills. Paints and varnish are the only items that you may need to buy during every job.
Where To Sell Refurbished Furniture
Ryan mentioned that buying and selling flipped furniture is best done in cyberspace. With this, the cost of freighting and shipping will not be there. Below are some recommendations by Ryan.
- Facebook marketplace and Craigslist. The Facebook marketplace remains Ryan’s best hub for selling and buying refurbished furniture.
- You can get in contact with dealers in furniture or consignment stores.
- Alternatively, you can rent a shop or space in a local market for your furniture sales and merchandise.
- Organizing auction sales will attract buyers.
- Lastly, you should consider selling parts of the furniture to thrift stores.
Tips for Furniture flipping
Furniture flipping has simplified the art of side hustling. Ryan highlighted a few tips that will guide you on how to start and how to become successful in this business.
Get a unique design
Ryan emphasized that your painting must be unique so that your customers will feel that you’re selling a very different brand. Exclusive designs will certainly get you many repeat purchases and single your revised furniture out of the crowd.
Acquire negotiating skills
The goal of profitability is to buy at a low cost and sell at a high price. You need to learn how to negotiate with your buyers and convince them to buy at a favorable price.
Your picture should be catchy
Great pictures will attract the attention of potential buyers once they scroll through online listings. Once you’re done refurbishing your furniture, go ahead and take pictures using a high-quality camera or phone. You should learn how to take the pictures from the right angles that will showcase the aesthetics and beauty of the furniture.
Customize some of your flips
Once your business expands, some customers may need customized flips. You will certainly earn more bucks by using special painting designs to meet the needs of your customers.
Other Things You Can Flip To Make Money
Furniture is one of the many items that can be flipped for money. At some point, you may consider expanding your business and making more money by the flipping items such as:
- Raw land
- Used books
- Items in the flea market
- Clearance items
This involves, getting the items at a low price, and selling them at a highly profitable price.
While planning to add furniture flipping to your side hustling list, just know that what you’ve learned so far is the key to your success. A little experience will boost your revenue and will earn you more money. I guess you can now decide whether to dabble into furniture flipping or not.