Tips for having a Garage Sale

[HappyMommy2]

We had a garage sale this weekend, and did great money-wise ($500 vacation funds! whoo hoo!) .... however, I did learn a few things for next time.

I'm sure you frugal mamas will have additional advice to share!

1. Open at 7 or 8am.
We advertised that we opened at 10 so we would have time to set everything out. People were there scrounging through the bags by 8 am! We even missed a couple giant bags in the garage since we got a little flustered with all the antique early birds!!

2. Have a Free pile.
And advertise it! People love free stuff! We had bags of clothes etc. that wasn't nice enough to sell, and people took it. Saved us a trip to the salvation army! At the end of the day, I put lots more stuff in it, and posted a "curb alert" on Craigslist. It was gone by noon the next day!

3. Put up lots of signs.
I made 15 signs with magic markers and neon stickers. My husband drove to many main intersections.

4. Advertise different stuff on Craigslist.
I put up a general yard sale ad on CL. But I also put specific stuff in "electronics", and "baby stuff" etc. Since I didn't duplicate items, I don't think this is a UAV. And it got a varied audience of customers.

Okay ... I can't resist one little vent. We think some people stashed stuff under their coats, or piled it under the "free" stuff even tho we had that section far away. I guess they need the stuff more than we do. sheesh. Other people folded down original price tags on things when asking me the price. Good grief!

I have about 200 kids clothes that didn't sell. Nice stuff hardly worn! But we only sold about 100 of them. I put 80 items on hangers. I was asking $1 each. Or 12 for $10. Is that too much?

Let's hear your tips mamas!!!

[eirual]

Have the kids do a lemonade stand. DS made over $40 with his @50 cents a glass....people gave him 1 or 2 dollar coins and told him to keep the change.

Categorize things (baby, electronics, household, furniture, etc.)

Be sure everything's priced in case you're busy with someone else.

Remember that sold for cheap is better than collecting dust at your house. Make someone's day and get rid of it!

I listed big ticket items on our signs....refrigerator, baby stuff, cell phones...

Don't walk away from your money. I happened to have a waitressing apron, but a fany pack or little purse would be good.

Say a friendly hello to everyone.

[dagny.galt]

-- Put large "high demand" items where they can be seen from the street. I've been on both sides of this...if the visible stuff doesn't look like anything special/useful, people looking for something in particular aren't as likely to stop.

-- Make sure everything is easy to reach and not cluttered or crammed all together. Borrow tables or other flat surfaces for extra space if you need to.

-- Put like-item "lots" or "grab bags" in boxes or containers for one price for all. (I bought a big box of misc. seeds, decorative rocks, and tiny windchimes this way at the last sale I went to...none of it would have sold for much alone, if at all, but the grab bag box was worth it.)

-- Advertise in less "mainstream" places...Craigslist, freecycle if you have a lot of free stuff or expect a lot of after-sale leftovers, any local Yahoo (or other) sale/bargain groups, even your local stores/message boards if possible (my small-town grocery store has a bulletin board you can post on, for example)

[IntuitiveJamie]

Here in Mississippi, if you don't open by 5 AM you are too late. Waaay too late.
In fact, the way ppl do it here is have everything set up in their garage the night before, wake up b/n 4-4:30AM, open the garage door and sit in their living room waiting for the insane garage sale shoppers to come that early. And they do! There will always be some by 4, but no later than 5 AM.