AH, summer, the season of Garage sales! They are a fantastic way to get rid of all your junk, no longer used items, and hopefully, make a little money! They can be simple to plan and run (if you know what you’re doing), or they can be a massive pain in the butt. Luckily for you, this handy little guide will help you through
1. Give yourself plenty of time.
The biggest thing you can do to ensure a fantastic garage sale is to give yourself plenty of prep time. Deciding that you are going to have a garage sale this weekend will eventually leave you feeling stressed, and your sale will probably end up being unorganized, leaving you less room to be relaxed and make money. So, give yourself at least two to three weeks to decide that you are having a sale so that you can prep!
2. Choose the right time for your sale
Saturdays and Sundays are the obvious choices for the day mid-week sales probably won’t perform well because they are unexpected. Still, Thursday and Friday evening sales are an excellent alternative to a weekend sale if you don’t have time on the weekends. If you decide to have a Thursday or Friday sale, have it in the evening so people can swing by after work!
Weekend sales do best when they start in the mornings, either 8:00 or 9:00, and end in the early to mid-afternoon. Many people like to get their yard sale shopping done before the day gets super hot!
3. Check to see if you need a city permit
Some cities require you to get a permit for your sale. If you need one and are caught without, it could spell trouble! All it takes is a quick search on your city’s website. Even if your city doesn’t require a permit, it may have other stipulations for sales. So make sure to check you are following all the regulations!
4. Get all your stuff together and organize it into categories
Compile all the things you want to sell, and manage them, so that alike items are together! Take photos of a few special items to help you with the next step.
5. ADVERTISE!
You will probably want to start one or two weeks ahead to build up anticipation and get on people’s yard sale schedules. Many people use the Facebook marketplace for advertising. Just make sure that you post those photos you took while organizing!
There are also a few yard sale search engines, so try posting on there! People dedicated to yard sales comb those sites for the most promising-looking deals. Yard Sale Treasure Map and Garage Sale Finder are great apps people like to use.
6. Make some signs
Make some eye-catching signs, and stick ’em everywhere! Include the day and time of your sale as well as the location. Setting a sign out about a week before your sale will garnish attention from people in your area often. Look through Pinterest for creative ideas!