Okay, let's jump right into the details. Flipping furniture (especially flipping couches) is a very lucrative and rewarding side-job. As we move forward with our blog,, my partner, Emma, will share her experience flipping different furniture types like dressers, shelves and tables.
Below, I will outline the best method to get into flipping couches. Getting Started
As with everything beginning, you should begin small and then increase the size over time. Below, I've listed the things you should consider prior to purchasing the first sofa:
- What is your goal in mind for working on a side hustle (saving for an adventure, aiming for financial independence, donating to others, etc. )?
- This is among the most crucial steps because it will fuel your drive to continue to push forward even if you encounter difficulties.
- Who will help you in this business or do you plan to do on your own?
- It is possible to earn more money doing this on your own However, we suggest working with an accomplice. When you are moving furniture, you may not always be able to convince the seller to help move their old piece furniture to your car.
- Where will you put the furniture you find?
- Andrew and I began in our garage. However, storage units can be an option in the situation where you live in an apartment.
- How much are you willing to pay for an item like a couch?
- For the first time, we restricted purchases to less than $50 for a single sofa and 100 or less on a sofa and sectional.
- How can you divide income?
- We decided to set aside 50 percent of the funds aside for costs (gas or cleaning supplies etc.).) and split the rest 50 50% 50/50. If one of the partners is driving their own vehicle, you could choose to award them a greater proportion.
- What is the best way to transport bought and sold furniture (e.g. truck, tie down straps, etc. )?
- You can't, of course, strap sections of a car on the front of the Ford Focus...at at the very least it's not recommended.
Finding & Picking Up Your First Couch
Once you've figured out how you can tackle the above, you'll need to plan your first pickup. At first, we primarily scoured Craigslist, Offer Up, and Facebook Marketplace to find couches that would fit within our budget. We set up alerts based on distance from our home and also the cost so that we could track the recently posted furniture. The key to success is being the first one to call the seller, offering to pick it up promptly. It's a major inconvenience to the seller if the buyer is unable to take delivery or pick it up within a couple of days. Make sure you are ahead of the curve by offering to pick it up on the same day.
We suggest that you employ our strategy of having a budget in place for every couch, but remain considerate of sellers. Don't ever undercut a seller in the sole intention of trying to sell (e.g. offering $50 for a couch worth $400). It's unprofessional.
Instead, you should look for couches that are cheap or free and could be sold to make more money after cleaning.
If a seller has opted to let you sell their sofa and you show up to pick up, there are a few things you need to do prior to paying them.
Verify the overall quality of the sofa (don't think twice about inquire with whether there are any problems).
Did the couch come from the home of pets?
Do you have any structural issues (e.g. damaged frame)?
Are there any bugs infestations (e.g. carpet beetles, bed bugs, etc.)?)?
It is by far the most crucial one, and you can watch an instructional video on how to spot bug infestations in this article or read this post in this article.
Do not be afraid to turn down a sofa if you aren't satisfied with the design. One of the worst things to do when you're in a space crunch is to purchase a sofa which is hard to sell. If you are happy with the sofa but you have issues that aren't listed in the article, you can discuss the cost in the individual.
Request them to make room to relocate the sofa to the door (you may also text them beforehand to request this).
I'm not able to tell you how many things I've been smashed into while moving large furnishings from my living area towards the entrance to my front. Be sure to keep yourself assured of safety by making sure that there is clear path.
If everything looks great If everything is in order, take your new couch down to your vehicle and make sure that it's secure and then you're ready to go.
Cleaning
When we first got started, we did not have any professional cleaning equipment. We inherited our first couch from a family, so naturally, there were spots that happen when you have young children (marker spills from food, etc.). When you first get a couch, the most efficient method to clean the entire couch is to throw cushions covers into the washing machine. Be sure to examine the tags or study the fabric to find out what to do with the covers in order to avoid damage.
When the covers are out of the washer, you'll have to wash the backrests and armrests. Start by vacuuming the entire couch. We discovered that warm water along with a tiny amount of dish soap sufficed to get any traces of stains that aren't permanent out from the couches. Do not use excessive amounts of dish soap since this could cause discoloration or spots after it is dried. If you notice discoloration, just clean it using warm water and allow the soap to completely dry.
After drying, place the cushion covers back put on and get ready to start snapping photographs.
Taking Pictures
The process is easy but there are a few tips to ensure that the pictures you choose to take will be the most effective opportunities you receive when you put it up for sale:
Be sure to have excellent lighting. Since we began in the garage, we would take our couches to the outside at noon for photographs. This allowed us to get fantastic lighting and avoid shadows that could occur when taking photographs in the evening.
Photograph straight on and then take pictures all over the couches (armrests backrest cushions, cushions, etc. ).
Take pictures of any problems with the couch (stains and so on.). Being transparent about the issue isn't just the proper thing to do but also makes buyers feel more comfortable when they put offers on the listing.
Below is a picture of the very first sofa we took in then cleaned and resold.
Posting
Once you've got all the images We recommend posting on all platforms to ensure that potential buyers can find your page regardless of the place they shop (Craigslist or Offer Up along with Facebook Marketplace).
As we've said before An honest description is essential. Make sure to mention any issues and make it clear that you're willing to answer any questions regarding your post. To increase your chances of selling your couch quickly, we recommend providing free delivery in your area. The majority of people will not purchase a sofa they'd like when delivery isn't possible.
Reinvesting & Finding Your Next Couch
Following your first sale, you must be cautious about spending the cash you earned. After our first few sales, Andrew and I reinvested into our side-business by buying professional cleaning products (vacuum and upholstery cleaners steam cleaner, etc.) to make cleaning easier for the future couches. To make cleaning easier for future couches we will go over some of the items we bought to help us get started.
And...that's it! This kind of income isn't truly "passive" but you will be able to make an income that is significant. It's time to go back and find that next comfy couch.
You are welcome to write your comments below and we'll get back to you whenever we are able to answer your questions regarding getting started with your own side business.
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About the Author
Roman is Co-founder of Couch Cycled which he started along with Andrew Muniz in 2021. Professionally, Roman has a background in sales of software and has worked with companies that range from small businesses to large corporations like Cisco. When not at work, Roman has always had an affinity for the outdoors, and often goes fishing and camping. Do not hesitate to contact him via email or text for any queries regarding Couch Cycled or simply would like to get in touch.
About Couch Cycled
CouchCycled provides a free furniture and couches in your home removal in order to reduce the amount of furniture that is discarded in Fort Worth and Dallas while helping the community. Every couch that is removed is renewed and then resold for a low cost. A portion of profits are donated to charity.
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