If you have a moving day approaching, you might need to dispose of a few things first. Getting rid of excess things from the house will save you some money and help you move efficiently, but also bring in some cash that might come in handy. Before we show you how to have a successful garage sale, let’s go through your home together and see what you should get rid of in the days leading up to the move.
Do You Need To Organize One?
This is a valid question for all of you who are new to moving or garage sale-ing. Perhaps you’re unsure whether you have enough things for a display to organize what could be called a ‘yard’ or a “garage sale.” The good thing about these two terms is that nothing limits you on how many items you can sell. Even if you have just a couple of chairs and some kitchenware, you can still try and sell those to neighbors walking by.
You Can Sell Anything
There is also no limit on what you can put on display. Yard sales are similar to flea markets; you never know what you can find.
What Items To Put On Display
So even if you have some old clothing or something that the kids have outgrown, don’t be shy to put those up for sale as well. As long as it helps you get rid of the unnecessary moving load, it’s good for everyone involved. Plus, with fewer things, you will spend less on the packing process, and consequently, the overall cost of interstate moving will be lower.
Price Your Items Correctly
Most people have trouble with pricing items they want to sell in this flea fair. If you’ve ever been to one, you might have noticed that prices aren’t exactly steep. You could get a working vacuum cleaner for $20-30, a nightstand for $35, and t-shirts for two bucks each. Here are some guidelines if you still aren’t sure how to discount your stuff:
Remember The Rhyme
It’s important that you have this rhyme in mind: the price needs to be low so that everything can go. Your ultimate goal here is to get rid of as many things as you can. Therefore, you can’t expect to get a great amount for the object you’re selling.
How Much Cash Can You Expect
Usually, the things on a street market go for one-tenth of the price, which means you can’t expect an absurd profit. You can still make a lot of cash, just not as much as you would if you were selling brand new things.
Money vs. Value
Plus, used things can be very difficult to appraise, so be careful when doing that. There may be a discrepancy as to how much you value an item, compared to how much it’s actually worth. Appliances are relatively easy to price, but something that has sentimental value, like an art piece, might be more difficult.
More Money-Related Tips
Plenty of things can be bought and sold for cash. However, most people have no clue how to get the most of what they have. On the other hand, there are some things that you might feel awkward trying to monetize, so here are some tips regarding money issues that you may come across:
One-Year Rule
People often take it as a given when something’s on sale, and don’t think twice before buying it. If you used to think that money wasn’t an issue, go through your home and set aside all the things that you haven’t used in a year or longer. We guarantee you that you will be astonished to find just how many things we own, but hardly ever use. These can be the perfect deals for your customers and a huge relief for you, earning on trinkets that you rarely, if ever use.
Make Sure You Definitely Don’t Need the Items You’re Selling
Before organizing your own street market, you may want to check a couple of things. Perhaps your new home comes with built-in storage space, wardrobes, and cabinets that are already there. You need to know if you have a fully decked out kitchen waiting for you there so that you can sell your old microwave oven out of your garage. Don’t go into this rushing, but make sure things are going to go smoothly with your efforts.
Do You Hoard?
If you recognize yourself as one of those who latently hoard a lot of stuff, be sure we aren’t here to judge you. We are here to offer you a tip on how to turn that bad habit into something good. Maybe you have a box of stamps somewhere or figurines that you used to collect but gave up long ago. It will be difficult to get rid of them, but you will feel better selling them, for sure.
You Can Also Donate
There are plenty of ways you can save money, and hosting this event for your neighbors is one of them. You can also donate to charity and help people in need, while also diminishing your moving load and hence your moving bill.
Giving Away For Free?
Some items may be damaged, but you never got around to dispose of them. If you don’t feel comfortable putting a price on some things that are visibly too damaged or old, you can put them in the free pile. Nearly every event like this has a free pile now, which supports the idea that you don’t have to monetize everything.
Advertising Your Garage Sale
The success of your garage sale depends on various circumstances, and one of the most important ones is how well you will be able to advertise it. It may not be enough to mention it to the neighbors passing by on their way to work – it likely won’t stick. Here is a tip or two on how to become more visible:
Put Up Signs Or Leaflets
It’s a good idea to have signs around your neighborhood that point to your yard and announce your flea fair and the date and time. However, you might not have a place to advertise like this, so you may want to print some leaflets. Not a ton of them, about 40-50 leaflets would be enough. You will need to distribute them around and place them on advertising panels in your local stores. If your community has a Facebook page, you can advertise the event there, as well.
Neat Display
The second important thing you can make sure of is that the yard looks neat. You are more likely to attract customers if your display resembles a store or a market stand, then just a pile of unwanted items. Perception is key when you’re trying to sell something, so take a few extra minutes to set things up in a way that would look inviting.
Don’t Haggle
It’s vital to have prices clearly stated on the item. If you can, find a unique price for similar types of objects (for example, kids’ toys) and try not to prolong your selling by haggling with people. It may look tacky and put off some other customers.
Final Tip on How to Have a Successful Garage Sale
We have more practical tips up our sleeve, so keep your eyes peeled. We are not giving away free stuff, but free moving tips are nearly as good.
When Is The Best Date and Time For A Garage Sale?
The question of when is the right time is an intricate one. You may be worried about the season, if it’s going to rain, or what time the neighbors will be home. Let’s break it down to this:
If your moving day is a month or two away, you have a bit more time to relax and plan this thoroughly with all the abovementioned tips we shared. Ideally, you would pick a date during the long weekend when everyone’s at home. The timing is vital, too, since most people sleep late on a weekend morning, the best time to start rounding up your things in the yard would be around noon.
Weather Conditions
If you’re in a rainy season, you might be rethinking this whole feat. However, if you can’t organize to have your yard sale on a sunny day, you can make sure to hold it during the rush hour when you’re certain someone would be walking/driving by.
Let’s Sum It Up
Now that you have plenty of information on how to have a successful selling endeavor, you only need a little help from your family members to set it up. Once you’ve gotten rid of the majority of things that were cluttering your home, you can have a clean and systematic relocation experience and you can get professional moving services, including packing and storage for a lower price. You will feel lighter and relieved, but will also have some extra cash to support your transition into a new life.
