Featured Image Credit: Gumtree
Topics: DIY, Home, Money, Hacks, Environment
Jess Hardiman
A woman who bought a table and chair set for just £30 on Gumtree managed to re-sell them for an INCREDIBLE profit.
Danielle Clair, from Liverpool, likes to take everyday items and turn them into beautiful works of art – and has become so good at it that she’s earning herself a fair amount of cash along the way.
Danielle used to work in hospitality and events, but the pandemic meant she went from engaging with people everyday to working behind a desk.
She missed the human interaction of talking to those in her community, so decided it was time for a change – turning to items in her house for inspiration.
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The first piece for her new upcycling project was a chest of drawers that had been sitting in her office for 10 years, realising they could do with a revamp but still had value.
Using materials she already inside her house, she sold the chest of drawers on Gumtree for £60, not only giving them a new lease of life, but also making her a nice little profit.
Nicole then took some flower vases that had been sat in her attic for years, giving them a lick of paint for selling them for £20 each.
Now she’s also started buying and selling off Gumtree, finding unique secondhand items that can be spruced up and sold on – including a table and chair set she bought for £30 and flogged for £950.
Other pieces Nicole has upcycled include a £40 dining table that she sold for £380 and a sideboard unit that cost £30 but was re-sold for £650.
She’s now turned her second-hand side hustle into her main source of income, saying it’s not just a good way to make cash – and a way to protect the environment at the same time – but also gives her a strong community feel, allowing her to meet people from all walks of life.
“For me, Gumtree is about a sense of community,” she said.
“It’s really accessible to list items and sell on there, but it's also really easy to have conversations, which makes it seem like a friendly place.”
Danielle started reviving old pieces after feeling inspired by her grandfather, who encouraged her to fix things instead of throwing them away.
Now she’s able to turn ‘the everyday to artwork’, saying: “I can’t make things that no one else would have in their house. My grandfather always said don’t buy new if you can avoid it, and I’ve followed this as well. Why not try to put your own spin on items? This can be a simple tweak to really make it our own and avoid spending money.”
She added: “It doesn’t matter what gender you are, what age you are, or where you started from - everyone can get involved and have a bit of fun in the world of secondhand.”