Your Guide for Having a Successful Garage Sale

Begin Planning Your Garage Sale Well in Advance

Planning a garage sale where you will be selling a large number of items is not something you can do in just a few days.  It's in your best interest to begin planning as far in advance as possible if you want the event to be a success.

Start by selecting the date and time of your sale. Most garage sales are held on Saturdays, but a multi-day sale may include Friday, Saturday, and/or Sunday. The Family Handyman notes that the majority of sales begin early morning and end mid-afternoon, around 2:00 pm. 

A good rule of thumb is to give yourself about a month to get everything organized and planned out. When you have a month to prepare, you'll have the time necessary to make sure everything is done right.

Stay Organized

If you’re opting to have a garage sale, you most likely have a lot of items to sell. Staying organized will make things much easier when you’re de-cluttering your home and selecting the items that will be included in the sale. In the end, you might just have the space needed for a man cave. 

Consider de-cluttering one room at a time, and keep all sale items separate. For example, store all kitchen related items in one box, all books in another box, and kids toys in their own boxes. Customers are much more likely to stay and browse when a sale has different items grouped together. The easier the shopping experience, the easier it will be to rack in the sales! Again, organization is key.

Set Realistic Prices

One of the keys to a highly successful garage sale is pricing your items correctly. At the end of the day, most people attend garage sales to find great deals and bargains. Your prices should reflect that. There is no reason to put in the time and effort if you’re left with a large number of unsold items at the end of the day.

Take the time to do some research online to learn more about average prices for different types of garage sale items. You may have items that are brand new in the box or still have tags on them; charge a little more than average for these items, but don’t expect to sell them anywhere near the full price you originally paid.

Price Your Items as You Collect Them

Going through each room in your home and cleaning out your garage are very time consuming tasks. Manage your time more effectively by pricing each item while completing the sorting process.

There is no reason to bother with fancy price tags. You can use simple stickers, or even a marker and pieces of masking tape. As your garage sale approaches, you will be glad that all of your items have already been priced and are ready to be set out and displayed for sale.

Determine Payment Methods to Accept

For many years, garage sales have been well-known as cash-only events. But, technology has changed and the majority of people are carrying credit cards. Savvy sellers are opting to accept other payment methods, in addition to cash.

You could choose to accept electronic payments through platforms like PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle. If you’re having a bigger sale, it only make sense to invest in a card reader that attaches to your cell phone so you can process debit and credit card payments. NASDAQ provides several helpful tips on this very topic in How to Accept Credit Cards at Your Next Garage Sale.

Accepting payments other than cash can make a difference in how many items you sell and how much money you make. This is especially true if you will be selling higher priced items, such as furniture or electronics.

Make Advertising Your Sale a Priority

You could have a wide array of quality items available but if no one knows about your garage sale, it won’t be a success. The good thing about garage sales is the fact that there are many ways to advertise without spending a dime.

Facebook, Craigslist, and Nextdoor are all great places to advertise online for free. Begin advertising online a few days prior, up until the actual date of the sale. When making your online listings, don’t forget to mention high demand items you plan on selling, including electronics, furniture, and baby items. At the same time, don’t discount old-fashioned advertising methods.

Putting up flyers letting the community know you’re having a garage sale can bring people to your house. On the day of your sale, put up posters throughout the neighborhood directing people to your address so it's easier to find.

Be Willing to Negotiate

If you price your items for sale properly, many people will pay the amount on the price tag. However, haggling is not uncommon at garage sales. Being willing to negotiate will help ensure you sell as much as possible.

Some people don’t negotiate as much at the beginning of a sale as compared to the end. When a customer offers a price that is slightly lower than what you’re asking, it may be worth accepting just to get rid of an item you don’t need while making some extra cash.

Create a Positive Shopping Experience

Searching for gems at a garage sale is not the same as shopping at a department store, but you should strive to create a positive shopping experience. People are more likely to spend time browsing when a garage sale is set up well.

Keep everything organized, and make “departments.” Clothing should be displayed together in one area, while kitchen items should be on a separate table, and kids’ toys should be placed away from other items.

Conclusion

Planning a successful garage sale does take a lot of time and effort. But in most cases it's well worth it when you can get rid of items you no longer want or need, while putting money in your pocket.

Sources

• https://www.familyhandyman.com/list/14-tips-for-a-successful-garage-sale/
• https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/how-accept-credit-cards-your-next-garage-sale-2010-06-15