Garage Sale Tips

• Have your garage sale on a weekend.
• Count on early birds, and cater to them; if your sign says 8:00 - 2:00, open 15 minutes to half an hour early.
• Keep the weather in mind - have a plan B for if it rains. Remember too that plenty of people still visit garage sales during poor weather.
• Get your stuff off the floor! Most people won't bother looking down there, so try to raise your things up to a convenient level. Think of it this way: would you want to want to buy your goods from a dirty store floor?
• Clean your goods, and price them fairly. This should be a given, but it's amazing how many people actually think they'll sell dirty, broken, incomplete items that are close to retail prices!
• Make some deals! Garage sales should be fun - don't hesitate to tell someone you'll thrown in the item they're looking at, if they buy the old rocking chair in the corner. At the very least, you'll get a laugh, and make your potential customer feel more at ease.
• Spread things apart on tables - if you don't have to use boxes, don't. It's best to have your items properly displayed on clean tables. This way, people will see your items, not your boxes.
• Leave people be - it's fine to make small talk, but don't go overboard. Most people like to be left alone when considering making a purchase - respect that.
• Price all of your items - don't leave any item unpriced (unless you make a sign that says "All items: x $". Most people won't take the time to make you any offer on such items, unless they want it badly. Not pricing items gives the impression that you're unsure yourself how much the item is worth, or are too afraid to write down a price (which is usually true).
• Keep an eye on big crowds - when a wave of people flood your garage, make sure you have a few sets of eyes keeping watch. Although it's quite sad to have stealing occur at garage sales, it does happen, so beware. Always keep your eye on your cashbox as well.
• Advertise your garage sale properly - make tons of signs, and display them at busy intersections the night before. Tell friends and neighbors you're having a garage sale, and advertise in a paper or two if your budget permits.
• Participate in community or multi-family sales - these are the biggest traffic generators. The only downside is that with so many houses, people will likely spend less time at your house. However, the large amount of traffic makes up for this.
• Write small explanations - this is only necessary for peculiar items that look puzzling to most people. Stick a lable on it that says what it is - you'll probably sell it faster.
• Have fun! Garage sales aren't traditionally meant to be money-makers. Rather, it's about getting rid of your junk and passing it along to another who's now found a treasure at a reasonable cost. When the garage sale's over and you have items left over, donate them to your local charity. If you want to try selling them again, remember this: if you can't sell the same item at 2 or 3 garage sales, either the item is priced too high, or it's simply worthless. Give it away, or throw it out.

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