Turn Unwanted Clutter into Cash: Garage Sales

Minimalism, and de-cluttering have be large topics for discussion recently. And what’s a better way to de-clutter and say goodbye to long forgotten items than an old-fashioned garage sale? Garage sales have always been a great way to minimize clutter in your home, and finally let go of those odd items you just don’t seem to use, but never throw away, all while making a bit of cash to boot. After all this time, garage sales can still be just as effective as they were years ago, with a bit of organization and planning of course. Here are steps to take to plan, organize, market, and hold a successful garage sale!

Gather up your goods

Take a good long look through your home and find ALL the unused, unwanted items you still have lying around. For items your unsure of, ask yourself a few simple questions: Have I used this item in the past 6 months, does it still work, does it fit, etc. Figuring out what items to toss, (i.e broken/un-saleable items) and what to sell (unused items).  A good example of unused items may be old charging cords – whether or not you know what they are for, set them up in a box for sale – you never know, someone may buy them!

Plan out pricing

Figure out an easy pricing scheme that will make sale-day organization a breeze. A simple pricing arrangement could be colour coding the pricing so that items marked with specific colours are all the same price. Example: Red means $2, Blue means $5, Green means $10 and so on. If you choose to do something like that, ensure that you have very well-marked, simple signs explaining the pricing – that way you can avoid any repeat questions regarding prices. Really, as long as you create a simple pricing scheme that is well planned out, any system will work for you.

Advertise

Although signs are always a good way to go, there are many different ways to advertise your garage sale now, compared to before. Definitely still put up signs around your neighbourhood advertising your sale in advance. Be sure that these signs are bright, clear, and easy to read. Newer ways to advertise garage sales include using sites like Craigslist, Kijiji, and other forms of free social media such as Facebook pages. The more attention you can draw to your sale, the more traffic you have and the more items you will sell!

Organize your items

Before the sale, try to organize and display your items as neatly as possible. Remember that the garage sale is essentially turning your front lawn into a showroom, so making things easy to find for people increases the chance that they will buy things. If you have clothing for sale, try to sort it out by type (Mens, Womens, Kids) and sizes so that it is easy to find exactly what they may be looking for.

Be Prepared

Be sure you are all set up for the day of. Have chairs ready for yourself, and be sure that you have some shade available should it be sunny. Don’t forget to get change ready in advance, that way you have change for those first early customers!

Other great ideas when it comes to garage sales include having small snacks/refreshments available for a small fee, especially on a hot summer’s day. Consider having a bake-sale table, or lemonade stand type of refreshments and limit the price to $1-$2 max to encourage shoppers to contribute there as well. Great advice on dates is to consider both the weather, and events that may be taking place in around your neighbourhood. It is recommended to pick a Saturday over a Sunday – that way you can always extend your sale to Sunday if necessary. Avoid having a garage sale on a hot summer day, as less people are likely to be wandering about – however late spring, and early fall seems to be the best time.

Whatever your plan may be, a garage sale is a fantastic way to turn your unwanted clutter into cash.