As Christmas approaches like a freight train of festive obligation, households are scuttling about like ants searching for crumbs. Quick cash is the name of the game, and people are getting desperate enough to Google “make money quickly” with the fervor of a teenager hunting for Wi-Fi during a blackout—searches have spiked by a staggering 171% in the last month. Even TikTok has jumped on the bandwagon, with the hashtag “side hustles in own garden” getting more airtime than a celebrity meltdown, boasting over 9.9 million posts. Who knew our gardens could double as gold mines?
Enter Robin Antill, the garden guru behind the company 1st Choice Leisure Buildings. He claims that outdoor endeavors can be your ticket to a cash infusion faster than you can say “Last-Minute Christmas Shopping.” Antill muses, “People often overlook what’s sitting right in front of them.” Yes, Robin, because who really values that rusty old shed just gathering dust? But believe it or not, your backyard might just be a seasonal income factory if you play your cards right. Without further ado, here are six eyebrow-raising ways to turn your garden from a patch of plants into a mini financial empire.
Sell Homemade Compost
Ah, compost—the smelly, glorified garden sludge that actually has more worth than your homemade fruitcake. Antill suggests that, with spring planting on the horizon, fans of the green thumb are on the prowl for nutrient-rich compost. So, if your compost heap is looking particularly robust, why not bag it up and sell it online? You could be the compost dealer you never knew you wanted to be. “Sure, it’s just dirt,” you’ll say, while cash pours in from eager gardeners.
Clear Out the Shed
Is your shed the Bermuda Triangle of forgotten tools and oddly-shaped garden gnomes? It’s time to confront the clutter. You might unearth treasures—perhaps a vintage lawn mower or the Christmas decorations you swore you’d use last year. Why hoard what you’ll never use again when someone else could pay you for your garbage? After all, one man’s trash is another man’s antique collection. Who wouldn’t want a rusty shovel to reminisce over?
Offer Garden Maintenance Services
Some folks have time on their hands (hi, retirees), while others are willing to part with cash quicker than their kids empty the cookie jar. During the holiday season, with family visits looming like an overdue library book, offer a gardening service to those who are frazzled by the pressure to keep up appearances. Think leaf removal, festive light installations, or shrub trimming—because nothing says “Welcome Home” like an impeccably manicured hedge, right?
Grow and Sell Christmas Dinner Herbs
In the race to gather the ultimate family dinner ingredients, let’s not forget those essential herbs: rosemary and thyme. Surprisingly, they thrive even in chilly conditions. If you already have these culinary wonders growing, consider potting them up and selling them. If your gardening endeavors have been as successful as my attempts to diet, fear not! Buy a single herb plant, propagate it, and voila—homemade herbs for sale, complete with an obligatory Pinterest-worthy label.
Make Natural Decorations and Handmade Gifts
Why purchase generic ornaments when foraging in your garden can yield some real treasures? Pinecones, evergreen sprigs, and even the occasional rogue berry could turn into elegant wreaths or homemade gifts that scream “I cared enough to gather this from my backyard!” You can peddle these handmade beauties online or at local fairs, while inside you silently congratulate yourself on being slightly less commercial than the average gift-giver.
Rent Out Your Summerhouse
Ah, the summerhouse—the place where you dreamt of sipping cocktails in the sun, now standing as a monument to lost ambitions. Why not turn that unwelcome guest into a source of income? With holiday visitors hovering, people might welcome the opportunity to escape to your quaint little summer haven. List it on Facebook Marketplace and watch it transform into a hot commodity. Just remember, it’s all fun and games until Aunt Edna shows up to work on her novel.
