7 secrets of a successful garage sale
Whether your goal is to purge your home of stuff you no longer need, you are moving, or want to raise some cash — or all — you have options.
You can sell your items on an auction website, list them in classifieds online or give the stuff away. Or, you can create a killer garage sale that turns your castoffs into cold, hard cash.
• Plan ahead. Give yourself more than a few weeks to get ready. Make sure the date you select is not conflicting with a holiday or community event. Check local laws regarding signage, restrictions and a requirement, if any, to get a permit.
• Get organized. It pays to put your stuff in order. Designate your sale area. If there are items in proximity that are not for sale, cover or clearly mark them “Not for Sale.” Take the time to repair and clean your sale items and your sale area, too. Dirt, grime, chaos and clutter will repel shoppers. A nicely ordered space will draw people who are ready, willing and able to buy.
• Pricing. The majority of people who pass through your sale are merely looking for something they can use without having to pay full price for it. Your goal is to get rid of your stuff while recouping some of the money you spent to buy it in the first place. Research online the price of similar items. For high-ticket items priced over $100, make sure you include manuals, cables, remotes, warranties or other information that would be beneficial to the buyer.
• Advertise. At the very least, put out a sign nearby. If you really want to attract motivated buyers, get serious with the advertising. Consider an ad in a local newspaper. Join local social networking services for neighborhoods where you can interact with neighbors and get the word out about your sale. Post on local bulletin boards, and circulate flyers. Put some time and effort into this so your ad will stand out.
• Setting up. Make your layout deliberate. Group things in sections. For example, put all kitchen items together in one area, and toys and games in another. Make sure all of your clothes are hung. You can rig a makeshift hanging clothes rack with two ladders or hooks from the ceiling. Do not pile clothes on a table or in boxes. That's messy.
• Point of purchase. This is the checkout area where you will collect money. It is a great place to sell cookies, coffee, sticky buns and bottles of water. If you have lots of small random items like small toys, jewelry and other items that don't go with anything else, divvy them up into small lunch bags, tape them closed, and mark them “grab bags.” Add a reasonable price, and place them right by the checkout. Sit back and watch them fly off the table.
• Prepare for the worst. Bad weather is always possible, so make sure you have a few tarps available. If rain is a possibility, relocate electronics, books and paper items just inside the garage or under a cover.