Garage Sales: A Quick Guide to Finding Gold While Spring Cleaning

After reading this you should be ready to plan a garage sale and stimulate your own economy. There are several goals when it comes to having a yard sale. The first is to un-clutter your home or apartment, the second is to simplify your life, the third is to make some money and last but not least have a little fun and meet some new people. Make sure you are in compliance with local and neighborhood regulations. Many places now require you to have a permit to hold a yard sale. These permits are usually free and in most cases can be obtained by mail.

What do you have to Sell?
First off you must decide what to sell and what not to sell. In other words if it's in the house or garage and you haven't used it in a year and don't think you will use it anytime soon then that item is probably a good candidate for the sale. Some items you may consider are old clothes, shoes, electronics, books, music, small appliances, tools, furniture and dishes just to name a few. You must also decide what to do with items you have decided to part with if at the end of the day they do not sell. Many people will pack them up for the next sale. But if you do not want to plan another sale in the future take them to a local thrift store as they may be able to use them and you can take a tax deduction for the donation.

Advertising Your Sale
Make several signs and put them up no more than 3 days in advance. You should have your address on the sign and also arrows pointing in the direction of your street. If you live in a neighborhood make sure to put a couple of signs on the major road outside your neighborhood to draw in some traffic. Many newspapers have free listings for yard sales check these out. Also you can check local web sites and portals for free listings for your neighborhood. Craig's List is a great place to advertise your yard sale to the entire community and don't forget to put up a notice in your local grocery store, place of work, beauty salon or barber shop. Let everyone know that you are having a sale and you may just make a lot more money than you think you can. (My best ever yard sale netted $2721 in less than four hours).

Pricing
Part of the excitement for people who frequently shop at yard sales is the opportunity to find a bargain. So once you have decided on your inventory for the sale you must price everything so that it is flexible enough to make people want to haggle with you over the price. If you have to do some research on an item to find a fair value asking price it will probably be worth it so you don't feel you have been cheated and neither does the buyer.
Just remember price sells and certain items sell better than others designer products, furniture, household items, and electronics are always big sellers.

Layout
Make sure that your potential customers can see the items you have for sale. Use old blankets to place things on the ground or the driveway. Use tables for other items and try to keep clothes hanging up. Having things laid out nicely will help to ensure maximum exposure of your items and help you to sell more. Put your big ticket items close to the road so that drive bys will be able to see them and will be drawn in by them.

What's the best time and date to hold your sale?
Saturdays and Sundays are the best time to hold your sales. It goes without saying that more people are off on the weekend than during the week. It is also better to you're your sale on the first weekend of the month or around the middle of the month. This is so you will be able to hit more people when they have money to spend. Certain days of the month are better for having a sale as most people get paid bi weekly so around the 15th of the month may be a good time to throw a sale. Spring and early summer are also better times of the year for sales as the weather is warmer and more people get out. The time of day is also important. Serious yard sales and they are out there hit the streets as early as possible and sometimes even the night before. So you should plan on starting your sale no later than 7:00 am. I know it seems early but you should post a sign on your door that tells people not to knock before a certain time. I have had some sales where a customer would knock on the door the day before and offer to buy everything I was selling for one flat price. End your sale when the traffic has died down. This is usually around lunch time.

Tips for a successful sale
Make sure that everything you are selling is as clean as possible. No one will want dirty toys or clothes with stains on them. Knock the dust of the furniture you are selling and run the dishes through the dishwasher. There is nothing more frustrating to you or to your customers than not having enough change. If at all possible you need at least $50 in change mostly $1 bills and quarters depending on how you price items. I have done sales starting with only $20 in change but have had to have someone run to the store several times to get more change and have lost enough sales to ensure that I plan properly to make change for my customers. Keep your home secure during a sale. Do not let people into your home and do not leave a cash box lying around. Wear an apron with pockets and empty it frequently. Do not take out large wads of cash when making change.

Having a large multi-family sale may actually do better than having a smaller one. If your neighbors do not want to participate you may be able to take on their stuff on consignment and make a little more money. Having a cooler full of cold drinks for sale at a reasonable price can also add a few extra dollars to the pot. Make sure you have a bunch of bags for the smaller items you are selling.
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So good luck and enjoy your sale just remember the most important piece of advice: Have fun.