How To Bring A Non Bad Garage Sale: Tips As Well As Tricks For A Successful Sale
Since I was a niggling girl, my job solid unit of measurement has held fairly regular garage sales. My sis in addition to I used to larn by over who got to have got the coin when nosotros were niggling (now I loathe that part!), in addition to I tin give the axe all the same reckon inward my caput the precise tally columns my Dad would describe upwardly to tape everyone's earnings in addition to proceed them dissever therefore nosotros could reckon how much coin nosotros made. My Mom would comprehend all of the tables amongst a tablecloth earlier nosotros loaded them upwardly amongst trade (I don't larn that far...) therefore things would aspect nice. Even now, nosotros all the same concur a garage sale nigh every other year- in addition to I'm a regular garage sale shopper- therefore I consider myself a pro at how to run one! Here are my best tips for how to have got a successful garage sale therefore that you lot tin give the axe position a niggling extra alter inward your pocket (or fund a vacation, redecorate a room, or comprehend an unexpected expense if you're actually serious!) spell getting rid of things that you lot no longer desire or need.
CONSIDER THE TIMING OF YOUR SALE
When choosing a appointment to concur your sale, banking concern check the calendar to brand sure at that topographic point aren't other large events going on that mightiness interfere amongst your traffic. You're off on Memorial Day weekend in addition to desire to have got a sale? Great, but therefore is everyone else in addition to they're probable headed out of town. Make sure at that topographic point are no large games that weekend that people volition live out all twenty-four hours on Sat for. Also, squall back nigh when people larn paid. There are a lot to a greater extent than people out in addition to cook to store the get-go weekend of the calendar month after payday (and perchance the 15th, too). Lastly, I'm torn on neighborhood sales. Depending on where you lot live, they tin give the axe convey a cracking amount of traffic. However, the 1 fourth dimension that I participated inward a neighborhood sale, it was the worst garage sale we've ever had. I'm non sure if at that topographic point was also much contest in addition to people were waiting to reckon if at that topographic point was something amend at the adjacent sale, or if nosotros were also far dorsum inward the neighborhood, or what, but we've ever had the best success when nosotros concur our sale on our ain terms.
ADVERTISE YOUR SALE WELL
We alive inward a busy area, therefore I don't demand to practice every bit much advertising every bit someone is a lower populated area, but these tips all the same apply to everyone. I have got never position an cite inward the paper for a sale. We break signs in addition to purpose Craigslist. I squall back nigh some fundamental intersections or therefore our neighborhood, in addition to brand plenty signs to blanket those areas. I sure enough brand them for the nearest mile intersections or therefore our home, in addition to unremarkably brand a few extra for other intersections some other mile or therefore out, in addition to a sign for each entrance to the neighborhood, therefore unremarkably that way I have got 6-8 signs. When we're cook for the sale to start, my hubby goes out to position upwardly the signs. I LOVE doing it this way because a) no 1 knows nigh the sale until we're cook to open, therefore b) nosotros don't have got early on birds knocking on our door super early on or earthworks through things in addition to squall for questions spell we're trying to larn laid up. Signs are definitely our primary shape of advertising, but for our final few sales I also position an cite on Craigslist. I snap a few broad shots of the sale on my phone, therefore have got a few minutes to position upwardly the cite just after we've opened. Again, I don't post it until we're upwardly in addition to running therefore that nosotros don't have got people at that topographic point earlier we're ready. You volition in all likelihood desire to include a closing fourth dimension if you lot post an cite online.
MAKE LARGE, CLEAR SIGNS
For garage sale shoppers, at that topographic point is NOTHING to a greater extent than annoying than puny signs amongst a tiny address written on it! Seriously, I can't tell you lot how many times I spot a sign spell driving, plough on the street where the sign is in addition to travail to read it every bit I'm driving by, in addition to the address is written nigh 1 inch large amongst a ball betoken pen. Then, I mightiness just fly it in addition to travail to discovery the correct job solid spell cruising the neighborhood, in addition to at that topographic point is never 1 to a greater extent than indication of which way to go. I can't tell you lot how many sales I've given upwardly on similar this in addition to left to discovery some other one. I desire my signs to live large in addition to bold in addition to clear, in addition to frequent in 1 lawsuit a shopper turns within the neighborhood, easily directing them forthwith to my door.
