Moving Often Means “Garage Sale Time!”

If moving day is fast approaching or you just listed your home and need to get rid of some clutter, it may be time to hold a garage sale. Selling unwanted items will make your home appear more spacious and clean, may provide some extra cash to help with moving costs and best of all, you won’t have to pack up and move these items into your next home. So how do you pull off a successful garage sale?

• Put signs up and advertise – Place an ad in the local paper, some publications even provide a sign kit to direct people to your sale. Or buy 3-4 sheets of poster board and make your own signs.
• Price things to sell – You may think that old coffee table is worth what you paid for it but be realistic. You are holding a garage sale and people are looking for value and a good deal. Make prices appealing for your shoppers and be willing to negotiate.
• Stickers and color coding – You can make pricing much simpler if you purchase stickers that are different colors. Assign a price to each color and post a price chart for your shoppers to see. For example yellow circles mean $10 while blue circles mean $5.
• Let them shop by departments – Just like in a store keep household items in one area, toys and kids equipment in another, ski equipment and skateboards in another. Organize tools so they are on display.
• Display in fashion – Clothing should be easy to see so try to set up racks even if it means hanging some rope to place the hangers on.
• Your store window – Place “hot” items, like good furniture or tools, that will attract people driving by closest to the road. They will serve as the visual bait to attract people in.
• Add it up – Keep a tally of the items sold and the final price you got. It makes it easier to celebrate all your hard work when you can see the grand total of money you made and the unwanted items you got rid of.
• Offer refreshments – A perfect way for kids to help is by letting them run a lemonade stand or cookie sale. People love a snack and will pay for it. Even if you only break even it will draw people in, make them feel relaxed and the kids will feel a part of the whole process.