Tips for a Successful Garage SaleThese tips for a successful garage sale 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. In a quest for organization 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. The question now becomes, how to organize a garage sale.
Let's start with the basics:
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. There are some things you will want to gather together to make your garage sale more organized:
You may become overwhelmed when you look at the pile of clutter your have gathered together. Don't panic. Take a deep breath and start sorting this large pile into smaller, more manageable piles. Start by separating like items into piles. For instance: furniture, kitchen items, children's items, clothing, housewares, etc. Continue sorting and creating smaller piles until all items have been sorted. Next, working one pile at a time, decide how best to display the items in that category. Most items will simply be placed on a display table. Larger items can be placed on the ground, near the table containing the rest of the items in that group. Many items can be grouped together for maximum efficiency. For example if you have a lot of books to sell you can put them in a box with the spine facing up so people can see the titles. Grouping of like items will eliminate the need to individually price each item. Simply create a sign, such as "Books $1.00 each" and display the sign in clear view on the outside of the box. Grouping items in this way is a great way to organize as well as an excellent time saver when it comes to pricing your items. As you work through each pile, place a price sticker on each item that will be displayed individually and create price signs for any items that will be grouped together. A good rule of thumb when determining garage sale prices is 10% - 30% of the original cost of the item, depending upon the condition of the item. If an item is in "like new" condition ask 30% of the original cost. If an item is in good condition, but showing some signs of use you might ask 20% of the original cost, and if the item is definitely used 10% of the original cost is a good asking price.
Begin setting up at least two hours prior to the posted starting time so you are ready when the first customers arrive. Also, be ready for professional garage salers who typically arrive at least one hour prior to the posted start time wanting to browse early. Decide ahead of time how you will handle this.
I believe there is nothing wrong with early birds, especially if they purchase something, but many people feel that this is a nuisance and an intrusion on their personal time. If you will be offended by somebody wanted to browse before you open, be prepared with a polite but firm response such as "I'm sorry but the sale does not start until 9:00 a.m." Put some 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 who come to your sale with a specific item or room in mind to find what they need.
Throughout the day 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 items, keeping them as neat as possible. This is one of the most important tips successful garage sale because people tend to be put off by a cluttered sale, so keep your items as neat as possible. If you have a few minutes of downtime consolidate your items. If you are able to empty a table, break it down and put it away. This will make clean-up at the end of sale easier and faster. Also, remember to offer your customers bags for their items, especially if they have purchased several. Plastic grocery bags are perfect for this purpose.
No matter how carefully you have followed these tips for a successful garage sale, you are sure to have some items leftover. When the garage sale is over and it is time to clean up the last thing you want to do is bring any leftover items back into your home. You didn't go through all that effort to clear your house of clutter for nothing. Get yourself a pad of paper and pen and make a list of each remaining item and the condition that it is in. This list can be used to claim each of these items as a deduction on your tax returns. Now pack all of the items neatly into boxes or bags and load them into your car. Drop them off at your favorite charity drop off center and be sure to get a receipt to staple to your list for proof of your donation. Return from Tips for a Successful Garage Sale to Household
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