Garage Sale: Part 1 – Prepping

Are your closets overflowing? Does your house feel cluttered? Is it time to do some permanent spring cleaning? Why not make some extra money? “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure”. If you have not held a garage sale before, it really is not that difficult as long as you remember a couple things: Be prepared, stay flexible, and be friendly!

Preparing for your garage sale:

Be clear on your purpose — What is your goal? If you are cleaning and trying to de-clutter the house, then price your items to be sold! If there are too many nightstands in the house, make them an irresistible deal of $5.

Advertise —you can’t sell anything if no one knows about your sale. Place advertisements in local papers, on Craigslist, and on Facebook and Twitter. Be sure to make signs to put up the day before or the day of that clearly state where the garage sale is from all different corners of the neighborhood.

Be prepared to make change — get your cash ready because people WILL need change. Go to the bank ahead of time if you need to and make sure you have plenty of change and a safe place to keep it all! If you have a smartphone, there are apps (with an accessory) that allow you to swipe cards, too.

Layout — make your sale inviting and easy to browse. You may be trying to de-clutter but that doesn’t mean just move the clutter to the sale. If you have trouble sorting into sections, imagine going to a store. Think of a store that is organized and mimic their set up. Remember – Display is key!

Play music — Choose some easy-listening background music that will help customers feel relaxed and encourage them to take their time browsing. If you want, you can even offer refreshments for a quarter or two for a little extra profit.

Remember these tips when you are getting ready for your garage sale for less stress and more fun. Keep an eye out for Part 2: Garage Sale Selling Tips. If you have any other tips, please feel free to share them in the comments!