Garage Sale Tips
Part 1 of 3 - Planning for the sale
February 13th, 2012
Are you thinking about having a garage sale or yard sale this summer? If so, now is the time to start planning! This three part article will give you a few tips to help make it a successful one. In this first part, we explore some tips on planning for a garage or yard sale.
- Start early – start picking out items for your sale a few months in advance. Slowly and methodically, go through your entire home room by room identifying garage sale items. You may find that you have more items to sell than you thought. Designate a space in your home or garage to store these items until the sale day. Consider how your items will be displayed so you have time to borrow tables, etc if needed. You may also want to start saving plastic shopping bags to offer your customers on the day of the sale.
- Examine each item carefully – Make sure items are clean, safe, and in working order. Have batteries and extension cords available so electrical items can be tested. If you are selling items with sharp edges (such as kitchen knives), cover/protect those sharp edges. Open boxes, cd/dvd cases, etc to make sure they contain the correct items. Check drawers in any furniture and pockets in any clothing to make sure they are empty. Flip through any books to make sure nothing is hidden between the pages.
- Play by the rules – your neighborhood and/or city may have rules as to when garage sales can be held, how long signs can be posted, etc. Be sure you know the rules and follow them, or all your profits may be eaten up by a fine!
- Coordinate with neighbors – Arranging for several neighbors to have garage sales at the same time can help attract more shoppers. In addition, if you are considering newspaper or other forms of advertising that cost money, neighbors may help share the cost.
- Consider parking – Will shoppers be able to park on the street near your home? If there is insufficient space or if there are parking restrictions, you may want to consider holding your garage sale at a friend's home or other venue instead.
- Choose a date and time wisely – Try to avoid holding your garage sale on holidays or during important sports games when shoppers may be busy. Have a rain date or backup plan in case of bad weather.
- Advertise – Take advantage of free, online advertising. If you search online for garage sales in your area, you can see where and how others have advertised and can follow their lead. If you don't want to post your home address on line, consider mentioning only the street name and cross street and let shoppers follow the signs from there. If you do include your address in your advertising, be prepared that some shoppers will probably show up a little early to get the best selection.
Check out part 2 of this series for some last minute preparation tips for a day or two before your garage or yard sale.
This information is not intended as legal advice, nor is it an exhaustive guide regarding this subject. For legal advice, please consult an attorney. No warranty or representation, express or implied, is made as to the accuracy of the information contained herein and the same is presented subject to errors and omissions.
