The Art of the Garage Sale

Garage sales are a great way to not only find great deals but make some extra cash. As I scour my house to find treasures to sell at my garage sale I am reminded of a few pointers I have picked up as a garage sale buyer myself. Here are my thoughts on making your garage sale as successful as can be.

Have all of your items for sale in the best possible condition. If it is dirty clean it, broken fix it, ect. Just like you don't want someones dirty old stuff no one will want yours. Make sure it is appealing to the eye. Use the standard of would I buy it?
Make your garage sale appealing to the eye. Display your items in an attractive way. Hang up the clothes, line a table with toys. Consider bringing out a bookshelf or nice piece of furniture to display items on. Take your cue from stores and think of how you prefer to see things displayed. Bins and baskets are discouraging and do not attract attention from the casual browser.
Be realistic in your pricing and also be willing to barter. If the idea is to get rid of the items then be open minded and realistic when dealing with offers. Garage sales are the home of bargaining so be aware going in.
Make your garage sale signs attractive and clear as to when and where. Also place them smartly, find corners that have lots of traffic.
Of course make use of great sites like Garage Sales Tracker to bring in the most people.
In this economy a garage sale is a great way to clean out your clutter and earn some extra cash and right now garage sale season is in full swing so have one yourself and be sure to check out your local garage sales for great deals. For more tips on being Thrifty & Chic stop by Thrifty & Chic Mom.

# posted by GST @ 10:48 AM   0 Comments Links to this post

Here are a few tips for a successful garage sale:

In preparation for a sale, select a designated place in your home for garage sale items. As you are de-cluttering your house throughout the year, collect the items you are willing to sell and place them in your designated area. At our home, we have a garage sale closet. It is in our basement and is even large enough to hold items like furniture or bigger sized toys.
Price your items before you place them in your designated area. This will save you time and perhaps your sanity when it comes time to set up for your sale. This especially comes in handy when you are cleaning out clothes. As I clean out my kid’s closets, I tag each item before I put it in the storage bag. The colored circle sticker tags work best for me. Another trick to pricing clothes is to safety pin items that belong in a set together and then label the price sticker as such (2 pcs., 3 pcs., etc.)
When pricing your items, there are several things to take into consideration. The condition, age, and brand of your items are all factors in setting a price. This is especially significant when pricing children’s clothing. You cannot expect to get the same price for a cute dress from Walmart as you can for an adorable dress you purchased from Gymboree. Likewise, clothing that is several years old will not warrant the same price as clothing that is in current style. If an item is in excellent condition or new with tags, you’ll have the upper hand in price negotiations.
When setting up for your sale, organization is the key. Place like items together and label as such. This is especially important when setting out your clothing. I like to organize my tables by gender, size, and season. I then label each area with a sign. For example, Girl 12 mos. Winter. This helps people navigate your sale easier. I also like to hang clothing up to draw attention to it more.
The days and times of your sale are an important factor, too. In our area, the best days are Friday and Saturday. Since I always set up on Thursdays, I usually open up on Thursday evenings too. This gives shoppers plenty of options. I tend to have people come back all 3 days. On Saturday, I typically run a half price sale in an attempt to move things out.
Now that you are all set up for your sale, you need to get people there. Advertising is the key to a great sale. If no one knows about it, how do you expect to sell anything? In your advertisement, be sure to include the days, time, location, and a brief description of your items. Our local newspaper has a garage sale listing section. In my opinion, the cost to advertise is well worth it. If other people in your neighborhood are having a sale, then put one ad in the paper and split the cost. I also post signs on telephone poles throughout our town and at local stores, restaurants, the library, or community center. Always be sure to ask before you post anything and also check with your city hall regarding their signage policies. I also place large garage sale signs with arrows leading to my house.
Your shoppers have arrived. Now what? Being friendly, flexible, and willing to negotiate is important in moving items. Remember, the more you sell, the less you will have to deal with in the end. After all, you are selling things you don’t want or use anyway so any amount that you earn is a bonus. In addition, if people feel you are fair, they will come back when you have your next one. I have several return shoppers each year.
Once the sale is finished, I go through the items that are left and separate them into 3 categories: Keep, Donate, or Trash. Items that I feel are worth hanging on to for the next sale get bagged up and put back into the garage sale closet. Items that have been through several garage sales and aren’t worth holding on to get donated. Lastly, items that are in poor condition get tossed out.


As a mother of two little ones, shopping garage sales is as equally important as having my own. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I was able to purchase her entire wardrobe for her first year at garage sales. I found like new, name brand clothing for next to nothing. After she was finished wearing them, I put them out at my own garage sale and made all of my money back. If I had shopped regular retail, I would have never broke even.


Here are a few tips for shopping garage sales:


Know where you’re going before you head out. If you plan to shop several sales, have a game plan. In my opinion, neighborhood sales are the way to go. On that note, take note of the neighborhood. An area with lots of families is going to have different items than an area with older couples such as a retirement community.
The old saying, “The early bird gets the worm,” applies to garage sales perfectly. The good items that are priced well will be gone within minutes, so if there is a sale you don’t want to miss, be sure to get there at the start. On the contrary, if you want more room for negotiation, shopping the garage sale at the end is the better way to go.
Remember, all prices are negotiable. If you see something you really like or need, pick your bottom line price (the most you are willing to pay), start lower than that and work your way up to it. Sometimes, you may have to walk away. Unless it is a one of a kind item, chances are you will find it somewhere else. Be conscious of the seller’s feelings and avoid telling them that their item isn’t worth what they have it priced at. Common courtesy is the key.
When purchasing toys or other electronic items, be sure to plug them in or turn them on to see if they work. If I am in search of toys, I like to bring extra batteries and try them out first. Even if you don’t have batteries, open the battery compartment to make sure it isn’t corroded.
When purchasing baby items like car seats, cribs, swings, playpens, and strollers, be wary. You can call the 800 number or check the manufacturers website for recalls. Check www.cpsc.gov for recalls also.

Helpful tips courtesy of Megan from: http://www.savingourcents.blogspot.com

Labels: tips for garage sales

# posted by GST @ 8:01 AM   0 Comments Links to this post