10 GREAT TIPS FOR A GARAGE SALE

Do you ever get the feeling when you walk around your home that, “I have way too much stuff!”?

It might be time for a garage sale if this is the case, and you may have already came to that decision and are now planning for it. Garage sales are a great way to get rid of a bunch of “stuff” that is just taking up space all over your home.

What may have become useless to you, may become a valuable asset to another. So think about that before you start throwing everything in the trash!

So what makes for a successful garage sale? How do you make it so people will actually want to come and peek through your stuff, and hopefully take something home?

Here are 10 Great Tips For A Garage Sale. Enjoy!

1. Advertise

If you are going to have a garage sale, then you have to let people know!

Take advantage of the corner telephone pole, get permission to post somewhere publicly, or take out an ad in the classified section of the newspaper. Make sure to describe what you will be selling in general terms, don’t just post “Garage Sale!”, use a few words to describe what will be available.

2. Take Work Off

You need to be prepared for your garage sale. You have a lot of organizing to do—just to get the items out and placed in a somewhat presentable way, you need to price tag your items, and you need to clear space of things your keeping. That’s a lot to do, so give yourself some breathing room and take the day before and after off.

3. Be Ready Before Start Time

Always expect to have some early birds coming by. You don’t want to lose a sale because you didn’t have anything out and ready 30 minutes before your posted start time.

4. Get Yourself Some Help

Ask family members to help chip in, especially if they are a part of the household you are throwing the sale for. Neighbors are usually more than willing to help out a bit, even if it’s just to help you monitor your items, answer a few questions, or consult people who come by.

5. Don’t Waste Time On Pricing

Organize what you are selling the night before, and decide which items are most valuable to you. Price these items and stay firm on those. The rest you can label with different colored stickers to help remind you of the price range you can negotiate in.

6. Merchandising Matters

Have you ever noticed how stores have similar items and products grouped together at the store? Well there is a method to it, that has been proven to increase the chances of a sale. If a customer looks at something but it isn’t quite what they are looking for, you have a similar item right next to it for them to look at that may be better suited for them.

7. Tables, Tables, Tables

You honestly can not have enough tables for your garage sale. I know that “yard sales” can be confused, but know this. People don’t want to have to bend down, pick something up, and then inspect it. You want them to have easy access even if it does mean they won’t just kneel down for a second. Place your tables in a way that directs customer traffic through your entire sale.

8.Put It On Sale—No Matter What

I can remember the last time I had a garage sale. We were going through all of our stuff before the big day that following weekend, and I came across a bag filled with old soda cans—uncrushed. I put them outside for recycling to come the following week and a man came by for the sale and noticed them sitting off to the side. He bought my cans. Not to go recycle them, but he makes art out of them! No joke. Whatever it may be, this story tells you one thing, put it on sale.

9. Boxes Of Junk Can Be Gold Mines

Yes, organizing and laying out your sales items nicely is a good way to present your stuff in a more pleasing manner for the typical garage sale shopper. But there are plenty more people who enjoy picking through a box filled with random items. It’s a little treasure hunt for them, and it can save you time when your getting things organized and put together.

10. Tell Stories

Have you ever bought a product or service after reading a newsletter or long formed advertisement? What about a car after one of those edgy and high end commercials they put out?

Do you know why you did that? Because you were invested in the story that particular company told you about that product or service. A story that grabbed your attention enough for you to feel as if you had to have it. The same goes for your garage sale items, and you don’t even have to be an advertising executive to make up something.

You lived the story of that item, and you know it better than anyone else. So use that knowledge, when someone asks you about that lamp that has been in your family for 20 years.

*Bonus Tip: Make sure that you utilize your garage by opening up your garage door for full customer traffic flow. But make sure that you are able to close it before and after the sale. You don’t want anything to go missing!

Getting a great garage door repair service in Carol Stream can really make the difference in making your sale a safe and successful day!