How
to Host a Successful Garage Sale
If you have
hosted an unsuccessful garage sale in the past, you may feel as
though it is pointless to try again. However, garage sales are a
fantastic way to rid your house of unwanted items and put money
in your pocket. Truth be told, successful garage sales can be incredible
money making opportunities. To have an effective, stress-free garage
sale, there are a few basic guidelines you should follow.
-
Price all items individually
and use proper pricing methods. While not a requirement,
pricing items individually will help decrease price inquiries
and confusion. Using signs for each table (i.e.: “All items
on this table are $10”) will require extra maintenance because
objects will move throughout the day and you will have to remember
where they belong.
Do
not use price stickers on clothing. Though the brightly colored
price stickers are convenient, they can fray clothing and often
fall off during garage sales. Use paper and straight pins in place
of stickers. Simply use a sharpie to write the price (as well as
any other additional information) on notebook paper and tear it
out. Use the straight pin to attach it to the clothing or the tag.
-
Organize your items according
to type. Grouping your items (i.e.: all of the clothing
together, all of the books together) will make it easier for
customers to browse. Uncluttered, organized garage sales are
eye-catching and will attract a larger amount of customers.
-
Provide light background music.
Playing music softly in the background will put shoppers at
ease, prolonging their visit. The more time an individual spends
browsing, the more likely he or she is to purchase an item.
Try to play music that might appeal to the majority.
-
Provide refreshments. Selling
soda or kool aide to visitors on a hot day is a fantastic way
to make extra money at your garage sale. As a courtesy, you
might also consider providing water for little to no cost for
your visitors. To cut down on expenses, fill a pitcher with
ice and tap water from your house. If you want to cover the
cost of the water cups, you can charge a dime or a quarter for
a cup and allow the visitors to refill their cup for free. Customers
will not feel rushed to leave on a hot day if they have access
to refreshments.
-
Promote your garage sale from
your yard. To catch those drivers who are not planning on
stopping place your large, attention-grabbing items out front,
closer to the edge of your yard.
Placing a large,
easy to read sign in the front of your yard will help too.
-
Advertise both ahead of time
and during.
-
Before: To notify garage
sale enthusiasts in advance, consider placing an ad in your
local paper.
Advertising on online garage sale sites is also a good idea. Garage
Sales Hunter is easy to use and frequented by garage sale goers.
Display flyers
promoting your sale. These can simply be designed on construction
or printing paper. Include the date, street address, and any major
items that will be for sale. You can place the flyers anywhere,
including local community bulletin boards, restaurants, and stores.
Do not forget to ask the permission of the owner before hanging
a flyer.
-
During: Do not forget
the traditional street signs. Placing informational signs
on street corners is one of the oldest tricks in the book
and has a high success rate. Be sure to include the date of
the garage sale, street address, and any other important information.
It is important for the sign to be incredibly easy to read.
Remember to place one at the end of your street and at any
major intersections.
-
Have plenty of change on-hand.
To make the checkout process quick and simple, you will need
a fair amount of change. You can get change by visiting your
local bank or grocery store. Additionally, it is a good idea
to keep all of the money in a safe place where you can be watching
it at all times. An actual change box that locks works well.
-
Be approachable. As silly
as it may sound, be friendly and outgoing. Answer any questions
a potential customer might have and be willing to negotiate
on a few of the prices.
Garages sales are
an excellent way to put money in your pocket and de-clutter the
home. Follow these eight guidelines and discover just how easy,
and enjoyable, hosting a garage can be.
