10 Ways to Make Your Garage Sale a Success

Wouldn’t it be nice to turn your old items into extra spending money? You’ve likely thought of several ways to do this: selling items on Craigslist, using social media or even setting up an auction on eBay. If you have several items to sell, you might find that a garage or yard sale works best, especially if you have numerous small items. So, where do you start? A garage sale can take a lot of work, but we’re here to help with these 10 tips that will make your sale a success, which means more money in your pocket.

1. Conquer Your Clutter

   Getting rid of clutter can be quite the feat. Consider using three boxes to help you sort through what will be sold, stored or sent to the curb. Put the items in good condition that you no longer use or need in the Sell It box. Items you cannot part with but you don’t need on a regular basis go in the Store It box. Damaged or broken items go in the Send It to the Curb box. 

2. Strategically Pick a Date

   Select a time of year when the weather is pleasant and keep an eye on the forecast. Weekend mornings are the traditional time for garage sales, so commit to a day and lock it in. Perhaps a local event near your home brings in a lot of people to your neighborhood and scheduling your sale in conjunction with that event might pay off.

3. Join Forces with Your Neighbors

   Talk with your neighbors to see if they’re also planning an upcoming garage sale and consider teaming up. The larger the sale, or the more sales on your street, the more enticing it is for potential customers. Plus, you’ll receive the added value of pooling your networks together to get the word out to a larger audience.

4. Get the Go Ahead from Officials

   Some cities require permits or have restrictions on the number of sales you can have per year. So, before you get your yard sale up and running, check with your municipality to ensure you’re following local rules and guidelines. Also, look into federal regulations regarding the resale of items like baby furniture, which can pose a risk because of recalls.

5. It’s All About Your Location!

   Location is one of the keys to yard sale success! If you live off-the-beaten path, your house might not be the best spot for a profitable garage sale. So, what do you do? Start looking for alternatives like a friend or family member’s home. If you host your sale near more heavily trafficked streets and put up some good signage, you’ll see a lot more traffic.

6. Get the Word Out

   You could have the perfect location and great items at great prices, but if you don’t tell people how to get there, they won’t be able to find it! Put some time and effort into making a number of legible and colorful signs to help guide people to your yard sale. Make your signs bright and bold so they can be easily read. Also promote your sale and the types of items you have on your social media accounts and in your town’s online classified section.

7. Price Things to Sell and Offer Deals

   Price items for what you think would be a good deal were you to buy them at someone else’s garage sale. After all, browsers are there to get a good deal. You are there to sell out quickly and make some money. Also consider a buy-one-get-one on certain items. Think about what would encourage you to buy more, then implement those strategies during your sale. 

8. Plan to Open Early

   Early birds will certainly arrive on the day of your garage or yard sale. You’ve done all the prep work, priced and organized all the items, so why wait an extra hour to get started? Dive right in and watch as the momentum builds. You might even hit your sales goal early and be able to close earlier than anticipated.

9. Get Help and Assign Shifts

   There are going to be busy periods and lulls during your garage sale. Make sure you are never working the sale solo. Get members of the family plus friends and neighbors to join forces on two-hour shifts so there are always two people working the sale. If you end up with more help than you need, even better. Someone will need to keep the coffee and snacks coming.   

10. Have a Plan for Items that Don’t Sell

At the end of the sale, you’re going to have some leftover items. What’s your plan to tackle those items? You don’t want to bring them back into your decluttered home. Will you try to sell them elsewhere? Donate them? You also might want to consider marking items way down toward the end of your sale.

We’ve Got You Covered

Use these tips to make your yard sale a success and give yourself peace of mind with an umbrella policy. Umbrella earns its name because the coverage arches over your vehicle and homeowner’s policy insurance to provide an extra layer of protection. In the event someone slips or falls during a sale on your property, rest assured that you’re covered. Your Farm Bureau agent can help ensure that you’ll enjoy the proceeds of your garage sale without worrying about liability issues later.