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Have you noticed the trend of furniture flipping (#furnitureflip) on TikTok and Instagram? Think about it like house flipping, but on a much smaller scale. Here’s how flipping works: Furniture flippers find an old piece of furniture, fix any issues with I t, and add paint, stain, or even new hardware. Then, they re-sell at a profit.
How To Do It
To start out, hit up your local thrift shop or neighborhood garage sale and look for pieces to flip. You want something made of solid wood, has dovetail drawers, is heavy and sturdy, is in good condition.
You can also get pieces for free by taking them off the hands of family and friends or checking local buy-nothing Facebook groups.
Anyone can do it. But keep in mind, like any hobby, it might take a few tries before you get the hang of it.
How To Flip For Profit
Look for furniture with maker’s marks on them. It’s usually found in the top inside drawer, or on the back of furniture. They sell more than generic furniture.
Choose sought-after furniture. Dressers, buffets, television consoles, and matching nightstands are in high-demand.
When selling furniture flips online, it's also crucial to take quality photos. Try to photograph each piece in good, natural lighting, and style it for the photo.
Have patience. They might not sell right away. So give it some time.
What Not To Flip
If a piece feels or looks cheap, has major damage that would be hard or expensive to fix, is super lightweight, has missing drawers, is wobbly or made from pressed wood, it probably isn’t worth flipping.
You also don’t want ‘bubbling’ on surfaces. When you see bubbles on the surface, this is water damage to the particle board. It can be fixed, but sometimes it's not worth the effort.