How to Host a Garage Sale
A garage sale is a great way to make some extra last-minute money and to get rid of things you not longer need. Hosting a successful garage sale depends on a variety of factors, but planning the whole event in advance can help you make the most of the day. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Sort your items. If you have a lot of things to sell, try grouping them into topics (kitchen, sports, kids) or sizes (electronics on one side, bicycle on the other, small knick knacks on a group). This will make it easier for people who are browsing to find what they’re looking for and it can also lead to more sales: for example, a person picking up a salt and pepper set may see the dish towels next to it and buy them on impulse.
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Offer some refreshments. If you host your garage sale on a hot summer day, offering cold water or juice may encourage people to stick around longer. If you have a lot of kids’ items and you think families will stop by, set a tray of cookies or brownies on a side table so people can take a bite while browsing.
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Advertise your sale. The local newspaper may offer free space for this, or you can consider buying a small ad. Also, make sure you have enough flyers and signs to distribute along the neighborhood for at least a few days before the event. Write your signs with permanent marker (in case it rains) and post them on busy streets, corners and near bus stops.
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Start early. A lot of people who shop at garage sales like to stop by in the morning, before their weekend starts. Hosting the sale on a Saturday will give you a chance to extend it an extra day if you find that a lot of items didn’t sell. Autumn and spring are the two most popular seasons for garage sales, as long as you don’t host the sale on a holiday weekend.
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Tips & Warnings
Price things higher than what you think would be a fair price to get for them. That allows for haggling, which is expected at garage sales.
