Your Successful Garage Sale

Garage sales have been around for a long time. They are a way to get rid of stuff that you no longer use or have a need for and make money at the same time. There are several basic hints and ideas that should be kept in mind when planning a garage sale.

PICKING A DATE AND TIME

• The best time to have a garage sale is on the weekend, when most people are off from work. Sunday is the best day since many people spend Saturday running around doing errands. Sunday is often a day to enjoy with the family and many families enjoy going to garage sales.
  
  
• The sale should start in the morning and run for 3-4 hours. The majority of people who are serious about buying anything will be up and ready to go very early. In fact, there will probably be people at your house before the posted time. A good time to start is 8 or 9 in the morning and finish around 11 or 12.

ADVERTISING

• It is important to advertise in order to attract buyers. An ad in the local paper and/or penny saver is a great and economical way to advertise. Your classified ad should be short and to the point. Give the address and hours of the sale. There is a part of the population that seeks out garage sales every weekend and they do so by looking in several local publications.
  
  
• If you will be selling any unusual items of interest or anything you think would especially attract people, you should mention it in the ad. Never give your phone number in an advertisement for a garage sale. Putting up flyers around your neighborhood is another useful tool for publicizing your sale.
  
  
• Again, keep it simple and to the point. Flyers do not have to be elaborate or fancy. In big letters, print "GARAGE SALE". Underneath that, print the address and time of the sale. If there is room, you can list some of the items that will be sold. Flyers do not have to be elaborate or fancy. Put the flyers up 1-2 days before the sale. Any longer than that and they tend to get torn down or ruined by the elements. Be sure to put up flyers in surrounding neighborhoods, within a mile or so radius.

ITEMS SOLD

• Almost anything will sell at a garage sale if it is a bargain. Things that you might think nobody would want, will sell. You can sell small items all the way up to bicycles, exercise equipment, furniture and even boats and cars.
  
  
• Some items that usually sell well are tools, computer related items, musical records, CD's and tapes, movie videotapes and books.
  People tend to buy these items in groups instead of just one.
  
  
• Clothing also is a big seller. The better condition it is in, the higher price you will get. You should wash or dry clean any clothing you plan on selling.

SETTING UP FOR THE SALE

• The best way to set up your items is to lay most things out on tables. Don't pile things on top of each other so that people have to move stuff around to see it. Make sure everything is clearly visible.
  
  
• Clothing is best displayed when it is hung up. You can string a cord up between two trees and hang the clothes from that or you can buy inexpensive clothing racks from discount stores.
  
  
• Clothing looks its best when it's hanging up and it is much easier for people to browse through what you are selling.
  
  
• Large items should be prominently displayed in front of the tables or on the front of your lawn or driveway. This will attract possible buyers as they drive by.

PRICING

• A good rule of thumb for garage sales is to keep most things under $5. To have many smaller items that sell for $1 or $2 is a good idea. This may seem like a small amount of money, but by the end of the sale, it can add up to quite a bit.
  
  
• Of course, higher quality or more valuable items will be sold at a higher price. These would be the larger items previously mentioned such as bikes and furniture. Still, try to keep the prices as reasonable as possible. In general, nothing should be more than $50. Of course, there are always exceptions, but that is usually the most people are willing to spend at a garage sale and that would be for a big-ticket item.
  
  
• You should group items by price. Divide the tables into areas for different price ranges and put a sign up letting people know what that range is. Under $2 is a good range, then $2-5, $5-10 and over $10 are some basic guidelines.

BARGAINING

• Bargaining is a big part of the tradition and excitement of garage sales. You should be willing to bargain. Almost everyone that goes to a garage sale will try to bargain with you. It is part of the garage sale buying experience.
  
  
• Sometimes, someone will offer you a price way below what you have something marked for. In that case, you can counter offer and maybe meet in the middle.
  
  
• You are under no obligation to bargain, but it is to your advantage to do so. Remember, your goal is to sell everything. You don't want to be carrying a bunch of stuff back into your house at the end of the sale.
  
  
• Garage sales can be a lot of fun, a family activity and a great way to make some extra cash. They require only a minimal amount of work and sometimes can reap an impressive profit. So go for it and good luck!

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(We would love to hear how you made out in your garage sale, or any additional tips you can offer. Drop us a line!)

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