Garage Sales

It's that time of year. The birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming, and Spring is in the air. That means...time for Spring cleaning. About this time every year I start itching to deep clean, declutter, and shop for new Spring outfits. A Garage Sale is the perfect way for me to satisfy all of these cravings.

So - most would probably agree that Garage Sales aren't really that fun. They require work: collecting items, advertising, pricing, setting up, getting up early, selling the items, and then cleaning up the mess. HOWEVER- a Garage Sale is a great way to get rid of your unused/unwanted items and make a little extra Spring spending money.

Here are some ways to keep your garage sale "in good order"...

• Keep a container labeled "Garage Sale" nearby all year. As you come across things in your house you don't want, toys that aren't played with, and clothes that have gone unworn- toss them in the container. My container typically turns into a mound, which signifies to me that it is time to have a sale. Keeping a pile going throughout the year makes preparing for a garage sale much less daunting.
  
• Organize your sale items by type (electronics, decorating items, clothing, baby supplies) and display your items in an attractive way - try not to make it look cluttered. Remember, you are trying to sale your "junk", so make it look nice and appealing.
  
• Combine infant clothing & small items into baggies and label the outside with the size and your asking price.

• Use color coded stickers instead of hand pricing all your items. You still have to put a sticker on each of your items, but it keeps you from having to manually write a price. Color coded stickers are also great for keeping up with your profit when multiple sellers are involved in your sale.



• Price to sell and be ready to bargain. Remember...it is a garage sale so you can't mark your items too high, BUT be sure to leave yourself plenty of room to bargain. Count on it - people are going to try to get you to come down off your asking price (but STAND firm on those items you know are valuable - like the lady today who asked me if I would take $5 for the brand new crib mattress...UM, NOOOOO!!!!!...I stood firm and she bought it for my original price).


• Towards the end of your sale, run a clearance. The last 30-45 minutes mark down your items. The object is to get rid of your stuff!


• Last, BUT MOST IMPORTANT...DO NOT let the clutter back into your house. Do something with your remaining items that day- DO NOT WAIT. Box it up and give it to Goodwill, donate it to a family in need, list it on Ebay immediately, or donate your clothing to a school or daycare. Whatever you do, DON'T let it back in your house. (If they are good items that you think would sell, you could place them back in your container for your next garage sale.)

Over all, I would classify our Garage Sale as a success. We got rid of a ton of stuff, gave a little away, hauled some off to Good-Will, and profited $300.00 for Spring Shopping. Not too shabby for a cold, rainy, holiday weekend.