by Barb Hopkins

Created on: April 09, 2009

A successful garage sale can be fun, hassle-free, and result in extra cash through the sale of unwanted items. Garage sales should not be stressful or become a headache. Following a well-organized plan will enable even the novice seller to make money, clear out unwanted items, and even clean the garage, a task often procrastinated.

When organizing and hosting a garage, rummage or yard sale the well-organized plan begins by selecting a date to host the sale. A successful garage sale requires long-range planning. It is difficult to plan a sale in less than four weeks.

Mid-spring to early summer is the most popular time for garage sales. Many communities will host town-wide or sub-division wide garage sales in April, May or June. Having your sale during your town's sale will guarantee increased traffic resulting in better sales. Other good times to have a sale include holiday weekends like Memorial Day. It is best to avoid hosting a sale on the weekend of your local high school's graduation.

Once the date is set, an organizational timetable can be arranged.

*Four weeks before the sale.

Select the items to be sold. Designate one area of your home to be the holding area for the unwanted goods. Each time you put away laundry or pull a dish from a cabinet, take a good look and see if there is anything needs to be added to the sale. Set aside one day to clean out children's closets and toy areas. Children's items that are in fair to good condition sell extremely well at garage sales.

*Three weeks before the sale.

Begin organizing the sale items. Carefully look over clothing, checking for stains, rips, and other significant damage. If the damage is extensive, set aside or place it in a "free" bin. If a shirt has a small rip at the seam, sew it and it will have a better sale potential. Wash items that have been in storage and that might be musty.

Go through any games or puzzles and make sure all the pieces are included in the box. If any pieces are missing, tape a note on the box stating what is missing and reduce the price by 10 percent. Attach any owner's manuals to items like toasters, hair dryers, or other small appliances.

Arrange to borrow tables from friends, your church or another source, if needed. Begin planning the layout of your sale. Be sure to leave enough room for at least two people to fit in between tables. Determine what areas of the garage will be used as well as any area in front of the garage. If you plan to place tables or larger items outdoors, make sure

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