Garage Sales: Tips From Having My Own
Every year I like to reorganize and clean out some things, so I always decide a garage sale is the way to go. Sometimes as I am preparing for it I start to doubt if it’s really worth the effort, but in the end I always end up being happy that I made some money and got rid of a few things that were taking up space in the house. I’m sure you remember from my previous post on downsizing, that we lost about 1,000 square feet in the past couple years, so you can see I really need to get rid of things because I don’t have the space anymore.
Pros and Cons to garage sales (in my opinion):
PROS: make some money, get rid of unwanted items, free up space in your house, meet the neighbors, you don’t have to transport items to be donated
CONS: a lot of effort (pricing items, bringing them out into the driveway and organizing them for the sale, spending hours waiting for people to come), you don’t always get what you think the items are worth, you don’t know who will be coming to your house, it’s mentally hard to let some items go (I have a hard time letting go of some baby items)
If you do decide that you want to have a garage sale, then here are some tips for you (and I’ve had plenty as I’ve moved seven times in the past 12 years):
1. Price Items:
Do your research! Know what the item is worth. I use Amazon and eBay to check out the item’s value and know the market for it. You might feel bad later finding out you sold something worth $50 for $2. Also, if items are priced you have a place to start with negotiating. Big items are a MUST for pricing. Some small items you don’t care about as much can be made up on the fly.2. Organize In A Timely Manner: It takes a few days to a few weeks to prepare fully. You need to search for items, organize them, research and price items, and prepare to get them put out the morning of. It seems the most traffic is early on since people like to be the first to get there as not to miss out on great items and deals. There are some almost “professional garage sales shoppers” out there. They know what they are in search of, how to go about getting a great deal, and the value of items they are getting. This is another reason the research part is so important. They will take advantage of you.
3. Advertise Everywhere: Put the garage sale online a few days to a week before the sale! You can advertise for free on Craigslist, as well as other online resources like local newspapers (I used The Patch). Make sure you put signs up everywhere people will see it the day of. Make them large, bold enough to read, and bright! Eye catching colors are best. Place them on main roads leading to smaller roads as well. Lastly, don’t forget you can advertise in the paper too!
4. Be Prepared: Make sure you hit the bank first and get change. You know the first customer you have will pay with a $50. Murphy’s Law. Also, watch the weather forecast. Know if you are preparing to sit out in the heat, or if storms are in the forecast ~ have a plan. We had plenty of water at ours since it was a 90 degree day, and in fact my daughter set-up a lemonade stand where she sold lemonade, candy, and bottled water! It went over well!
5. Prepare Mentally: You are going to have the occasional experience where you feel bad because you let something go too cheap. You need to think about it while you are negotiating. Are you going to be okay with letting it go at that certain price? What’s your goal? Are you trying to get rid of it or make money off of it? Is it a personal item? Will you be upset you passed up on their offer? Remember, you are in charge! You CAN say no!
6. Final Tips: Plan it for a weekend that is not a holiday weekend that people are traveling on, start early in the morning, and team up with neighbors around you because have a “multi-family garage” is even a bigger draw! Get your kids involved and make it fun for them! My daughter sold lemonade and my son sold shells he found for one cent each. They had a blast!
If you decid to have a sale, then do the best you can! It might be worth the shot! You can always donate to charities or try to sell items on Craigslist or eBay if they don’t sell. At least it will force you to clean out your house a bit and make a little money. GOOD LUCK!
What are YOUR tips for a successful garage sale? I would LOVE to hear them!
Love the post. for decades when I needed cash I put out what I had to on the lawn and put up a sign. so easy. bur where I live now you have to get a permit to put up a sigh or its a fine. I love the consignment store now. they do the work.
Great tips! I once did a neighborhood garage sale. Once! LOL! I found I could get far more money for my items on ebay. It is a pain to have to ship items though.
I haven’t had a garage sale in ages. Great tips!
I Love all the tips and I think they can be a nice way to get rid of items but yes it is a lot of work and you do have to decide if it is worth it.
Great tips! I hate is when garage-salers try to take advantage of me. GRRR! I like to get a good deal as well, but I don’t want to rip anyone off. I live in an apartment right now so we do consignment. I can’t wait to be able to sell things at my own price.
Hubby and I got turned off by garage sales… we don’t enjoy haggling for prices. 🙂 I know it’s successful for lots of people and I’m happy for you that you get some good out of it! Maybe we will try again sometime…?
These are some great tips. I get too lazy to go garage sales but I should! I should have came by to get the pool!
Great tips! I learned early on that I just don’t have the patience for putting on a garage sale – preparing or sitting through it. But I love shopping them…go figure!
Great tips. Love going to garage sales!
great tips…Love garage sales! Thanks..maybe I’ll get motivated
I love garage sales they where a big thing for us girls growing up.
i am getting ready for a yard sale this weekend! GOOD TIMING 🙂 -gamie mathews
Great tips! I will use these~!
I love a good garage sale. Need to get my junk together. One mans trash always another woman’s treasure
My 7 year old has asked me for years to have a garage sale! I’ve thought maybe I would just to an “everything’s a dollar” sale :o)
thank you for the great tips
These are great things to remember. We are getting ready to have our very fist (yes really! haha) garage sale in a couple of weeks. I’m already feeling the pressure just “thinking” about how in the world to set it up. I don’t want to lug all of this stuff down to the basement (we have a SF. style house where our basement/garage is under/beside our house at the bottom of our steps) & have to bring it back up (so it won’t get ruined down there… as everything does. No important stuff in the basement!) I’m too organized, so not having things totally prepared freaks me out! I didn’t even think of going to the bank! Phew. You might be saving my life here 😉 Thanks!! I’m going to bookmark this to come back to it~
chevsweeps@yahoo.com
Great tips. i will use these when i have my next one.
Awesome tips! I love rummaging, and I hold one every other year- with the exception of this summer we’re doing our second in a row (baby #2 brought tons of new stuff in and I have to make more room in this house!). I love reading your thoughts and advice on this. The only tip I could give, is to do it with a friend who’s company you really enjoy 🙂 I love making money while enjoying good conversations- and I have a perfect friend that comes over for every one- just to sit with me…the day goes by much faster this way too!
Jamie Anderson
msjamesteagall@yahoo dot com
I love your tips! The one about advertising with bold enough to read and bright is so true.
we just did this, surprised by the amount of money we made
LOVE HAVING GARAGE SALES BUT HUBBY AND I ARE NOT WELL ENOUGH NOW AND EBAY ISN’T BUYING
thanks for the tips
Great Tips, maybe this will help me move all the stuff I have at my next sale. Thanks a bunch
Great tips! thanks so much for the prepping advice
And always price your items. People hate setting their own prices first when they are shopping garage sales. It’s good to have a starting point for haggling, which is a must when garage saleing. (0:
Great tips! Wish I was able to have a garage sale here…I live on a dead end at the top of a narrow hill.
Thanks for the tips:)
Thank you for the tips. We usually have one every year. My daughter would love to have a lemonade stand so we will try that thankyou
thanks for the tips!
i love garage sales! i don’t know if i would be good at organizing one though! i hate letting go of stuff! thanks for the tips 🙂
Great tips, I was hoarding for a yardsale but finally gave it to goodwill (I live in phoenix AZ too hot here now for yardsales)
Thanks!!! great info..
i looove garage sales!! so yes this mommy does love garage sales!! <3
Love the tips! Thanks so much!
love it!!!
I wish I lived closer. Definitely had some things I would have picked up.
Good tips.
Will have to share with my wife!
Michael Welle
did you get the stuff and did you have to have another one
great tips