Selling "Hand made" goods.

[JoshTheCyclone]

I have often thought about building items to sell for extra cash such as picnic tables, benches, chairs, tables, etc. The wife and I are expecting our first child and the desire for extra income has quickly turned into a need. Does anyone have tips or advice on getting started?

 

[mdk2isu]

I have often thought about building items to sell for extra cash such as picnic tables, benches, chairs, tables, etc. The wife and I are expecting our first child and the desire for extra income has quickly turned into a need. Does anyone have tips or advice on getting started?

Well, you go get yourself some wood and some tools, head out to the garage with some plans you found on the internet, and get to work.

In all seriousness, congrats on the baby on the way!

 

[isufbcurt]

I guess I am not sure what you are asking. Are you asking the following:
1. How to market your product?
2. Whether you need to form a business or just sell it?

Would just like some specific questions.

 

[Schfinkter]

We used to sell a lot of redone furniture, primitives, etc.. We had really good luck with local buy and sell sites on fbook. We made some decent extra cash doing it, but with a growing family we just got burnt out and didn't have extra time.

 

[runbikeswim]

My MIA makes gemstone jewelry, I upscale used furniture/small wood items, my wife does high-end paper crafts.

My MIA makes the most money/stuff because she doesn't work, my wife and I's are more hobbies as time allows. My suggestion is to go to the local craft fairs, and see what it available in your area, what is selling, and how much. We changed our strategy a lot on what we sell after doing several shows.

Mainly, the less expensive, the easier it is to sell. One of the things I make that sells real well is I do hall coat/hat racks that are about 3 feet long, with a top shelf, then I used dollar store picture frames and/or mirrors, and embed them, and then add coat hat hooks. I do the whole farmhouse look (Joanna Gaines distressed style). I look for really cheap wood furniture, real wood, on craigslist that I cut up. Oak TV entertainment centers can be picked up real cheap. Especially those that don't fit the new widescreens. I also get a lot of my wood from recycling pallets/skids - but stick to the hardwoods, not the hedge which is most common. In the fall I do christmas trees with pallets that I sell for $50, and only spend about $5 on paint.

The craft shows will give you ideas. Women like to buy holiday themed crap. My wife and I are making V-Day and St. Patrick's day front door hangers (like a wreath) right now, selling for $15 to $20.

 

[VeloClone]

Not trying to be an ass, just informational. If you market your stuff as homemade make sure you spell it correctly.

Good luck with the pregnancy. What an exciting time.

 

[JoshTheCyclone]

Damn, that's a humbling moment. If an admin could adjust that...

 

[JoshTheCyclone]

Thanks for the rapid responses! I'm a carpenter/general contractor by trade so I have access to quite a few tools and material. I hadn't thought about dressing up inexpensive furniture people were selling. I may run with that!

 

[DeereClone]

I have had good luck buying stuff at garage sales and selling it on craigslist or facebook sale groups. I have also had good luck picking up furniture laying in the street/yards/campuses of college towns in the spring, fixing it up a little/repainting it/etc and re-selling it. You have to get a good buy and typically you won't find that on craigslist/facebook. I quit doing it as I was getting tired of meeting with people at nights and on weekends to show/sell the stuff.

If you are handier than me you might have good luck building new for people, but a lot of times the materials cost enough to build the whole thing that there isn't a lot of money left for you.

 

[TOFB4ISU]

In before Marshalltown. Check local zoning rules and either play by the rules or at least know the rules if you want to fly under the radar.

 

[VeloClone]

Damn, that's a humbling moment. If an admin could adjust that...

1. Go to top of thread.
2. Under thread title clear over on the right side click on THREAD TOOLS.
3. Click on EDIT TITLE.
4. Profit.

 

[FerShizzle]

I am fellow hobbyist who has dabbled in selling handmade furniture and sculpture as a side job.

In the immediate I would recommend making items that you can sell to friends and family. take lots of photos of finished products and build a catalog. document as much as possible. how many hours for fabrication, costs of material, etc...

try and find business to sell your stuff ( a coffee shop or a gallery or any other place that will get your product in front of the public). this is where a catalog of documented work comes in handy. keep an eye out for local craft fairs.

small items are good way to start because its highly likely that you might end up with many items on hand at a time while you are trying to sell them. storage can become an issue. lamps are a great piece. you can turn almost anything into a lamp with a hardware kit from the store and without a shade they can store really efficiently.

go to furniture stores and look for furniture ideas. Pinterest and Google are full of DIY designs.

keep receipts. much of what you will buy is tax deductible.

hope this helps.

 

[JoshTheCyclone]

Thank you everyone for the insight!

 

[BCClone]

Pending hours you work and how the competition thing would be considered. In North Iowa, small concrete jobs are sitting for years. Can make a grand a weekend without much effort. Nobody has time of wants to do it. If looking for extra winter work, don't call it homemade. It makes it sound like you cobbled together something cheap.

 

[VeloClone]

Pending hours you work and how the competition thing would be considered. In North Iowa, small concrete jobs are sitting for years. Can make a grand a weekend without much effort. Nobody has time of wants to do it. If looking for extra winter work, don't call it homemade. It makes it sound like you cobbled together something cheap.

Agreed. "Custom" and "Artisan" are two words that demonstrate the handiwork and still sound professional.

 

[JoshTheCyclone]

Pending hours you work and how the competition thing would be considered. In North Iowa, small concrete jobs are sitting for years. Can make a grand a weekend without much effort. Nobody has time of wants to do it. If looking for extra winter work, don't call it homemade. It makes it sound like you cobbled together something cheap.

Thanks for the advice on the homemade label. It makes sense. Why sell it as a "homemade table" when table works fine. Good example of too much information. Concrete on the weekend would be a possibility. The construction company I work at is family based/will be mine once my father retires so I have access to any tools I need on the weekends/nights.

 

[ForbinsAscynt]

You should try moonshine. No tax ID required. It's trendy enough for hipster and alcoholics love it too.

 

[rdtindsm]

Clueless in Iowa here - What is an "MIA". I googled it and didn't find anything that looked close.

 

[wxman1]

You should try moonshine. No tax ID required. It's trendy enough for hipster and alcoholics love it too.

Might even be able to get a TV deal out of it!

 

[Freebird]

If you plan to do shows then get a tax ID some require it.
Also, track all expenses. It's a PITA but worth it.