by Donna Thacker

Created on: July 09, 2010

Everyone has things they could easily get rid of. A garage sale is the perfect way to rid yourself of excess clutter. If you want to have a successful garage sale and make money doing it, there are certain things that need to be done to insure your success.

Plan the Garage Sale for Good Weather

This may take a bit of predicting on your part, but you should know your weather patterns for the time of year you are planning your garage sale. Buyers will not want to come browse a garage or yard sale when it is extremely hot outside, or extremely cold.

Choose a month that offers warm, mild temperatures so that their outdoor shopping will be pleasurable. Plan to set some lawn chairs out so that those who know you, or each other, can set and visit awhile. The longer they stay, the more they may buy!

Be Selective in What You Sale

We have all driven by what we thought was someone’s trash sitting out, only to find that it is a makeshift yard sale! That kind of display will not attract many customers. Look your unwanted items over and decide what is worthy of going to the yard sale or what just needs tossed in the trash.

If items have been stored make sure to wash them, clean them or straighten them up as best as you can. If it looks old and neglected, chances are you are not going to get much money for it. Clothing that is stained or ripped up should be discarded for the rag bag.

Advertise Your Garage Sale Early

Place ads in the local paper well in advance of your yard sale date. Print flyers from your computer and distribute them all over town. Put flyers in laundry mats, at grocery store bulletin boards or anywhere else you can think of.

If you go to other garage sales ask if you can leave a flyer on their tables that advertise your sale. Most garage sale enthusiasts are willing to help others advertise their sale. Check around your neighborhood and see if others may want to have a garage sale the same day.

Run your ads and flyers to say “area wide garage sales.” People will come if they think there are many sales right together. If you have some really good items, list those on your flyer to entice shoppers. Offer early bird specials such as 10% discount between 9:00 and 11:00. Everyone loves a bargain so your garage sale will be booming during those sale hours.

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