Step1
Schedule your garage sale far enough in advance so that you can place a classified ad. Hold your sale on a nonholiday weekend unless you live in a resort town with lots of vacationers. Check the long-range forecast for good weather.
Step2
Dig through your garage, attic, basement and house for stuff to sell. Include everything you want to get rid of--one person's junk is another's treasure.
Step3
Spread the word among friends and family. The more you have to sell, the larger the crowd you can draw. Offer to sell their stuff for a 20 percent commission.
Step4
Scrub, wash, polish, dust and launder anything you plan to sell. If an item needs a simple repair that could greatly improve the price, fix it.
Step5
Round up volunteers if you expect large crowds. Friends and family may be willing to help for a free meal, the chance to sell their own junk, or just the fun of it.
Step6
Print up one-page fliers advertising your sale and put them up at local coffee shops, laundries, grocery stores or community centers.
Step7
Place large, neatly printed signs in your neighborhood the night before or the morning of the sale. Put signs in front of your house as well.
Step8
Use masking tape and a permanent marker to mark everything with a price. "$1 or less" tables or boxes save time and attract shoppers. Leave room to bargain down when pricing items. Remember that you're trying to get rid of your stuff when you price it. You may have spent a fortune on that Beta VCR, but you'll be lucky to get a quarter for it now.
Step9
Hang clothes on makeshift racks. Borrow portable tables to display items. Put crowd-pleasers (furniture, tools) up front to entice people. Have a "10 cents" box to encourage further browsing.
Step10
Set up your cash table near the entrance. Have plenty of small change, a cash box, a calculator, pencil and pen, a ledger book (to inventory commissions), bags and boxes, newspaper to wrap valuables, and a tape measure.
Step11
Make sure there's plenty of parking; relocate your car if necessary.
Step12
Be cheerful, get people talking and encourage haggling. Many people are reluctant to haggle but find it's fun once they start.
Comments
nickel730 said
on 1/2/2007 An easy way to make some extra cash is to sell soda and bottled water as well. Put your children in charge of the soda table and they will enjoy being able to sell stuff too. Most buyers go to many sales at a time and get thirsty easily. Buying them a soda is also something parents are happy to reward their children with for tagging along to the garage sales. Plus, you can keep and drink for yourself whatever doesn't sell.
Anonymous said
on 8/8/2006 Get yourself a chair and a small table for your check out line. This way your customers know where and who to pay, and you don't run yourself ragged all day. Some people use a small box or metal tin for keeping the money, but I have been having sales for over 30 years and have tried many different ways. I recommend, a fanny pack. If you don't own one, buy one! Like bananas, customers always seem to come in bunches. It is easy to get busy or distracted and lose sight of your money. But with a fanny pack you have your money right next to you at all times (for safe keeping) as well as to make change when necessary. I have mistakenly picked up a box that I thought was for sale and it contained the sellers money. How embarrassing! I have also known people who worked very hard for weeks preparing for and having a sale, only to lose all of their money because someone walked off with it while they were distracted. I recommend never having a sale alone. Have at least one friend or relative with you. While most people who frequent sales are extremely nice (I have met some of my best friends this way), there are those who prey on such things. A buddy allows time for comfort breaks without the stress, and smalltalk helps pass the time during the slow periods.
Anonymous said
on 2/2/2006 Often the idea of the garage sale is to get rid of things you no longer need or have the room to store.
A "Free Pile" is a great way to get rid of things quickly, and give them to someone who will put them to good use.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Before placing a sign in someone's yard, get permission from the homeowner. You may find your sign missing if you don't.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Make sure all doors are locked so no one can get into your home and rummage through stuff and help themselves to your valuables that you do not want to sell!