How to Prepare for a Garage Sale

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You have collected so much stuff over the years or even over the last few months and you are somewhat overwhelmed by all the clutter. It is time to rid yourself of some of your excess baggage and make some cash in the process. Here are some useful tips to help you prepare for your garage sale.

1. What do you have to sell? First order of business is to do an inventory of the things that you need to get rid of. The clothes you haven’t worn in a year or two, pots and pans that can no longer fit into your kitchen cabinets, can all be destined for the garage sale heap.
2. Decide on a time for your sale. Select a date that is good for you and when you know with reasonable certainty that the weather will be pleasant. You will need help from family members and perhaps friends, so do ensure that you pick a day when you have available help.
3. Involve neighbors. Talk to your neighbors to find out if they would be interested in holding a garage sale at the same time as yours. This could mean  more traffic to your sale and you can share the cost and work involved in advertising. You may also want to ask friends and relatives to join your garage sale and bring their items to your location. The more you have to sell the more attractive and popular your sale will be.
4. Piggy back. If you know that your neighbor or a church in your area or close by is having a garage sale, try to set yours up for the same time. This way you can increase the traffic to your sale and you may not even have to advertise.
5. Sort. Sort your items into categories. Throw out clothing  that is torn or stained. If you are selling furniture or electronics ensure that they are tested and in working order. If you plan to sell items that are damaged or not functioning properly,  indicate this on your tag and price it accordingly.
6. Price. This is the tricky part. Unfortunately there are some who feel that they can become instantly wealthy off a garage sale and   price many items too high. Just remember that people attend garage sales for bargains; if there are no bargains they will leave and move on to the next garage sale. Check out some garage sales and see how certain items are priced and how quickly they are being sold.
7. Advertise.  Many people just open their garage door, place a sign and hope for the best. It is, however, important that you advertise and it doesn’t have to cost you anything. There are many places where you can advertise your garage sale for free. Check online and with your local community newsletters. You can also place notices on your local community boards, at work, or at  the local mall.
8. Make signs. One of my biggest pet peeves when looking for garage sales is the poor quality of signs. If signs  are too small, illegible and poorly placed, they serve no useful purpose. I usually drive right on by these signs. When making signs to place on street corners or boulevards(where allowed), ensure that they are bold, attractive and contain relevant information, like the time, location and arrows. 
9. The night before. This is the time to get your street signs and directions up. Ensure that you have enough change for the sale and that everything is tagged and ready to go. If your sale is in a garage, you have the advantage of setting everything up before hand. If it is in your yard, setting up  will have to wait until the morning of the sale.
10. Sale day. Now it is time to make some money. Allow sufficient time to ensure everything is properly set up before the start of the sale. You don’t want to be running back and forth looking for bags or change when customers are crowded around your tables. You also want to get started on time, as advertised.

Preparing for a garage sale is hard work but when done properly the rewards are great. A garage sale can be a wonderful social event where you get to reconnect with your neighbors and meet new people, and yes, make some money.