Furniture Flipping: To Flip or Keep – That is the Dilemma!
By Brittaney Corder
Furniture flipping has become quite the side hustle for this Nursing School student and mama in Charleston, SC. So much to the point that I simply cannot keep all these tips and tricks to myself any longer! Most people see furniture flipping as a long and arduous process. Y’all, they aren’t wrong. It can be time-consuming and if you aren’t careful, it can take a good bit of money to get going. Rather than let you learn the hard way on your own, I’m going to share what did and didn’t work for me.
To flip or keep – that is the dilemma! I can’t tell you how many times I snagged a free furniture piece from a curb alert that somehow ended up taking permanent residence in my home. Sometimes you know exactly what you want to do with a piece the second you see it and other times, it sits in your garage for eighteen months before you’re finally struck with the brilliant idea that it just needs a coat of spray paint to sell. If you change your mind on what you want to do with a project – that’s okay! One minute your project piece could pay your light bill, and the next you realize just how perfect it fits in the office. It’s okay to change your mind. The beauty of side hustle is that you are the CEO and you get to call the shots.
What are Mistints?
“Can you help me ring up this mistint?” is like music to my ears and my favorite question to ask at Lowe’s and Home Depot. You may be thinking, what is mistint? This is by far the best furniture flipping tip I can share with you to date. In your local hardware store, there is a paint section. The next time you walk in, ask where the mistints are located. This is my secret weapon. When you have a paint color made in store, the employees always place a small amount on the top of the can before you finalize your purchase. If it’s too dark or too light or just not something you’re feeling, they will place that can of paint to the side and get you exactly what you’re looking for. But what happens to the original can –- the one that was just… not right? Welcome to the mistint section! You can find full gallons, pints, and even five gallon containers of paint for pennies on the dollar. Most refused samples go to the mistint section, too. In the two years I have been flipping furniture I have spent less than $50 on paint. Yes, you read that correctly!
Don’t overthink it – this should be fun! Free pieces are my favorite but with furniture flipping becoming more popular in Charleston, it’s hard to get to them first. Jump on Marketplace, Craigslist, whatever your site of choice is, and just look around. See what’s popular in your area, what styles people are buying quickly, and then start searching for the pieces you want to flip. This is literally my bedtime scrolling routine. Spend twenty minutes just “looking” and you will have five to ten ideas of what you can do in your market.
Photo Courtesy of Brittaney Corder
Brushes for Less
The brushes, the brushes, the brushes! I cannot stress enough how much the brushes do not matter. If you prefer hand-painting like me, the only thing you need to know is foam brushes are best for staining and not painting. Go to Wal-Mart, find the crafting section, and get yourself a 12-brush kit for $4. You do not need to spend hundreds of dollars on brushes. Make sure you have plenty of different sizes and angled brushes, because corners and intricate details of furniture frames are not easily hand-painted.
When it Doubt, Spray Paint
If you can spray paint the hardware – do it! I was appalled at how expensive hardware is for furniture – drawer pulls, knobs and those trendy leather pulls that are debuting in new pieces. The least expensive set I could find on Amazon was almost $30. That’s not an investment I’m willing to make when a brand new can of high gloss or matte spray paint was $2 from the mistint section. Spray protectants are also a personal favorite because this Mama does not have the time for a modge podge date. Sticky, stinky and too time-consuming. Also, never throw hardware away. You may not need it yet, but trust me, there’s another project just around the riverbend.
Hopefully this is enough to get you started and not break the bank in the process. Have fun, be creative and always remember when it comes down to flip or keep – the answer is usually keep.