Warmer weather brings many fun activities. It’s often a popular time to hold garage sales. It’s exciting to have the chance to find hidden gems around town and give belongings a new home. Having a garage sale is also a great opportunity to earn some extra money.¹ If you’re thinking about holding a sale of your own, here are a few tips to boost your success.

Be prepared

Get everything you need for your sale ready in advance.² Decide what you want to try to sell, have pricing worked out and supplies ready to go. Most importantly, make sure a garage sale is allowed in your neighborhood. Check to see if there are certain rules to follow in your neighborhood. It’s not often necessary, but you should research to see whether you’ll need a permit or not. Having all your ducks in a row beforehand can help ensure that everything will run smoothly when the time comes.

Advertise

Drive traffic to your sale by advertising beforehand.³ You can always go with the good old yard signs with the time and date(s) of your sale. Another good idea would be to post about it on social media, including sharing it to community groups on Facebook®. Ask friends and family to share your status update to spread the news. If you have permission, you could also display fliers at local shops and restaurants.

Set hours that provide plenty of time

When you’re prepping for a garage sale, plan to give up a whole day or weekend to do it. You’ll likely be more successful on the weekends, as people often have more free time. Even still, people will probably have a few things on their schedules. If you start out in the morning and go into the evening, you’ll be giving customers a wide window to work into their day. Giving people plenty of time to show up can help boost your sales.

Put your best stuff forward

It can be difficult to part ways with our belongings, especially nice items or something you invested in. But if you no longer need, want or use them, it’s time to give them a new home. Pull people in by displaying your best items prominently and towards the front of your setup. If someone easily sees something that intrigues them, they may be more likely to make a purchase.

Avoid overpricing

It can be tricky trying to figure out how to price the items⁴ you’re putting up for sale. It’s important to take into consideration the quality, age and type of item when setting a price. It may be tempting to set a high price on a beloved item, but if it doesn’t accurately reflect its worth, try to be more reasonable. Customers might not be inclined to make a purchase if they see something is overpriced. Do some research and see what similar items are going for on online marketplaces. But feel free to leave room for some bartering.

The views expressed by the articles and sites linked in this post do not necessarily reflect the opinions and policies of Cash Central or Community Choice Financial® .

Sources:

¹Lamberti, Patty. (2022, Jun 1). Retrieved from: https://www.moneyunder30.com/how-to-make-the-most-money-from-a-garage-sale

²Ramsey Solutions. (2023, Apr 28). Retrieved from: https://www.ramseysolutions.com/saving/garage-sale-tips

³Martucci, Brian. (2022, Apr 26). Retrieved from: https://www.moneycrashers.com/successful-garage-sale-tips/

⁴Marandola, Matt. (2022, Jun 23). Retrieved from: https://www.angi.com/articles/ultimate-garage-sale-pricing-guide.htm