You may have heard of retail arbitrage, or garage sale flipping. But have you heard of couch flipping, and can you make money from it. In this article we will talk about how you can start a couch flipping side hustle and make some extra money.
What Is Couch Flipping?
Couch flipping is the art of getting used couches at a cheap price (or even free), fixing them up, and then reselling them at a higher price. This can be a very lucrative side hustle if you know where to source good couches and also know how to fix them up well. In the rest of this article we will go over all the steps to flipping couches affectively.
How To Flip Couches
Below we will go over the multiple steps you need to take in order to flip couches.
Step 1: Find a Couch To Flip
A good couch to flip will be in good condition, have a solid frame and springs, no stains or tears on the upholstery. If it does have stains make sure you will be able to get them off. The more comfortable it looks, the easier it is to sell for top dollar.
Where are the best places to find a couch to flip?
Check your local Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace for used couches that are within driving distance. You can also try hitting up garage sales and thrift stores to see if someone is selling one they no longer need.
You can gain the competitive advantage by finding them at garage sales because majority of the people getting into this business model will try and source them online.
Another good place to look is specifically in the craigslist free section. Sometimes people are just trying to get rid of their old couch because they don’t believe it will actually sell or they just don’t care to try and sell it.
What are things to look for in a couch?
When checking out a couch ask yourself these questions.
Is the frame sturdy?
What are the springs like? Are they sagging or broken in any way? Do you see rust on any of them? If so, move along to another one!
How is the fabric holding up – Is it stained beyond belief and not salvageable?
If it’s just a little dirty and has some wear, then that won’t be much of an issue.
Is it a popular enough style to resell?
Some people may be giving an old salvageable couch away for free but that doesn’t mean you could definitely resell it. Be sure to look around and see how that specific couch sells.
Look For Good Name Brands
When you flip furniture or couches in specific big name brands are a good way to make a hefty profit. People buy brands that they trust so even if it’s a used couch they will pay more because they know it’s well made.
Step 2: Clean Up The Couch the Best You Can
Once you’ve gotten your couch home, the first thing to do is get it clean. This will take some time and elbow grease but it’s worth it for having a product that you’re able to sell.
What are good cleaners I can use on my couch?
The best cleaner you’ll want to use is an upholstery shampooer . It has the perfect amount of water and soap to make your couch look like new.
If you don’t have one or want to save some money, try using a carpet shampooer instead. It won’t be quite as effective but it will definitely remove dirt & stains!
You could also use laundry detergent mixed with warm water in a bucket for a more manual approach.
Step 3: Resell Your Couch On Craigslist or eBay and Make a Profit
Now that your couch looks clean and new, it’s time to sell it!
The best places to relist your couch is either on Craigslist, ebay or Facebook Marketplace.
Make sure the listing has lots of pictures. People want to see what they are getting before they buy it so give them lots of detail shots and measurements if you can!
Another thing you could do that would be valuable is to add a good description of the couch and why they should buy it from you.
Be sure to include any information about the couch that will help them make a decision. If there’s lots of reasons people might want your specific couch, let them know! It makes for a better selling experience if you have all the details laid out so buyers can feel confident in their purchase.
Couch Flipping Tips
We’ve put together a few different tips in order to help you get started the right way!
Don’t hang your head, get started right away!
You may be stuck in the process of overthinking every single aspect of couch flipping. Like anything you’ve done in your life, you need to understand that the first few couches you buy in attempt to flip, may not work out in your favor. However, you need to get the learning process out of the way and get started.
Study Different Types Of Couches In Your Spare Time
This will put you way ahead of the game. Eventually, if you study different couches on a regular basis, you will be able to just look at a couch and know how much you’d be able to profit from it. This is similar to the people who do retail flipping, and go to Walmart and know exactly what to pick out.
How Much Could You Make Per Month Flipping Couches?
You can make $50 all the way to $200 or even a little bit more per sale.
