A yard or garage sale is one of the best ways to free up space from old household clutter and make some money.
However, if you want a successful garage sale, there is more to it than just throwing stuff into a pile on a table with a sign. In fact, there are quite a few steps you can take to have a much more successful garage sale.
We have put together a comprehensive guide that covers everything you need to know to make your garage sale a resounding success. From thorough planning and pricing to effective advertising and selling strategies, this guide has got you covered.
With this knowledge, you’ll feel confident and ready to tackle the task of organizing a successful garage sale.
Setting Up Your Garage or Yard Sale
Some people may
Well, if you have plenty of unused or extra items around your home, then the answer is often a resounding yes! In fact, when done with preparation, a garage sale can be incredibly lucrative.
However, one of the important factors in garage sale success is a proper layout or setup. Think about those who will be attending your garage sale. Typically, most people have limited time or are just swinging in to see if they see anything they want quickly.
Unfortunately, those holding garage sales often set themselves up for failure by having piles of random items or disorganized chaos that is hard to sort through. Some shoppers may be interested in rummaging through these piles for hidden gems, but they will be far and few between.
More commonly, you will see shoppers who stop by, take a loop of the offerings, and leave when they don’t see anything at first glance.
That’s why it’s crucial to have a
Ultimately, it’s up to you and can depend on what items you are selling. Whatever the case, having some level of organization can go a long way in bringing more sales.
How to Have a Garage Sale: Tips for Success
Before we jump into the finer details, let’s look at some general tips on how to have a garage sale.
Check Permit Requirements
One of the first questions to ask yourself is, do you need a permit for a garage sale? Every local area can be different, and this could be a requirement before starting your sale. If it is required, don’t try to avoid it and have your sale under the radar. This can easily lead to unwanted fines that cut any profit from your sale.
Don’t Sell Just Anything
As you sort through unwanted items in your home, you are likely to accumulate quite a lot. However, not all of it will be worth selling.
Before you put anything on sale, make sure to check its condition and functions.
To simplify this process, you can create three categories for your sorting: Keep, Sell, or Trash.
The reality is that some items may be better off thrown away if they are in rough shape or no longer work. If you are wondering what not to sell at a garage sale, here is a general list of items to avoid.
- Antiques
- Old computers/phones
- Coins, stamps, or other collectibles
- Family heirlooms
- Broken items
- Personalized items
- Historical items
- Items with too much wear
Some of the above shouldn’t be sold simply for two reasons.
- First, they may be items people most likely won’t want.
- Secondly, they may be special items that will likely net more profit being sold to specialized vendors with professional experience.
Set a Date Ahead of Time
Another good practice is to set the date for your sale well ahead of time. This way, you will have plenty of time to prepare and get everything in order. Some people may succeed with a
If you are unsure of the best time to have your sale, setting a date earlier in the month is often a good practice. This is when many people have just started their monthly budget and haven’t spent all of their extra funds for the month yet.
Additionally, weekends are always better to ensure you get as much foot traffic as possible.
How to Price Items for a Garage Sale
The next tip is on how to price items for a garage sale. You want to ensure your items are priced fairly, but also that you are getting a decent profit from your hard work. Here are a few tips for garage sale pricing.
- 10% rule: A common rule for selling at garage or yard sales is the 10% rule. This means you should price items at around 10% of what you paid. For instance, if you bought an item for $30, then you should sell it at around $3. This is not a hard fast rule, but it serves for advising general or unimportant items.
- Check online: Some items may be hidden gems that are going for higher than the 10% rule. So, don’t forget to browse online to see what price certain items are reselling at.
- Check other garage sales: Other people’s sales can be a good place to get an idea of what people like for pricing. See what other people have set their prices at and what seems to be selling at a great pace.
- Quantity over quality: While it can be tempting to price everything higher to get more profit, garage sales are often a better place to focus on quantity. Offer deals for multiple items to offload as much of your stock as possible.
Where to Advertise Garage Sale
So, you’ve got your items, decided on a layout, set pricing, and scheduled a date.
The next step is to get the word out about your sale. Let’s break this down into physical and online methods.
Starting with physical, several tried and true methods continue to do well, including:
- Signs on the corner of your street and streets close to you
- Notes on local billboards (Grocery stores, libraries, and more)
If you are wondering how to make garage sale signs, check online. Several guides can show you the best way to make them and what information to include.
While the above are still definitely effective, online methods are an excellent way to advertise your sale as well these days. Online methods and platforms include:
- Craigslist
- Yard Sale Search
How to Post a Garage Sale on Facebook
Realistically, Facebook is probably the best online platform for advertising your garage sale. You can make an ad for your sale on several places across Facebook, including:
- Your personal Facebook page
- Local community groups
- Facebook Marketplace
You can even
Online Garage Sale
To take your sale in the modern age, you can even create an online store for it. While this can take a little bit of extra effort, it offers several benefits, including:
- Reaching a larger audience
- Potential to reach collectors for rarer items
- Easy categorization of items
- Offer multiple payment options
An online store for your sale could potentially lead to a much better return on your items in the long run. Even better, if your store does well, you can start flipping thrift shop items or hit other garage sales for items to sell.
Looking to Launch an Online Store?
If you are looking to start an online store, Ecwid can help. Our
