You’re moving somewhere new and starting a new life; so it’s time to shed some of your unwanted items. A moving sale is just the trick. Not only will this help you get organized, but it will also add some cash to your wallet. While you can surely see the benefits of a garage sale, it may seem a little intimidating when starting out. Don’t let it be! With a few of our yard sale tips, you’ll be well on your way to a successful moving sale.
Pick A Day
For a successful garage sale to happen, you need to find the best day that works for yourself and visitors. Weekends, especially Saturdays, are usually the best days for garage sales unless there’s a holiday. Set times for your sale, but understand that you’ll get early birds who may show up half an hour earlier or later than the times you choose.
Involve Your Friends and Family
The more people involved, the easier it will be to spread the word and get all of the work done. Chances are that they also have some items they would like to get rid of. This can be an opportunity for your friends to join in on the fun. If you can get your neighbors to join in and have a block-wide sale, all the better!
How to Organize Your Garage Sale Items
Organizing your sale is key to a successful garage sale. Below are some tips every homeowner must keep in mind.
You Need More Tables
This is an important tip that’s easy to overlook before your sale gets started. You need to have a lot of table space so that your items can be neatly arranged so that shoppers can see them all. This also helps ensure everyone isn’t crowded around the same two or three spaces and unable to see the items for sale.
How to Price Yard Sale Items and Sort Them
The first thing to know is that you will have to price everything. Pricing your items takes time, but if it doesn’t have a number on it, many people won’t ask. Make sure your garage sale pricing is visible and reasonable. A good rule to start with is 25 to 50% of the retail price tag. That’s a place to start, there will likely be items where you want to adjust on that. Ensure the price matches the acceptable or good condition of your garage sale items. Think about it like you’re at a store with a sale price guide. Entertainment items, like books and movies, can go in the same area. The children and adult clothes should be at least roughly grouped by sizes. Line the chairs up on one side and the exercise equipment on the other.
Make Sure You Have a Lot of Change
Take a trip to the bank and get a roll of quarters, or two. Make sure you have plenty of ones. Do not expect your customers to have exact change or anything close to it. Having a visitor come close to purchasing your item only to find out you don’t have 50 cents in change won’t do you any favors. Make sure you’re prepped for cash exchanges.
Bring in the Crowds with Some Advertising
To get the traffic you’ll need for your sale you’ll need to advertise the event. The first step is to put up some online advertisements, which are free and easy to do. Facebook is one of the easiest places to start. Create an event page for your sale and put in the important details. Ask your local friends to share it! Websites like Craigslist and Yardies.com are meant for these advertisements and can help you bring in a crowd. Include a few photos of some of your biggest items or ones you have the most of. For example, if you have a TV or a large selection of boys clothes. The photos will help encourage people by letting them know what’s special about your sale and increases your odds of selling the items you want to sell the most. Next, put up some sale signs around your neighborhood. Use bold, block letters and arrows that point the way to your house. Securely attaching a few balloons to the signs you expect to get the most traffic is a good way to draw the eye.
Enjoy the Sale!
With friends to tag along and proper preparations, your moving sale can be a fun and profitable experience. If you need help with the next steps of your move, contact Austin Van & Storage today.
