I don’t intend this post to be a complete list of all the steps you should take to hold the perfect garage sale. Instead, consider this a list of tips that might make your sale go from good to great. Most of these tips come from other professional organizers who have experience helping their clients get top dollar for their stuff.
1. Don’t bother having a garage sale if you live on a quiet street with very little traffic. Most people stop at a garage sale because they were driving/walking by, not because of your advertising (although that does help), so you need a location with lots of drive-by traffic.
2. Hold your sale on a Friday and carry over to a Saturday if you still have a lot to sell. Don’t bother having a sale on a Sunday. Scrap the sale if the forecast is for rain.
3. Fourth of July weekend is a great time for a sale. A lot of people are sitting around their homes waiting for it to get dark so the fireworks can start. Your garage sale will alleviate their boredom.
4. Make sure you have a big sale (ie. lots of items visible on your front lawn). Most people will only stop for the big sales and will drive right past if they only see a table or two.
5. Items that don’t sell well: adult clothing, knick-knacks, once-trendy collectibles (think Beanie Babies). Items that do sell well: toys, children’s clothing in good repair, tools.
6. Don’t bother selling your valuable antiques or collectibles at a garage sale. People attend garage sales expecting to spend as little money as possible. You’ll get more money for your valuables selling them on Ebay or through a consignment store.
7. Make sure your stuff is clean and spiffed up! Nobody wants to touch dusty, dirty, dingy merchandise, let alone buy it.
8. Price everything. Get those preprinted price stickers at an office supply store to make it easier.
9. Nice-looking signs are a must. People equate nice signs with nice stuff for sale, and crappy signs with junk for sale. Don’t make your signs out of scraps of cardboard!
I hope these tips make your garage sale extremely profitable. What are your favorite tips for a great garage sale?
Image courtesy of Red Leaf Heights. Use those for your signs, not that crummy piece of cardboard you fished out of the recycling bin.
