Put the Kids to Work
You’ve cleaned out, cleaned up and now you have piles of stuff to get rid of. But you’ve also got kids around, and a garage sale means your time to watch after them is limited. That’s OK!
There are plenty of ways to get the kids involved in your sale – and possibly make them a little extra money to boot.
Set Up a Lemonade Stand
Offering refreshments – especially cold or warm drinks on a cool or hot day – can be a big draw for shoppers, enticing them to stay longer and spend more money. Let the kids set up a lemonade stand to bring in shoppers and make some extra dough themselves. Have an adult stationed with them or at least nearby to check in often.
Also consider offering ice water, iced tea or other beverages, and maybe snacks like grab bags of chips, cookies or other treats. If you’re serving hot drinks, have an adult do the pouring so little hands don’t get burned.
Man the Toy Table
Getting your kids to clean out their toys can be like pulling teeth. Make the process go easier by offering to let them set up their own minisale with their toys and other items. Keep the pricing easy and appropriate to their age level, or just have a donation jar out and let shoppers pay what they think is appropriate. You’d be surprised how much people would donate, and that keeps them from having to do math.
Advertising
No one markets items like cute kids, and your garage sale can take advantage of that. Have the kids stand out and wave signs or hand out flyers to your sale (check local rules and regulations beforehand) to bring in the shoppers. Prepare them to answer questions, too, like giving out your house number or giving good directions to your house. Have an adult stand with them for safety reasons, and, of course, don’t let them get too close to busy roadways.
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Put little hands to work bagging purchases and taking things to people’s cars for them. They may make a mint in tips. Teach them how to properly bag items and have an adult on hand for fragile or very heavy purchases, such as furniture, and caution children to never get in someone’s car.
Donations
If your kids have a favorite cause – say, the animal shelter or a local charity – have them set up an informational table and take donations at your sale. You can also offer discounts to shoppers who donate, such as giving 10% off for donations of pet food for the local animal shelter. Prepare your children to give short speeches about the charity and why they want to support it. You may even be able to work with the charity on advertising, generating more shoppers and sales.