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There’s never been a better time to start a DIY business. Whether you’ve turned to crafting over lockdowns, or you’re simply looking to try something new, there are plenty of options available to turn your hobbies into products that sell.
Below we look at the benefits of starting your own DIY business, as well as some of the best ideas in the market, plus things to consider so you can get started. The best part – these ideas don’t require a lot of capital to get up and running, so anyone can do it – all you need is a little imagination.
Benefits of Starting a DIY Business
There are many benefits of starting your own DIY business. For starters:
- You get to be your own boss.
- You get to keep 100% of the profits for yourself (less tax).
- You can choose your own hours.
- You can work at home, in your PJs if you want.
- You can maintain a better work-life balance.
With a DIY business, you can continue doing the crafts or hobbies you enjoy, and make money from it. Over the past few years, the demand for DIY products has increased and today, many people prefer to buy products that have been made with love, rather than those made with machines.
Setting up your DIY business is affordable – all you generally need is the start-up supplies, internet connection so you can set up a website, payment options, and finances to cover initial shipping. If you want to reap the rewards of working from home, the following DIY business ideas are a great way to get started.
20 easy homemade business ideas
Starting your own business doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are some easy homemade business ideas and our Pro Tip for getting started.
1. Jewellery making
There is high demand for buying jewellery online so why not cash in and get creative. You can design your own necklaces, pendants, bracelets, earrings, anklets – and sell these online.
Start-Up Tip: Check out influencer Instagram accounts to see what’s trending, and make sure you take clear, colourful photos of your products.
2. Custom t-shirts
A great idea for a small business, custom t-shirts are always a hit with online shoppers.
Centre your designs around special occasions, such as Halloween and Christmas; offer photo-print shirts; get out the tie-dye; or come up with your own hilarious slogans and icons, to boost sales.
Start-Up Tip: Use a print-on-demand service to ensure you’re only printing what you need. This will save money and allow you to keep your prices lower.
3. Candles
Candle sales have soared in the past two years and it’s an easy business to start from home. Candles are perfect gift ideas, and you can make them easily at home, in a range of sizes, scents, and colours.
Start-Up Tip: Ensure you have attractive packaging and find a point of difference – there is a lot of competition in the market, so you want to stand out.
4. Paintings
Do you love to paint, but your collection of artworks is currently gathering dust in your shed? Why not try selling them online? You’ll be surprised at what people are in the market for when it comes to artworks for their home.
Start-Up Tip: Start by asking friends and family for feedback on which paintings they like, and why. Use this knowledge to understand your target market so you can promote the right artwork to the right people.
5. Pottery
Pottery is a great online business, and you can offer a range of products from pots for plants, through to cups and saucers. Get creative with your pottery wheel, techniques and watch videos online for great tips.
Start-Up Tip: You’ll need clay, a kiln, a pottery wheel, as well as modelling tools and safety gear. Shop on places like eBay for great deals.
6. Clothing /children’s clothing
If you love to sew clothing, and you’re always getting compliments about the quality of your designs, take things a step further and start making clothes to sell online. With a versatile range of materials available, there are plenty of options to suit people of all ages and styles, including children’s clothing.
Start-Up Tip: Make sure you take great product photos with good lighting, then start posting them on your own online store, Etsy, Pinterest, and Instagram to see if there is outside interest.
7. Soaps
A little bit of this and a little bit of that, and you can create gorgeous soaps to sell online. There are plenty of moulds available for different shapes, and once you have the ingredientsit’s easy to replicate!
Start-Up Tip: Add some herbs, essential oils, even crystals to give your soaps a point of difference in a competitive market; then start promoting on your online store and Etsy.
8. Bath bombs
Everyone loves a pamper session and what’s a relaxing bath without bath bombs? Bath bombs are a booming home business option – not only are they easy to make, but they also offer plenty of benefits, (such as soft, silky skin).
Start-Up Tip: Bath bombs provide a great return on investment (ROI), and they can sell for a lot more than they cost to make, so your profits could be substantial.
9. Furniture upcycling
One person’s trash is another person’s treasure, right? You want to have some fun with old furniture and homewares, upcycling furniture is one of the easiest DIY business ideas. From sanding down and re-painting old cupboards for a new lease on life, to transforming window frames into artworks – the options are endless.
Start-Up Tip: Take a drive through nearby suburbs before a council pickup and pick up anything that just needs a little TLC. You’ll never look at trash on the side of the road the same way again.
10. Greeting cards
If you have an eye for design and poetry, greeting cards are a great start-up home business. Most of the work is done online, so the start-up costs are low, and you can start your marketing by sending them to friends, family, and colleagues for special occasions.
