This time of year is my favorite for two reasons: First, after I’ve spring cleaned my house, I can now host a yard sale to make money. Second, I take that money and hit up other garage sales!
Did you know that the total weekly revenue from garage sales in the U.S. is more than $4 million? This number is likely to increase since more people are getting into refinishing furniture and other antiques.
Here are 12 tips to help you make more money at your next garage sale!
Group Like Items Together
It not only helps shoppers find the items they’re looking for faster, but they’re more likely to buy multiple pieces.
Clean Your Items
Wash clothing that’s been stored, wipe glassware and furniture, spritz fabrics with Febreeze, wax antique furniture and polish any silver and copper you’re selling. Don’t spend a lot of time on items; just do some basic cleaning to make items appear more valuable.
Partner up
Consider hosting a multi-family garage sale, or organize a yard sale with your neighbors. More buyers will be attracted to larger sales because of the variety of items.
TIP: To keep track of everyone’s sales, have each family’s items priced with a different colored sticker!
Advertise Everywhere
Place notices on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, signs on every corner in your neighborhood and busier areas of town, run an ad in the paper – wherever you can advertise for nearly nothing to bring people to your yard sale. Use bright or neon colored signs throughout the neighborhood.
Price Your Goods
Price your items. Most people will haggle, but for shoppers who are more introverted, an item that’s not priced might mean a lost sale.
Price Larger Items Slightly Higher
This will give you more room for negotiation. Smaller items, such as kid’s clothing or books, might fetch no more than $.50 to $1 — so keep that in mind.
Offer Refreshments
Have a table with free or low-priced cookies and lemonade near the table where shoppers will pay for their items. It will give them more of a reason to stick around longer.
Accept Alternative Payments (PayPal, Square, or Venmo)
This will be especially helpful to shoppers that want to purchase larger items and may encourage people to buy more items.
Try to Package Your Deals
When talking to your shoppers, offer them deals if they buy more than one item, such as a whole set of dishes or a chair with a desk.
TIP: For items like books or movies, price them per box. Put 5-10 in a small box and price the whole box. Or, place empty bags or boxes nearby and let them fill up the box for a set price!
Catalog Items
Have a catalog of heavy items. If there are items that you’re selling, but are too heavy to carry, have a catalog or photos posted with pricing.
Move the Sale
If your house is in a rural area that doesn’t see much traffic, talk to a friend or family member about hosting the sale at their house. Place the largest and most expensive items closer to the street. This applies to seasonal items, furniture, yard décor, etc.
Good luck at your yard sale!
