Any tips for setting up a garage sale?
couponcorner asked:
I am looking for tips on how to set up my garage sale to make it most successful. Do you have any display or set-up tips?
I am looking for tips on how to set up my garage sale to make it most successful. Do you have any display or set-up tips?
Filed under: Other - Home & Garden
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Make sure that all clothes are clean and hung on hangers and displayed nicely, this way you won’t have to keep refolding clothes that are laid out on a table, make sure all items are clean and set everything up in a orderly fashion, and like items are together, make sure everything is priced, I use the string tags for pricing as the sticker tags will come off if it is hot and humid, on clothing just hang the tag around the top of the hanger. Place an ad in your local paper, make it sound good,
Like first time ever garage sale and list a few of your best items, plus clothing sizes ….also make sure that your yard is well marked with signs and balloons catch peoples attention, if you are off of a main highway be sure to mark where to turn with yard sales signs and the balloons frequently so people will know where to turn and will follow the signs, be sure to list the hours you will be open and how many days. Just use 8ft tables to set all but the clothing on and keep a good walk thru pattern so that you will have a nice flow and walkways aren’t crowded…..good luck with your yard sale, and be sure to advertise!
I agree totally with the comments already posted but would like to offer some other advice. Decide before hand what you want the outcome to be, ie everything gone, or only sell for the price marked. People will only come if there are bargains and everything is only worth what people will pay for it.
I ran a car boot sale and made an error. I refused a price of £4 for a baby gate as I wanted £5. I would have ended up with a gate I didnt want or need and I could have made £4, instead of nothing. The next person who offered me £4 I ripped his arm off. I sold things for what I could get, not what I wanted. I finished the day with over £80 and nothing left. I wanted rid of my old stuff and I achieved that as well as making money too. You just have to decide what outcome you want, and make it happen.
ADVERTISE!!
Price everything……..like items together…..(books, toys, games, shoes, shirts, pants, dishes, pots & pans, electronics, knickknacks, cd’s, furniture……etc.)
ADVERTISE!!
Yard sale signs……”clearly” printed BOLD letters….so people can see from their cars.
ADVERTISE!!
Placement of signs……intersections….
bulletin boards…
grocery stores, laundry mats…church..etc.
ADVERTISE!!
Advertise in local newspapers….radio (if possible)…internet.
Myself……if I see a lot of ‘toys’….’baby’ items…’clothes’….I will most likely pass it by. (Hey that’s me) Other’s are looking for these items.
But if there are lots of knickknacks and other items…I’ll most likely stop….who knows I might end up with toys or clothes.
Advertise……..and then make sure to TAKE DOWN ALL YOUR SIGNS!!!!!!
1st off, do you plan on advertising it?
2ndly, for most exposure to get folks to your sale, from years of experience, use flourescent poster board-4 sheets for $1 at Dollar General-
Some folks like items similar grouped together, like all new stuff together, all sporting goods together, all clothing together as well all look for specific things eomtimes-if I pass by yard sale that has tons of clothes everywhere-I don’t bother stopping anymore, sorry to say-wide assortment of things will attract more buyers-new, old, etc-
PRICE stuff to sell-don’t get greedy as you are only having sale for few days to a week, right? You only have one chance to sell stuff-depending on why you are having sale-are you doing suich to GET rid of stuff or do you NEED MONEY or what do you plan to do with leftovers??
Price cheap, fairly, If you plan on or want to sell stuff-alot of garage sale people are museums, they price their stuff nOT competively-
I sell clothing for 25 cents to $1-some sell jeans, better stuff for more-depends on how much you have, sizes very important, too-if you have PLUS sizes, make sure to note such in newspaper listing-better stuff like a fur coat for $25 (mind you, after trying to sell sheared beaver for 5 months here in Florida, time to list online)
ORGANIZZE your clothes, known fact, more people buy stuff on hangers, rather then bending down to scrounge through pile on tarp or blanket on the ground
Show bargain priced stuff with CLEAR signs so when people drivbe to your sale, they’ll be enticed to come and see stuff rather than go onto next sale down the street or whatever
I usually find some attraction getters, stuff I can sell at BIG BARGAIN price to lure people to my stuff-last week, I had brand new local store closeout14.95 t-shirts, bright, nice parrots, flamingos, summery fashion designs in Xl-3XL for just $3-
I had $1 folding chairs, I had labeled such to attract buyers, also out front great priced stuff-I had jewelry I had at last sale for $3-6 marked down to clearance for $1
I priced a working electric dryer for $25-visible price from road, ditto for $10 tabole, chairs set
Don’t throw anything out PRIOR to the sale nor afterwards-if you get into knack of having sales, doing such detracts from sales-a friend of mine does such, so why BUY stuff as they KNOW he will throw out afterwards?? Like new dishwasher, had for free, another recliner, nothing wrong with it to curb…
After the sale, make list on craigslist or local Yahoo group for garage sales offering leftovers-it’s free advertising and you get totally different crowd of buyers
Hope this helps!
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