Garage-Sale-Tips
For Success

Yard sales are alot of work, but a thorough checklist of helpful tips will let you breeze through the process just fine.

It's nice to recycle items you no longer need by making them available to those who could and getting a good housecleaning done at the same time.

Extra money for the efforts don't hurt either.

I love garage sales. Never know what you will find.
I love to go, and I have put on a few over the years too.

But, if you aren't prepared for the big day, it can be
chaotic, frustrating and tiring and you may hate the
thoughts of ever running one again. I know the feeling.
That's why you need to be aware of the number of great
garage-sale-tips that are out there for a profitable-yard-sale.

Advance planning and organization are key.

Having been both a seller and a frequent customer of
yard sales, I recommend you follow these garage-sale-tips
to make the running of your sale a fun and enjoyable
experience.

THE GOAL IS TO BRING AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE BACK INTO YOUR
HOME, RIGHT?

With this is mind, there are number of garage-sale-tips to
consider.

Give Yourself Lots of Time

Housecleaning over the winter months is the perfect
opportunity to sort and sift out items you no longer want.

Start with a number of boxes and categorize the items
as you put them in. For example, sort as to books,
kitchen items, clothing, toys, etc. This makes it
easy to group and organize later.


You could also be a vendor at a Flea Market or Antique Mall to sell your things if you prefer. See how here.


Garage-Sale-Tips For Presentation

This is so important. Wash them or dust them well as you
choose your items for sale.

From a customer point of view, dirty or stained items are
a real turn-off. Damaged clothing is too. Don't put
things out with buttons or zippers missing. Save those
for your rag-bag. The same applies to ripped items.

Don't put out broken or cracked items. Then again, people
are very good at fixing things or making crafts from
nothing. Put it in a box marked "Free" items. Someone
might be glad to take it off your hands.

There's also that "basement smell" to be concerned about. You know, that musty moldy smell, that as far I'm concerned
is next to impossible to get rid of. Again, as a customer,
I have walked away when I have smelled this. This is a good
garage-sale tip to remember, as sellers don't always consider
this.





Garage-Sale-Tips For Choosing A Date

I find Spring is the best. Die-hard yard-salers have been
itching all Winter to get back out there, and usually set
aside Saturday mornings. By the same token, garage-salers
hate to see the season end, so they are hoping for just
one more to go to before the Fall ends.

Don't have your sale on a holiday week-end. Many people are
away on their own holidays.

Find out if anyone in the neighbourhood is having one on a
specific date. You will get their traffic as well.

Advertise Your Sale Well

Place your ad in your local newspaper at least once, maybe
twice. People are watching and like to plan their route.

Sometimes when placing an ad, you will be supplied with
a sign. They are usually free.

Tell your friends, family and co-workers.

Place ads on community bulletin boards, usually found at
malls and grocery stores.

Put your ad on a local Buy & Sell usually through your
local internet server page.

Place signs around your town. Make sure about the rules
for putting signs on hydro polls. Make sure the signs are
good-sized lettering, legible and easy to see from the road
by someone driving by. Test it for yourself. Stick with a
plain bold black marker, or the dark neon markers. Put
arrows on the signs to show the proper directions.

Place signs on the corners of your lawn or on your driveway.

You can also use blown up balloons to draw attention.
Excellent garage-sale-tip to attract people.


Garage-Sale-Tips About Location

The front of my house and deck is blistering hot in the
morning. Turned out it was enough to make someone almost
faint. My backyard is much better. It is a bigger space
with lots of room for roaming around, and shadier. There
are no difficult stairs to climb. Maybe this is the case
at your house too?

Decks also tend to be confining and crowded, especially
when large groups show up at once. An open driveway is
is better.

Have Lots of Change To Start

It never fails. First customer has a twenty-dollar bill
and nothing smaller. Don't get caught. Get some change
and small bills a day ahead of time. Plan to keep it in
an apron or fanny-pack on the day of the sale. Don't have
an open container on your table for it.

Hate to say it, but there are some dishonest people
out there.

Besides, you will have enough to do without having to
try to keep your eye on it, or physically carry it
if you are called on to assist one of your customers.

Also, frequently take your money on the day of your sale
into your house, just to be on the safe side.

And, speaking of valuables, if you are selling
small valuables like jewellery pieces, display them at
the table where you are sitting so that you can keep an
eye on them.

Have Bags Or Small Boxes Available

Also, have newspaper or old tissue paper available to
wrap up any breakables.

