Whether you are looking to raise some cash to battle the hard economic times or want to get rid of some furniture that has served its purpose, upcycling furniture is a great way to make money. It involves finding old, junk, or unwanted pieces of furniture and giving them new life in a creative and artistic way to raise money.
And best of all? There is no need for power tools or fancy equipment to do it. With a few simple techniques, you can turn an old piece of furniture into a masterpiece that will fetch you top dollar at a yard sale.
If you have a pickup truck and are looking for a lucrative yet straightforward side hustle to earn some extra money, then upcycling furniture may just be perfect for you. Read on as we dig deeper into what upcycling furniture means, how it works, its benefits, and what to do to be successful at it.
What is Upcycling?
Upcycling is the process of transforming old or discarded items, often made of plastic, wood, or metal, into new, higher-quality items. It’s the art of not only creating something beautiful but also valuable and versatile.
It is also an eco-friendly practice allowing you to reduce your carbon footprint by converting a former “disposable” item into a useful one. Salvage yards, flea markets, and thrift stores are top spots for finding great furniture to upcycle.
How does Upcycling Furniture Work?
Upcycling furniture allows you to turn an old piece of furniture into a new and better one. You can do this by taking an old or damaged piece of furniture and giving it a new life with paint, varnish, stain, and other similar materials.
When people discard furniture, they often throw away the old and create the space for new. That is where you come in. You get old and unwanted furniture pieces and give them a new life by turning them into valuable and beautiful pieces of a higher value and selling them for a reasonable price.
You can add a fresh coat of paint, replace old and faulty veneer, or add a new layer of laminate to modernize the old piece and make it better than ever. With your creativity, you can repurpose old or broken furniture pieces to new and better furniture that will be more valuable and better looking than the original.
What are the benefits of Upcycling?
Since its introduction in the ’90s, upcycling has become increasingly popular. And it can be a great way to make money from furniture selling. It doesn’t take too much effort, and it’s the perfect side hustle if you are looking to add some extra income. The benefits of upcycling include:
- It conserves the environment by reducing the carbon footprint as old materials are used to make newer ones. This is incredibly impactful when reusing a ton of discarded textiles blocks 20 tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere.
- Helps create jobs for people by creating opportunities.
- Reduces the amount of waste that goes to landfills.
- Encourages innovation and creativity.
- Improves the quality of old or damaged items.
- Significantly reduces the cost of production since the process of producing materials is done once, not several times.
- It provides a unique way of revamping old products, giving them a new life, and making them more valuable and unique.
- Conserves limited resources.
What Should You Know About Upcycling Furniture?
While upcycling offers a simple and lucrative way to earn a living from selling furniture, there are a few things that you should keep in mind before you decide to take on the practice as a side hustle.
Plan Ahead to Make Sure You Have the Right Tools
Before venturing into upcycling, you need to plan, so you have the right tools. You will need to take your time and think about what kinds of furniture pieces you want to upcycle and the products you will need to transform into something new.
Having the right tools for the job will ensure a smooth process that ends with a quality product you can sell. Make sure to have the following tools on hand:
- Hammer
- Screwdriver
- Pliers and wrench
- Hacksaw
- Paint stripper
- Brushes
- Paint sprayer
- Sandpaper
- Paint roller
- Drill
- Tape measure
- Duct tape
- Drop cloths or tarps to cover your work area and protect surfaces from paint spills.
Be Creative with Old Pieces
Upcycling furniture is all about being creative and thinking outside the box. You should be willing to put time and energy into creating a more valuable and better-looking piece than the original. You can do this by using various pieces of furniture or even repurposing old objects into furniture pieces.
Use your imagination and look around you for inspiration. You can transform a storage cabinet into a console table, an old dresser into a bookshelf, or an old chest of drawers into a window frame. You can even take apart furniture pieces and create something new out of them. For example, if you dismantle a table, you can use the legs to create a new piece.
Look at Pinterest and Blogs for Inspiration
Take time to look at Pinterest and design blogs for inspiration. What are other people doing? What do you like the most and why? Look at pictures of furniture that you like, rate them, and think about how you can transform a piece of your own.
This process will help you find a style that works for you and what kinds of materials and techniques you will need to buy. Take the time to research what kinds of products are trending in upcycling so that you can add them to your collection.
You Can Upcycle Furniture to Flip for a Profit
Upcycling furniture is a great way to add value and make money from selling your items. You can sell them to people looking for unique furniture pieces or even put them up on sites like eBay or Craigslist. You can also list them on Facebook Marketplace or hold a yard sale where you sell more unique and handmade items.
Become a Sharetown Rep
Are you interested in a better way to make extra money on the side? As a Sharetown rep, you will resell like-new furniture to supplement your income. If you’re already upcycling furniture and looking for a way to fund your hobby, Sharetown can help you earn cash while letting you work when and how you want. Click here to sign up with Sharetown today!
