Garage Sale Tips

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Yard sale vs Garage sale
Sounds like the title of a techno tune, doesn’t it. Well, fortunately there’s nothing too technical in deciding whether to host a yard sale over a garage sale, or vice versa. The first question to ask yourself of course is ‘do I have a garage or yard’? Assuming you have one of the above, the next consideration is which of your yard or garage (or both) has the most space. If, for example, your garage is jam-packed with stuff you need to keep secure, best to use the yard and keep the garage under lock and key. However, if your garage is full of stuff you don’t need, and which isn’t especially valuable, your big sale could be just the opportunity you need to tidy up! Then, have a think about the ambience of your garage or your yard. If one is way more pleasant than the other, this may tip your decision, since people feel more comfortable purchasing when they’re in agreeable surroundings. Finally, you’ll need to consider how much shelter your visitors, and your sale items, require. A garage of course has its own canopy, so you won’t need to mess around erecting tarpaulins to keep the sun or rain out. On the other hand, if the weather forecast is fine and moderate, your beautiful yard may well encourage buyers to linger in the sun.

Garage sale seller tips. Helpful tips for your next sale.
Thinking about having a garage, yard, or estate sale? We’ve arranged some sellers tips to get you started.

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Yard sale health and safety
The last thing you need at a yard sale is for one of your customers to do themselves an injury. So, before you open your gates, it pays to have a first aid kit, and if possible a qualified first aid practitioner, handy. But when it comes to safety, as ever, an ounce of prevention saves a pound of cure. So here’s a few tips to help you mensure your yard is nice and safe when your visitors come streaming through the gates. A couple of hours before your sale you should check your yard to ensure: there’s no low-lying tree branches that people or children can walk into. all electrical cables or cords are concealed so there’s no possibility that your visitors (especially any children) can come in contact with a live lead. there’s nothing lying on the ground (like kids’ toys) that people can trip over - especially in the main path from your street to the sale. that any hot surfaces (such as a barbeque plate) are supervised by an adult at all times. that, if you have a swimming pool, it has a child-proof lock and the gate is shut. all your vehicles are locked and the park brakes are firmly on. any animals you have are appropriately tethered and not able to reach your visitors. that none of the advertising or stalls for your sale block drivers’ sight lines as they’re pulling up to your yard. all your garden and power tools are securely locked away. your house and garden is in good repair so that things like heavy tree fruits or loose eave panels are unlikely to fall on visitors’ heads. Finally, you should personally conduct at least two checks of all the above while the sale is running, just to make sure that none of the conditions you checked at the start of the day have changed. Sounds like a lot to consider, right? Well, if like most people, your house and yard are in good working order, you’ll be able to finish your safety audit very quickly. If on the other hand your house or yard needs a safety upgrade, an upcoming yard sale is the perfect excuse to do it. Safety after all is imperative, not just for your visitors, but also for your family.

Price your items tool. Get real time prices for your items.
Check out this tool that helps you determine prices for your garage sale items.

garage sales -
How To Make Money With Garage Sales

 by: Marilyn Pokorney

Drive through almost any neighborhood in any city or town on a weekend, and you’re sure to see garage sales scattered throughout.

These homeowners are spending their weekend time off making money. The average profit is $600 for a one-weekend garage sale.

It’s time to get your share of the pie. Organization is the key.

Step one: Check with the local officials to see what the local laws and regulations are on operating garage sales in your area.

Step two: Spend a few weekends going to garage sales in your area. See what is selling, what people are buying, how the items are priced, how the sellers advertise. Observe how the sellers display their items. Take notes.

Step three: Clean house and take stock of what you have and what it’s time to get rid of. Be sure to pick out at least one interesting and unusual item to call attention to your sale; some large ticket item you can set up in front of your home during your sale.

If you find older items such as dishes, a painting, an old flower urn etc. that you feel it’s time to dispose of have it appraised. You don’t want to sell something for 50 cents only to find out later it was an antique valued at $500.00. You can be sure there are garage sale shoppers who are on the lookout for just this kind of treasure.

Step four: Pick a date for your sale. The best time to have a garage sale is twice a year in May or September. People will be out shopping for summer items in May and winter items in September.

Never pick a holiday weekend such as Mother’s Day or Labor Day. Holiday festivities will get the attention of most people.

The best days for your garage sale are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

Step five: Advertise, advertise and advertise some more. Place ads in the local newspaper, shopper guides, on bulletin boards and even online. Place signs all over the neighborhood with brightly colored letters, attached balloons, etc.

Step six: Organize your sale. Put price stickers on your items. Have a wide variety of clothing and jewelry and arrange them in a rainbow of colors. Make sure jewelry and appliances sparkle! Hang clothing on racks arranged in sizes. Imagine that you are opening a retail store and copy what the stores do.

If you have items that are hard to price and you think they will not sell, put them in a penny box. And be sure to mark the box “Penny Box” or “All items just 1 cent each”.

Step seven: Timing. Consider starting at 7:00 a.m. instead of 8:00 or 9:00. And close no later than 6:00 p.m. And positively NEVER shut down for the noon hour! There are people who work on weekends and will stop on their way to or from work and shop during their lunch breaks.

As most customers will have come and gone by 1:00, noon hour being the most active, you can start lowering prices after 1:00 p.m. On items you think will not sell at all, put them in a box marked “Free”.

And lastly, what doesn’t sell take to the local Good Will or other organization of your choice.

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About The Author Marilyn Pokorney Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the environment. Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading. Website: http://www.apluswriting.net marilynp@nctc.net