Planning a Garage Sale This Summer? Check Out These Tips
By Shondell Varcianna
June 20, 2014
Lifestyle
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Having a garage sale can be an excellent way to dispose of the things that you don't need but are still useable. If you get the word out in advance and do it right, you would be surprised at the number of people who would turn up and take even the things you had initially wanted to throw away. But with so many garage sales taking place in the summer, you need to plan in advance to make it a success. Here are a few tips you can use to plan your garage sale:
1. Spread the word: No one will come to your garage sale if no one knows about it. Therefore, start advertising a week in advance. Post messages on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites so all your friends and their friends know about your sale. You can also post photos of the items you will be selling on photo sharing sites such as Instagram, Flickr and Tumblr. Place several signs with the words "GARAGE SALE" typed prominently around your neighborhood a day or two before the sale. Don’t forget to give directions.
2. Give away free stuff: People are often attracted to free things regardless of the size. If you promote your sale offering to give some items away for free, more people will likely show up. You can give away things that you've been thinking of donating or throwing away. Once people stop to take a look at the free items, they will usually buy something because they feel awkward about taking something for free. You can also give away something free for every large purchase. For example, if a person buys an old bicycle, you could give a bicycle pump for free.
3. Price your items low: A garage sale attracts people who are looking for items at a significantly lower price than the market price. As for yourself, it provides you with the opportunity to make some cash on things that you would otherwise have to either donate or throw away. Therefore, price your items low to get the sale. The lower the price, the faster your items will sell.
4. Join forces with a friend: The more items you have for sale, the more successful your garage sale will be. If you don't have a lot of things to sell, then join forces with friends and neighbors. Since it's your sale, provide them with space and ask them to bring as many things as they can to fill up the space. You can also share the tasks of advertising on social media and the costs of putting up the signs in the neighborhood.
5. Keep the space organized: You will have a better chance of selling your items if your space is organized. Buyers are better predisposed to places where the merchandises are placed neatly. Try to keep similar items together. Designate a separate space for each type of item, such as clothes, shoes and slippers, books, furniture, appliances etc.
What are some tips you use when having a garage sale?
Picture by Kooked
1. Spread the word: No one will come to your garage sale if no one knows about it. Therefore, start advertising a week in advance. Post messages on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites so all your friends and their friends know about your sale. You can also post photos of the items you will be selling on photo sharing sites such as Instagram, Flickr and Tumblr. Place several signs with the words "GARAGE SALE" typed prominently around your neighborhood a day or two before the sale. Don’t forget to give directions.
2. Give away free stuff: People are often attracted to free things regardless of the size. If you promote your sale offering to give some items away for free, more people will likely show up. You can give away things that you've been thinking of donating or throwing away. Once people stop to take a look at the free items, they will usually buy something because they feel awkward about taking something for free. You can also give away something free for every large purchase. For example, if a person buys an old bicycle, you could give a bicycle pump for free.
3. Price your items low: A garage sale attracts people who are looking for items at a significantly lower price than the market price. As for yourself, it provides you with the opportunity to make some cash on things that you would otherwise have to either donate or throw away. Therefore, price your items low to get the sale. The lower the price, the faster your items will sell.
4. Join forces with a friend: The more items you have for sale, the more successful your garage sale will be. If you don't have a lot of things to sell, then join forces with friends and neighbors. Since it's your sale, provide them with space and ask them to bring as many things as they can to fill up the space. You can also share the tasks of advertising on social media and the costs of putting up the signs in the neighborhood.
5. Keep the space organized: You will have a better chance of selling your items if your space is organized. Buyers are better predisposed to places where the merchandises are placed neatly. Try to keep similar items together. Designate a separate space for each type of item, such as clothes, shoes and slippers, books, furniture, appliances etc.
What are some tips you use when having a garage sale?
Picture by Kooked