In a strange sort of way, garage sales are a kind of rite of the passing of Canada’s long and dreary winter, a sign that life outside the confines of the home is alive again.
In neighbourhoods across the country it’s not uncommon to see the front yards of homes littered with all sorts of furniture, books, records, clothing, toys, jewellery and other personal and home goods for sale.
Having a garage sale is not hard to do. All it takes is some time, a few organizational skills and bit of advertising and you’re on your way to turning the stuff you no longer want into some cash.
The old saying that there is strength in numbers also can apply to garage sales. Talk to your neighbours and friends to see if they want to participate in a group sale. You will increase your chance of attracting more buyers by having a wider selection of goods for sale and you can split the cost of advertising. It can be more fun too.
Timing and pricing are important. Generally, it’s not a good idea to hold a sale on a long holiday weekend when a lot of people are likely to be away.
Price each item clearly and lump products like books together, pricing paperbacks at 50 cents each and hard covers at a dollar.
Use increments of 25 cents to make calculating final prices and giving change easier, and always have lots of spare change available before you start.
Set your prices but be willing to negotiate. If the purpose is to free up space and get some cash, remember to be flexible on price. If you feel that you’re not getting an acceptable price on an item, try using an internet auction site to sell it. Don’t feel like the garage sale is your last resort.
People love BOGO (buy one get one free) sales. They’re used in retail stores to entice customer to purchase multiple items and they can work in garage sales as well with books, videos and records.
You want to be sure that everything you are selling is clean and in good working condition.
Clean your dishes and glasses, buff up any leather goods, and do any minor repairs that are needed. It may sound like a lot of work, but it can result in more cash at the end of the day.
It pays to advertise. Bargain hunters start checking the newspaper early to plan their route. Most newspapers have a garage sale section at lower rates.
Run your advertisement the day before and the morning of your sale, highlighting the major categories and/or brands of goods that you will be offering. And don’t forget to include the date and times of the sale and your street address.
Since you’re already doing a lot of work to get everything together, it may make sense to have your sale over two days, such as a Friday afternoon and evening and then Saturday morning. You may be able to attract more customers.
Signage is important as well. Some real estate companies have garage sale signs that you can borrow.
When putting out signs, select high-traffic areas of your neighbourhood and around the streets that will guide people to your sale. Use a piece of thick cardboard cut from a box with your street and house number in large print that people can see.
How you present what you have to sell is very important.
Avoid putting items in boxes on the ground. Not many people will bend over or kneel down to dig through it.
Hang clothing like dresses, suits, skirts, blazers, coats and jackets and neatly fold items like sheets, draperies, blankets and bedspreads.
Give your sale what real estate people call curb appeal. Place your most appealing items near the street so people driving by can see them.
Display complete sets of dishes instead of just one. Seeing is believing and potential buyers will want to see each piece in the set.
Bargain hunters like to know there are a lot of good things to choose from, so take the time to set everything up nicely.
Once your sale is over, remove the signs and clean up everything from the lawn. Your neighbours will appreciate it and latecomers won’t be endlessly ringing your doorbell.
Besides generating cash, garage sales can be fun.
So get a hot cup of coffee, a comfortable chair and have some fun while making some extra cash at the same time.
Talbot Boggs is a Toronto-based business communications professional who has worked with national news organizations, magazines and corporations in the finance, retail, manufacturing and other industrial sectors.