Garage Sale Tips For Dummies

Whether you are spring cleaning, moving to a new house or just want to get rid of things you no longer use, having a garage sale is the answer. If you have never held a garage sale before, do not worry. Here are some garage sales tips to help you.

First of all it would be appropriate to plan the duration of the sale. You could select a longer sale and begin it on a weekday, this will draw the attention of passers - by and people will spend money more liberally, since sales are hardly held on weekdays.

The next step is advertisement. Be innovative, clear and list the items in details. If there is something different about your garage sale, don't hesitate to mention it. While placing these advertisements you could divide the days into two advertisements. This way, people who come, do not think that all the good products have been sold out.

You could also inform your family and friends that you are having a garage sale. Let them know that they can bring over stuff they no longer require. If bringing it over is a problem, you could inform them about the time you would be going to collect it. While categorizing the products, do not think that anything is a waste, something that looks gaudy to you might be appreciated by the buyer.

Now you need to put your ideas to work. Empty the garage and sweep it clean. After that is done arrange the tables in rows, and cover them with light colored table cloths. Arrange the products on the table according to categories. You could keep all the knickknacks in boxes and label them with the prices.

Display is a very important facet. If you have a clothes rack at home, you could consider shifting it into the garage for a few days. Display the washed clothes neatly on the table. Do ensure that you sort them out according to the general sizes. You could also put up a sign with the price written on it. This way you need not label each clothing indivdually.

Make the environment conductive to shopping. You could play some quiet, soothing music. This will make people relax and enjoy the process of shopping.

Some more bits of information you could use

• Make the people who come to the sale, feel at ease.
• You could say "Hi" to everyone who comes to the sale and even make small talk about the weather. A "thank you" when they are leaving, would also go a long way to make them comfortable.
• Keep bags handy. This way you can offer customers bags to carry their purchases home.
• Provide coffee or some cold refreshment. Your child could make some extra pocket money by manning the refreshment table.
• List some of the items that you are putting up for sale on the large colorful signs. Remember to take down the signs after the sale.

Garage Sale Pricing Tips

• Pricing is a difficult thing to do, so try and put yourself in the cutomers place. Decide on how much you would like to pay for the same item, and how important it is for you to get it sold.
• On the first day of the sale, you could price the items a little higher. This same price can be reduced on the last day, of course that is, if you don't find a motivated buyer before that!
• If the item is worth more than $100, price them a little higher. This way, you and the customer can negotiate an agreeable price. Remember, do not make it too expensive, as this might stop potential buyers from inquiring about it.
• If you would like to clear out most of the items you have, offer some kind of great deal on the afternoon of the last day.