Do-it-yourself people have great opportunities for success in online sales. By creating unique products, they can attract all those customers who are looking for that kind of one-of-a-kind handmade products. You certainly won’t find many unique handcrafted items on Amazon. Sure, things like tinfoil, socks and electronics of course do.
But figuring out how to put your artistic skills into practice to work can be a bit complicated. What do you produce? How can you propose something new, something particularly interesting?
We’ve rounded up 25 simple, low-cost DIY ideas that you can make and sell with minimal starting costs. Even better: no professional training is required and no professional sculpting skills of course.
Bath bombs
Since the beginning of 2015, bath bombs have become more and more popular and today the market for these fizzy tub potions is more popular than ever. Even more interesting: the materials from which they are made are very cheap. Few are the basic ingredients (baking soda, Epsom salts, food dyes, so to name a few), they can be bought easily and in large quantities at a low price, which means high profits for you!
Candles
Candles are DIY craft items that you can sell throughout the year. As most people rarely indulge themselves with luxurious candles, they do make beautiful gifts for others. Birthdays, anniversaries and many other occasions throughout the year – there will always be a reason to entice your customers to come back to you. By purchasing bulk waxes and essential oils, you can create different combinations of scents in various sizes and shapes.
Pet toys
The ASPCA estimates that there are roughly 70-80 million dogs in the United States alone, and the APPA says that more than $ 60 billion is spent annually in the pet industry alone. It goes without saying that people love their pets and are thrilled to spend money to keep them happy. You can enter this huge market by simply making eco-friendly pet toys made from recycled materials. There are many YouTube video tutorials for this type of craft.
Handmade soap
More and more consumers want to include cleaning products that are natural and safe in their daily life. Take advantage of this trend by creating and selling your own products made from scratch, such as soap bars. With minimal upfront investment, you can purchase soap making materials and start making unique handcrafted items to sell in this market. This can be a fun activity to do in weekend and relax from all daily stress.
Just like candles, each of your guests or family members will particularly appreciate the objects that make them feel pampered. With the incredible variety of fragrances and colors available, it is very easy to make products for a specific market. In the United States, for example, a woman manages to make a living off the cereals used by breweries. With these he makes soaps that he packs with the brands of the breweries which are then sold as souvenirs.
Decorative pillows
Did you know that the home decor market generates approximately $ 62.5 billion in revenue per year? It’s all true. This is why being able to enter this market segment is very profitable, especially if you have something truly unique to offer, such as cushion covers with customizable prints. Custom cushions allow shoppers to express their pride and identity. It is not absolutely necessary to order the prints from the outside, but you can apply them directly yourself at home.
Resin jewelry
Resin jewelry is simple to make and a starter kit is relatively inexpensive. All it takes is a little patience and dedication to design, to create beautiful unique pieces to sell online. In addition, using the transparent resin, you can even create jewelry with photos, this allows your customers to have a cherished image together with a precious jewel.
Personalized table napkins and hand towels
For people who like to decorate the house, personalized napkins or hand towels are relevant complements for the embellishment of their home. With minimal sewing skills and the availability of inexpensive materials, you can create beautiful personalized tableware and drive the most demanding home decorators crazy. In a couple of hours, you can create a large assortment of DIY items to sell right away.
The keychain
The keychain never goes out of style. Having long survived its practical function, today the keychain can be made in the most bizarre variants: with the initials of the name, making it an element of identity, or even in the shape of an animal, which will appeal to a lover of puppies, or even a keychain depicting tourist attractions, which will find a traveler’s appreciation. It is certain that everyone will always carry their favorite keychain with them.
Using materials such as leather, canvas, plastic or fabric, you can create keychains for various customers, each with their own passion or interest. Sell to both men and women and grow your market over time. Bonus: the small size of the key rings will ensure a long life of the materials.
Shopper bags
Did you know that an average person uses around 425 plastic bags per year? As more and more states have the tendency to reduce the use of plastic bags, reusable shopping bags are seeing more success than before. Used for shopping, to go to the cafeteria with friends, or for hundreds of other occasions. These products are very versatile and have a large market, plus they are extremely cheap to make. By offering a distinctive design or unique message on your bags, you can attract customers and make a difference from the competition.
Decorations for parties, anniversaries or gift tags
For many families, buying a new Christmas decoration every year is always a tradition. Furthermore, giving handmade items reflects the care and value of our gift towards the person who receives it. Among other things, gifts of this type can also be reused year after year. But party decorations are just the beginning. Many artisans starting from these skills, have then created similar products, such as personalized labels for gifts, napkin rings and other objects that are sold throughout the year.
Planters
Who doesn’t like plants? Put them in a nice little jar and you’ve just embellished and completed a space. Creating unique planters that suit every taste and style can help shoppers achieve the look they want for their home or office corner. You can often create them with low-cost raw materials and make them interesting and elegant, adapting different design styles: from contemporary to modern, to Victorian or handcrafted.
