De-cluttering the house and garage can be time-consuming and difficult, especially when it comes to deciding what personal items and belongings you’re ready to part with. If you’re not ready to throw something in the garbage, or you’re simply looking to free up space, giving your once-loved items a new home is a win-win situation for both sellers and bargain-hunters.
Many people looking to offload some old furniture or artwork may not even realise they could be sitting on a pot of gold. Due to the rise of online marketplaces, people have access to buy whatever they want with just one click of the mouse. The value of older, rarer and possibly antique items, which can no longer be bought online, are more valuable than ever – and could be sitting in your garage covered in dust.
Hosting a garage sale is a great way to pass-on belongings that you still believe have value and could spark joy for someone else, but no longer fit into your lifestyle.
To throw the ultimate garage sale, we’ve compiled a list of tips that will have the whole neighbourhood flocking to your front yard.
1. Like any event, timing is key. This applies to which day of the week, time of year, and what other events are happening at the same time you’re planning to host your garage sale.
Coming out of the Summer months into Autumn is a great time to host an outdoor garage sale; the weather is starting to cool down which means more people are outside either exercising, tending to their gardens, repairing their homes or just enjoying the last of the warm sunshine before the cooler weather hits. Saturday is the most common day of the week to host garage sales; people are energised, ready for the weekend and more likely to be out of the house.
2. Building momentum and awareness of your event is crucial. This means a little advertising can go a long way a week before your sale. Distribute flyers to your local cafés and shops, share on your social media accounts (and get your friends to share it too!) and try to bring it up in conversations with neighbours. Eye-catching signs around the area will also help to drive traffic on the day of the sale.
3. When it comes to the actual sale, make sure the layout is organised and easy for customers to follow. Separating items into categories and putting up signs (e.g. furniture, artwork, kids clothing etc.) will help direct buyers to exactly what they’re after.
4. Have prices of each item visible on the table. Although this does mean a little extra preparation, it will save time on individual negotiations for each item. The best way to do this is to go through what you’re selling a few days before and do some research on how much similar items are selling for.
5. Have a sausage sizzle and bake sale on the day. The smell of a sausage sizzle will attract and entice people walking past to stop by and take a look at what’s going on. Hosting a bake sale is also a great way to get the community involved. Choose a charity to donate the proceeds of the bake sale to and ask if a few friends or family are willing to bring something for the table.
6. A well-stocked kitty with enough change (coins and $5, $20, $50 notes) to make sure you’re never short of change is a must. You could also consider taking payments via PayPal. If you’ll be taking non-cash payments, remember to advertise it before and on the day.
While it will require some effort, the garage sale will result in a clean, and tidy garage to convert into whatever space you like. Think games room, home gym, or even a spot for an extra car – the possibilities are endless!
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