Here's a sample of our signs. I to a greater extent than oft than non similar to purpose a vivid colored poster board, in addition to a BIG marker, in addition to brand the letters in addition to numbers fifty-fifty bigger. Most of my signs are on hot pinkish posterboard amongst thick, dark marker. Obviously I changed our address in addition to wrote the squall of our neighborhood at the bottom, but you lot larn the idea! I don't fifty-fifty bother writing out "GARAGE SALE" sometimes, I mightiness just write "G SALE"... the ADDRESS is most of import matter to brand large in addition to clear. People who are out looking for yard sales volition know what your sign is. Also, don't bog downwardly your sign amongst items at your sale (Furniture! Baby clothes! Toys!) or a long listing of times. Keep it brusque in addition to simple. We position our signs out in addition to have got them upwardly every twenty-four hours at the opening in addition to closing of the sale. If the signs are out, we're open. If fourth dimension allows in addition to your sale is on a weekday, travail to remain opened upwardly through the eve rush hour. You'd live amazed at how many people volition halt at your sale on their way home! If you lot alive deep inward a neighborhood, live sure to position upwardly some directional signs through the neighborhood to betoken shoppers just to your sale.
One to a greater extent than matter to consider amongst signs... brand them sturdy! We're inward Oklahoma in addition to the current of air tin give the axe wreak havoc on a wimpy sign. We unremarkably purpose a wooden stake, therefore some other wooden cross slice at the exceed (a 5 gallon pigment stick industrial plant great). I crease my poster board inward one-half in addition to cutting a small-scale slice out of the middle exceed crease to skid over the exceed of the stake, therefore purpose the staple gun to attach the poster board good to the stake in addition to along the cross piece. We unremarkably have got skilful luck amongst our signs belongings upwardly well, in addition to most of the fourth dimension I tin give the axe fifty-fifty throw them inward the attic in addition to re-use them for some other sale. Lastly, you lot mightiness transportation someone to banking concern check in 1 lawsuit or twice through the twenty-four hours to move out in addition to brand sure your signs are all the same out in addition to visible. One fourth dimension nosotros noticed a huge dip inward traffic, in addition to after going out to banking concern check signs a few of them were missing. No wonder!
PRICE EVERYTHING
Other than pitiable signs, my other pet peeve every bit a garage sale shopper myself is when cipher is priced! I loathe having to inquire nigh every niggling matter I'm interested in, in addition to if the sale is busy whoever is running it cannot live giving prices in addition to checking people out all at the same time. I toll EVERY item inward my sale. Now, at that topographic point are a few full general prices that I'll post, similar "Adult Clothes-$2 each unless otherwise marked" or a box of similar items ".25 each" but I travail non to practice also many of those. It makes it easier on the shoppers, in addition to easier on the individual who is adding upwardly the trade if each toll is on the item correct inward front end of them.
ARRANGE YOUR MERCHANDISE NEATLY IN SECTIONS
First of all, brand sure that you lot have got infinite to display your merchandise. Canvas neighbors for tables and/or a clothes rack to borrow if you lot demand them. We oft purpose a canvas of plywood in addition to sawhorses for a makeshift tabular array when needed, or I've fifty-fifty grouped idiot box trays together to have got a infinite to laid things. If you lot have got a lot of children's toys, considering anchoring a tarp on the lawn in addition to spreading the toys out over the tarp. And, if you lot have got a lot of clothes to see, travail your hardest to hang them upwardly on something, they volition sell therefore much amend than piling them all inward a box or inward piles on a tabular array that volition live a disaster thirty minutes after the sale starts. My Dad rigs upwardly a galvanized rod amongst unproblematic wire hangers on each terminate of the pole that nosotros hang from the garage door track- it makes a cracking clothes rack!
Try to grouping similar items together every bit well. Put all of the artwork together, linens, lamps, kitchen items, pic frames, books, etc. If your sale is good organized people volition hang or therefore in addition to aspect longer. Try to have got EVERYTHING out on display. There are ever move difficult shoppers that volition dig through every box, but at that topographic point are fifty-fifty to a greater extent than people that cruise through for a quick aspect in addition to won't touching on a box total of items. You've lost sales if they can't reckon all of your merchandise!
Also, if someone else is helping you lot run the sale, 1 of you lot should walk or therefore periodically in addition to straighten the merchandise. You desire your items to aspect just every bit appealing afterwards inward the twenty-four hours every bit they did when the sale started that morning, in addition to it's easier to reckon what's at that topographic point if the tables aren't a mess.
Provide a designated banking concern check out area, in addition to a concur expanse for items that people desire but who are all the same shopping (near you lot at the banking concern check out if possible therefore you lot tin give the axe proceed an oculus on it in addition to no 1 pilfers someone else's pile...I've seen it happen!).
