Choose items that will sell.
- Kitchen goods – All those unused platters and cooking dishes will make a quick buck or two! Sort through all your kitchen cupboards and pull out all the crockery, glassware, platters, appliances and Tupperware you rarely or never use.
- Books and games – Book lovers and bargain hunters can’t pass up cheap secondhand books! But if the games are missing pieces, mark it accordingly and make it cheaper.
- Big furniture items and appliances – If they’re in good, clean working order, someone will buy it. Even that 20 year old TV sitting in the back shed will make some electronics-enthusiast happy!
Price wisely.
You might have exactly what people want but if it’s too expensive, they’ll just walk away. But don’t underprice either – expect people to haggle and price accordingly. It is also easier and more time-efficient to bulk price items. Make all your books $2; glasses and mugs 50c. Easier for you and the customer.
Advertise widely.
There is not point in having a garage sale if no one know’s it’s on! Spend a little money on advertising so you can make more money on the day. There are specific garage sale websites for individual cities and states – find the ones that are relevant for your location and that have the biggest usage. Put an ad in your local newspaper/s or put a sign up on a local community noticeboard. In your ad, highlight what you’re selling, especially any big-ticket items. But do not put your street number, just the street name and suburb. Otherwise you WILL have people knocking on your door before the actual day!
On the day of the garage sale, place prominent and easy-to-read cardboard signs around your neighbourhood at the key intersections to get to your house. On main roads, the bigger the better! Balloons will also help attract attention.
Donate the rest.
Have you ever had a garage sale? What tips do you have to share?
