Easy Products to Make and Sell: The Ultimate Guide to Profitable DIY Side Hustles
In today’s entrepreneurial landscape, creating and selling handmade products has become an accessible way to generate income while expressing creativity. Whether you’re looking to launch a full-time online business or simply develop a profitable side hustle, the right homemade product can open doors to financial independence. This comprehensive guide explores a variety of easy-to-make items that require minimal investment yet offer significant profit potential.
Why Handmade Products Are Worth Your Time
Handmade products continue to rise in popularity as consumers increasingly value authenticity, sustainability, and unique craftsmanship. The global handmade market is projected to reach $1.2 trillion by 2027, creating abundant opportunities for creative entrepreneurs. With low barriers to entry and the ability to start small, crafting products to sell can be an ideal business venture for beginners and experienced makers alike.
Essential Supplies for DIY Product Creation
Before diving into specific product categories, consider investing in these fundamental supplies:
- Basic crafting tools (scissors, rulers, measuring tape)
- Storage containers for materials and finished products
- Quality packaging materials
- A dedicated workspace, even if small
- A smartphone or camera for product photography
Now, let’s explore the most profitable and easy-to-make products you can create with minimal skills and materials.
Bath and Body Products
Handmade Soaps
Soap making requires minimal equipment yet yields products with excellent profit margins. Cold process soaps can sell for $6-12 per bar, while materials typically cost $1-2 per unit.
Getting started: Begin with melt-and-pour soap bases, which require no special equipment or chemicals. Add essential oils, dried flowers, or natural colorants to create signature blends.
Bath Bombs and Salts
These effervescent treats are surprisingly simple to create using baking soda, citric acid, Epsom salts, and essential oils. Package them individually or in themed gift sets to increase perceived value.
Body Scrubs
Combine sugar or salt with carrier oils (coconut, olive, or jojoba) and fragrance to create luxurious exfoliants. The minimal ingredient list makes these particularly profitable, with production costs as low as $2 per jar while selling for $12-20.
Home Decor and Accessories
Candles
The candle industry continues to thrive, with consumers spending billions annually on scented products. Start with simple container candles using soy or beeswax, fragrance oils, and repurposed or bulk containers.
Pro tip: Develop seasonal scent collections to encourage repeat purchases throughout the year.
Macramé Wall Hangings
This resurgent craft requires only cotton cord and a few basic knots. With practice, you can create stunning wall art, plant hangers, and home accessories that command premium prices in the home decor market.
Painted Plant Pots
Transform inexpensive terracotta pots with acrylic paint, creating modern designs that appeal to the thriving houseplant community. This craft requires minimal artistic skill but offers significant markup potential.
Jewelry and Accessories
Polymer Clay Earrings
With a package of polymer clay, basic tools, and earring findings, you can create trendy statement earrings that retail for $15-30 per pair. The versatility of this medium allows for endless design possibilities.
Beaded Jewelry
String together purchased beads to create necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. The beauty of this craft lies in its scalability—you can start with simple designs and gradually increase complexity as your skills improve.
Handmade Headbands and Hair Accessories
Fabric scraps, elastic, and basic sewing skills are all you need to create fashionable hair accessories. Target seasonal trends and special occasions (weddings, proms) for maximum profitability.
Paper Goods and Stationery
Greeting Cards
Despite digital communication, the greeting card industry remains strong. Create unique cards using stamps, embossing techniques, or digital designs printed on quality cardstock. Sell individually or in themed packs.
Custom Journals and Notebooks
Purchase blank journals wholesale and customize covers with paintings, drawings, or collage techniques. Add special touches like ribbon bookmarks or pocket inserts to justify higher price points.
Printables
Digital products eliminate material costs entirely. Create calendars, planners, budget trackers, or art prints that customers can purchase and print themselves. Once created, these passive income generators require no additional labor to fulfill orders.
Textile and Fabric Crafts
Screen-Printed T-shirts
With some fabric ink, a screen printing kit, and blank shirts, you can create custom apparel with minimal equipment. Target niche markets with specialized designs for maximum appeal.
Tote Bags
Plain canvas totes purchased in bulk become profitable products when embellished with embroidery, fabric paint, or iron-on transfers. Their practical nature makes them perennial sellers.
Quilted Pot Holders and Kitchen Linens
Basic sewing skills can transform fabric scraps into functional kitchen accessories. These practical items appeal to gift-givers and home cooks alike, with healthy profit margins due to low material costs.
Food Products
Baked Goods
If you have culinary talents, specialty cookies, breads, or pastries can generate substantial income. Focus on items with good shelf stability and distinctive flavors not commonly found in stores.
Important: Research local cottage food laws and licensing requirements before selling edible products.
Spice Blends and Seasoning Mixes
Create signature spice combinations packaged in attractive containers. These shelf-stable products offer excellent margins and can be marketed toward home cooks seeking convenience and unique flavors.
Flavored Honey or Infused Oils
Purchase base ingredients in bulk and add distinctive flavoring elements to create gourmet products. The perceived luxury of these items allows for significant markup.
Digital and Print-on-Demand Products
Customized Print-on-Demand Items
Platforms like Printful and Printify handle production and shipping while you focus on design. Create unique graphics for mugs, t-shirts, tote bags, and home decor without inventory management headaches.
Digital Art and Illustrations
If you have artistic ability, selling digital downloads requires no physical materials whatsoever. Offer wall art prints, social media templates, or custom portraits that customers can print themselves.
Personalized Products
Items featuring customers’ names, important dates, or custom text consistently command premium prices. Consider offering personalization services across various product categories to boost your profit margins.
Marketing Your Handmade Products
Building Your Brand Identity
Create consistent visual elements and messaging that communicate your product’s value proposition. Even simple elements like coordinated packaging and a memorable logo can elevate perceived value.
Photography Tips for Handmade Items
Invest time in learning basic product photography techniques. Natural lighting, simple backgrounds, and lifestyle shots showing your products in use can dramatically improve conversion rates on online platforms.
Best Platforms for Selling Handmade Products
- Etsy: The established marketplace for handmade goods
- Instagram: Excellent for visual products with strong storytelling potential
- Local craft fairs: Build community presence and receive immediate customer feedback
- Your own website: Offers maximum profit margins and brand control
Scaling Your Handmade Product Business
Batch Production Methods
Maximize efficiency by creating products in batches rather than one at a time. Set aside dedicated production days to streamline your workflow and reduce setup time.
Setting Sustainable Pricing
Calculate all costs (materials, labor, packaging, fees) and apply a multiplier of at least 2.5 to ensure profitability. Underpricing is the most common mistake among handmade sellers.
When to Consider Outsourcing
As your business grows, identify which tasks drain your time or energy. Consider outsourcing packaging, shipping, or component preparation to maintain quality while increasing output.
Conclusion: Taking the First Steps
Creating and selling handmade products offers a flexible path to entrepreneurship with minimal startup costs. Begin by selecting one or two items from this guide that align with your interests and available skills. Start small, refine your techniques, and listen to customer feedback to guide your product development.
Remember that consistency is key to building a successful handmade business. Set realistic production schedules, maintain quality standards, and continuously improve your offerings based on market response. With dedication and strategic planning, your DIY crafts can transform from a casual hobby into a thriving, profitable online business or rewarding side hustle.
The journey from maker to entrepreneur may present challenges, but the satisfaction of building a business around your handmade creations offers rewards beyond just financial gain. Start your creative business journey today with these accessible product ideas, and watch as your crafting skills translate into entrepreneurial success.