Have a Garage Sale:

Garage sales are an ideal way to get rid of "junk", as part of our spring cleaning ritual, and make a little money at the same time. Here is a checklist for a successful garage sale.

Plan Your Garage Sale
Schedule a date for your sale, but give yourself at least two to three weeks to plan and organize the sale. You may want to set an alternate date, in the event of rain. Set a specific time for your sale (e.g. 8:00 AM), but be aware of early birds -- some are dealers. Try to hold your garage sale on weekends for maximum traffic, but avoid conflicts with long weekends, when many people are away. Contact your family, friends, and neighbours to see if they want to join you in the garage sale

Look For Things to Sell
Prepare for your garage sale by doing some spring-cleaning. Check your attic, basement, closets, garage, and other storage areas for items you no longer need or use. Ask your friends and relatives to see if they have any items they no longer want or need. Children's clothes, toys, books, antiques, appliances, and furniture usually sell the best.

Advertise For Success
Place a classified ad in your local newspaper. Specify a "rained out" date, if you wish. Ask for your garage sale kit, if it's available. Advertise, "Cash only" if that is your preference. In addition, post a "cash only" sign in a prominent location at your sale. Put up posters at the local Laundromat, grocery store, or other community bulletin boards. List key items that may attract customers. Investigate use of online classifieds or messages on your local free net or newsgroups. Put up signs at strategic locations, on the day of your sale, to direct customers to your sale. Be aware of local bylaws regarding sign postings on public property.

Price Your Items Appropriately
Be realistic when pricing your items. Check out other garage sales to get a feel for prices. As a general rule of thumb, start pricing at 30% of retail, but be prepare to discount prices -- if you really want to get rid of the item. Label all items with self-adhesive price tags. Use different colour labels for each family, or highlight with a colour marker, if more than one family is involved in the sale. For joint sales, keep a log of all items sold, according to your colour codes. Be prepared to bargain with your customers or reduce the price, if you really want to get rid of your items.


Set Up Your Items For Display
Make sure that all items are clean and in good shape. Arrange display tables for easy access and viewing. Make it attractive. Group similar items together in one area. Make it interesting. Hang up clothes in a temporary rack and sort by size. Provide an electrical outlet, if necessary, for customers to test appliances and electrical tools. Display books, CD's, videos, and record albums with spine up for easy readability. Set up a "freebies" box for items you wish to give away.