Decluttering Is a hugely important part of the entire moving process, and one of the best ways to lessen the cost is to stay organized and streamline your entire process. But what do you do with all of this cleared-out stuff?
You could always donate it to help a good cause or give them away to a member of your family or friend group. However, too many people just throw out their decluttered items to get them out of the way, without not only thinking about the wastefulness that’s afoot with such actions, but also the potential money they could be missing out on. If you don’t feel like donating your used items that are still in good condition, a great way to get rid of many items at once while making some of your money back is by holding a garage sale.
If you’re interested in holding a garage sale, but maybe lack experience or just have never held a garage sale before, we’ll help you figure out where to start and how to properly begin the planning process. Plus, we’ve also got the best tips for maximizing your sales so you don’t have to figure out what to do with any leftover items!
Why Hold a Garage Sale?
If your house is full of unnecessary items you don’t want to pack up or move with, it can easily get overwhelming to try and figure out what to do with all of these excess items. However, this is the perfect time to hold a garage sale or a sidewalk sale.
Garage sales are extremely convenient for those looking to get rid of a lot of items at once, and are a win-win for sellers and buyers alike. With garage sales, the seller can get cash or payment upfront from buyers who will appreciate and use their forgotten items, and then don’t have to worry about selling them online, donating them, or throwing them out. It essentially takes all of the work out of finishing up your decluttering process – plus you make some money back on items you didn’t want or need anyway.
The buyer, they’re benefiting thanks to the cool find they buy from your forgotten items and can get their new favorite heirloom or piece of furniture for cheap. Plus, there’s something for anyone. Whether a seller or buyer, having a garage sale is an easy win-win that will allow you to sell even the most niche items easily. Remember, there’s a market for even your most forgotten-about items! Give them good homes instead of creating waste with a post-declutter garage sale.
How to Get Ready for a Garage Sale?
If your house just looks like a disorganized mess with all of your decluttered items crowded up the spaces you need to pack and organize your move-in, having a garage sale as soon as possible will easily let you enjoy your monetary gain while focusing back on the tasks at hand – packing and moving!
If you’ve never done a garage sale before, it can be tough to know how to plan it or just where to start in selling your items, especially if you live a little out of the way of the main traffic. Don’t worry though, we’ve got all of the best tips for putting on a garage sale successfully.
· Declutter
Though we’d assumed you’ve already begun the process of cleaning out your closets and eliminating household items from being brought with you on your move, maybe you
haven’t begun the declutter process yet. And that’s ok! However, it is the first step in getting ready for your garage sale. You do need things to sell, and to know what you’re selling in the first place!
Go through your closets, attics, basements, and general house to sort through old clothes, furniture, knick-knacks, and even items like china or dining items to see what should go to new homes. Remember, you don’t have to make any huge eliminations, but if something doesn’t serve you anymore or just doesn’t get used, you might want to sell it to someone who will use and appreciate whatever you’re selling.
Moving is the perfect time to do a deep clean and deep dive into your items and is also the perfect time to clear out and start fresh. Plus, planning a garage sale to get rid of your unwanted items will let you get a little money back out of it!
· Organize Decluttered Items
Once you’ve kicked off the process of planning a garage sale after clearing out and decluttering unwanted items, it’s time to sort and organize said items for the sale you’d like to have. Whether you’ve announced your garage sale yet or not, keeping organized will let you put only the best stuff you’ve got to offer up for sale.
Sort decluttered items into ‘give away’, ‘sell’, and ‘trash’. Though you could try to sell everything first, if you have a family member or friend who wants something in particular, or if certain items just aren’t in good enough shape to sell, it’s best to sort them accordingly and either give them away/donate or trash them.
Don’t worry about pricing any of your items just yet – this step is mainly to just sort your decluttered items to figure out what you’re putting up for sale in your garage sale, and what you’ll just be getting rid of initially.
· Start Planning
Garage sales can seem kind of awkward for those who have never had them before, but they’re incredibly useful and convenient for everyone involved. Start by setting a date for your sale (taking into account community events or other things that might conflict with the success of your sale), and figure out what time you’d like to start it.
Garage sales are best held on Saturday and Sunday mornings when people are out and about, but when it’s still cool out thanks to morning weather. A lot of people want to get any shopping, garage sales, or farmer’s markets out of the way early to get to the good stuff, so you’ll probably see increased business during this time. Another good time to have your garage sale is on the first weekend of the month since that’s when a lot of people’s paychecks have recently hit.
