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How to Set-Up a Garage Sale

Neil Rohrbacker • Jul 19, 2021

Looking for a great way to make some extra money on the side? Or maybe you are looking to finally get rid of that pile of junk in the corner of your garage? No matter the reason, garage sales are a tried and true method for selling unused items and turning a quick profit.


If you are a newbie to the world of yard sales, do not fear. For an effective garage sale, simply follow these steps:


  1. Get garage sale ready:
  2. Clean out your closets
  3. Organize your items in advance
  4. Set a date
  5. Advertise your garage sale
  6. Make signs
  7. Utilize social media
  8. Channel your inner "salesperson"
  9. Strategically position your items
  10. Fair pricing
  11. Have change on hand
  12. Learn how to haggle


Dive in below to learn how to better set up your next garage sale and earn that money. Cha-ching!


Get Garage Sale Ready

If your house is filled with piles of junk, then you are well on your way to your next garage sale. However, if you are not quite there yet, then you will want to start here:

Clean Out Your Closets

Sounds simple enough, right? Go through your closets, all of them. Nothing is off-limits. Decorations from your kid's first birthday? Put those in the pile. That blouse you bought years ago that you swore you would wear one day? Add it to the pile as well.


Go through your cabinets and drawers, looking for anything and everything. If you do not wear it or use it often, or if you have completely forgotten about it, then it more than likely needs to go.

Organize Your Items in Advance

Once you have a nice big pile or multiple piles of items to sell, it's time to start sorting everything. You will need to sort your items into three main categories- keep, sell, and trash. The goal at this stage is to focus on throwing away all the useless junk, finding a home for the things you wish to keep, and setting aside everything you want to sell.


One important thing to remember is that while you may consider something junk, potential garage sale customers may see it as treasure. Unless an item is truly broken beyond repair, you may still be able to sell it.

Set The Date

Yard sales are typically most effective on the weekends, which means Saturdays and Sundays are your best bet. If you have a free weekend, why not start on Saturday and try to sell everything remaining on Sunday?


You will also want to set the time as well. The earlier you start, the cooler the temperature. Also, many would-be garage sale customers are early risers.


Here's a good tip to remember: Consider scheduling your garage sale on the first weekend of the month, since most people receive their paychecks around that time.

Garage Sale

Advertise Your Garage Sale

You don't need to get fancy and take out an expensive ad to advertise your garage sale. There are tons of free & affordable methods you can use instead.

Make Signs

Perhaps the most used method to advertise yard sales are those classic homemade signs that you've probably seen at busy intersections on the weekends. The most effective signs consist of bright poster boards with large, easy-to-read lettering. You will definitely want to include an arrow that points towards your garage sale location.


It's best if you pre-plan the placement of the signs to better angle the arrows. If you have time, make a quick dry run from your nearest intersection to your home and take note of the posts and street poles you plan on placing your signs.

Utilize Social Media

As The Spruce points out, in today's day and age, another effective form of advertisement is to utilize social media. For example, make a post on your neighborhood Facebook page or download "garage sale finder apps." If you go down the social media route, it's best if you make your posts a few days in advance.

Garage Sale

Channel Your Inner "Salesperson"

Alright, the big day is finally here. It's time to put out your items and get ready to sell, sell, sell!

Position Your Stuff Effectively

Before your sale begins, you will want to get up early and start setting up your items. Like any good retail business, location is key. Make sure to position your most attractive inventory closer to the street to draw in more customers. Put the less attractive items towards the back.


It also wouldn't hurt to organize your items into sections. For instance, have one section for clothing and another for home decor. This way, people looking for specific items can head towards the section they are interested in browsing.

Fair Pricing

The Money Crashers make a good point when it comes to pricing items. Time is money, so think about which items need to be priced individually versus in a bundle. The less effort shoppers have to go through to find their desired treasures, the easier it will be for you to meet your sales goal. 


Above all else, resist the urge to "overprice" your items. Pick fair prices based on the condition of each item.

Have Change on Hand

An often overlooked aspect of garage sales is the need for change. Have some smaller bills on hand to make change for your customers. You should probably even have some coins as well, such as quarters, dimes, and nickels. As you sell more and more, your reserve of smaller bills will build up. But, you don't want to miss a sale in the beginning because you couldn't break some change.

Learn How to Haggle

While not entirely necessary, the ability to haggle during a garage sale will go a long way. After all, yard sale customers are notorious for haggling. When a customer starts to negotiate, let them negotiate. However, you must stick to your guns when you feel the price is getting too low. You are trying to turn a profit!

Garage Sale

Additional Tips

Here are a few additional tips to help you during your garage sale.

Get Family Involved

Have younger kids with nothing to do on a Saturday morning? Have them help set up the yard sale and keep an eye on the business. You can even have them set up a lemonade stand to sell drinks to your customers.

Be Safe

Most yard sale customers are well-meaning people looking for a good deal. However, since you are inviting strangers to your front lawn, remain cautious. Lock your doors and windows, don't let anybody inside your house, and keep your money in a designated spot at all times.

Optimize Your Garage Storage for the Sale

Keeping a well-organized garage can help you in all aspects of your yard sale. First, it'll make it easier to find and organize items to sell. Plus, your yard sale will look more attractive to potential customers.  Finally, with additional items gone, you can invest in more durable options for storage such as cabinets, Slatwall, and perhaps a workbench.


Conclusion

Setting up an effective garage sale is as easy as cleaning out your closets, advertising your sale, and channeling your inner "salesperson." If you follow the steps above, then you will be well on your way to de-cluttering your home and making that extra money!

Sources

CONTACT INFO

Closets to Adore

3 Knollwood Avenue

Madison, NJ 07940


Showroom Address (By Appt Only)

385 Franklin Ave

Rockaway, NJ 07866


Phone: (973) 822-1212

COMPANY HOURS

Monday - Saturday: 9am - 5pm

Sunday: Closed

NJ HIC# 13VH08695200
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