by Priscilla Benfield

Created on: July 11, 2010

Having a garage sale is a great way to get rid of items that you no longer need and make a few dollars while you are at it. Being successful at having a garage sale takes preparation and hard work, but if you do it right you will accomplish your goal.

If you look around your home, you can certainly find items that you have accumulated and no longer need. To have a successful garage sale, you need to do some preparation and the way to start is by making a list of items you have to sell.

Grab a pen and a notebook and start your list of items that you can easily think of that you would want to put in your yard sale. After you have exhausted thinking of items from memory, take a walk around your home and see what treasures you may have laying around.

Don’t forget the attic, basement and garage. Closets are another place where items go to be forgotten. Clothing and accessories that you haven’t used in a year or more should be on your “to go” list.

Once you figured out what you have to sell, it is time to prepare the items for sale. Running those infant clothes through the wash to freshen them up will make them more attractive to buyers. The same goes for anything that you are looking to sell. Spend the extra time to clean items to make them look worthy of any price you are going to ask for them. Clearly mark the price on the items and if you want, display signs stating that bargaining is welcome.

Speaking of pricing, here is where many fail when having a garage sale. Ask too little for an item and people think it is junk. Ask too much and they will not be interested. You need to find a middle ground when pricing your items. You can consider what you paid for something but do not expect to get that money back. Think about what it would cost to replace it and remember that the item is used. Ask a fair price and be willing to negotiate with prospective buyers.

Remember the goal of your garage sale is to rid your home of unwanted items. If you are too firm about a price, the chances are good that you will be lugging it back into your house.

The other way to make sure that your garage sale is a success is to make sure to advertise. Have the kids help out and make bold signs that state the time, date and address of the sale. You can hang these in your local supermarket, Laundromat and at intersections near your home. When picking the date for your sale, make sure that it does not conflict with events your town may be having such as a parade or a street fair , unless you live nearby and can hope to cash in on the extra foot traffic.

Make sure to have plenty of change for the day of the sale and provide plastic shopping bags for your customers. Prepare and have all your items clearly marked and you should have a successful garage sale.

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