Top 10 Ways to Make Your Garage Sale a Success

With the economy in a slump, people are looking for ways to earn fast cash. Possibly one of the easiest ways to make extra money is to have a garage sale. Garage sales are easy to put together and are a great way to do little spring cleaning at the same time.

The question is though, how do you make a garage sale really work? How do you maximize your profit? Here are the top 10 ways to help your garage sale make the most money possible.

Organize

First of all, you want to be organized. If you already have your garage sale items separated, you are half way there. If not, remember, you never have any idea what people may buy at a garage sale. What you may think is trash may be someone else's treasure. Some people go to garage sales looking for specific items. Separate your items into clothing, accessories, toiletries and makeup, kitchenware, household items, toys, books, etc. This will make organizing your garage sale so much easier.

When you put your items out to sell, remember to put like items together. Don't leave things in boxes. People don't want to have to rummage through things to find something to buy. Make things accessible to your buyers. Tables are always the best options. Also, unless you plan on selling your display items like tables or bookshelves, clearly mark them "Not for Sale" Also, if you have your garage open, rope off or cover things you do not want people going through.

Hang Clothing

When it comes to clothes, hanging them is best. Nothing looks worse than a table full of clothes that have been thrown around and left in a mess. Plus, it will keep you from having to refold everything. If you do not have a rolling cart to hang clothes on, string up a clothes line. Be sure to mark sizes on clothes and shoes for easy looking.

Get Your Change Ready

Have plenty of change ready. You will need large bills and small bills. Also, be sure to have quarters. Inevitably, you will have someone who shows up bright and early to buy some thing for $3 with a $100 bill.

The Days That Pay

The best days to have a garage sale are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Sundays really aren't worth the hassle and you will need a day to recover before you go back to work. Do not plan garage sales for holiday weekends or when your town has a big event going on. People are not going to be garage sale-ing, they are going to be barbecuing or hanging out with family or friends. Plan your garage sales accordingly.

Advertise

Clearly place signs that are large and easy to read. If you live in a neighborhood and your house is not close to a main road, put up signs for every turn. I have actually passed up garage sales that I could not find. Put an ad in your local paper. If you do place an ad in the paper, be sure to put times and clearly label instructions for "early birds." Also, utilize free services like www.bookoo.com where you can advertise your yard sale on-line for free.

Get The Neighbors Involved

If you get more people involved and have a multi-family garage sale, more people will come. Let your neighbors know well in advance if they want to be involved. If your neighborhood has a designated day to do garage sales, take advantage of them. Many times, they will do the advertising for you. The more people at are selling, the more people will come out.

Clean Everything

Make sure that all items you plan on selling are clean. If it has been sitting in a closet or garage it is probably dusty. Clean it up and make it look more appealing to potential buyers. Make sure clothes are clean and not musty smelling. Wipe down books, dust furniture and clean glass items. If you are selling an old vacuum cleaner, put a new bag in. Things sell much better if they look newer.

Power It Up

If you are selling things that are battery operated, put new batteries in it. Toys especially. Parents are more likely to buy toys that already have batteries than they are toys without. If you are selling lamps, put new light bulbs in them. Be sure to have an extension cord plugged in with a power strip attached so that people can see that what you are selling actually works. This really helps sell your items.

Pricing

Be reasonable with your pricing. No one cares if you spent $60 on your daughter's prom dress that she only wore once. They are looking for a deal. You are going to have to realize that this is a garage sale and slap a $2 sticker on it. The same goes for electronics or furniture. Your $600 sofa is not going to sell for $500. Be reasonable. Would YOU buy a sofa at a garage sale for $500? Also, offer deals. Price books at 75 cents or 2 for a dollar. This will encourage people to buy more.

Clearly label prices on everything. Preprinted stickers are great and fairly inexpensive. Some people will ask you how much something is, but most won't. They will assume that it is more than they want to spend. If you are doing a garage sale for more than one day, lower your prices the second day. If your clothing is not selling, the last day of your sale, offer a bag sale. A bag sale is when you offer your customers all the clothes they can fit in a bag for $5. It helps get rid of your clothes and offers your buyers a deal they can't refuse. Also, don't be afraid to negotiate. If someone makes you an offer, seriously consider it. Is the loss of a few dollars worth having to pack that item back up again?

Be Hospitable

You are "inviting" people to your home. Set up an urn of fresh coffee in the morning and lemonade in the afternoon. For kid's that are getting drug around, about 11 am, they are hot, tired and hungry. Have the kids set up a lemonade stand and offer some free cookies to go with it. Sell cups of lemonade or coffee for 50 cents. The parents will appreciate it.

When everything is over, take all the things that did not sell, box them up and donate them to your local charity. Do this as soon as the garage sale is over so you are not stuck with more stuff in boxes that you do not want or need. Happy selling!