Garage Sale 101

I’m all about a good garage sale, both on the shopping end and the selling end. I have a built-in thrill, an itch, a deep longing come March every year to get back into the garage sale game. Besides being an avid shopper, I’ve hosted my own sale the last three years. Here are a few simple tips to hosting the perfect garage sale and bringing in the moolah, all while keeping your sanity.

First off, you need to have stuff. Think variety and quantity. If you don’t have enough to fill a driveway, call on a friend or two to join you in this endeavor. The more stuff you have, the more stuff you will sell.

Pick a date. The popular days differ greatly between cities. Thurs-Sat used to be the standard, but one-day sales can be fantastic too. Check Craigslist ads in your neighborhood to see when the traffic will be out. If possible, line up your week with a neighborhood sale or a local church rummage sale. Steal Use their traffic, instant (free) advertising!

Signs. Keep them simple and add arrows. My rule as a shopper is to only follow arrows. Unless you have super eyes and/or built-in GPS, an address isn’t very helpful. My favorite is neon poster board. I cut them in half (thrifty) and use a giant permanent black marker or black paint – “SALE” with a honkin’ huge arrow. These can either be stapled (staple gun) onto telephone poles or stapled to ground stakes (we made our own, but you can purchase bundles of stakes at a hardware store and re-use them every year).   Just be sure to plan your arrows in advance, you don’t want to have to hang your sign upside down for the arrow to be correct. (Although, that could be an interesting marketing ploy…humm?) Also, take advantage of free advertising on Craigslist!

Pricing. I price most things with the mind-set of “if I don’t sell it I will donate it.” Original worth doesn’t hold a ton of value at garage sales. If you have some pricier items, try selling them on Craigslist/EBay prior to the sale, brand names go for a higher price online. Masking tape is my favorite medium. It is cheap, I always have it around, and it holds better then stickers or labels. Plus, it comes in multiple colors so each seller can have their own color. Price everything. People are intimidated and won’t ask about prices if items aren’t marked. It’s worth the extra time, and SO much easier day of as well.

Set up the night before. The morning of a sale is always chaotic. While you think your kids will eat their cereal in front of the TV perfectly and quietly while you race around…they won’t. Shoppers will arrive early; they may even be lined up before you open your door. Have tables set up and bins sorted and ready to simply pull out come sale day. In the morning, get as many items/tables out of the garage as possible. The more that is visible from the street the better. Furniture items should also be highly visible. (Shh…I may have possibly been guilty of pulling out my own furniture with a “SOLD” sign attached to it. I chalk it up as a marketing tactic…any way to get people out of their cars to buy your other stuff!) Also, get as many things off the ground as possible. Use tables for housewares and hang clothes. Kids toys or other large items can be placed on a tarp to avoid contact with the ground.

I advise against a moneybox. Keep the moolah on you in a mini purse or fanny pack (they are SO coming back!). You can jump up to answer questions or lend a hand without the fear of theft. I like to give the benefit of the doubt to people, but I have had a few things stolen from my sales, unfortunately, it happens. Wha Wha.

Clean up. Cleaning up can be a breeze, especially if you sell everything. Ok, that’s not exactly a reality, but there are so many reputable charities that will gladly take your leftovers. Remove price tags and pack up. I load it directly into my car to avoid any procrastination.

And…now you have enough cash to use toward other people’s junk treasures for the rest of the garage sale season.  Happy selling!