From Hobby to Side Hustle: Monetizing Your Crafts

How many glue sticks does it take before you start wondering if you can expense them? (Sort of, apparently, but my accountant looks haunted.) The more I made, the more my kitchen filled up with “inventory”—until people actually started buying it. Wild.

Selling Handmade Items From Home

Etsy, yeah, everyone’s heard of it. My neighbor sells felt succulents for grocery money. It works, but fees will eat your soul and shipping is a nightmare. Competing with thousands of nearly identical crafts? Good luck. E.E. Kim (read it in Penny Hoarder, probably while procrastinating) made $2k a month selling recycled glass suncatchers and swears by spreadsheets (Google Sheets only, Excel is cursed), decent photos, and labeling everything.

People keep asking me how to sell stuff without losing it. If you want “passive income” (ha), these folks say automate everything, reuse packaging, and make bundles. Wholesale? Tried it, hated it, single items sell faster unless you’re super organized. Mailing costs, returns, weird custom requests—track every expense or you’ll regret it. Margins on little crafts are maybe 30% if you’re strict. And no, wax melts aren’t food, even if they smell like cookies.

Building a Crafting Brand Online

If I hear “post daily” one more time, I’ll scream. I tried reels with my wall art—six likes, mostly bots. MorningCrafter says it’s about being real, not perfect. My workspace is a mess, my kids photobomb everything, but somehow that makes people trust me.

I made a “Craft Fails” highlight and sold more keychains. Branding? I used Canva, picked a font that isn’t Comic Sans, and that’s it. Someone said custom mugs sell 40% faster than generic ones—no clue if that’s true, but oddly specific stuff does move. Setting up a real email got me more wholesale requests. Oversharing process videos turns lurkers into buyers, even when my cat walks across the table mid-shot.

Is there a formula? Doubt it. Every time someone asks how I turned a hobby into a side hustle, I just say: chaos, stubbornness, and zero TikTok fame so far.

Frequently Asked Questions

Projects pile up fast—clutter everywhere, chipped frames, failed Pinterest shelves. Somehow, the room feels more like mine, or at least less like a catalog.

What are some affordable DIY projects for creating home decor?

Thrift mirrors, glue some rope around the edge, hang it up—people think you spent money. Tried making floating shelves from scrap wood; they never match, but who cares? Your Penny Saver says repurposing saves money, and I guess I believe it—splinters aside.

Could you suggest unique craft ideas for adults with an artsy side?

Embroidery hoops always end up a tangled mess, but concrete wall hangings? I saw someone sell those moon phase things for $85 at a market. FaveCrafts has a list of practical ideas—none involve pasta glued to paper, thankfully. Textile stamping looks fancy even when it isn’t.

What are the quickest art projects that can add value to my home?

Peel-and-stick tile behind the sink. Not glamorous, but it took me 20 minutes. Framed old sheet music from a charity bin looks expensive if you ignore the stains. HGTV called these “visual ROI” upgrades, which sounds fake but…maybe true?

Which handmade items are the most profitable for adults to sell?

Soap. People pay wild amounts for “artisan” bars with dried fruit on top. My neighbor Jackie makes $400 a month from macramé—her trick is thick thread, not color. Forbes says DIY work frees up budget, so why not splurge on candle molds or something?

Can you recommend top-rated craft kits for beginners on a budget?

Those “all-in-one” kits are impossible to avoid. One even came with pre-threaded needles—actual magic. FaveCrafts’ list is full of beginner stuff, no skill check required. Crochet kits get pricey, but cross-stitch is under $20 if you hunt for deals.

Are there any communal crafting activities for adults looking to save money?

Potluck crafternoons—okay, so everyone drags in whatever half-finished project and, like, mountains of leftover felt, but somehow there’s never a glue stick in sight. Seriously, is there a secret glue stick shortage or are we all just terrible at planning? The public library here does these free upcycle workshops on the last Saturday of the month (I think? Maybe it’s every other month, I never actually check the calendar), but there’s always this one guy who refuses to make anything except bottlecap mosaics. Why? Nobody knows. And you know what’s weird? Everyone acts like the chaos and mess aren’t the best part. Hedgefield Homes claims cutting features saves money, but in these craft groups, adding the most random, questionable stuff is basically the only reason I show up. Otherwise, what’s even the point?