A garage sale can earn you plenty of extra money, but only if done properly. However, if you've never had a garage sale, knowing how to carry out one correctly can make you rather anxious or even nervous. But, you don't have to have a business license or an MBA to have a successful garage sale. Follow the simple tips below and you'll be raking in some extra cash at your next garage sale.

KNOW YOUR STUFF
Don't try to sell something that even you wouldn't buy yourself. Separate your items into "Like new," "Good," and "Trash bin" piles. Keep the "Like new" and "Good" items, while you can obviously trash the "Trash bin" pile. However, keep the "Like new" and "Good" piles separately. You'll be able to price them better if you do.

PRICING
Pricing is always key to a successful garage sale. If you overprice your items, you will not make very many sales. Remember, most of your items will have already been used or opened, and the buyers know this. Because they know this, they'll be expecting some really great deals. However, if you think that your items are in pretty good condition, then say so, and you should expect a pretty good price for them. However, always be ready to bargain with a buyer. Negotiating tends to lead to successful sales.

ADVERTISING
You don't need to pay a lot of money to advertise your garage sale. If you're active in your community, then you can definitely have people spread the word. You can also post flyers, but always remember where you are posting them and remember to take them down once the garage sale is over. Neighbors do not like having stray papers flying into their yards! On the same note, have a large cardboard side in front of your house stating "Garage Sale" in very big, very bold letters. Make sure that it is written on both sides to get the most attention.

PERSISTENCE & PATIENCE
Most of the time you will need to have a garage sale run for a few weeks. Don't expect to sell everything on the first or second day. Just keep the stuff that you don't sell and have another garage sale. If you don't sell something after a few garage sales, consider donating it or putting it into the trash bin. Chances are, it's out of fashion and no one will ever buy it.

Anyone can have a successful garage sale, if they put themselves into the shoes of a businessman. Remember, persistence, advertising, consumer relations, and pricing, are all key to executing a successful garage sale!

Learn more about this author, Joan Inong.
Click here to send author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about Tips for a successful garage sale?
We want to hear your view. Write now!