by Leann Zotis

Created on: July 14, 2010   Last Updated: September 02, 2010

One of the most popular ways to unload some of the accumulated junk that usually manages to find its way, unbidden, into our lives is to hold a garage sale.  Those items you consider trash may be exactly what someone else is looking for to fill a need.  With a little luck and planning you may find yourself with a tidy profit and a clean garage at the end of the day for your efforts as well.

Holding a successful garage sale is rarely coincidental.  A fair amount of thought and planning must go into the timing and the execution of your project, whether this is your first attempt at this project or your twenty-first.

1)       Choose the date for your garage sale carefully.  In many communities the major summer holidays of Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day are big holiday travel times.  You won’t experience a good turnout if most your neighbors or potential customers are out of town.

2)      Consider coordinating your garage sale with one or more additional families.  The more stuff you have to offer for sale, the more foot traffic you are likely to experience.

3)      Advertise for a few weeks before the event.  Word of mouth, bulletin board postings in the neighborhood grocery store or an advertisement in your local penny pincher newspaper will attract people who enjoy shopping at garage sales as a form of recreation.

4)      Take time to price your items for sale, affixing a price sticker to each item you are selling.  If people have to interrupt your discussion with another customer to ask the price on something, they may not want to be bothered and may just keep on moving.

5)      Encourage “early birds.”  Your goal is to sell this stuff, after all.  Professional flea market junkies like to show up early to get their pick of the best merchandise to buy for the purpose of reselling at a slightly higher price themselves.  You may be able to start your day off with a lucrative sale, setting the pace for the rest of the day.

6)      Be willing to negotiate.  Many people who frequent flea markets and garage sales do so for the sheer enjoyment of haggling over the price of something.  Build a little “wiggle room” into your posted price of items so you still feel like you received a fair price for your merchandise.

7)      Be realistic in your expectations.  No one is going to pay a premium price for the sentimental value you attach to Aunt Mildred’s old lamp or that pile of outgrown baby clothes you’ve been holding onto for five years.  Your goal is to clean house and make a little money in the process.  Don’t lose sight of your ultimate goal while you’re trying to squeeze the last fifty cents out of a sale.

8)      Consider offering fresh lemonade to your potential customers as they browse.  It may encourage them to stay longer and they may be inclined to purchase “a little something” in payback.

The best tip of all for conducting a successful garage sale is to approach it with an attitude of fun.  You wouldn’t be doing this if you didn’t want to, so try to look for the positive aspects of the day.

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