One of the top sellers at flea markets that cater toward garages sale type vendors is furniture. Small furniture is easy to transport in a van, easy to find in good condition, and profitable. Some flea market vendor’s merchandise is comprised completely of furniture found curbside before trash pickup day. Others focus on vintage pieces and antiques exclusively.
While selling furniture at the flea market can be profitable, recycling flea market furniture can increase your profits by a lot. Not only will the furniture you find be of better quality, but it can also launch you into an entirely different realm of markets. The trick is to redo furniture with a new look or restore it to original excellence before raising the price to ensure profits.
Flea Market Furniture – How to Recycle It
If you plan to sell flea market furniture, you can get it in two ways. One, you can find it yourself at curbs, in friends’ basements, or in your own attic. You can also purchase quality furniture pieces at flea markets, thrift stores, and garage sales. There are amazing deals to be had in the used marketplaces. Always haggle for the lowest price so you can increase your profits more.
The first step in recycling flea market furniture is to clean it thoroughly. Be sure to use cleaning products that will not harm the wood or the finish of the piece. After cleaning it, repair any small damage. Fill holes and cracks and sand scuff marks. In some cases, it makes more sense to leave the natural patina or wear and tear alone. This is especially true for vintage and antique pieces.
The next steps of recycling pieces you want to sell depend on your skills, materials available, and what type of buyers you are targeting. You can either sell flea market furniture directly to buyers who want to add a new piece to their home or to people interested in arts and craft items they can add their own personal style to.
Attract Buyers to Flea Market Furniture
If you think furniture buyers would have interest in the piece, display it openly at the flea market. Put smaller pieces up on tables or stands. Set larger pieces on their own on a drop cloth or tarp on the ground. Always protect the furniture from dirt, dust, and the elements. Do not stack a lot of things on top of the piece. People may not realize it is for sale if you use it as a display stand for knick-knacks or other products.
Targeting arts and crafts buyers is a way to open up new markets to your flea market furniture sales. There are many craft bazaars, handmade item markets, and other specialty flea markets that your recycled furniture would fit into.
Selling at Outdoor Markets Can Be Fun
In order to make big profits with furniture at these venues, you must get more creative. Study decorating books and magazines to determine what style of furniture is popular. A rocking chair stained a deep walnut brown and hand-painted with country flower designs can fetch big profits. A small cabinet with decoupage patterns on the sides and the doors may make you more money than a plain wooden one. With a small investment in materials and time, you can make a lot more money with free or low cost furniture than you did previously at the flea markets.