We had a garage sale earlier this spring. The sale was more successful than I imagined it would be! We started with a driveway full of furniture items, clothing, toys, housewares, etc. and ended with a single box of items that didn’t sell.
We owe a lot of our success to my parents. We strategically planned to have the sale while they were visiting so we had extra hands to help and could draw on their considerable experience hosting garage sales. Using their tips and other commonsense strategies, our sale was easy and effective. Here’s a smattering of the strategies that worked so well for us.
How to have a successful garage sale
Make sure you have enough stuff to make the garage sale worth the effort
If I drive by a garage sale where there are only a few items out, I typically keep on driving. It’s simply not worth finding an empty spot along the curb and getting out when there are only a few items available. On the other hand, it is worth stopping when a garage sale features numerous items. I know many other shoppers use this same approach. Thus, if you only have a few items you want to get rid of, it’s a good idea to consider if holding a garage sale is worth the effort. Another thing to consider is the possibility of hosting a multi-family sale where you and your neighbors or friends can host a joint garage sale. Your combined efforts will mean there are plenty of items to interest shoppers!
Follow all local statutes
Like many cities, our city has laws regarding garage sales (how often you can have them, where you can post signs, etc.). To avoid incurring a fine or some other penalty, be sure to follow all the statutes in your area.
Make sure everything is in working condition
Though shoppers don’t expect garage sales to feature the same items as high-end specialty stores and boutiques, they do expect to find items with utility. Therefore, it is important to make sure the items you sell are in working order. Wash all the clothes you wish to sell and make sure they are free of holes. Likewise, place working batteries in all items that require them, ensure small appliances still work, and pump air into bicycle tires.
Choose the best days and times
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays are generally considered the best days for having garage sales. Many financial experts recommend choosing the first weekend of the month for sales because many shoppers will have been paid recently and will have more discretionary cash because they’ve reloaded their personal spending money for the month. Serious shoppers are out early looking for deals, so it’s important to have garage sales early in the day (typically 7 a.m. or 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.).
Have everything ready by the night before
Odds are that serious shoppers will be waiting to peruse your offerings at or even before the time you are set to start. To be ready when they are, it is a good idea to have display tables and racks set up the night before. You’ll also want to have change on hand and your offerings labeled with prices.
Display items in an organized fashion
While some shoppers are just browsing, many are looking for specific items. Because of this, it’s beneficial to organize your items so they are displayed by type. For example, all kitchen items can go on one table, toys/games can go on another, etc. Likewise, be sure that linen, clothing, and dish sets are grouped together.
Have plenty of change
In order to make change, you will need to have lots of cash on hand. It is a good idea to have a couple of $20 bills and a few $10 bills, plus many $5 bills, $1 bills, quarters, dimes, and nickels.
Clearly label items with reasonable prices
Shoppers will have an easier time making decisions about purchases if all the items are clearly labeled with fair prices. Prelabeled adhesive stickers that are easy to read make it incredibly easy to price items. We told my oldest kids what price we wanted on an item, and they had fun putting these labels on everything!
If you are not sure which prices are appropriate for which items, you can consult this garage sale pricing guide. Of course, it is important to be willing to negotiate (it is helpful to know ahead of time what price you are willing to come down to for bigger-ticket items). Also consider giving deals if a shopper purchases multiple items.
Advertise
There are lots of free or low-cost options for advertising a garage sale. One of the most effective is posting signs that point shoppers in the direction of the sale. Make sure these contain the critical information (address and date/time of the sale) in large, easy-to-read font or writing. Be sure to follow relevant statutes regarding where and when you can post signs.
In some locations, advertising in a local newspaper may be useful. However, in most areas you’ll reach the most shoppers by sharing information about your garage sale on free platforms such as Facebook and craigslist.
Consider accepting digital payments
Cash is king at garage sales, but many individuals prefer using digital payment apps (Venmo, Square, PayPal, etc.) instead of carrying cash with them. At our garage sale, we were not prepared to accept payment via apps like this, but we had shoppers ask if we were using them. If we had used them, it would have been easier for shoppers to make impulse purchases of higher-priced items. It’s not uncommon for passersby to make impromptu stops when they notice garage sales. If they don’t have much cash on them, then they can’t purchase much. However, if they use payment apps and you accept these, then you could make a great sale!
Have grocery sacks and boxes available for buyers to carry their purchases
When shoppers purchase multiple small items or fragile items, it is helpful to have plastic grocery sacks and/or small boxes that they can use to carry their purchases. Most of us have these around our homes anyway, so this is a great way to reuse them before they go for recycling.
Final thoughts
I really wish we had taken photos before and after our garage sale. At 8 a.m., we had large items (twin bed, dresser, exercise bike, etc.) on our driveway out towards the street (we had them out there so they could be easily seen by passersby). They were angled to funnel shoppers up the driveway where we had tables of clothes, toys, housewares, etc. By 1 p.m., we had one box of items left (mostly clothes and books). Our intention was to hold the garage sale for two days, but we were unable to have it the second day because—much to our surprise—nearly everything sold that first day!
If you are hosting a garage sale in the coming weeks or months, then I hope these tips help make yours as successful as ours was. If you have experience with successful garage sales, then please share your tips with us! What strategies have made your garage sales effective?
Shannon, I love yard sales! I so appreciate you sharing these great tips.
Visiting today from Encouraging Hearts & Home #53&54.
I’m glad you appreciate the tips, Paula. Thanks for stopping by!
That sounds like such a successful garage sale!
It was, Joanne. Better than we could have imagined!