· Get Supplies
From pricing stickers to blank labels, you’ll want to have tools to keep your items sorted and pricing organized before your sale. Of course, you could just have people ask you the prices on items, but this would get tiring and awkward for you and your buyers alike fast. Try to get supplies to display and organize pricing that will also stand out to buyers
and make pricing stand out to them. If you want to group pricing for certain items, you can also save yourself the hassle of writing everything down and putting color-coded stickers by price on items.
It’s also a good idea to stock up on masking tape, permanent markers, and a small table and chair for you to have a station for paying setup. If you can’t try to have a lock box or some secure way of storing money from sales to keep it and yourself safe.
When planning the space for your sale, set up your table and chairs, as well as some blankets or tarps to lay things out on. Think of something that will keep things clean and protected, but that will still show them off to buyers.
· Set Garage Sale Pricing
When pricing items for your garage sale, try to come at things in the eye of the buyer. Of course, you’ll want to make back money from your items, but keep in mind that selling things for very reasonable or cheap pricing will let your items sell fast, and get money in your pocket that you wouldn’t have if you’d just left these items continually sitting around.
Try to think about how much you would realistically pay for your varied items if you were the one looking to buy at a garage sale, and what might be an incentive for people to make their purchases. Don’t make things so cheap that it wouldn’t be worth your while to put the sale on, but keep things realistic and reasonable.
For more valuable or expensive items, try looking up their pricing online and try to put them at roughly a third or a quarter of their initial cost (depending on their condition, of course). This will let you make money on something that was being left unused and unwanted, while also giving the buyer a great deal.
Another great way to get rid of a lot of stuff while incentivizing the buyer is by bundling. For example, someone might not want to buy a CD or DVD for $1 each, but might be reeled in by a 5 for 5 deal or a 2 for 2. For everything, try to make your pricing as attractive and enticing as possible to make the most sales you can.
How to Advertise a Garage Sale?
One of the hardest aspects of putting on a garage sale is getting the word spread around about it. Advertising a garage sale doesn’t have to have an entire marketing campaign behind it, however. Doing something as little as putting up roadside signs, flyers on community boards or at local coffee shops, and putting up some balloons to mark where your house is for those looking in your neighborhood will most likely be enough to entice buyers. If you live down a winding road or on an offshoot, try to include signs to direct cars or buyers to your place so they don’t get lost and give up.
Another great way to attract buyers to your garage sale is by posting in community Facebook groups or boards or buying advertising in the local paper. Remember, it’s just a garage sale – don’t try to go too overboard with it! Buyers are just attracted by the prospect of a garage sale. As long as you get the word out there, buyers will come!
How to Have a Garage Sale?
Now that you’ve organized and advertised your garage sale, it’s time to wait for the day of your sale! To prepare for your sale, try to have some cash on hand to start with to give people change for their purchases. This will let you start on a high point, instead of scrounging for change or having to make a last-minute run to the bank for small bills.
Be prepared to negotiate and haggle with some potential buyers. Some people will just buy your items at the prices listed on them or in their tier and be on their way, but others will try to take the deal a step further. Though you should always start out with appealing prices, odds are some buyers are going to negotiate price or haggle. It really depends on whether or not to indulge them, but always remember that these are items you want to get rid of! Don’t let your pricing get unreasonably low, but hear them out and see how comfortable you are with selling certain items at lower prices.
The most important thing when it comes to a garage sale is to sell off your unwanted or unused items while enjoying time with your family and staying safe. Having your family there will not only give you some much-needed company for your sale and in managing it, but will also give you some support and an added layer of safety during your sale. You are just attracting strangers to your lawn, after all! Most of all, try to have fun while making money at your sale! Garage sales are a great way to get rid of unwanted items, but can also let you talk to a lot of different people and have a good time or warm exchange with them. Enjoy your sale and remember not to take things too seriously!
Now that your decluttered items and home are garage sale ready, make sure you’re also ready to go in the most important part of your moving process – the move itself! Be prepared with the best local Chicago movers for your household items. Reebie Storage & Moving Co. will provide you with the best services and best value. We remain committed to our customers and their ultimate satisfaction. Learn more about our services and goals of providing all of our customers with the best move possible today.