Have you ever wondered if you could get cash for your clutter? Do you drive past garage sales and dream of the piles of money you could make from the contents of your garage? Reality check! Garage sales rarely make enough money to compensate you for the time it takes you to set them up and work them, but a garage sale could still be a great way to clear out your extra stuff and get a little cash in the process. You just have to do it right. Here are a few tips to help you out.
Don’t go it alone. Invite friends over and make it a party. Maybe they can bring some of their own things to sell. Maybe they can just bring refreshments. Either way, you aren’t left spending the whole day alone on a folding chair waiting for those dollars to add up.
Don’t price your stuff. People love to haggle so give them a chance to bargain. Not only will your customers enjoy it, you will save the time it would take to individually write and stick on a hundred price tags. Create a dollar or a five dollar box if you have to price something and load them up with items that buyers can rummage through. Have a suggested price in mind for bigger ticket items, but remember any amount you sell your stuff for is more than you had when your stuff was just sitting in your home or garage.
Give something away. Draw customers in with a plate of free cookies or a can of cold soda. Advertise special discounts for multiple purchases, like a buy one, get one free deal on books or records. Make your garage sale stand out.
Increase the specials at the end of the day. Lower the prices. Double the cookies. Anything to bring in a few more people who will take home a little more of your clutter. Now is not the time to drive a hard bargain. Let go and let your unwanted items go off to new homes.
Donate whatever is left over. Once the sale is finished, don't put your unsold items back into the garage. You have already decided these are things you don’t need. Why put them back to be dealt with a second time? Instead, load up the remainders and take them to The Salvation Army or a women’s shelter. Give your unwanted things to a place that will help others less fortunate.
And there you have it. Five tips to a successful garage sale. Maybe your garage sale won’t make you rich, but it will give you back your garage and that is priceless.
It's as simple as that.