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How to Hold the Best Garage Sale of the Season - October 2019
Having a great garage sale is easy – it just takes a little planning. A great garage sale isn't something that you can normally pull off at two days' notice. Give yourself at least a week – two if you possibly can.
First off you need to pick a date. The time of year plays a part in this, the middle of a long, wet winter most likely won't be the best time to hold a garage sale. But this time of year, a gorgeous spring day will bring garage sailors out in droves and lots of cash to your pocket.
Once you've chosen the date, advertise, advertise, advertise. You can try your local paper; some of them will even give you flyers and balloons to help make the sale successful. Or you could try your local school newsletters. And then go online. Use social media to your advantage. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram are all simple and easy ways to let everyone know you're holding the garage sale of the season. Garage Sales Network lets you advertise your garage sale on their website for 21 days free. They also have a free poster you can customise with the date and address of your sale that you can print free of charge. Go to www.garagesales.com.au to advertise your sale.
There are a few things you need to remember when you are setting up your garage sale, too. They will all help to create a great and profitable garage sale.
1. Sort items. Pretend your garage or yard is a department store and sort items accordingly. Keep all the books together, the kitchen stuff in one area, clothes in another, electrical items in another spot. This will make shopping easier for your customers and if it's easy to shop, they generally don't stop. Before your sale, look through the boxes of everything you sell. You may well find a receipt or a bill with personal information on it tucked into a book or under a pile of ornaments. How often have you found money you forgot when you put your hand in a coat pocket? Go through them all before you put them out to be sold, you may find a fortune! And while you're at it, go through any handbags, backpacks, suitcases etc that you're putting out for sale too. Better to be safe than sorry.
First off you need to pick a date. The time of year plays a part in this, the middle of a long, wet winter most likely won't be the best time to hold a garage sale. But this time of year, a gorgeous spring day will bring garage sailors out in droves and lots of cash to your pocket.
Once you've chosen the date, advertise, advertise, advertise. You can try your local paper; some of them will even give you flyers and balloons to help make the sale successful. Or you could try your local school newsletters. And then go online. Use social media to your advantage. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram are all simple and easy ways to let everyone know you're holding the garage sale of the season. Garage Sales Network lets you advertise your garage sale on their website for 21 days free. They also have a free poster you can customise with the date and address of your sale that you can print free of charge. Go to www.garagesales.com.au to advertise your sale.
There are a few things you need to remember when you are setting up your garage sale, too. They will all help to create a great and profitable garage sale.
1. Sort items. Pretend your garage or yard is a department store and sort items accordingly. Keep all the books together, the kitchen stuff in one area, clothes in another, electrical items in another spot. This will make shopping easier for your customers and if it's easy to shop, they generally don't stop. Before your sale, look through the boxes of everything you sell. You may well find a receipt or a bill with personal information on it tucked into a book or under a pile of ornaments. How often have you found money you forgot when you put your hand in a coat pocket? Go through them all before you put them out to be sold, you may find a fortune! And while you're at it, go through any handbags, backpacks, suitcases etc that you're putting out for sale too. Better to be safe than sorry.
2. Price items realistically . Generally a third to a quarter of the original price works. But this depends on the item. Anything that is really out of date, such as 20 year old encyclopaedias won't sell for $50. They're just too old and out of date. Ditto for adult clothing, regardless of the condition. Adult clothing just doesn't sell well at garage sales unless it's priced way down. If you have good quality, good condition, still mildly fashionable adult clothing try a consignment shop, you'll do better. Kid's clothes on the other hand sell like hot cakes, so don't be afraid to bring out the boxes of outgrown clothes.
Another thing with pricing: put the price on the top of the item in clear view. Then there's no chance you or your customer can make a mistake. And I like the idea of “the larger the item, the large the price tag”. If you're selling an old freezer, use a piece of A4 paper to make the price tag. Let it stand out so people can see what a bargain it is. And you'll have room to put a comment or two such as “Freezer - missing 1 shelf, still works”.
If you don't have time to price each item individually, make signs and group them together i.e. “all books 50cents” or “all soft toys $2”. Make sure the signs are big enough to be seen.
3. Put some effort into your sale . Really try to sell stuff by making it the most attractive it can be. Clean things up. They don't have to be spotless, just not grungy looking. Hang clothes on hangers (borrow a rack or suspend a curtain rod from the rafters if you need to). If you are selling an old basketball, make sure it is full of air. If you are selling a TV, have it turned on. If something needs batteries to run, put batteries in it so it works - it will help it sell. If you're selling electrical items, have a power source handy for buyers to try. Run an extension lead or have a supply of batteries on hand. Many the times we've made a sale because the buyer has been able to see that the item really does work.
4. If it doesn't work, say so. Perhaps have a “spare parts” department and put broken items together in the one spot. This is especially great if you have heaps of old computer parts (like we do). Techno Geeks love to scrounge bits and bobs to add to their own collections. Personally I'd give it all away just to get rid of it but my Geek just won't let it go unless it's to a good geeky home.
