Are you ready to make money and clear out stuff you don’t need anymore? A garage sale is a great way to do both! However, let’s be honest: planning a successful garage sale can seem overwhelming. After all, there’s advertising to think of, pricing your items correctly, deciding how much change you’ll need—the list goes on and on.
Fortunately, our seven tips will ensure you have everything you need to come out on top with your yard sale while increasing your profits! All it takes is to organize the event with the right plan of attack. After that, what once seemed like so much work will now be an exciting part of turning clutter into cash!
Planning A Garage Sale That Will Fill Your Pockets
Everybody needs a bit of help, especially when organizing an event, even something as simple as a garage sale. If you’re facing this dilemma, check out our exceptional strategies below to guarantee your garage sale’s success:
Double-Check What You Don’t Need
Once in a while, we tend to buy unnecessary items, then end up regretting spending so much on it. If you have plenty of things caused by these impulsive buys, now’s the time to take your money back by listing the items you don’t care for and putting them in a container to be priced later.
To make it easier for you, ask yourself these questions:
- Do I use this item at least once a week?
- Does it make me happy?
- Is it in good condition?
- Do I have room for this item in the house?
If you answer NO to most questions, then it’s time to part ways and sell them at your garage sale. It deserves a better life with someone who will use it, and the best part is you get paid for letting it go!
Advertising is Key
Once you’re sure that you’ll hold a garage sale, advertising as early as possible is the best way to spread the news about your upcoming event. At least one week before is ideal so you can reach as many people as possible, especially if you plan on getting rid of many items!
Some ways to advertise:
- Get business advertising signs for yards
- Post on your social media profiles and ask friends and family to share
- Let word of mouth do its magic by asking your neighbors to invite their friends
Use Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms to create a post about your upcoming sale and let the world know! Remember to pick a date that falls on a weekend so everyone is free.
Organize Your Items and Re-Organize Your Garage
Check all the items on your list and organize them. At the same time, check again if there are broken things added into the mix. After that, place them in a box, which you could price for cheap. The remaining ones will be attractively displayed at the front. While organizing, separate items for men, women, kids, and pets – may it be clothes or accessories.
If you have hangers, the better since you can neatly hang clothes on a rack. You should also have tables, chairs, and display cases. If you don’t have these at home, borrow from your friends beforehand. Create a separate section for books, household items, tech, art, etc.
Label the tables and put prices on the items if possible so you won’t accidentally say the wrong price. While you’re at it, ensure your garage is tidy, as it can cause a lot of confusion if your customers are perusing a box of your personal items that they thought were a part of the sale.
Know How to Highlight Your Best Items
Think of yourself as a marketing specialist owning a retail store. If you notice how these stores arrange their displays, they always put their new products at the entrance so that customers will immediately see these products as they enter.
The same goes for your garage sale, which means you have to place them somewhere your customers can find them. These will motivate them to wake up in the morning and head over to your house as soon as your garage is open. Therefore, while you’re organizing, they have to be in plain sight, even if you’re still on the organizing stage, to get your customers excited!
Prepare the Materials You Need for the Day of the Sale
The day before the garage sale, gather all the materials you need to make the process seamless and convenient. Make sure you have the following things:
- Paper bags
- Boxes
- Pens
- Tapes
- Cash box
- Pricing labels
Don’t forget to prepare the change you’ll need as well. You need small bills and coins in different denominations like $1, $5, $10, etc., so you can quickly return their correct change. Also, having cashiers ready is helpful if it gets too crowded with customers. You don’t want them waiting once they’re prepared to pay, or you might risk losing them!
What to Do on the Day
Before the garage sale begins, put huge signages in front of your house and at the end of the street. Incorporate creative yard signs for people passing by to see immediately. Make sure it’s also large enough so they can see it from afar!
Play music to entice customers, make the event feel festive, and make them wonder what’s happening in your home. You should also give out some drinks and treats, especially if the sale will last the whole day!
Once your neighbors and friends start coming in, learn how to sales talk and ask them if they’re interested in a particular item. Being welcoming may be the nudge they need to finally make a purchase!
It’s a Team Effort
Gather your family, and ask them if they can help you. A garage sale is a lot of work, and it can be very stressful if there are many people. Everybody should pitch in and have individual tasks, such as being the cashier, helping the customers, etc.
Even your kids will happily entertain the guests. They can give away the drinks and snacks, help tidy up the displays, or provide you with moral support.
Enjoy The Process And Reap The Rewards
Garage sales are the best way to declutter your home while making money. You can let go of items that take up too much space but are still in good condition without any regrets. With your profits, you can buy new (and valuable) stuff with the money you get from your sale! If it’s a success, you can even turn it into a tradition and enjoy the entire process.
