Last Updated on November 17, 2020 by Jessica Adams
DIY stands for “Do It Yourself”, which is exactly what so many people are enjoying doing these days. In fact, it has finally become ‘fashionable’ to take your passion for DIY beyond just hobbies and crafts and to start creating anything you can think of, all by yourself.
Besides the fact that you can save a ton of money by doing things yourself, an entire industry has been born of people’s desire to make money by selling their DIY projects. It’s wonderful to be able to earn a living doing something that you’re truly passionate about.
We all like making money, so how about making money with your passion for DIY projects? Here we’ll share a few easy-to-start business ideas for the DIY entrepreneur. They’re all small-scale operations with minimal startup costs, so you can get things up and running in no time. Get ready as we explore how to make money from your passion for DIY.
How to Make Money From
Your Passion For DIY
Sell Arts & Crafts: Turn Projects Into Products
Selling what you already make is such an easy business to start because you already have all the materials since you’re used to ‘doing (it) yourself’. Then, it’s just a matter of finding the right platform on which to sell your products.
Websites like Etsy are the perfect place to start an online shop or perhaps you prefer to sell your homemade goods at your local flea market on the weekends?
It’s a business idea where you’re already an ‘expert’ at what you do, with hardly any overhead. I also recently published a post about making a regular income with your arts & crafts talents. If this particular business idea is right up your alley, definitely check out the post at the above link!
The DIY Carpenter Lady
I’m not the ‘handiest’ person in the world but I can also hammer a nail and use a drill without an issue. I’ll admit that I’m a bit spoiled though, as my hubby is a Carpenter and literally DIY just about anything! If you’re really good around the house and are always fixing or building things in your home, then why not make some money from your talents?
Aside from me, there are plenty of handywomen in the world. If you love DIY handiwork, then this is the perfect business idea for you! It’s also where the term DIY originated, in the field of carpentry and handiwork. All you need are your hands, some tools, and the good sense to fix things by yourself.
The trick with this business is to offer the most diverse service possible. You can paint people’s homes, lay down flooring, build garden walls out of bricks, build fences out of steel tubing, and so much more. The more you can do, the more chances you’ll have of someone hiring you.
Building/Repurposing Furniture
Furniture construction, repurposing, and/or designing are all other ways of showcasing your ‘DIY Carpenter Lady’ credentials. So many people decide they’re sick and tired of the same ‘ole standard furniture at Ikea (which is actually one of my favorite places to buy furniture but I love to re-design it!) and want to make their own.
As such, they get all the materials they need and construct some truly stunning pieces. What I love about this idea is that minimal construction costs mean that you can sell your finished product for much less than these big furniture corporations. In fact, you’ll be standing to make a serious profit.
The thing is, these big stores set the price for things like handmade chairs or tables so high, meaning you have loads of wiggle room to sell your ‘version’ of their pieces for a much more affordable (and eye-catching!) price. Right now, the average consumer is already or will fall in love with the idea of handmade furniture from independent sellers.
People know they’re going to get high-quality pieces that are constructed locally, plus it will add a unique element to their home. If you start this type of business, make sure you emphasize the key features that set you apart from the bigger companies. Features such as low prices, locally sourced materials, handmade pieces, one-of-a-kind designs, etc.
Start a DIY Blog
Blogs are genuine business ideas with a lot of earning potential. But, DIY blogs are right up there with THE most profitable blog ideas. Think about it, a lot of people with a passion for DIY will continuously be looking for tips, tricks, and inspiration on the topic. That’s where you come in, to offer the very inspiration that the people are looking for on this very topic!
Start a blog that showcases all of your best DIY tips and helps other people realize their true potential. To take things a step further, get on YouTube or Instagram, and start filming instructional videos for people to watch. You can run ads on YouTube videos and display ads on your blog. But, the real money comes from the endorsements you can get if/when your blog takes off!
Seeing as your focus is DIY, it opens you up for loads of different sponsorships. As an example, a company that makes tools will sponsor your blog as it’s the perfect partnership for you both. You get paid along with some free tools and they get to advertise to their target audience, DIY fanatics. It’s a smart business idea with the potential for lots of different income streams.
Bespoke T-Shirt Design
Designing t-shirts and clothes is another great way to put your DIY skills to use. This business idea is excellent as there are loads of ways you can approach it. First, make sure you advertise it as ‘custom’ or ‘bespoke’ designs since that is what appeals to a broader range of customers now.
Everyone wants to feel like they’re getting something truly unique! From here, you can target two different markets; everyday consumers, and business customers. With everyday consumers, they can request a custom-made design from you or buy whatever you have for sale in inventory.
With business customers, you could do the same but offer to make 50+ (depending on the size of the business, of course), one for every employee in your customer’s business. You might also offer uniform t-shirts that display your customer’s brand logo!
So, where should showcase your lovely t-shirts? You can either set up a Woo Commerce store on your blog or get a website that is only a storefront for your t-shirt business. Either way, set one up as soon as you get started so that people can look at the various t-shirt types you offer and to send their own designs in for the custom-made t-shirts.
Those are all the ideas I have for you today, and the crazy thing is, there are still plenty of other DIY business ideas out there! I may have to make this post Part 1 of 2? I made the choices I did for this first DIY post because each business idea was fun, simple, and very easy to start.
You don’t need to invest in office space or massive factories and each business can be started from your own home. The businesses could also all be scaled as you make more and more money. So, if you’re a DIY fanatic, go ahead and give one (or more!) of these ideas a try. Also, check back on our site for Part 2 of this DIY Business Series!
Jessica Rose Adams
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