Buzz
A moving sale is a great way to downsize your possessions while earning a bit of extra money.
©iStockphoto.com/Gene ChutkaKey Takeaways
- Carefully plan and organize your sale by cleaning and valuing your items. Set up your space like a retail store to create a pleasant shopping atmosphere.
- Use various advertising methods like local newspapers, Craigslist, and neighborhood flyers to spread the word. Make sure every item is clearly priced to simplify transactions.
- Be ready for early shoppers by setting up in advance, and consider donating any leftover items to charitable organizations that provide pick-up services to make post-sale cleanup easier.
With your move just a few months away, you're busy researching moving companies, your bookstore friend is gathering boxes for you, and you're starting to assess all your belongings. How did you accumulate so much stuff? It’s clear – a garage sale is in order to reduce your clutter. The more you think about it, the more it seems like the perfect plan: declutter your home, make some cash, and save money on moving unnecessary items. Now, all you need to do is figure out how to make your sale a success. These 10 tips will guide you through the process.
10. Ask a Few Friends for Assistance
It can be tough to evaluate your own items objectively. A great solution to this is inviting a few trusted friends to help out. They’ll understand that you can’t part with your sentimental items, like your beloved tin collection. But they’ll also know that the fitness gadgets gathering dust in closets won’t ever replace your true love for the gym. With their assistance, you'll be able to sift through your belongings more quickly and with a fresh perspective.
9. Research Before You Sell
Looking at a pile of things you no longer want, it might seem hard to believe anyone would buy them. Instead of seeing them as junk, try to view them as hidden treasures. Take time to clean each item thoroughly. If you still have the original packaging, bundle it with the item. If you’ve got any manuals, tape them to the items they belong to. Do everything possible to make your things look as appealing as when you first bought them. For a more accurate price range, check online to see how similar items are valued.
8. Arrange Your Sale Like a Retail Store
When you go shopping, do you want to enter a disorganized warehouse full of random items? Likely not. Consider how you'd even begin to find what you're after. Take a cue from major department stores and arrange your items accordingly. Organize by room or category. If possible, stage the items. Place the baker’s rack next to the freezer and set up a display of kitchen gadgets, cookbooks, and countertop appliances nearby. Group exercise equipment, roller blades, and skis together. If you have time, organize books, CDs, and DVDs by genre. This will make it easier for shoppers to grab multiple items rather than just one.
7. Promote, Promote, Promote
If you have a lot of items to sell, consider placing an ad in the local newspaper. You can also list your sale on Craigslist. Be sure to include the location, date, and hours in the ad. Most sales take place on Saturdays, though in some areas, they may happen on Thursdays, Fridays, or Sundays too. Briefly mention what items are for sale to give shoppers an idea of what to expect. If your sale is mainly clothes and exercise gear, be sure to specify the sizes available. And be honest: if you're selling a 30-year-old kitchen table, don't call it an 'heirloom antique.' Also, don’t forget to put up flyers and signs in your neighborhood for local advertising.
6. Price Everything in Advance
Garage sales can quickly become chaotic. Even if you have a few friends to help you out, you won’t have time to come up with a price every time someone wants to buy something. Whether or not you want to allow bargaining is up to you, but tagging everything before the sale begins will save you from the hassle of pricing on the spot. As you set prices, keep your larger goal in mind: you're moving. While making money is great, your main goal is to clear out unwanted stuff. Instead of pricing individual items like wine glasses, group them together; for example, sell all 12 glasses for $4 or six for $2. Set one price for paperbacks and another for hardcovers, and create signs for clarity.
5. Mark Your Yard Sale Area
If your home is listed for sale, consider holding your yard sale in your neighbor’s yard. This way, your house stays available for important weekend showings, and you won’t have to deal with random visitors trying to look at your house while shopping at your sale. Whether you’re selling from your garage or a neighbor’s yard, it’s essential to define your sale space. Keep all non-sale items out of sight. You wouldn’t want to accidentally sell your son’s new snowboard alongside your old skis. For estate sales, which often occur on busy sale days, doors to your house are typically open for customers. To prevent confusion, make sure all entryways are blocked and doors are locked.
4. Get the Kids Involved
If your kids are interested in helping, let them! You can motivate them to part with their old toys by offering to let them keep the money from selling their things or by telling them that the sale's proceeds will go toward something for the entire family, like a new flat-screen TV for your new home. If they want to participate on sale day, allow them to set up a small stand where they can sell lemonade, sugar cookies, or brownies. Be mindful of ingredients that could cause severe allergic reactions, such as peanuts. Also, make sure an adult or older sibling is nearby to supervise the younger ones.
3. Be Ready to Give Change
The day before your sale, head over to the bank to get a supply of smaller bills and coins so you're ready to give change. Think about how many people will be helping you sell, as this will determine how much money you'll need for making change. Swing by the hardware store to grab a few aprons. Set up a change station for each assistant, complete with an apron, extra price tags, a black marker, masking tape, and a small calculator. Don't forget shopping bags, empty boxes, newspapers, and even some twine to pack up sold items.
2. Prepare for the Early Risers
Even if your signs and flyers clearly state that the sale starts at 8:00 a.m. with a line saying "No early birds," it's almost guaranteed there will be early risers. So be prepared to sell as soon as the first item hits the lawn, even if it's just 6:30 a.m. To avoid mistakes or missed sales, make sure everything is priced the night before. Ask your friends to come early, and treat them to freshly baked scones, coffee, and hot cocoa. And if you’re still setting up, don't hesitate to ask the early birds what they’re looking for—they’re there to buy, so why not make a sale?
1. Donate the Leftovers
While you’re hoping everything sells and only a few empty racks and tables remain, it's smart to plan for the possibility that some items won’t go. Perhaps your friend Ginger wants your old skis, or Fred is interested in that elliptical trainer. If the friends helping you out want to take some items, let them have it. If not, consider donating what’s left. Before the sale, find local nonprofits accepting donations of your items online. After the sale, pack up the unsold stuff and drop it off at a donation center. Better yet, some organizations will pick up your donations directly.