Start-Up Tip: Shop around for an affordable printing company that offers smaller batches for when you’re first starting out, and save the large bulk orders for later down the track. A company like Vistaprint is great for getting started.
11. Knitted baby clothes
For those who love to knit, or want to try it out, baby clothes are a great place to start. After all, babies are small. From simple beanies for newborns, to more complex christening dresses, knitted baby clothes are traditional and never go out of style.
Start-Up Tip: Target mum’s groups on social media to promote your products – particularly in the lead up to cooler months.
12. Photographer
If you fancy yourself a budding photographer, try selling your photos online. You can do this in two ways – either sign up on digital photo platforms such as Shutterstock to sell your photos for online use; or set up your own online store and sell hard copy prints.
Start-Up Tip: Competition is fierce so select a specialty – weddings, landscape, sports, portrait, events; and promote yourself within that market.
13. Quilter
Whether you complete your quilting by hand or machine, the product is a keepsake that can last for generations. In fact, the oldest quilt that still exists today was made back in the 1300s. When starting a quilting business, be sure you charge accordingly for the finished product, based on time-spent, as well as quality and longevity of the materials.
Start-Up Tip: Word of mouth is a great place to start, but you can also advertise in your local quilters’ guild newsletter, school, scouts or guides newsletters, magazines, and even your local supplies store.
14. Woodworking
Whether you’re a carpenter who wants to branch out on your own, or you simply love creating furniture or art pieces, a woodworking DIY business could be a highly rewarding business, financially and personally.
Start-Up Tip: Establish a workshop space, invest in the right tools, and do your research to see what wood-based products are in high demand.
15. Ornaments
Christmas is coming up and there’s no better time to be making ornaments than the festive season. From baubles or figurines to hang off the tree, to wreaths for the front door, there are plenty of options, and a large global market.
Start-Up Tip: Many people struggle to find money to splash on decorations in the lead up to Christmas so you might consider offering invoicing terms to convince them to buy.
16. Dried flower business
Does your garden dry up at the end of Spring? Take advantage of this opportunity and start a dried flower business, plucking the flowers while they’re in full bloom, drying them out, then selling them to craft stores or hobbyists.
Start-Up Tip: You can dry most flowers, including Australian natives, but you need to make sure you have the right technique so be sure to do your research first.
17. Picture framing
Picture framing is a great business idea for perfectionists. From framing photos to artworks, all you need is the right tools and the ability to cut straight lines to get started. You can then set up stalls at the markets to generate leads or promote yourself online through community groups.
Start-Up Tip: You don’t need any formal training to start a picture framing business, however you may consider art or woodworking classes to enhance your creative mindset.
18. Sweet treats
If you love to cook sweet treats, this could be an option for you. You can bake cookies, chocolates, cupcakes – and you’ll get a good profit for your efforts. Start by handing out treats to friends and family and have them review your products (honestly) – to you, and on your online platforms.
Start-Up Tip: Be sure to check insurances for starting a food business, and remember to advertise your allergy warnings, ingredients, and expiry dates.
19. Lip balms
Kids and adults alike love lip balms, but the ones at the shop often have chemicals that you’d rather not be putting on your face. If you want to try making your own lip balm, it’s actually easier than you think.
Start-Up Tip: Understand the ingredients you’re using and the benefits – that way you can use this information in your marketing.
20. Music
The arts industry in general has taken a hit since COVID-19 came to our shores, with music in general doing it tough. If you love to sing or play instruments, but you’re struggling to get noticed, starting your own online music business is a great way to do so, from offering music lessons to selling stock music.
Start-Up Tip: Set up your camera and get yourself noticed on TikTok and YouTube.
Considerations before you start
Now you’ve decided on the type of business you want to operate, there are four things you need to consider.
1. Market demand
Is there actually demand for the product you’re considering creating and selling? You can find this out through easy online searches, visiting Etsy, or simply asking around in Facebook groups.
2. Produce difference
What makes your product different from the competition? If you make candles, for example, you might consider adding crystals or special surprises into the candle wax.
3. Customer base
You need to know your customers so you can define who you are going to promote your product to, and why. To do that, consider who would be buying it? Mums and dads, businesses, grandparents, or children spending pocket money?
4. A brand
Finally, you want to have a brand that works. Create a name that’s catching for your audience and get yourself an ABN. Also consider how you’re going to sell your products and set up your online store.
Once you’ve done all of this, you can get started creating and selling. Have fun!
