Ten Reasons to Have a Garage Sale

You know it's Springtime when homemade poster board signs advertising neighborhood yard sales start popping up around your town. Many people make attending garage sales their personal pastime. Others venture out every once in a while to see if they can find any good deals or to look for a specific item.

Should you have your own garage sale to try and tap into this unique market of buyers?

#1 Reason to Have a Garage Sale: Earn Extra Money

One of the biggest motivators for having a garage sale is to earn extra money. After all, if the money was not important, you'd probably just haul everything off to a donation center. The best way to have a successful garage sale is to spend time planning. If you throw your garage sale together the day before you open for business, you can expect to make a little money, but may feel it wasn't worth your time and effort.

Take time to scour your home for sale items. Clean and organize them and make sure everything is priced. Consider advertising and sale day strategies. The more organized you are, the more money your sale has the potential of making.

#2 Reason to Have a Garage Sale: Make Room for New Stuff

Have you been eyeing new bedroom furniture or a set of new dishware? Unless you have a massive home with unlimited amounts of space, you can't always bring new stuff into your house without taking things out every once in a while. Having a garage sale will give you the excuse to buy new things and the room to bring them home.

#3 Reason to Have a Garage Sale: Prepare to Move

If you are getting ready to move, you will undoubtedly find things in your packing process that you don't want to take with you. Put all these undesirable items aside as you pack and sort and you will have a total garage sale inventory ready to go.

#4 Reason to Have a Garage Sale: It's Fun

Having a garage sale can actually be a fun thing to do. For some people, cleaning out an over-stuffed closet and getting rid of unwanted things can be therapeutic. Also, many people enjoy chatting with customers that visit their sale.

#5 Reason to Have a Garage Sale: Teach Your Kids about Work

Kids will love learning about how to earn their own money by selecting some of their own things to sell and price. Kids will learn that if they clean their toys or other items they might sell better. They will also learn the value of their items when they discover how much people are willing to pay for their things.

#6 Reason to Have a Garage Sale: Turn the "Junk Room" into a _______ Room

Have you always wanted a craft room? What about a work-out room or a media center? If you have a room in your house dedicated to collecting junk, clean it out, sell your stuff, and use the money you earn to turn your old junk room into the new room of your dreams.

#7 Reason to Have a Garage Sale: Your Teenager Doesn't Play with Strawberry Shortcake Anymore

There is no need for you to hang onto your kids old toys if they are no longer playing with them. Maybe you are saving them for future grandkids. Maybe you think if you hold onto the old Barbie dolls and Lego sets, they will be worth lots of money some day. Maybe you picture yourself on Antique's Roadshow getting shocked by an astronomical value for the Rubik's Cube you've saved for 20 years. Well, wake up! It's not going to happen. If you want to save a few toys for future grandkids, take a fruit box and fill it with some special toys. Then, sell the rest at your garage sale.

#8 Reason to Have a Garage Sale: Spring Cleaning

Spring Cleaning may be an old tradition started to clean the walls and furniture of accumulated soot from a winter of fire heat, but it's still a great way to freshen up your home and get ready for warmer weather. As you go from room to room, set aside items that have outgrown their usefulness and see if you can't get a little money for them at a garage sale.

#9 Reason to Have a Garage Sale: Step 5 in "Packrats Anonymous" 12 Step Program

I'm not going to name names, but Packrats, you know who you are. It's time to admit that all that stuff isn't doing a thing for you. Having a garage sale is like rehab for packrats, and you know how popular rehab is! Just close your eyes, hold your arm out with finger pointed, and start spinning. When you stop, whatever you're pointing at goes to the garage sale. Repeat this process until your kitchen counters have nothing on them or there is an uncluttered path to the bathroom, whichever comes first.

#10 Reason to Have a Garage Sale: Achieve Family Goals

Does your family want to take a vacation or have a fun evening with dinner and a movie? Maybe your kids want a trampoline or the family sofa is in dire need of replacement. Set a family financial goal and work towards it together by having a garage sale. Get everyone to pitch in and work together. Accomplishing the goal and the reward will be much sweeter when everyone works towards it together.