10 tips for hosting a successful summer garage sale
Creative Door Services’ guide to making your next garage sale the talk of the block
Although hosting a weekend garage sale may seem straightforward, considerations like timing, display and signage can make all the difference. Here are 10 tips for making your summer garage sale a success.
Clean and declutter
A cluttered garage can overwhelm potential customers and cause confusion about what’s for sale and what isn’t. Before setting up shop, clean out your garage and temporarily stow away items you plan to keep. If you must store certain things in your garage, consider covering them with a tarp or roping off the area so customers can distinguish between personal belongings and items for purchase.
Organize and categorize
Make it easy for shoppers to zero in on items they’re looking for by organizing them into specific categories such as sporting goods, clothing, books and toys. You can get even more specific by setting up subcategories like age group or price range.
Check out the competition
Visit other garage sales in your area before you hold your own. This will allow you to gather precious intel on what works and what doesn’t. Some municipalities require you to have a permit to hold a garage sale, so make sure you check your city’s website for more information.
Set prices
When pricing your goods, put yourself in the buyer’s shoes. Don’t be sentimental about your stuff and overprice it in the process. A
general rule of thumb is to price items at a quarter or a third of what they would cost brand new. Moreover, be prepared to negotiate and determine the lowest price you’re willing to accept for each item beforehand.
Advertise strategically
Generate buzz around your garage sale by placing signs throughout your neighbourhood, placing ads in your local newspaper and advertising in your community Facebook group. You can also advertise on free classified ad sites like Craigslist and Kijiji.
Online ads can be written a week in advance, while neighbourhood signs should be posted at least
one day before the sale. Place them at main intersections near the sale location and at all turns leading to your yard. Your DIY signs should be eye-catching and easy to read using fluorescent paper and large,
bold lettering.
Pick a date
Fridays and Saturdays are generally the best days to hold a garage sale. You may want to consider hold
ing your garage sale on the first weekend of the month because that’s when many people get paid and will have extra cash on hand. Set
the date and time at least a month out, so you have plenty of time to gather and price your items.
Set a time
Morning garage sales are ideal. In fact, many seasoned
garage sale pickers are early birds and want to beat the crowds to find the best deals. Don’t be shy about starting your sale at 7 a.m. on Saturday morning and wrapping
things up by 2 p.m
Watch the weather
If you’re flexible with your dates, check the weather forecast ahead of time to ensure you schedule your sale on a sunny day. Nobody wants to sift through a garage sale in the rain. Therefore, it’s worth keeping your items in boxes for an extra week if it guarantees more customers.
Gather the essentials
The day before your sale, set out tables, stock a cash box and make sure you have an extension cord, lightbulbs and batteries on hand so people can test if items work. If you don’t have enough table space for every piece, store the remainder in boxes or laundry baskets containing like items. Secure everything in your garage overnight and prepare to get up early the next day to set
everything out.
Upsell with snacks
Sweets and treats are a great way to generate extra cash and attract more customers. Homemade cookies or a lemonade stand can
give your kids something to do, and incentivize people to stop in. Additionally, you can plug in some speakers and play some quiet, family-friendly tunes. This will
help the time go by faster and create a happy mood.
Lastly, set up a donation pickup to remove anything remaining at the end of your sale. Nothing that went on sale should go back into your house.
Residential garage doors inwestern Canada
You can make your home the talk of the neighbourhood by upgrading your garage door, and the team at Creative Door Services can help! They’ll work with you to select, install, and maintain a high-quality garage door for your home. Creative Door Services carries industry-leading brands that are available in many different styles, colours and materials.
To learn more or to get a free quote, contact them at creativedoor.com. You can find Creative Door Services in Kelowna, British Columbia; Vancouver, British Columbia; Calgary, Alberta; Edmonton, Alberta; Fort Mcmurray, Alberta; Regina, Saskatchewan; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan;
and Winnipeg, Manitoba.