Holding a Successful Garage Sale

Garage sales can be a great way to get rid of personal property and earn extra cash for the estate. But make sure you plan ahead; they can take on a life of their own. They can also be time consuming and may not generate enough money to be worth the invested time. If you decide to hold a garage sale here are some tips to remember.

Don’t wait until the last minute.
Planning a garage sale can take a lot of time and energy. And that’s on top of the effort of putting the home on the market!

Contact your local government.
Some municipalities will require you to obtain a permit in order to hold a garage sale. They’re often free or cheap, but the fines for neglecting to obtain one can be hefty.

See if neighbors want to join in.
You can turn the garage sale into a block-wide event and lure more shoppers. However, a permit may be necessary for each home owner, even if it’s a group event. Another option is to time the sale with a neighborhood event so you can try to get drive by traffic.

Schedule the sale.
Sales on Saturdays and Sundays will generate the most traffic, especially if the weather cooperates. Start the sale early — 8 or 9 a.m. is best — and be ready for early birds.

Advertise.
Place an ad on facebook, craigslist and next door, including the date(s), time, and address of the garage sale. Add information about what will be available, such as kids’ clothes, furniture, or special equipment. On the day of the sale, use balloons and signs with prominent arrows to grab attention.

Price your goods.
Clearly mark rounded prices (50 cents, 3 for $1, or $5, for example) with easily removable stickers. 

If it’s junk, recycle or donate it. If it’s truly garbage, throw it away or place it in a freebie bin. Don’t try to sell broken appliances, and have an electrical outlet nearby in case a customer wants to try plugging something in. 

Display items nicely.
Organize by category, and don’t make customers dig through boxes. Borrow folding table from friends so you can make items easy to see.

Stock up on supplies.
Having a stock of old shopping bags that can be reused encourages people to buy more items. Newspapers are handy for wrapping fragile goods.

Manage your money. Obtain ample change for your cashbox, and have a calculator on hand. Assign one person to man the “register,” keeping a tally of what was purchased and for how much.