by HSM Staff
The first step in having a garage sale is setting a date. Generally, you want to give yourself a minimum of one week to set up for your sale, but you may need more or less. Talk with your neighbors and come up with a date that works for everyone. Advertising a "multi-family garage sale" or "neighborhood garage sale" will encourage more people to stop and check out the merchandise that's for sale. Take out an ad in your local paper or list it for free on Craigslist to notify the public of the date and times of your garage sale as well as the type of merchandise for sale.
Search your home for things that you don't need or no longer use. Look through the closets, basement, and other storage areas of your home and you are bound to find a cache of items that you can easily do without. If you haven't used an item in three years, you should sell it. Remember to purge your bookshelves of knick knacks and unread books too.
Once you have gathered your items, clean, inspect, and test your items. Clean items sell better and for more money than dirty ones. Inspect your items for damage- you can still sell a damaged item, but make a notation of the damage on the item's price tag and reduce the price. Test electrical and battery powered items to see if they work. If an item works, include on the tag "works". If an item does not work, mark it "doesn't work" and price it accordingly- someone may still buy it anyway. Place fresh batteries in all items that require them and have an extension cord available to test electrical ones for your customers.
Put a price tag on everything that you are selling. Think about the condition of the product and place a reasonable price on it. You may want to price items a higher if you want to leave a little negotiating room. Alternately, if you are firm on a price, state so on the price tag. Pricing your items will prevent people from constantly asking you for prices- some people will not even bother to ask for a price and will instead just put the item down.
Set up your sale like a retailer would. Put large items on the lawn where they are visible from the street to draw in customers and make your displays attractive. Make your sale shoppable by ensuring that the aisles between tables are wide enough for your shoppers and by not placing items underneath the tables. Utilize lighting in dark garages so that your items are easily visible. Make safety a priority by taping down cords, removing sharp objects, and keeping the aisles free of clutter. Keep valuables safe by using a display case to house them; place a sign on it that reads "ask for assistance" and put it near your cashier's station where you can keep an eye on it. Remember to include a sign indicating the types of payments that you will accept at your check out area too.
Obtain all of the materials to run your garage sale. You will need about $25 in one and five dollar bills as well as a roll of quarters to give proper change- remember to keep your money in a fanny pack that you will wear or in a lock box. Have a calculator on hand for making calculations. Save newspaper and plastic bags to wrap and bag merchandise. Prepare for bad weather by having plastic handy to cover items that are outdoors. Make or purchase all of your signage to promote your sale.
On the day(s) of your garage sale, remember to be friendly. Greet your customers and strike up a conversation. You will make them feel welcome and make you more approachable when they have questions. Remember, a smile and good eye contact are always good for business- good luck!
Tip: If you are selling large items and you have access to a truck, offer delivery services for a small fee- remember to place a sign indicating that delivery is available.