Making thingsEvery idea says who pays you and for what.Ranked by the editor, then by ceiling.

Category · 7 ideas

Making things

Build, sew, bake, print. Small batches of real products for real customers.

  1. 01
    Sharpen knives, scissors and garden tools

    <$100dayspart-timepocket moneylocal only

    Every kitchen has dull knives and every shed has blunt shears. A market stall or a weekly route through restaurants turns a skill into a habit people pay for.

  2. 02
    Build custom closet and garage shelving

    $100-1kweekspart-timereplaces a joblocal only

    Homeowners pay for storage that fits the wall exactly. Plywood, a saw, a level and a tidy finish beat the flat-pack alternative every time.

  3. 03
    3D-print replacement parts that manufacturers no longer sell

    $100-1k1-3 monthspart-timeside incomeanywhere

    The clip that broke on a discontinued dishwasher is worth real money to the one person searching for it. Design once, print on demand.

  4. 04
    Clothing alterations: hems, zips and wedding dresses

    <$100weekspart-timeside incomelocal only

    Every town lost its tailor and kept its trousers. Hemming and zip replacement is steady; bridal alterations are where the real money is.

  5. 05
    Cottage-law baked goods at farmers markets

    $100-1kweekspart-timeside incomecountry-specific

    Most places let you sell bread, cookies and jam from a home kitchen under specific rules. A market stall on Saturday is a real small business.

  6. 06
    Screen-print shirts for local teams, schools and events

    $100-1kweekspart-timeside incomelocal only

    Every youth team, fun run, church group and family reunion needs thirty shirts by Friday. Online printers are cheap; you're local and fast.

  7. 07
    Build and install raised garden beds each spring

    <$100dayspart-timepocket moneylocal only

    Every March, people decide to grow vegetables and find a good raised bed costs a fortune or arrives as a flimsy kit. You build them, delivered and filled.