Having a garage sale (rummage sale) is a great way to get rid of things you no longer need or want while making a few extra bucks for a rainy day at the same time. While the concept is a great idea, the execution takes a lot of time and effort. From organizing and pricing your things to monitoring the sale, garage sales require a lot of work. Fail to operate things properly, and you could just be wasting your time. Here are several tips on how to have a successful garage sale.
Tip #1: Why Have The Sale In The First Place?
There are two basic reasons for having a garage sale: to get rid of unwanted things and to make money. The two reasons really aren’t compatible with one another because if you want to get rid of stuff, you have to be willing to part with it at rock-bottom prices. If you simply want to make money, you’ll want to sell your things for higher, but still reasonable, prices. It’s best to determine why you want to have a garage sale first and then proceed to the next tip.
Tip #2: When To Have A Garage Sale
Since garage sales require such a large commitment, it’s best to wait until you have several tables full of goodies along with larger items you can showcase up and down your driveway. If you only have a single table or two of things to sell, most people won’t even bother getting out of their cars to browse. The number of days to have a garage sale varies, but in general, anything longer than one day could end up being a big waste of time. This is because the majority of the good stuff is gone by the end of the first day, with many seasoned garage salers not even bothering to visit your sale after its initial debut.
Tip #3: You Have To Advertise
You will probably get a few people stopping by who accidentally drive by your house, but the majority of your serious shoppers will seek out your sale after reading an ad for it. Advertise in local newspapers and on online classified sites like Craigslist. Put up large signs with balloons and streamers at the end of your driveway to draw in passersby, and park vehicles with signs and balloons on adjacent streets directing drivers to your garage. If your local grocery store permits it, place signs on their community board announcing your sale.
Tip #4: Where Should You Hold Your Garage Sale?
The ideal place to hold your sale is in your garage. Having said that, the garage isn’t the best place to have it if it isn’t front and center where people can scan its contents as they drive by. Should your garage be situated behind your house or if you don’t have a garage at all, you can place your sale items on tables along the length of your driveway or across your front lawn. Never attempt a yard sale in the back of your house, as it’s hard to see and the folks who like to scan the sale from their vehicles before stopping won’t even give you the time of day.
Having a garage sale is time-consuming, but well worth it if you take the time to do it right. Hopefully, the tips above help you have a very successful garage sale.
- Justin
