Planning A Successful Garage Sale

A garage sale can make money as well as saving money by reducing the costs of moving your household items to your new location. You may also want to hold a garage sale if you are downsizing the size of your new home.

First step - check out the rules:

1. Inquire whether your homeowners association has rules regarding moving sales.
2. Call your local municipality to determine if there are permit requirements
3. Before hanging signs determine whether your city or town allows this form of advertisement.

Second step – get organized!

1. Decide what you are selling: if you have not used an item in the past few years, you probably can live without it.
2. Make al list of all items you want to sell.
3. Price items according to their worth to others, not to you!
4. Charge about 20% of original cost, if item is in good working order
5. In pricing, leave some bargaining room
6. Bundle one or two great items with “not as great” ones and sell as a lot
7. Secure a tag to each item and record each item with the pricing on a sheet to assist in keeping track of sold items

Third step – advertise!

1. Run ads in the local newspaper
2. Put signs on billboards in neighborhood stores
3. Use signs, flags, banners and balloons for people to see when driving by your sale

Fourth step: merchandising:

1. Make items look appealing and they will sell: wash and neatly fold clothes, polish silver or brass, clean glass and mirrors
2. Put like items together on a table or shelf
3. Use signs to draw people to certain sections of the sale

Finally: Be safe!

1. Keep doors to your residence locked
2. Have at least two people present throughout the sale
3. Keep the money that you will use to make change with you at all times, in a money belt

By following these tips you have increased the chances of a successful moving sale. If items are left over, consider donating them to a local charity.