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Garage Sales - Turn Junk Into Cash

by Donna L Montaldo

Garage sales are not hard to do. All it takes is some time, a few organizational skills, a tad of marketing, and you will be on your way to turning your junk into cash.

Power in Numbers

Ask friends, family, or neighbors, if they would like to participate in a group sale. You will increase your chances of attracting buyers by the increase in selection and inventory. All of you can split the cost and the legwork of advertising the sale.

Pricing Your Items

Take the time to clearly mark every item that you will be putting into your sale. For similar items, such as paperback books, it is acceptable to put up a sign, for example - All Paperback Books - 50 cents each! Use quarter-dollar pricing increments to simplify the money exchanged. Generally, figure around one-fifth of the retail price for items that are working and in good shape. For items only used once or twice, or those that were never used, you may get one-third of the retail value, depending on the item.

People Love BOGO Sales!

A BOGO stands for "Buy One Get One" and it is used in retail stores to entice customers to purchase multiple items. Books, videos, baby clothing, and records, are all good items to include in this type of pricing structure.

Clean It and Fix It

Not many people want to buy dirty things. You will want to clean and fix the items you place in your sale. Load the dishwasher with all the glassware you plan to sell and you will be amazed at how much more appealing it becomes when it is sparkles. If something is in need of minor repair, go ahead and repair it. For leather items like handbags and shoes, buff them with leather cleaner. Run your clothing through the wash then neatly hand press or run a hot iron over them to make them more appealing. Dust furniture, vacuum upholstery, clean spots, clean and freshen drawers. It may sound like a big job, but it is worth it. In fact, often after we clean or fix something, we decide to keep it.

Advertise!

Do not expect people to just find you. Real bargain hunters start checking the newspaper early, and planning their route. Most newspapers have weekend garage sale advertising at a lower cost than the normal classified fee’s. You will want to make sure you are included in this section of the paper the day before and the morning of your sale. You will probably be charged per word, so it is a good idea to think up what you want to say before calling the paper.

What to Include in the Advertisement

Date and time of your sale.

Your street address.

If it is a multi-family or group sale.

If you live in rural area, offer directions, a landmark that your home is near, or the color of your house.

A brief run down of specific items you will be selling such as, baby clothing, toys, arts and craft supplies, artwork, furniture.

Use the name-brand items that are in big demand, like, BabyGap (size 2t - 4t), or Ethan Allen furniture.

When putting out your street signs, select the high-traffic areas of your neighborhood and around the streets that will guide the people to you. Flimsy construction paper is not very effective for street signs, especially on rainy or windy days. A good piece of thick cardboard cut from a box, spray painted in a unique color, with your address, and sale hours printed large enough to read, will bring the people to your door.

Merchandising Your Items

Garage-sale hunters like to feel like there is a lot of nice stuff for them to choose from, so take the time to think out how and where you will place things. Avoid putting items in boxes on the ground. Not too many people will bend over or kneel down to dig through it. Hang clothing, such as dresses, suits, skirts, blazers, coats and jackets. Designate a table for folded clothing; such as, sweaters, t-shirts, jeans, and select baby clothing. Sheets, draperies, blankets, and bedspreads should be neatly folded. Use a pretty ribbon to tie grouped items together and price as a set.

Place your most appealing items within eyeshot of the street so people driving by can see them. If you have sets of dishes, display all of them out. Avoid putting one plate with a note telling the visitor that there are more. Seeing is believing, and they will want to inspect each piece.

Tools, lawn equipment, workout benches, etc., will appeal to both men and women, so place them in a high-visible area.

Group your things - toys with toys; clothes with clothes. Think about the setup of your nearest Wal-mart, and section things similarly.

Preparing The Final Stages of Your Sale

The time is getting close and you are almost ready to open your home for business. Before you do, though, consider these ideas:
Set an inviting mood by playing soft, easy-listening music.

If you have children, set them up to sell coffee, much like you would a kool-aid stand. Or sell it yourself by advertising something fun like - "Coffee for a Quarter From The Best Coffee Maker in Town."

Have calculators, pens, newspaper to wrap breakables, boxes, and bags handy.

Have plenty of change and one dollar bills on hand. Set up a secure area for your sales transactions. Don't forget to keep a close eye on your money box.

If you are short on help, consider wearing a 3-pocket apron or a fanny-wrapper purse, so that you can keep your money near you while you mingle with your shoppers. If you start to get a lot of cash, subtlety locking it in your car is an option if you can not leave the crowds to go into your house.

Inform your direct neighbors that you are having a garage sale. Offer to rope their yard so people don't park on their grass.

Have extension cords plugged into outlets so that electrical items can be tested.

The Day of Your Garage Sale

Avoid letting early-birds in before the actual time that your sale starts. It is considered discourteous to those who respect your advertised time. Plus, they tend to scoop up all the good stuff and haggle you while you are still in your pajamas.
If people ask to use your restroom, be prepared to politely tell them no. No one should go inside your home or to an area of your house that is not opened to the public.

One Last Thing

Remove all of your signs as soon as the sale has ended. Your neighbors will appreciate it and latecomers will not be endlessly ringing your door bell.

Lastly, grab a hot cup of coffee, go sit in your favorite chair, and count all the money you just made from your hard work!

Copyright Donna L Montaldo

If you have any interesting stories or tips about setting up a garage sale or shopping at garage sales please e-mail us at CBHcontact@gmail.com.