With fabulous weather in McMinnville this past weekend, garage sales were out in full force and I believe I hit the mother-load. My best finds? A sandbox with cover for $5 and a small bookshelf for $3 I plan to make adorable with a fresh coat of paint.
But enough about me. Garage sales can be a great way to get rid of clutter – and earn a little extra cash – before you sell your home. But make sure the timing is right. Garage sales can take on a life of their own, and it might not be the best use of your energy right before putting your home on the market. Follow these tips for a successful sale of your own.
1. Don’t wait until the last minute. You don’t want to be scrambling to hold a garage sale the week before an open house. Depending on how long you’ve lived in the home and how much stuff you have to sell, planning a garage sale can demand a lot of time and energy.2. See if neighbors want to join in. You can turn your garage sale into a block-wide event and lure more shoppers if you team up with neighbors.
4. Schedule the sale. Sales on Fridays and Saturdays will generate the most traffic, especially if the weather cooperates. Start the sale early, 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. is best, and be prepared for early birds.
5. Advertise. Place an ad in the local newspaper, Craigslist, or even social media platforms such as Instagram. Include the dates, time, and address. Let the public as well as Instagram followers know if certain hot-ticket types of items will be sold, such as baby clothes, furniture, or weightlifting equipment. On the day of the sale, balloons and signs with prominent arrows will help to grab the attention of passersby.
6. Use Garage Sale Signs to Attract Attention. Neighborhood and directional signs, which tell people how to find your yard sale are a must. They will let people know how to find your yard sale, whether or not they saw your ad first. Also, add an arrow signage pointing toward the direction of your home. You could find these at a houston sign company or wherever your sale is based. Besides this, make sure to post signs on-site at the yard sale so that people can easily find prices and similar items by “theme”. However, if you are wondering what information to include on your sign, then here are some that are exclusively needed:
The word “SALE” ( can be used interchangeably with “Garage sale” or “Yard sale”)
The date and time of the sale
Street address
That said, if need be take the help of professionals, who can be found at Mighty Signs, to create eye-catching signs. They can handle your signage needs. Not only can they design your graphics, but also produce them using computer cut, digital print, fabrication, and illumination. Remember that taking expert help can rid you of the burden of how a sign should be designed or what to include in the sign. (Note: Those interested in locating the above-mentioned firm online can look up signage st kilda on the Internet.)
7. Price your goods. Lay out everything that you plan to sell, and attach prices with removable stickers. Remember, garage sales are supposed to be bargains, so try to be objective as you set prices. Assign simple prices to your goods: 50 cents, 3 for $1, $5, $10, etc.
8. If it’s really junk, don’t sell it. Decide what’s worth selling and what’s not. If it’s really garbage, then throw it away. Broken appliances, for example, should be tossed. (Know where a nearby electrical outlet is, in case a customer wants to make sure something works.)
9. Check for mistakes. Make sure that items you want to keep don’t accidentally end up in the garage sale pile.
10. Create an organized display. Lay out your items by category, and display neatly so customers don’t have to dig through boxes.
11. Stock up on bags and newspapers. People who buy many small items will appreciate a bag to carry their goods. Newspapers are handy for wrapping fragile items.
12. Manage your money. Make a trip to the bank to get ample change for your cashbox. Throughout the sale, keep a close eye on your cash; never leave the cashbox unattended. It’s smart to have one person who manages the money throughout the day, keeping a tally of what was purchased and for how much. Keep a calculator nearby.
13. Prepare for your home sale. Donate the remaining stuff or sell it to a resale shop. Now that all of your clutter is cleared out, it’s time to focus on preparing your house for a successful sale!