Here at Closet & Storage Concepts of Colorado, we believe in a holistic approach to organizing! Even after we help you with custom solutions for the closet, garage, pantry, and more, you still need to keep your stuff to a minimum in order to be truly organized. In order to keep your “stuff levels” low, a garage sale might be just what you need. Here is a list of our five favorite tips to keep in mind as you host a garage sale of your own. 
- Advertise Boldly
A potentially great garage sale can completely fail without solid advertising. Place big, colorful signs on busy roadways where you know they won’t be missed. Another advertising tip: Always include the garage sale date on the sign! Many experienced garage sale hunters may not bother visiting a garage sale if they aren’t sure the sign is actually current.
- Plan With A Purpose
The garage sale spectrum varies widely from, “I just need to get rid of all this stuff” to “I am trying to make some money here.” If you find yourself on the former end of the spectrum, you are going to price things and approach prospective sales with the purpose of getting as much out the door as possible. You may even want to establish a bulk purchase discount on things like books, DVDs, or CDs. If you are primarily hoping to make money off of your garage sale, you will likely want to approach the sales process with a little more planning and a firm negotiation style. Deciding on an approach will help you when the day of the sale finally arrives.
- Change Is Important
This may seem obvious, but it is very important that you start the weekend with a good amount of money to make change for your customers. A successful garage sale is likely happening on the weekend, and finding a bank last-minute may prove to be impossible. You may not end up needing every single type of change from pennies to quarters, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
- Take The Time To Set Prices
This is likely to be the most time-consuming part of holding a garage sale, but it is also likely the most important. If you don’t label items, you are severely undercutting the “browsability” of your garage sale. People will feel like they have to talk to you every single time they have a modicum of interest in an item. Also, setting prices ahead of time allows you to start the negotiations on items rather than having an garage sale hunter throw you a lowball offer! Keep in mind you don’t have to individually label every item in your garage sale, but you should at least make the prices clear to your customers. For example, all books can be priced using a sign, rather than individual tags.
- Electricity is Key
If you plan to sell even a single electronic item at your garage sale, make sure you have an extension cord handy so customers can test things out. No one is ever going to buy a DVD player or a TV without seeing it in action. Also, if you have the extension cord ready, you might as well put the electronics to use so that people can see them in action. If you’re selling a stereo, plug it in and play music out of it until you sell it! Your customers will appreciate seeing items in action and will definitely be more likely to purchase electronics from you.
Garage sales can be a great time and a perfect way to keep your home tidy and organized. We hope you’ve enjoyed these tips! And don’t forget when you’re done with your garage sale, give us a call at Closet & Storage Concepts of Colorado so we can help you organize the things you decided not to sell!
Photo credits: (1)© iStock/LUNAMARINA. (2)© iStock/ Basya555.