Many of us are thinking about changing careers, retiring, volunteering, relocating and/or downsizing. Or, you may have storage units that are sucking your 401k dry, and you’d rather put that monthly hickey to better use. If you answered “yes” to any of these scenarios, a garage sale might be in your future. Here are some tips for how to have a successful garage sale.
- Ask friends to put their things up for sale. It gives you more things to sell, plus more helpers.
- Use bold markers with thick printed letters on sturdy poster board with your address, date and time of sale. There’s nothing more frustrating than a sign with skinny letters you can’t read. Post in key locations in your, and your friend’s, neighborhoods.
- Arrange items by category. Hang clothes on a hanger. Place your best items near the street in order to lure in customers.
- Clearly mark the price on each item with masking tape, or blue painter’s tape.
- Since the point is to sell things, don’t overprice them. What was precious to you, is used goods to someone else.
- Have a garbage can nearby so you can keep the area free of clutter and trash.
- Play music so shoppers aren’t looking in silence.
- Be friendly and approachable. Let go of any peculiarities like you don’t want the woman in the red floral shirt to have your favorite chair.
- Have lots of small bills to make change.
- Keep a ledger and list items sold, and for how much.
- Wrap breakables in newspaper and plastic bags.
- Don’t be afraid to lower your prices.
Happy sales to you!
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