If you’re planning a move this summer, a garage sale is an awesome way to cut down on the clutter in your home while making some extra cash. But a successful sale isn’t an affair you can throw together overnight. To make sure your garage sale is stress-free AND lucrative, plan well in advance, spread the word around your neighbourhood and be prepared for a very busy day!
Here are some tips for a successful sale:
1. Begin setting aside items to be included in the sale weeks in advance. Stop in every room in your home and consider which items you don’t want to pack, your kids have outgrown or are no longer used.
2. Talk to your neighbours to see if they are interested in a street or neighbourhood sale. These types of events tend to attract greater crowds.
3. Advertise well. You can have the best stuff in town for sale, but if people don’t hear about it, they won’t show up! Create a Facebook page, advertise on Kijiji, take out an ad in your local paper and put up a few signs around town.
4. Speaking of signs…it’s great to get the kids involved in your sale, but when it comes to making signs, it’s a job better suited to an adult or older teen. Your address should be written in big, legible letters and arrows can really help draw in the crowds. Choose strategic spots to place your signs that will attract shoppers from main streets. (Good garage sale etiquette also requires you to remove and dispose of your signs after your sale.)
5. Time it right. It’s no secret that seasoned garage sale shoppers are early birds. Have everything set up and be ready to sell no later than 8 a.m. Plan to wrap things up around noon or 1 p.m. before it gets too hot.
6. When it comes to pricing, it’s your choice whether or not to price items individually or leave everything up for negotiation. Pricing each item is a lot of work but some shoppers won’t bother asking if they don’t see a price. As a very general guideline, price items at a third of what you paid for them.
7. Make an effort to make everything look appealing. Clean up kid’s toys, dust off household items, wash any clothing or cloth items and arrange items neatly.
8. Be sure to have plenty of change! Fives, toonies and loonies will be needed.
9. Have an adult helper. When it gets busy, people won’t want to wait around while you’re dealing with another customer.
10. Let younger children get involved by setting up a lemonade stand. It’s a great way for them to earn their own money and will help shoppers cool off on a hot day!
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