The moment you drive up to a garage sale, you know instantly whether you want to stop. If you see a bunch of old junk piled on the front lawn, you won’t even slow down. But if you’ve followed a few big, bold signs to a well-organized sale that’s teeming with people, your curiosity is peaked. And you don’t mind parking down the block and walking to see what’s available. That’s the kind of garage sale we’ll help you coordinate.
Before the sale …
1. Pick a date and time
Choose a day that’s likely to have good weather, but doesn’t clash with any major events. Avoid long weekends, holidays, or school vacations, since many families may be out of town. Saturdays and Sundays are ideal.
Settle on hours for your sale. If you want to start at 9 a.m., advertise that the sale begins at 10 a.m. This way, you’ll be ready for the early birds. Or, advertise “No early birds” and hope for the best. End your sale well before dark so you have time to bring things inside.
2. Involve others
Ask your neighbors to participate. A neighborhood sale can draw huge crowds because bargain hunters can browse several sales in a single block. Plus, you’ll save money on advertising if you split the cost.
3. Prepare to sell!
Well before your sale, start sifting through your belongings and set aside anything you want to sell. Don’t wait until the last minute or you may forget to get rid of certain items, or you may hastily get rid of something you meant to keep.
Use your computer to create an inventory of what you’d like to sell. Print the list so you can check off items as they go. If a price tag falls off or gets switched, you can consult your inventory list.
Take the time to clean what you’re selling before you put it out. The better the item looks, the easier it will be to sell.
4. Get the word out!
The week before, put an ad in your city’s major newspaper (or save money by advertising in smaller newspapers). Include the date, hours, and the address or intersection of your home. If you are selling collectibles, antiques, or other valuables, mention this to attract the right type of buyers.
Make flyers and post them on bulletin boards coffee shops, grocery stores, and churches. At the HP Activity Center, you can download a flyer template that you can customize with your own text and photos.
Send an e-mail to friends, family, and co-workers and invite them to your sale.
Post free online ads. There are lots of web sites such as craigslist.org that let you make announcements for free.
The day before the sale, put up signs in your neighborhood (and be sure to include the date and time). Use big, bold lettering and arrows to direct people, and make sure all your signs look the same so people can follow the path. Check your city ordinances regarding putting signs in public places. Otherwise, you could be fined.
5. Price your items
Everything should have a clearly visible price tag. Bigger items need bigger tags.
Your customers are looking for bargains, so price items to sell. As a general guideline, price items at 20% of their original value.
Consider going to a few garage sales before your own sale to see what’s selling and how other people are pricing their items.
Instead of pricing each item, you might create signs for categories, such as, “All books 50¢.”
If you have a large quantity of any one type of item (clothes, toys, books, etc.), consider doing an offer such as “Fill a bag for $1.” Then supply the bags and let people fill them up.
If you have high value items, you may get more money for them by holding an online auction. Before you price them, check to see what similar items are selling for on current online auctions.
The day of the sale …
Organize merchandise by category and make sure everything is easily accessible. If possible, put books and CDs on a shelf for easy browsing, and hang clothes on a rack.
Put items like housewares on tables covered with sheets or inexpensive tablecloths.
Play background music (something upbeat but not heavy metal) and keep the volume at a reasonable level.
Keep pets away from customers. You never know who’s afraid of dogs or allergic to cats.
Offer refreshments. Have ice water or coffee on hand, or purchase some inexpensive sodas and chill them in a cooler. Free refreshments are always appreciated and will likely increase your sales. But it’s OK to charge a small amount (25¢ or 50¢) to cover costs if you prefer.
Have an extension cord and batteries available so customers can see that items work before they buy them.
Make a trip to the bank to get small bills and rolls of change. During the sale, take bigger bills inside every hour or so for safekeeping.
Supply bags for sold items and newspaper to wrap breakables.
Be willing to negotiate. If you don’t sell an item, you’ll have to stow it at the end of the day.
After the sale …
Take your signs down immediately.
Donate any unsold items to your favorite local charity, Goodwill, or the Salvation Army. Be sure to make a detailed list of what you give away so you can write off your donations at tax time.
Organize what’s left in your garage or basement. You’ll find a variety of organization projects at the HP Activity Center.
Now you’re ready to hold a fantastic garage sale. Just think: Not only will you find new homes for things you no longer use, but you’ll make some extra spending money and get to know your neighbors in the process!
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