The Upcycling Challenge $0–$1000, Move 3, $601
Prelude of upcycling challenge idea here & below:
A non-rushed series of starting from $0 and upcycling goods to earn $1000. How few steps can be taken to reach this goal? How fast can I sell an item that isn’t exactly new once it’s reached my possession? This is an upcycling experiment where one mans trash is purely treasure.
Starting with absolutely $0 to my upcycling name, I’ve been on the hunt through craigslist.org’s free stuff section. Once I generate investment capital I can purchase undervalued assets and resell at a higher price. I’ve also found that the Materials section is rather interesting with slabs of marble, kitchen cabinets, and loads of tiles. Within this test I also am not looking to turn my apartment into a hoarders paradise so it is safe to say that I shouldn’t have too many overlap sales occurring through the future.
Starting Profit: $211
The Find: craigslist.org /freestuff section, “2 glass top tables with metal frames” for free in lower NYC. Fairly assumed resale price in Westchester: $150 per table.
Being concerned about the size of the table and the lack of size in my Jeep I’ve started to research storage facilities in area that offer a moving truck as part of your “membership” if you will. After finding out that their truck was already rented for the evening I opted against pulling the trigger on the storage to hold off a little longer and keep our cash in pocket. After measuring the Jeep with the seats down 6 times we decided to roll the dice and hit the road.
I caught the ad quickly enough that Ben responded happily to have someone haul both of them out of there the same day. Back to the availability concept: Make yourself available at all costs and you will never miss an opportunity. Ben was actually kind enough to disassemble the tables for me to make the loading quicker. I’m sure that some of the Irving Farm Roasted Coffee that his company brews was flowing strongly through his veins that day! Thanks again Ben.
Distance + Cost of Acquisition:
Distance: 60 Miles Roundtrip, $9 (Based off of our previous 58 Mile Trip)
Time: 2 Hours
Relisting: “Quality Desk — Heavy Opaque Tempered Glass Wide Office Desk”
I found it fairly important to waste no time and get this listed again before the weekend approached. Using Ben’s photo I reposted using key words and a value proposition.
In the title we need to be searchable. If someone searches for a desk I want one of the keywords to hit them in the face so they click through. Ben’s photos weren’t phenomenal for salesmanship — but that wasn’t his goal. He needed the extra space in his office. I need to sell this so we’ve got to create value using strong sale words. The value proposition was created for a possible office space that needed multiple tables. Please! Take both of them and I’ll offer you a discount!
I posted both of the tables to be priced at $175, or take both for $300. In doing this if someone was in market for multiple tables I just “saved them money”. If they were looking to haggle me, I also built myself in wiggle room to $150. I’m winning.
Later the same day I was contacted by Lauren who inquired if she could fit both into an SUV if she wanted them. I assured her not to worry as they fit into the back of my mid-sized (in my opinion tiny as shit) SUV. We arranged a time quickly to have her come see the tables to see if they were for her.
Considering she needs me to hold them for her for a while as well, I suggested further in the text thread that we would agree upon a small downpayment or good faith payment to let me know that I’ve taken them down because she will in fact be back for them and not disappear in the wind while I waste time not fielding more sales offers.
Lauren went missing. However, meet Sara. As stated — people love to get a deal. Always push your initial cost higher to allow wiggle room. I know, negotiating is annoying but practice now and you should have a fantastic sallary in your next job.
I agreed to Sara’s terms of $150 and sure enough she came to pick up one of the desks with her SUV Friday morning. We’re really moving now in this project! She was happy to take the table that was already disassembled in my car so that made this sale quite easy.
But there’s still a lesson to be learned here: Count your money on the spot. Sara left me $140. Tisk, tisk, tisk.
Sold: $140
Update: China Hutch Gains Interest! See this pick-up here.
I think we’ve got a buyer here!
Below we can see a thread via Letgo with Tenzin. I had minimal serious interest in the hutch. Which is insane considering how nice this piece (opinionated) really is.
As I was in negotiation with one gentleman Tenzin was relentless in both trying to alter this $250 price that I already greatly reduced as well as trying to pick it up first before another gentleman who took interest in the hutch did.
After never hearing back from the other gentleman I kept Tenzin in the loop as a just in case emergency buyer. And sure enough this was important or I’d have no buyer.
When Tenzin arrived to my location with a oversized minivan rental he crashed into my neighbors car as she was backing out and he was pulling in. We won’t attempt to figure out who was at fault. However his brother, him, and I were all able to get this thing into his truck within 30 minutes. Pass go and collect $250.
Sold: $250
Total for two days of pickups: $390
We’re currently sitting at $80 per hour for this entire project — when the next table sells we will have hit $100 per hour!
Check the rest of our playbook below:
Move 1: Small Table In Harlem
Move 2: Quality Pine Table and Hutch in Yonkers
All proceeds in this upcycling experiment will be donated to Courtland’s Connection, a Non-Profit Organization. Courtland’s Connection provides financial support to individuals pursuing their path of recovery and aiding in fulfilling their dreams. Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the US and Opioids drive this epidemic. Support recovery + sobriety at the ground level. Courtland was my closest friend through our younger years.
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