Wall decorations
Who said that printed and framed photos, various posters or paintings should dominate our walls? In 2012, art and cultural heritage production added more than $ 698 billion to the US economy. So this is an area you should definitely get into.
By sharing your delightfully whimsical creations, or creating custom wall art, you allow your clients to decorate their homes with elements that reflect their lifestyle or memories. Think about creating something truly unique, marketable and still lacking in the market for this type of decoration.
Magnets
Magnets are cheerful, simple, non-binding items to give as gifts and are extremely cheap to make. In fact, you can manage to create these accessories for the net cost of less than 30 cents each. Get some resin, magnets and some pictures or drawings and in a few hours you will have made hundreds of magnets to sell online.
Toys for children
In 2019, according to Statista, the average annual amount spent on toys in the United States was about $ 300 per child. It is a relevant fact. When you create these handmade toys for children, you will always have an opportunity to give them as a gift – they will love them, and will love your products for many years to come. And you don’t even have to be an actual producer. With just a little bit of fabric, paint and padding, you will become a master toy maker.
Electronic accessories
Look around and you will notice that almost everyone has a mobile phone or tablet at hand. Seeing as these expensive devices are now a part of us, wherever we go, it makes sense to think that people are willing to pay for a case or accessory to keep them safe. With a minimum of willingness to learn a little sewing, you can create protective cases for any electronic item – they will be not only stylish, but extremely useful and destined for a huge consumer market.
Ceramics
Ceramic may seem like a sophisticated art form, but it isn’t, you can in fact start by making a simple bowl. You won’t necessarily need a lathe and expensive equipment to bake your products – you can start with your hands and use your home oven. Once again, this aspect of a coarse, not very refined product, is interpreted by many consumers as interesting and authentic, compared to bowls made in a perfect way thanks to the aid of specific machinery.
Wood decorations
If you’ve always been intrigued by wood grain, then wooden niche furniture might be for you. Since the goal is to keep natural objects in their most original shapes and styles as possible, beginners will find making simple modifications and variations easy. Another advantage of this DIY sector is that you can find many of the raw materials in landfills or flea markets. It’s important to choose the right furniture for your house and who if not you know what you like.
Dread hair extension
Dreads are always trendy. Why not think of something that will satisfy nonconformists who like to wear beautiful dread hair extensions? Grab some wooden beads, other materials like wool, cotton, silk, or various fabrics and accessories and you can get started.
Covers
If you can find a good supplier of fabrics or yarns, you can make a lot of money by selling blankets or throws. With the right workmanship, a blanket can look good quality, even if it’s made cheaply.
For more complex techniques, knitting skills will be useful, but if you don’t have any, there are still thousands of instructions on the internet on how to make blankets without using knitting needles – see examples in this video tutorial.
Lip balm
Did you know that to make homemade lip balm, you only need beeswax, coconut oil, vitamin E and a microwave? Most conditioners take less than five minutes to prepare. In the meantime, watch this video to get started, then of course you can modify the recipes as you wish, changing the colors and the type of containers.
The coasters
“Don’t put it there, use the coaster!” Thanks to paranoid moms around the world, the coaster business is alive and thriving. If you’re thinking about getting into e-commerce for the first time, coasters are an easy way to get started. They can be made in a wide variety of materials – wood, cork, plastic, fabric, glass, even concrete – and you can design them to suit a huge variety of tastes. To get an advantage with your coaster business, adapt and personalize them for special occasions, such as birthdays, weddings or corporate events.
Postcards
If you are looking for a cheap but highly attractive type of product, postcards may be a good choice. Paper and fabrics are generally readily available and no special skills are required for production. Considering that the item is made of paper, it is inexpensive and also easy to ship. Try calligraphy creations, seals, dried flowers and even simple DIY prints that you can find on the internet, to create original postcards and get started with your business.
Milk bath
Bath salts, oils, teas – bathtubs aren’t just for bubbles anymore. And one of the latest trends to pamper tired skin, really easy to prepare even at home, is the milk bath. Powdered milk, essential oils, baking soda, mineral salts and possibly even dried flowers are all you need to prepare a simple product for your customers.
The headbands
Headbands are great DIY products to sell online because they are easy to make and fun to decorate. Not sure how you can make a headband? No problem. There are many tutorials online, and some don’t even require sewing. If you were looking for a non-committal type of activity, headbands or headbands are a safe and stylish option.
Indian tent for cats
If you’re thinking of simple products that can be made and sold online, cat kennels don’t usually jump to your mind. A fairly niche product, Indian cat tents are: simple to make, require only a handful of materials and require few specific skills. Offer your customers customization options: kennels in different sizes and colors or with their pet’s name.