Garage-Sale-Tips For Security - Lock Your House

As I went into the house quick to take in some money, I was
quite shocked to find a lady standing in my living room
trying on a pair of pants! Well, it was fine I guess.
Afterall, what could I do at that point? However, I was
quite mortified and it's now a funny story. Actually, my
husband had just come home from being out, and one minute
earlier, he would have walked in on her. Anyway, there
was no harm done.

The lesson is, some people can be very bold. You never
know what could be going on especially if you don't have a
helper and are running your sale alone.

One of the best garage-sale-tips is to have a helper if
at all possible. Makes alot of difference.

If you are alone?

Get your coffee etc. ready to take outside, and make a
final trip to the bathroom. Once the people start arriving,
you may not get a chance at these things again for sometime.

It can be very hard to get away. And really, you shouldn't
be away from your "stuff" or your customers.

Garage-Sale-Tips For Setting Up

If it's reasonable and do-able, set up the night before
and cover with plastic to keep the morning dew off of
your items. This is such a timesaver. If you can't do
this, you will have to hustle very early in the morning
depending on what time you advertised your sale.

Clean up your yard. Mow the lawn, pick up any messes if
you have animals. Make your yard look attractive.

Large tables or sawhorses with plywood are perfect for
displaying your treasures.

Have lots of space between tables so people aren't
back to back and bumping into eachother.

People don't generally want to have to stoop down low, or
dig through a mish-mash of things in boxes. They might if
they absolutely have to, but remember. Garage-salers
are in a hurry. They have a list of places they want
to get to, and they want to get there before everyone
else does.

So, make it easy for them. Items easy to see, handle, well
spaced out, neatly and nicely presented and especially in
proper form. For example, make sure that cd's, videos, dvds
and cassettes are in cases.

If you have clothing PLEASE hang it up on hangers
on an umbrella clothesline or makeshift clothesline of some
kind. This is so easy for people to actually look through. If they are on a table, at least keep them folded as much
as possible. Do the same for boots and shoes. Keep them
together in pairs. Don't let the look get messy.

Group Your Items

If you have a tent for sale for example, set it up if
possible. Put other items with it like other pieces
of camping equipment. Present it as a package. It may
sell quickly that way if someone is looking for exactly
this kind of thing.

Place some attention-getting items at the edge of your
drive or lawn to catch the eye of people passing by.

Have batteries and a plug-in ready to prove that your
items work. People will want to know. They are not afraid
to bring things back a day later wanting a refund.
Remember this garage-sale-tip especially when men might
be buying hand-tools.

Have a radio or music going. Dead silence is a bit
unnerving. Have some low music going in the background, and
not blasting. Some kind of easy-listening is the best choice.

Garage-Sale-Tips For Pricing?

Personally, I need to see prices. I can't guess. I'm
not good at it. And, if someone wants 50 cents for a book
I can't bring myself to ask if they will take 5 cents
instead. I just don't do it. As a seller, I must admit
I feel a bit insulted by this. However, it's done all the
time.

Negotiation is a big part of the process. Price your items
as you see fit, but keep in mind, this IS a garage sale.
Do you want to take it back into the house or do you want
it gone?

Offer to maybe lower your price if the item is still around
at the end of the day. Ask your customer to come back.
Or, simply negotiate a half-way point.

Offer some deals. I find clothing hard to sell sometimes
so offer a deal by the armload or by the bag-full.

If you don't price items individually, have some large
signs displayed with the prices listed on that. This is actually a good time-saver.

If you are selling with a friend, color code your tickets
so you know who sold what.

Garage-Sale-Tip For Handling The Early Birds

If you advertise your sale for 8 a.m., expect people to
show up as early as 7:15. I actually had 2 ladies at my
door at 6:10 one morning.

Again, some people are very bold.

I chose to politely ask them to come back later, because
I knew they would.

You may hear excuses for why they can't come back later
and need to see your things NOW. This is your call.

Contact Charitable Groups

There are many community organizations who run garage sales
of their own. Most are quite happy to have your leftovers
for their sale, and some will gladly come and pick it up.

If you are willing to donate what doesn't sell, give them
a call to make this arrangement.

Be Prepared For Rain

You may have a sense it could pour on the day of your sale.

Have lots of sheets of plastic ready to cover your items.
Also, have a sign ready to stick out on the lawn showing
"cancelled" or a possible alternate date.

People WILL show up anyway to see what is going on.

Garage-Sale Tips, Last But Not Least

Most yard-salers take a quick glance around and they form
an opinion quickly as to whether or not it is worth their
while to browse. At least this has been my experience.

Make your sale visually appealing. Make them want to stay.

Though it may be difficult as the day progresses, say hello
and smile. Be courteous and helpful if asked.

By following these garage-sale-tips, your day is bound to be
successful.

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