CONSIDER Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 HALF PRICE SALE
I don't to a greater extent than oft than non advertise this during the sale (I desire every bit much turn a profit every bit possible), but there's ever a betoken on the final twenty-four hours of the sale that nosotros tell "Everything is one-half price!" I fifty-fifty have got niggling "1/2 PRICE" tags that I have got my hubby larn in addition to add together to the signs, just to attract to a greater extent than people dorsum to the sale. Whatever is left at the terminate of the sale volition live loaded upwardly to live donated to a local ministry, therefore fifty-fifty if nosotros sell everything at 1/2 off for the final few hours of the sale nosotros seem to larn rid of a lot of the leftovers in addition to earn fifty-fifty a niggling to a greater extent than coin rather than having things all the same sitting at that topographic point at the terminate of the day. I'd rather have got something for that lonely java mug than nothing! ;)
GIVE KIDS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EARN MONEY
Obviously kids tin give the axe construct clean out their toys in addition to earn a combat of money, but a "concession stand" is a great way for them to earn some extra cash, too! Bags of popcorn, popsicles, fruit snacks, peanut butter cracker packs, in addition to mutual depression temperature bottled H2O or popular are some ideas for skilful things to have got on hand. I brand my kids repay me for the cost of what they sell, but after that the turn a profit is all theirs. Food in addition to drinkable items tin give the axe actually pay off amongst hungry, thirsty shoppers around!
A FEW OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER
*Start early. Dedicated yard sale shoppers are out early on in addition to if you're non opened upwardly when they're driving yesteryear your neighborhood, you've missed a skilful bargain of traffic. We unremarkably aim for 8 a.m.
*Be sure to banking concern check to reckon if a garage sale permit is required inward your area. In my town, I'm able to telephone phone the metropolis the twenty-four hours earlier (or fifty-fifty the morning time of if it's a weekday) in addition to larn my permit over the phone. They add together the fee to my H2O mouth in addition to give me my permit issue to post correct therefore in addition to there. Easy.
*Have a small-scale amount of alter to larn started. Early inward the twenty-four hours you'll in all likelihood larn a lot of large bills, therefore have got plenty of 5s in addition to 1s to brand change. You'll larn to a greater extent than of those smaller bills every bit the twenty-four hours goes along, but I unremarkably travail to start out amongst or therefore 20 ones, 4-6 fives in addition to tens, in addition to just a few twenties. It never fails that someone early on inward the twenty-four hours volition desire to pay amongst a $100 bill. You'll demand a few dollars worth of quarters in addition to other small-scale change, too. I ever write downwardly how much alter I start with, therefore I know at the terminate of the twenty-four hours how much we've made after I subtract that amount.
*If at that topographic point are multiple job solid unit of measurement members or friends contributing to your sale, they volition demand to add together their initials to their toll tags on their items therefore you lot tin give the axe proceed rails of their money. In an lawsuit similar this, I unremarkably don't label or proceed rails of my items that sell, but I practice have got a annotation pad to write downwardly the amounts of items that sell that belong to someone else (my kids are ever really interested inward their tally columns!). After I've tallied in addition to paid everyone else at the terminate of the day, whatever is left is my profit.
*If someone makes an offering on a larger slice in addition to you're non wanting to run into that offering yet, have got their telephone issue therefore you lot tin give the axe telephone phone them afterwards if the slice doesn't sell for the toll you lot want. Be sure to write downwardly the item they're interested inward beside it, I know from sense inward the midst of the hustle it's tardily to forget those details! Also, if someone pays for a larger item in addition to wants to come upwardly dorsum afterwards to selection it up, larn their telephone number. We've had this come about inward the yesteryear in addition to the buyer never came back, in addition to I had no way to contact them.
*Be careful amongst your money. Wearing a pocket apron for the coin is a skilful idea. Never walk off to assist someone in addition to leave of absence your coin box sitting at your checkout table! It's awful that nosotros fifty-fifty have got to live aware of things similar this, but just live witting in addition to smart. Several times through the twenty-four hours nosotros volition take away most of the bigger bills from the alter box, leaving just a bare minimum to brand change.
*Recruit a job solid unit of measurement fellow member or friend to assist the twenty-four hours of the sale. You'll demand help, it's safer, in addition to it's dainty to live able to rotate for breaks in addition to repast times.
*It's helpful for your customers if you lot have got a stash of bags to behavior out their trade after they've paid. Start saving upwardly those plastic shopping bags or extra boxes that mightiness accumulate.
Alright, hopefully you're all laid to have got a stellar sale! Let me know if there's anything I've forgotten, or if you lot have got a cracking tip I didn't cover.
P.S. The pics from this post were from my final sale nigh 3 years ago, but I'm preparing for some other garage sale sometime inward the coming months, I'm just non sure when it volition live yet. If you're local to OKC in addition to are interested inward coming, shoot me an electronic mail at dimplesandtangles(at)att.net in addition to I'll permit you lot know when nosotros have got a date!
I'd honey for you lot to bring together my electronic mail list! You'll have a notification forthwith to your inbox whatever fourth dimension there's a novel post on , just motion into your address below.
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