If youre looking for a side hustle that can bring in serious revenue, furniture flipping is worth considering.
Heres how one furniture flipping teacher got started making $3,000 a month upcycling used furniture on Facebook marketplace.
And tips for how to get a start flipping furniture yourself.
Photo courtesy of Sara Chen
This is when most people would plop on the coach and let out a deep sigh of exhaustion.
Maybe pour a glass of wine and call it a night.
But Chen isnt most people.
Shes just getting started.
No Interest Til Almost 2027?
It was by chance that she stumbled upon upcycling furniture, work she finds energizing and inspiring.
The extra $2,500 to $3,000 a month is just an added benefit.
So she pivoted her career circa 2009 and took a job teaching Chinese.
It allowed her and husband Justin Herbertson to raise their newborn daughter, Gemma.
Shes been a Chinese teacher ever since, and she enjoys the work.
It pays the bills.
The health insurance is great.
And now Gemma attends the same school.
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But Chen yearned to be creative.
While she gets to curate well-manicured rooms for rent, Airbnb didnt fully quell her desire to be creative.
Then she got her first taste of furniture upscaling.
She brought a friend to meet the seller.
I told my friend, You know what?
You should buy the other one.
Her friend said no.
It looks so ugly, she told Chen.
Chen bought both pieces for $400 anyway.
The first piece she kept as is.
For fun, she decided to paint the second one.
Then she set up shop in her garage and got to work.
In two or three hours, the dresser was like new but better.
It looks so good!
Can I have it now?
On the spot, she made a sale: $350.
But I dont feel stressed out because Im doing the things I like to do, she said.
My rationale is that I really like this piece, Chen said.
And if it doesnt sell, Im going to use this for myself.
She chose a dresser because its a versatile piece of furniture.
It can double as a baby-changing station or an entertainment stand, if needed.
Her first customer drove more than two hours to pick it up.
When the woman arrived, she marveled and shelled out $420.
Including supplies, Chen earned about $300 in profit on her first sale.
On her way out, the customer encouraged Chen to create an Instagram account to showcase her work.
The woman had a large social media following and said she would give Chen a shout-out.
Chen took that advice to heart.
But Chens luck with her godsent customer didnt end there.
After she got the green dresser, I noticed she was pregnant, Chen said.
I got another dresser, also from Facebook Marketplace … and then I painted it pink.
I added black handles
Youre looking for a dresser for your girl?
Well, I might have a piece you want.
Chen photographed the new pink dresser and sent over the pictures.
This is exactly what I want!
The second piece, which Chen purchased for about $60, sold for $400.
And those price points werent one-offs from an enthusiastic buyer.
Chens instincts were dead on.
After researching her competitors on marketplace, she typically shoots for those profit margins with each project.
Depending on the project, that means she regularly sees profit margins between 70% and 90%.
it’s crucial that you find a sweet spot, Chen said.
I give a shot to keep it in the median-high level.
I feel like thats the right spot [for me].
But when the paint dries, her work is only a little past the halfway mark.
Next, she stages the piece for high-quality photos to include in her listings on Marketplace or Instagram.
Its now her favorite part of the process.
Its also probably the most important part, Chen said.
Its gone from a regular piece to a stunning piece, and I want people to see that.
The added love really goes a long way.
Those details are what convinced a pregnant lady to drive more than two hours to pick it up.
Chen even uses her photo-editing chops to profit off of her competition.
Lots of people sell furniture on Marketplace, but dark and grainy photos abound.
In an experiment, she edited one local sellers pictures using Photoshop and sent them over.
Their furniture started selling faster.
She loved my photos, Chen said.
How to Make Money Furniture Flipping
Finding a side hustle that you enjoy is the sweet spot.
Heres what you better know to make a profit flipping furniture.
Do Your Research before you jump in Furniture Flipping
Investigate what kinds of inexpensive furniture sells well.
Seriously, few people buy traditional china cabinets anymore.
Look for mid-century end tables or coffee tables, a classic dining table, or even patio furniture.
Check out local classified ads or flea markets with a careful eye for what sold immediately with cushy markups.
Avoid fake wood and particle board and look for solid wood furniture that is sturdy and timeless.
Avoid antique furniture and the higher price tags at estate sales.
And dont forget to drop by thrift stores or shop yard sales.
Professionals will tell you thats where the real money flipping furniture happens.
Adam Hardy is a former staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.
Senior writer Kaz Weida contributed.
(Can you sense my millennial sarcasm there?)
You know which ones were talking about: rent, utilities, cell phone bill, insurance, groceries…