Host a garage sale for an easy way to declutter the home while racking up a nice wad of cash for your unwanted goods. People love garage sales. The thrill of the find is most exciting for shoppers. For many, garage sales are a part of their summer traditions. If it’s time to get in on the garage sale fun, use the tips below to simplify the entire process so you enjoy an easier, smoother sale and more profits.
Plan Your Garage Sale
Choose the date you’ll hold a garage sale. Weekends work best for garage sales. Determine the hours you’ll hold the sale. You’ll get larger crowds if the sale begins early in the morning. Check out the weather for your sale dates to ensure that rain or other adverse weather isn’t in the forecast.
Prepare for the Garage Sale
It’s the perfect time to declutter the home. Start in one room and work your way around until each room is free and clear of the unwanted, worn out, no-longer-needed goods that you’ve likely collected. Include basements, garages, and attics in this declutter phase. Toss out anything that isn’t worth putting in the sale, but don’t underestimate the items that you own and their value to other people.
Check Permit Requirements in Your Area
Many areas require permits to hold garage sales. Does your city/town require a permit before the sale? If so, make sure to learn how to obtain the permit and get this before you begin. It costs only a few bucks and protects you against many different types of trouble. Check with your local city hall to find out if a permit is needed for your sale. Do not attempt to host a garage sale without this permit if it’s required. Not only will the sale get shut down, but you’ll also face a stiff fine.
Advertise the Sale
More advertising equals more faces present to browse and shop at your sale. Create a newspaper ad to announce the sale and drive major traffic to the event. Most people who are in search of garage sales start looking for them in the newspaper. Use online sources to announce the garage sale, where both free and low-cost advertising sources make it easy to reach people interested in your sale right in the local community. Don’t forget how powerful social media is and make sure you get the word out via Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and your other favorite sites.
Check laws in the area to learn your responsibilities concerning placement of garage sale signs. Buy a couple of signs of DIY if you prefer. Place the signs in areas easily visible to people passing down the road, complying with all local laws in the process. If you prefer to make your own signs versus buying them, brightly colored signs are great to use to make signs using black permanent markers.
Time to Prepare for the Garage Sale
Use the day before the sale to prepare and gather all the supplies you’ll need to hold a garage sale. A table, a cash box complete with the change, plastic bags for customers purchases, and display areas for your goods are among the most important supplies that you’ll need to prepare for your garage sale.
On the day of the sale, start sorting through your items and setting up well ahead of the sale start time. It’s best to organize the sale so more people find shopping easier, thus shopping longer and spending more. Arrange items into categories, such as home goods, children’s items, clothing, books, etc. Use brightly colored labels or computer-generated labels to price your items. Keep in mind that people come to garage sales to bargain so ask a bit more for the item than you anticipate receiving. Expect early arrivals at the sale. Prepare to deal with them by inviting them to shop or asking them to return later.
The Big Sale
On the day of the sale, find a nice shaded, comfortable area to set up your table and chair. Have your cash box readily available for shoppers, as well as the plastic bags to hold their items. Make sure that it’s an area that is nearby the sale so you can keep an eye on things. Work the sale if you want to give shoppers a more personalized experience. It’s pretty amazing how far a simple hello can go at your garage sale.
Toward the end of the sale, determine what you will do with the leftovers. It’s a good idea to mark down prices lower before the end of the sale if you want to get rid of as much as possible. Otherwise, will you take the items back home? Will you donate items to charity and earn a tax write-off? Have a friend who could use the items? There are many ways to dispose of the leftovers from your sale. Have a plan in mind so you know what to do after the sale ends.
