Upcycling has become popular as people try to address environmental issues and deal with the throw-away society developed over the years. Platforms such as eBay and Amazon provide a way of selling items that may otherwise be discarded and fill up the landfills. How can you successfully make money from upcycling projects?
Wealthy places like Florida can provide many opportunities for restoring old and last season’s items, so it is potentially an ideal area to start your business. You also have the flexibility to work when you are most productive and work with your hands; perfect if you aren’t the type to spend all day in an office environment.
Make a plan
It’s important to decide where you will source furniture items from. Write down the possible option such as eBay, auctions, local selling groups, or freegle. Sourcing furniture that is low-cost or free is the best option.
How much will you need to start up your business? Consider costs such as materials, tools, premises, and marketing. You will need to invest in tools such as sanders, putty, paint, varnish, and brushes which are all needed for the process.
If you are refurbishing large furniture items, you will need to consider where you will store them when you have sourced them and before you sell them on. Rarely is the home big enough to store extra equipment, so you should think about storage options such as public storage Tampa that provide various sizes of units for storing items securely and safely.
Market your business
Starting a business is challenging, and you must think about your target market. If you are upcycling second-hand products, you could target those on a budget, including those buying their first home or branching out on their own for the first time. Think about how you will attract them to your products. Shabby-chic styles are popular, and many young and trendy 20–30-year-olds will be attracted to the style and the price of these products.
A good, clear, and visual website will help people get information on your products and see what you have to offer. Be transparent about your pricing and follow up on all requests for information.
You can use free online marketing tools to drive your business, but specialist SEO companies can use data to help increase traffic to your website. Digital marketing is an important tool in this modern world of technology.
Consider your costs
Researching how much an original piece of furniture costs will help provide a benchmark for your pricing. The finished product will be cheaper than the original but be sure to factor in material costing and the fact that you have created it with your hands in order to provide a fair price that will make you money.
Be organized
When you start a company, it’s important to keep accurate records of all your income and expenditure for tax purposes, and accurate records will save you a headache at the end of the year when you have to file your accounts. Be sure to keep track of all your business expenses so you can offset them on your tax bill.
If you enjoy a job where you are active and can work in the sunshine, restoring furniture in Florida may be just what you need.
