Flipping Furniture For Beginners
If you’re thinking about flipping furniture for profit, you’ve come to the right place! This guide is for flipping furniture for beginners, and it will give you everything you need to know to dive into this fun and rewarding hobby.
Whether you’re looking to make it a side hustle or to turn it into a full time business, we will cover all the basics and give you tips and tricks to help you get started.
So you want to make some money flipping furniture, but you have no idea where to start. Well, I’m here to help guide you through the process! Before anything else, you’ll need to know how to paint furniture. You can check out painting furniture for beginners and all our painting furniture ideas and tutorials here.
You can make some quick money by quickly painting any piece and not really paying attention to details. But if you want to make good money and build a solid customer base, you’ve got to focus on the details. Make sure the paint is done well and is built to last. Learn the best type of furniture paint for beginners here!
Otherwise, word will get around that you don’t do a great job, and it’ll make it harder to keep selling your pieces. I mean, I know some people who don’t really care and just do it to get a quick buck, so it’s still possible.
But in the long run, quality work will help you stand out and give you a good reputation. This won’t just bring back repeat customers. It can also lead to recommendations to friends and family. Now, let’s look into the selling side.
List Furniture Online
The best way for beginners to sell is through Facebook Marketplace. This is an awesome tool that many use all over the country. People are always on there looking for pretty much anything, so it’s a great place to list your used or painted pieces.
Sure, there are other ways, like word of mouth, but Facebook has been the most tried and true method for us, no matter where we’ve lived across the country over the years.
If Craigslist still is a thing in your area, list it there. If you know any other local online classifieds, you could try them too. Check out more options for the best place to sell furniture online here. And for more helpful tips, here’s how to start selling furniture online.
Take Good Photos of Furniture
Since you’re selling, you’ve got to make your pieces look good. Don’t just snap some quick pics of it sitting in the garage surrounded with clutter all around. Show how the piece can be used and styled in a home so people can imagine it in their own space.
To get great photos, use decorations that match the style of your piece. You don’t need to overdo it. I also like placing mine in front of a white or neutral wall so anyone can visualize it better in their own home.
Then I get down to eye level with it and take a picture straight on. I make sure the camera isn’t angled down or anything, just straight. In the photo, you can see a bit of the top, but not too much. Basically, people can see what the piece actually looks like.
I like to take some close up photos from different angles to really show everything. Like, did I add drawer liners? I’ll take pictures of the top, the sides, some close ups of the hardware, too.
Make sure to take your pictures in natural light. Avoid turning on your soft white lights in the background because that can change the actual color of the piece in the photo. Stick to the natural light coming through your windows. It’ll make your photos look so much better!
Pricing Flipped Furniture
Once you’ve got the photos, you can go upload them to Facebook Marketplace. But you’ll need to set a price first! Learn all about how to price flipped furniture in this post, which includes a free pricing guide to help you.
Write Furniture Description
Then, write a description of what you’re selling. You don’t need to list every paint color or explain all the steps you took, but make sure to describe what the piece is.
Is it a dresser, a chair, a buffet, or a TV stand? What can it be used for? A dresser can be so many things – it could work as a TV stand, a buffet, or even for a nursery. Think about all the different ways it could be used and include that in your listing.
When people search on Marketplace, they might type in “TV stand,” and if you’ve included that term, your listing could pop up! If you don’t include “TV stand” in the description, it won’t show up when anyone searches for it. So, add all the realistic ways someone could use it. Be as detailed as possible.
If it’s a dresser, you also don’t want to call it a chair. That could make your listing come up for those searching for a chair, and that’s not the goal. You’re not trying to market to everyone. You want to describe it for someone who’s actually looking for that specific piece.
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Mention its color. No need to include the paint name, just something simple like “navy blue.” Perfect! Then talk about its features: how many drawers does it have? What’s it made of? Are there any cool details? Make sure to mention those. It’s also very important to include the measurements of the item in the description.
You’ll also want to put a location there. You don’t have to write your exact address. Just the city, suburb, or area you’re in will do. People will want to know if it’s near them or not to decide if they want to buy it.
Relist Unsold Furniture
We like to relist ours every week or two. If it’s been up too long, some might wonder, “Why hasn’t it sold yet?” We’re not trying to spam, but we want to make sure people actually see it, especially with how many listings are on Facebook Marketplace these days.
Then, when someone responds, make sure to reply quickly and be polite and professional. Watch out for scammers, though. A good way to avoid this is to stick to cash payments and, if possible, go for in person delivery or pickup.
Can you make money painting furniture?
You want to spend as little time and money as possible while still making the piece look great and creating a nice product. But say, if you spend $200 on a dresser, another $200 on supplies and tools, and then try to sell it for $450, it’s just not worth the effort.
So we need to make sure it’s something that’s actually going to sell. You want to get a piece at a good price, put some time and money into it, and still make a solid profit in the end.
We have a few different printables in our shop to help you out, like an inventory tracker, a makeover and budget tracker to keep you on track. After all, you don’t want to spend a ton of money on makeovers and not come out even. Here’s how to make money painting furniture for more tips!
So, those are the great ways for flipping furniture for beginners! Remember to take good photos, write detailed descriptions, price your pieces right, and relist if needed. Stay on top of your budget, but don’t forget to offer quality items, too!
More Flipping Furniture Tips
- Is Selling Furniture Profitable?
- How to Sell Used Furniture
- Best Furniture to Flip for Profit
- Can I Still Sell Furniture? Using AI to Stage My Furniture Flips
- How to Ship Furniture on Etsy
Follow us on YouTube to get more tips for painting furniture. Or share your project with us on our Facebook Group and be part of our community. See you there!