Switching from skincare to dorm desk accessories made my UGC side hustle actually work

When I first gave UGC a shot, I was focusing entirely on skincare and grooming products. My portfolio was super cluttered, my room had terrible lighting for bathroom clips, and pitching brands was a total grind that barely paid off.

I ended up dropping skincare completely and shifted my entire focus to desk setups, study accessories, and small room gadgets. The difference was night and day. When I pitched brands selling things like desk lamps, cable organizers, or laptop stands, my portfolio showed clean, focused demonstration clips in a real study space instead of random product unboxings. It made my work look way more intentional, and brands actually started responding.

As a student with a pretty packed routine, this switch saved me a ton of time compared to my old setup. Now I just spend about an hour or two on weekends filming short demo clips at my desk using simple window light. I send over the raw video files, bring in around $300 a month on the side, and never have to post anything on my personal accounts or deal with shipping.

If you're currently stuck trying to make every product type work, try picking one specific area in your room and building a portfolio just for that. what niche are you guys focusing on right now, or are you still pitching to every brand you come across?