Tips for a Successful Garage Sale
Garage Sale Day is coming on August 12th this year!
The second Saturday in August has the unusual distinction of being National Garage Sale Day, on which we honor a long tradition of finding things a new home. Whether you’re vending your decluttered stuff or searching for the treasure you’ll cherish for years, it’s a great day to recognize our community’s efforts to repurpose rather than create more landfill.
Need help donating what’s left? Check with your local thrift shop and schedule a pickup.
Advertise
Make sure you advertise in advance around your neighborhood and on local social media sites. make sure your signs are bright and easy to read, with an arrow pointing in the direction you want the driver to go.
Join forces
It’s great when you can team up with friends, family members, or even neighbors to have a larger garage sale to attract more buyers.
Organize your space
- Put your largest and best items out front, so those potential buyers driving by are more tempted to stop. They will assume you have some great stuff and even more than what they can see.
- Display like items together: organize all your kitchen items in one area, toys in another, etc.
- Make sure the area is neat and inviting. Create aisles and/or a walk space so people can get to everything easily. Use plastic bags to keep items in a set together.
Free Pile!
Have a pile of free stuff out front, with a big sign. Most people will stop for free items. Also, they may feel obligated to buy something if they take a free item.
Don’t overprice
Garage sales and yard sales are to get rid of stuff that you will probably donate anyway, so price everything low. You might sell more if you give buyers a bargain. Otherwise, you will sell little, make nothing, and be left with tons of stuff you don’t want. If you have items that you want to sell for their true value, you should consider eBay, Craigslist, or local ads.
Price everything
You want to make sure everything has a price on it. You can buy small, bright stickers and tag everything with a price or group items for different price points. For instance, you can have a 25-cent table, a dollar box, etc. This eliminates getting a million questions from people on how much everything costs and it will make for faster sales.
Clean & shiny
No one wants to buy dusty or dingy items. Make sure all items are cleaned, washed, or dusted. The better they look, the better they will sell.
