Garage Sale Tips
Turn Your Clutter Into Cash

These garage sale tips will help you set up an organized, efficient sale without becoming overwhelmed. With these tips your are sure to get a good return on your investment of time and turn your clutter into cash.

You have decluttered your house, carefully sorting through each room, each closet, the attic, the basement and the garage. Now you have a pile of stuff that you have resolved to part with. It's time for organizing a garage sale.

Let's start with some basic garage sale tips:

• Set a date. One of the most important garage sale tips is to prevent procrastination by scheduling a date and giving yourself a deadline.

• Get a permit. Most cities require one and you wouldn't want to get fined after working so hard to get your sale set up.

• Advertise. Place an ad in your local newspaper, tell your neighbors, friends and co-workers and display easy-to-read garage sale signs in high-traffic areas.

Ask your neighbors if they would like to have a sale at the same time. More sales will generate more traffic and if you all chip in on the cost of advertising you can advertise in more places to generate more interest.

Create a Garage Sale Kit

Gather up the items that will help you prepare for your sale and keep it organized throughout the day. Get a small box, a shoe box or something of similar size works well, and put in the following items:

• Price stickers
• Markers or pens
• A small note pad
• Change money, $20.00 in small bills and coins is good.
• A calculator

Doing this in advance will ensure that you have everything you need already gathered up on the day of the sale when you will be busy displaying your items and dealing with customers.

You will also want to make sure you have:

• Tables to display your items
• Boxes to group smaller items for display
• Something to hold your money...a cash box, apron with a pocket, fanny pack or purse work well.
• An assortment of bags to offer customers who purchase multiple items

Organizing a Garage Sale

Start by separating like items into piles, kitchen items, children's items, clothing, etc. Next, working one pile at a time, make sure each item is clean and place a price sticker on it.

Some items can be grouped together for maximum efficiency. For example if you have a lot of books, put them in a box with the spines facing up so the titles can be easily read.

When you group items, they don't need to be individually priced. Simply create a sign, such as "Books $1.00 each" and display the sign in clear view on the outside of the box. This is a great tip for keeping your sale organized as well as an excellent time saver when it comes to pricing your items.

A good rule of thumb for garage sale pricing is 10% - 30% of the original cost, depending upon the condition of the item.

Setting up for Business

Begin setting up at least two hours early so you are ready when the first customers arrive. This will also allow you to be ready for the early birds.

Put balloons on your mailbox or a sign near the street in front of your house. This will catch the attention of anybody looking for your sale, as well as passers by who decide to stop in on a whim.

Set up your display tables with plenty of room to walk in between. Create zones, keeping together the groups of items you previously sorted. Place similar zones near each other. The more logical your layout the easier you will make it for people to find something specific they may be looking for.

Throughout the Day

Following these garage sale tips throughout the day will make your sale more appealing to your customers and make it easier to clean up when the sale is over.

Make yourself visible and answer questions whenever possible. Always be prepared for price negotiations. People come to a garage sale looking for a bargain. If you notice somebody deliberating over an item, offering to knock the price down will often make the sale.

Walk around and straighten up your displays, keeping them as neat as possible. People can become overwhelmed by a cluttered sale. Keep your displays neat could increase your profits.

If you have a few minutes of downtime consolidate your items. If you are able to empty a table when you consolidate, fold it up and put it away. This will make clean-up at the end of sale easier and faster.

Cleaning Up

Even with all of these garage sale tips working in your favor, you are sure to have some items leftover. Don't let all your hard work to clear your house of clutter go to waste. Don't bring your leftover items back into your home.

Make a list of the remaining items to be used for tax purposes. Pack the items up and bring them to your local charity drop off center. Be sure to get a receipt to staple to your list for proof of your donation.