Tis the season of garage sale and yard sales! Bring on the shoppers, bargain hunters and curious neighbors.
Is a garage sale or yard sale a regional term? In my area we call a garage sale – a garage sale and a yard sale – a garage sale!Over the years I have had a few garage sales and each sale has run smoother, quicker and generated increased revenue.
These are my top tips to run a successful garage sale, keep your sanity and clean out the house.
Garage Sale Tips
Free Advertising With Online Garage Sale Ads
This is where the internet is a wonderful thing indeed. Free websites now allow your garage sale to be advertised with photos.
Advertising your garage sale with online garage sale advertising also attracts the serious buyers which is a bonus that saves your time and generates revenue. Maps are included with the ad which can assist buyers to find your location.
Where To Place Ad For Garage Sale
Locate sites such as , Garage Sale Finder, Yard Sale Ad, Garage Sales By Map , YardSales and place your free ad. Craigslist is the next free technology stop for garage sale advertising. Photos can be also be used on Craigslist. Do you have a neighborhood social media site such as Nextdoor? Place a free Event for your neighbors to easily view the details of your sale and directions.
Include Photos With Your Garage Sale Ad
Always include photos with your ad to attract and target customers. We had an old pile of landscaping rocks stashed in the garage taking up space and attracting chipmunks. At first I thought the rocks would be put to use and we did and still had a pile left. It was time to call it and admit these rocks are going nowhere. But the rocks were too heavy to move!
I included a photo of said rocks and included the rocks in the title of the ad. Those dusty ole rocks attracted many buyers solely from the ad.
Never underestimate the phrase “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
I have found the item you are most likely to discard is the first sold. A thirty year old light fixture with a shredded cord? To me, throw it away. Sold! within 10 minutes.
Organize Items By Category
Organize items by category and clearly price. Just as if the shopper was in a department store. If an item will sell “as is” no need to bother dusting or cleaning. An organized sale with realistic prices, clean items and well advertised will generate more shoppers.
Price To Sell And Remember Garage Sales Pricing
Remember this is not an estate sale. This is not eBay. Price to sell and price what the market will bear.Decide ahead if quality items are negotiable or non negotiable. Personally I price to sell and alleviate much of the negotiating. I also have a small list of quality items for which I will accept no lower than X price per item and are happy to return to the house if not sold.
Don’t forget the dollar store! Garage Sale Signs And Yard Sale Signs
I found a pack of printed price stickies for $1.00 at the dollar store. A huge time saver! I also found pre printed garage sale signs at the dollar store. Print out a price sheet of the big items and leave a blank for the price. This allows easy communication and the ability to change the price by just switching out the sheet and quickly fill in the new prices.
Limit Hours Of Yard Sale
I limit the hours to Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. In my area Thursday and Friday attract the serious shoppers. I push the buyers into a smaller time frame which is more convenient for the sellers. Realistically the sale will begin earlier than 10 a.m. because the ad will have attracted serious shoppers who will park on the street waiting for the garage door to open.
Be ready! You need to open the garage door to organize and perhaps put tables or items out on the driveway. But once the garage door is open … shoppers will appear.
If an item is large and requires a pick up, decide prior to the sale if the item must be picked up within the stated garage sale hours or can be arranged for a later pick up.
No Pre Sales Stated In Online Garage Sale
‘No pre sales.” Clearly state no pre sales on the ad so aggressive shoppers are thwarted into not stalking the garage the day or night prior. I have had people knocking on the door or trying to peer into the garage windows;so once the ads go live be prepared!
Charity Donation
Pre schedule a pick up from your favorite charity for the Monday after the sale. This ensures that any item that has left the house, stays out of the house. We have a few charities which offer online scheduling and dependable pick up which are utilized after the garage sale and throughout the year.
The garage is cleaned! The house is cleaned out of saleable items! Good luck and may the weather shine brightly for your sale!
Online Resources To Schedule Pick Up
Pick Up Please for Vietnam Vets
Donation Town – Find A Charity By Zip Code
Pick Up My Donation – Find A Charity By Zip Code
Susan says
Great tips! As with most things, having a set of rules to stick with makes the task so much easier, even the task of the dreaded garage sale.
jeb says
It is always nice when the sale is over!
Sandy KS says
These are all great tips!!!
jeb says
Thanks! Live and learn from experience 🙂
Martha says
Great list of tips! Our community has semi annual garage sales (or yard sales) and I never price things, it’s all make an offer since we donate our proceeds to charity. Shared your tips!
jeb says
Thanks for the share… the sales for charity are a great way to generate funds for the charity!
Brenda Marie says
what a great list of tips.
jeb says
Thanks so much!
lorraine williamson says
thanks for the tips very helpful have a great week
tab says
Thanks for visiting, am glad they were of help!
andriaperry says
I did not do the NO pre Sale listing and I had a million e-mails and people show up. Onc while waiting a couple days for the donation truck to stop and pick it up I sold $100 more, people came back and wanted items!
Once I knew someone who did yard sales for a living, so at the end of the day I called her and she came got it all for $20, made more money and its was gone!
tab says
Nothing like the relief that comes with a good clean up and clean out! I hear you re the no pre sale, we lived and learned from that one too!
Ruth Cox says
Great garage sale tips! No pre-sales is a must to ward off early risers and buyers for sure.
tab says
I agree wholeheartedly!