During all your spring cleaning, you may come across some items that you realize you no longer need. One of the most popular ways to get rid of those items is to hold a garage sale. Garage sales are quite useful in that they help you to get rid of things that you no longer use, they can bring in some extra cash, that extra cash makes a nice incentive to part with even more things that you may be needlessly holding on to, and getting a little extra space is always a nice feeling. With that said, here are some of our tips for holding a successful garage sale.
Advertising
Advertising is everything when holding a garage sale. The more people who know about the sale, the more people will show up. And of course, the more people who show up, the more items get sold. Signs are helpful, but they will only go so far. To really get the word out, take advantage of online marketplaces and social media. Let all your friends and family know about the garage sale. Take an ad out in the local newspaper. If your neighborhood utilizes an app like NextDoor, take advantage of the opportunity to let all your neighbors and nearby communities know about the sale there as well. You can even post an ad on Craigslist with the details about your garage sale.
Pricing
Garage sales are not the place to price gouge. People who buy at garage sales are looking for a deal. If they feel that your items are priced too high, they will not even try to haggle you down. They will just walk away. If you want your items to sell, price them to sell. This does not mean that you should let everyone rip you off, but you should also consider the buyer’s perspective. If you went to a garage sale and would not buy an item for that listed price, then consider lowering your asking price. We suggest pricing your items slightly above what you actually want to get for the item, but if you notice that people repeatedly pass on a certain item, perhaps it is time to consider a discount.
Set Up
Here is where a lot of people get stuck. If you really want to draw in buyers, make sure that your items are clean, organized, and clearly visible from the street. Many times, people will take a quick glance from their cars to determine if anything catches their eye. If nothing immediately stands out, they will just keep driving. So, make sure that your best items are at the front or are at least highly visible. Your set up should also be something that several people at a time can easily walk through. You do not want to scare off potential buyers with a hard-to-navigate space. We also recommend giving your garage a good cleaning to make the space more inviting. Make sure there is plenty of light so that all your items are properly showcased.
Timing
Pick a day for your garage sale where the weather will be nice, sunny, and warm. Weather and temperature can prevent people from going out to explore local garage sales. Many garage sale shoppers get an early start, because they want to get the best items before anyone else gets there. This means your garage sale should start fairly early in the morning. We suggest starting shortly after sunrise, not later than 8am. And if you can time your garage sale to coincide with others in the area, especially with a community-wide garage sale, even better.
