Whether you’re spring cleaning or downsizing your home for a move, a garage sale is an excellent way to deal with clutter while simultaneously making a quick buck. In fact, it’s common for families to make a few thousand dollars over a weekend sale. Follow these garage sale tips and you’ll be turning your trash into treasure in no time.
Plan Ahead
As many of us know, being in the right place at the right time is one of the keys to success. For that reason, make sure your sale takes place in a high traffic area. If you live on a quiet street, try hosting at a friend or family member’s house where things are a bit busier. When it comes to timing, shoot for early morning and late afternoon when people will be commuting to work, church, or school. It’s also a great idea to schedule your sale on the same day as a big local event where you know the community will be coming out.
Furthermore, when it comes to planning, remember to check the local laws in your area to make sure you’re allowed to have a garage sale; you may need to obtain special permits from your city.
Team Up With Your Neighbors
Hosting a larger sale will attract more customers. So, definitely get in touch with your neighbors to see if they’d like to sell any items alongside you at your garage sale. This way, you can pool your networks to invite the maximum number of people.
Advertising is Key
In order for your sale to be a success, you’re going to need proper marketing. Fortunately, there are many avenues to get the word out. Some of these include taking an ad out in your local newspaper and posting online on websites such as Craigslist, Yard Sale Search, and Garage Sale Hunter. Also, don’t be afraid to make upwards of 15 or 20 signs to put up in your community.
Organize and Price Your Items
Having an air of professionalism is a great way to get your customers to respect your sale and pay higher prices. A great way to do this making sure all of your items are organized into separate sections based on their category. Once you have everything organized, grab some tape and a sharpie and start pricing your items. Marking items at 10 to 15% of their retail value is a great way to sell out quickly.
Support Multiple Payment Options
In addition to having plenty of change on hand for cash transactions, supporting credit card or virtual transactions is important as well. Use Square to accept credit cards via your phone, and look into services like Venmo and PayPal to conduct quick, virtual transactions.
Engage The Crowd
Nothing makes people happier than a little sugar. For that reason, selling or offering complimentary cookies and lemonade is a great way to put your customers in the mood to make a purchase. Engaging everyone with a smile and offering to negotiate on prices is a great way to keep your inventory moving as well.
Another way to sell your stuff is through social media, locally, or through apps designed just for that. Check out our blog about apps for selling stuff.
Donate Your Leftovers
As your sale draws to a close, offer an end of day half-off discount to clear out before the sun sets. If you have extra items leftover, consider donating them somewhere like Goodwill. When you go, be sure to provide a list of your items and their estimated value and ask for a receipt before you leave. Your donation can be written off during tax season, giving you some extra value for those unsold items.
If you’re hosting your garage sale to prepare for a big move, consider putting your profits towards hiring top quality movers. This way, all those valuable possessions that you did choose to keep will make it safely to your new home. Unpakt can help you with an instant moving quote, so you’ll be sure to find a mover within your budget.
