This post explains how stay-at-home moms, or anyone, can sell printables on Etsy for passive income.
When you’re a stay-at-home mom, it’s tough to find time to make money.
Your schedule seems to be filled – 24/7.
However, many moms are still searching for something that will allow them to work a flexible schedule from home while also spending quality time with family.
And, many women need a creative outlet for their hobbies and passions.
So, a combination of the two is ideal.
The good news is that there are several methods for moms like you to make money from home, doing something they love!
And, one of these methods is to sell printables on Etsy.
LET’S GO!
What are Printables?
In general, printables are graphic designs or text that are in the form of a digital download.
Additionally, they can be drawings, graphic designs, or pictures that you can download online and print out yourself.
In the same way, a digital download is an electronic form of acquiring a document, file, or software package.
Finally, a printable is something that you can instantly download from your computer and print out at home. Like, calendar pages for your home office.

What is Etsy?
“Etsy is an online marketplace where independent artists and crafters can sell their goods. Etsy is primarily associated with handmade toys, collectibles, art, home goods, vintage furniture, jewelry, clothing, and holiday items, in addition to crafts and craft supplies.” (www.businessinsider.com)
Also, everything on the Etsy site is made, collected, curated, and sold by its sellers.
These independent business owners produce their products and manage their own orders and inventory.
And, Etsy provides smaller, independent creators with a platform to find and attract customers.
I recently started my Etsy Shop, PrintablesandArtShop, and have found the entire Etsy process very easy to maneuver through and to make money from my printables.
If you are thinking of starting your own Etsy Shop, grab the eBook below that goes into great detail about Etsy (over 50 pages).
How do I Make My Own Printables?
I like to use a combination of tools to make printables for my shop.
Tools to make printables:
- Canva
- PicMonkey
- Creative Fabrica
- Design Bundles
First, I’ve always been a huge fan of Canva.
Their interface is amazing and everything on their site is just gorgeous!
And, apparently, I’ve already made over 1,000 graphics on their site! I had no idea but I guess Canva keeps up with that kind of data. : )
Also, I like PicMoney for its user-friendly site and social media templates.
Additionally, for beautiful fonts and graphics, I love to use Creative Fabrica and Design Bundles.
Creative Fabrica is my main go-to for anything creative – fonts, graphics, crafts, classes, and tools!
And, because I LOVE them so much, and I’m constantly looking on their site, I bought their limited-time all-access yearly pass.
Another great site I use is Design Bundles for awesome dollar deal bundles and lots of free designs!
What Kind of Printables Sell Best on Etsy?
In my opinion, season printables of all types sell really well!
For example, if Halloween is coming up in a few months, I will begin making lots of Halloween-themed items like:
- coloring pages
- kid’s activity books
- Halloween party checklists
- Halloween invitations
- Halloween planner
- Cupcake toppers
Obviously, you can come up with tons of seasonal ideas.
The point is, if other people are excited about the next season coming up, school parties, family activities, etc., then people will definitely be looking for these seasonal-themed products to buy.
Most people don’t want the hassle of having to make something, so they search on Etsy for inexpensive, instant download printables that they can purchase for a few dollars, and they are happy!
Take a look at my Etsy shop below. At this moment, Halloween is the season that is coming up soon. Therefore, it’s essential to get all of your holiday/seasonal content designed, finished, and listed in your shop ASAP!
How Much Money Can You Make Selling Printables on Etsy?
The amount of money you make selling printables on Etsy will depend on many things. Like, the popularity of your niche and how many sellers are creating the same thing.
Once you have your Etsy Shop established and you are constantly working to fill up your shop, the average income is approximately an extra one to two hundred dollars per month.
Again, your final payout each month will depend on how many products you have, how popular they are, how much promotion you are doing through social media and paid Etsy ads, and the time of the year.
Obviously, the holidays seem to be really great months!
Anyway, let’s get into something I truly believe in and that has helped me tremendously.
Let me show you the course that started it all!
This course, Printables by Number, by Suzi Whitford is the most detailed printables plan with so many templates and extras for you!
And, it’s the most affordable, bang-for-your-buck course that I could find when I researched everywhere.
Also, just about every printables creator on Etsy that I have talked with has recommended this course!

What are the Benefits of Selling Printables on Etsy?
- Make money from home so you can have more freedom and spend time with those you love
- Your income will be passive
- You can pay off debt and contribute to your family’s income
- It’s easy to create your own printables and sell them on Etsy’s platform
- You can save up for a nice family vacation
- Allows you to spend more time with family while making money
Whatever your reason for wanting to start a printables shop on Etsy, you can do this without losing sleep, time with your children, or the fear of thinking you’re not good enough.
Printable Ideas to Sell on Etsy
There are SO MANY printable products that you could create and sell on Etsy.
Here are just a few ideas:
- Planners
- Bookmarks
- Invitations
- Games
- Worksheets
- Spreadsheets
- Templates
- Calendars
- Thank you cards
- Coloring Books
- Ebooks
- Journals and Notes
You can always take a look on Etsy and see what items are selling the best.
How to Be A Successful Etsy Seller
Write a Catchy Product Title
Create a catchy product title that stands out. You want to make it easy for people to find your products while they are browsing on Etsy. If they find your item first, and it looks great, they will probably make a purchase!
Create Accurate Product Descriptions
When creating your listing, make sure that everything you type into your product listing is an accurate description of your product. This includes the size of the product and all the sizes the product can be printed. Also mention that colors make look different once printed, depending on the type of home printer the customer has, or the store where they get the item printed.
Find a Popular Niche
Hopefully, you have a popular niche for all of your printables. This is important, as more people are usually interested in popular topics with lots of item choices.
Create an Original Printable
Once you have an idea for a printable, head to Etsy and see what other sellers are doing.
Just make sure everything you make is very original to your own product.
Also, once you find a printable that you like making, change it up by trying out various colors and designs, while still using your original template.
This way you can make a lot of different products very quickly.
Pricing your Printable
The good thing about creating a printable to sell is that you only have your time that it costs you to make. The only other charge would be Etsy’s charge to list your item.
Because of this, the best way to figure out your price is to look at several comparable products on Etsy and to price your item in the middle.
This way it’s not too high, or too low.
Include Great Photos
When you are completing your Etsy listing, there is a place for you to add 10 photos for each product. Also, there is an area where you can add one, 15 second video.
It’s super important to try and add all 10 photos here.
The first photo is the most important, and will be the cover image for your product.
Customers will likely scroll through all of the photos, and the video, to get a better idea of whether they want to purchase your item or not.
Make sure all of the photos are bright, well-lit, and creative shots.
Create an image so the customer can picture themselves actually using your item.
Use Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
When it comes to SEO, Etsy listings should be treated just like your blog.
Do your keyword research and put keywords in the titles and descriptions for your product.
Also, use keywords in your tags (13 each), and materials (13 each).
All of these help customers to find your product more easily on Etsy.
How to sell printables on Etsy, final tips
Just remember, you can start your Etsy shop and begin filling it with your printable products in one day. Try to be consistent and add at least one new Etsy listing to your shop each day if possible. Etsy likes this, and you will have more products for your customers to buy.
I have a quick Etsy checklist for setting up a successful shop that you can grab below.
Additionally, in my Etsy Shop, I have an Etsy Shop Planner (30 pages) that goes into great detail on how to get your Etsy Shop up and running fast.
Conclusion for How to Sell Printables on Etsy to Make Money
As we have seen, selling printables on Etsy is an easy, step-by-step process that can turn into a very lucrative and fun method of passive income.
Start your Etsy Shop today and get started on making passive income for the future!
What are you waiting for?
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