One thing i would do is make sure each couch you get will make at least $100 profit in order for it to be worth your time.
You probably wont make a living flipping couches but it can be the difference between saving money every month or living paycheck to paycheck.
If you follow the $100 profit rule i mentioned above and flip 5 solid couches you can easily make $500 extra dollars for that month. It really depends how good you are at finding good couches to flip.
What Kind Of Vehicle Should You Drive To Flip Couches?
You can use any vehicle you want but I would suggest a truck or van so it’s big enough to fit the couch. If your current car is too small, I recommend trying to partner with a friend for the time being that has a big enough truck or van.
Things To Do If Your Couch isn’t Selling
List it in more places
There are more places to sell other than craigslist, ebay and facebook market place. You can also try selling on Offerup, Letgo or even Facebook groups. The more places you list your couches, the more of a chance they have to sell.
Take different pictures that make the couch look more appealing
People are more likely to buy something if it looks good in pictures. Take different angles and try photographing the couch with things that make it look better. Don’t take pictures that hide anything that may be wrong with the couch though.
Lower The Price if All Else Fails
If you’ve listed your couch on different sites and it hasn’t sold then try lowering the price.
People will buy if they like what they see, so sometimes all your couch needs is a lower price!
Remember this may happen a bunch of times if you’re just getting started. As you get more experienced with flipping couches you will make less and less mistakes when it comes to buying good couches.
So if you have to break even or lose a few dollars on a couch or two, be prepared for it.
How Can You Flip a Couch By Yourself?
Couches can often be very heavy, that’s why this business seems a bit hard to start by yourself. Below are some key things to note if you’re planning on doing this business by yourself.
Use a Dolly
The simplest way to move a couch by yourself is to use a dolly. You can find these at most hardware stores. Just slide the couch onto the dolly and away you go!
Hand Truck
Another way to move a couch on your own is by using a hand truck. This is a two-wheeled platform that you can use to slide the couch up and onto.
Take Apart The Couch If Possible
If the couch is too heavy or bulky to move, you may have to take it apart. This obviously depends on the type of couch you have. Some couches come in two or three pieces that can be easily taken apart and then put back together.
Ask For Help Every Once In a While
In most cases, if you’re young, you shouldn’t have that much of an issue figuring it out, but sometimes it’s better to ask for help.
How Can You Get a Couch To Fit Through a Door?
One of the biggest challenges when it comes to flipping couches, is being able to get different couches through the door. This could be a huge hassle a lot of time, so below we will go over multiple steps that may help you get the couch out in one piece.
Urge The Person Selling It To Take It Apart Before You Come Get It
You’re not paid to take it apart for them, so if possible, ask them if they can have it taken apart before you come pick it up. Even further, ask if they can have it ready outside. However, many people sell couches for cheap because they don’t want to take it out of the house themselves. So a lot of times, you will be stuck bringing the couch out for them.
Since you may have to get them out often, let’s go over some tips to get them out easier.
Remove Any Items That May Be In The Way
Before worrying about getting it through the door, you have to move items that are in the way of the door, or on the other side of the door that may keep you from getting the couch out fully.
Remove Everything You Can From The Couch
From cushions, down to the legs, it’s important to take what you can off the couch. This will take away some weight, and some size off the couch.
Figure Out The Angle You Will Move The Couch Through The Door With
If the door is high enough, or the couch is short enough, you may be able to get the couch out vertically. Depending on the room you’re taking the couch out of, and the size of the couch, there will be a different approach almost every time.
Is Couch Flipping Worth Your Time?
Yes, couch flipping is a great way to make some extra money. There are actually people out there who have turned couch flipping into a full time income believe it or not. So if you want to just take extra money, or shoot for that full time income goal, both are definitely attainable.
You just have to put your all into it regardless of which option you choose.
Conclusion:
We hope this blog post helped you learn how to make more money by flipping couches. If you have any questions or would like more information please comment below and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!
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Thank you for the very useful information