Work from Home: Sewing Masks with a slight twist

I'm not one to try and predict the future, but I think it's pretty safe to say that we are going to be affected by this Coronavirus for a long time past when the Governors believe it is safe to go back to work. While my state of Kentucky is doing a phased approach to reopening, there are some states jumping in with both feet. To the people that live there - prepare yourselves. A virus doesn't listen to the economic needs of a country; the fact that rich men think it's time to make more money is of no concern to it. There may come a time when the unemployment runs out and you have to go back to work, health be damned. There is a way you can make money, protect yourself and the others around you, and not get labeled as a price gouger: Custom masks. While many people are donating their time in the form of homemade masks for hospitals there is nothing wrong with wanting to make money from your work. The idea for this side hustle is easy, but it does require a few things. Firstly, you're going to need multiple patterns of fabric. For you to get that, you have to wait until a craft store/fabric store opens, or at least brave a trip to your local Wal-Mart.

There are countless patterns floating around online, so choose whichever one you like best. The elastic can either be bought at the same place you buy your fabric, or you can cut apart old bungee cords which are filled with multiple pieces of it. Where this plan shines is your personal flair. You're going to be making a 5 pack of masks, with different fabrics, and treating them like a pack of underwear: 1 mask per work day. Once you've made the actual masks you'll need to package them. Something as simple as a zip-lock bag will work, but you will want to make a custom label or print out an insert that can be stuck on the bag. Make a brand name, take a picture of someone wearing the mask, and state clearly that there are 5 masks in each pack. Working out a price to charge will be based on whatever masks are going for in your area. If someone is selling plain masks for a few dollars, then don't feel bad about charging a little more if yours have unique patterns or are made at a higher quality, just don't get too greedy. The need for masks is only going to grow, and if you plan now you can be ready for fall when some health experts believe Covid-19 will re-surge coupled with the start of flu season. Adapt, overcome, and use what you have around you to provide for your family; there is no reason that you can't work from home as long as you have the drive to work hard at multiple different projects. If you liked this article, then check out The Blog! where I make near daily posts about working from home / online, my hobbies, passive income streams, and much more.