What to do with duplicate DIY recipes

After progressing through the game, you’ll start to receive duplicate DIY recipes of previously received DIYs. Whether it’s from a balloon or a message in a bottle, here’s what you can do with those duplicates rather than taking up valuable storage space: 

What to do with duplicate DIYs in Animal Crossing

  1. Sell them for bells – you can sell your duplicate DIYs to Timmy & Tommy in Nook’s Cranny / Resident Services. You can also sell them using the drop-off box. 
  2. Mail them – if you’re in a generous mood, you can mail them to your friends or to villagers. You may get something in return from villagers, but there are no guarantees! 
  3. Toss them – not interested in bells? Simply toss the duplicate DIY away in trash cans or waste bins. 
  4. Drop them for your friends – got friends coming over to visit your island? Drop your duplicate DIYs for them to collect, or even create a treasure hunt event out of it. Remember that you can’t drop recipes on someone else’s island or home, only yours!
animal crossing interface showing NPC giving main character a duplicate DIY
Hazel giving character a duplicate iron garden table

Can you mail DIY recipes?

Yes! You can mail them to friends and villagers, so give it a try and see what you receive in return.

What to do with a duplicate rare recipe?

If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on a duplicate rare DIY, like a Gold Amor DIY, you might choose to list it on Nookazon and trade it for resources, bells or items. You can set the price for your duplicate DIY, but be sure to check out the competition to make sure you’re not over (or under!) estimating its value. 

Can you share a DIY with a villager?

When you talk to a villager and get the option to give them a gift, you might notice DIY recipes are greyed out and unavailable to give. 

Animal Crossing is a social game, and the creators have tried to promote cross-player interaction, which is why you can’t trade your duplicate DIYs to villagers. 

So what are your options? 

If you’re set on gifting a DIY to a villager, mail it directly to them. 

animal crossing interface showing letter to villager with an attached duplicate DIY
Letter to Bruce with attached DIY

Can you share DIYs with a secondary player?

Unfortunately not. If you’re the primary player, you’ll naturally collect more DIYs in a shorter period of time as you’re the one progressing the story. 

With so many DIYs, you might leave your duplicates lying around for your secondary player to pick up (especially if they’re harder to get, like the Rocket DIY!), however, it won’t work in this case. 

In ACNH, Secondary players have to collect DIYs in the same way primary players do, and duplicates can’t be dropped / picked up between the two. 

Using your duplicate DIYs

The long and short of it is there’s a lot to be gained from your duplicate DIYs! Whether you sell them for bells, mail them to a villager, or drop them for a friend, they’re not a wasted item. And don’t forget that if you’ve got a duplicate of a rare DIY recipe, there’s always Nookazon. 

Next time you receive a duplicate DIY, remember there are more options than simply tossing it away!