5. Display some of your more interesting items at the end of your driveway to act as a magnet to lure people in. Some people will just drive by slowly and take a quick look to determine if it looks worthwhile to stop. Have an assortment of items on display. Perhaps put the old lawn mower next to the sofa and the small fridge. You're more likely to attract a wider clientele this way.
6.Money. How much should you have in change? How should you handle it? Where should you keep it? Personally, I like to keep it on me. Use a bum bag with a zip closure or carpenters belt with the little pockets. The carpenter's belt is great because you can sort the money to avoid confusion. The bum bag is great because you wear it around your middle and it zips closed. Only you can open it.
Be sure to have lots and lots of change. Plenty of coins and a few notes, especially if you have lots of smaller priced items. When you're making change, don't put the customer's money away until after you've handed over the change. Keep a paperweight handy and slip their note under it while you make up the change. And count it out to them. May sound old fashioned and time consuming, but you won't get caught with the old “but I gave you $20, and you only gave me change of $10” routine.
7. Keep your tables and displays attractive. Fill in empty spots, tidy up stacks of books, the clothes rack etc. during the day. People are more inclined to look and buy if the display is neat and tidy.
8. Kids . If you have very young children you are either going to need a lot of help or a good babysitter. Think about sending them to Grandma for the day if you can. Or make sure you have back-up for mealtimes, nap times etc.
9. Have a plan for closing time. What are you going to do with the left overs? Keep them or donate them to charity? If you're donating them, can the charity pick the load up or do you have to deliver it? Try to organise for this to be done as soon as possible after the sale.
10. Remove your signs. Don't forget to take your signs and balloons etc down either.
And lastly: count your earnings. You've made a bundle today, so perhaps a freezer meal or even a take-away dinner isn't out of the question?
Another thing with pricing: put the price on the top of the item in clear view. Then there's no chance you or your customer can make a mistake. And I like the idea of “the larger the item, the large the price tag”. If you're selling an old freezer, use a piece of A4 paper to make the price tag. Let it stand out so people can see what a bargain it is. And you'll have room to put a comment or two such as “Freezer - missing 1 shelf, still works”.
If you don't have time to price each item individually, make signs and group them together i.e. “all books 50cents” or “all soft toys $2”. Make sure the signs are big enough to be seen.
3. Put some effort into your sale . Really try to sell stuff by making it the most attractive it can be. Clean things up. They don't have to be spotless, just not grungy looking. Hang clothes on hangers (borrow a rack or suspend a curtain rod from the rafters if you need to). If you are selling an old basketball, make sure it is full of air. If you are selling a TV, have it turned on. If something needs batteries to run, put batteries in it so it works - it will help it sell. If you're selling electrical items, have a power source handy for buyers to try. Run an extension lead or have a supply of batteries on hand. Many the times we've made a sale because the buyer has been able to see that the item really does work.
4. If it doesn't work, say so. Perhaps have a “spare parts” department and put broken items together in the one spot. This is especially great if you have heaps of old computer parts (like we do). Techno Geeks love to scrounge bits and bobs to add to their own collections. Personally I'd give it all away just to get rid of it but my Geek just won't let it go unless it's to a good geeky home.
5. Display some of your more interesting items at the end of your driveway to act as a magnet to lure people in. Some people will just drive by slowly and take a quick look to determine if it looks worthwhile to stop. Have an assortment of items on display. Perhaps put the old lawn mower next to the sofa and the small fridge. You're more likely to attract a wider clientele this way.
6.Money. How much should you have in change? How should you handle it? Where should you keep it? Personally, I like to keep it on me. Use a bum bag with a zip closure or carpenters belt with the little pockets. The carpenter's belt is great because you can sort the money to avoid confusion. The bum bag is great because you wear it around your middle and it zips closed. Only you can open it.
Be sure to have lots and lots of change. Plenty of coins and a few notes, especially if you have lots of smaller priced items. When you're making change, don't put the customer's money away until after you've handed over the change. Keep a paperweight handy and slip their note under it while you make up the change. And count it out to them. May sound old fashioned and time consuming, but you won't get caught with the old “but I gave you $20, and you only gave me change of $10” routine.
7. Keep your tables and displays attractive. Fill in empty spots, tidy up stacks of books, the clothes rack etc. during the day. People are more inclined to look and buy if the display is neat and tidy.
8. Kids . If you have very young children you are either going to need a lot of help or a good babysitter. Think about sending them to Grandma for the day if you can. Or make sure you have back-up for mealtimes, nap times etc.
9. Have a plan for closing time. What are you going to do with the left overs? Keep them or donate them to charity? If you're donating them, can the charity pick the load up or do you have to deliver it? Try to organise for this to be done as soon as possible after the sale.
10. Remove your signs. Don't forget to take your signs and balloons etc down either.
And lastly: count your earnings. You've made a bundle today, so perhaps a freezer meal or even a take-away dinner isn't out of the question?
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