Because my job is sourcing vintage furniture and home decor I spend thousands of hours browsing garage sales all over my state (and any other state I visit). After shopping hundreds of thousands of sales I have a few ideas on what makes a “great” garage sale.
So I created 🏷️ The Ultimate Garage Sale Checklist. Whether you’re trying to clean out the clutter, leaving your current residence, or just want to make a few extra bucks out of things you’re never going to use again, a successful garage sale can be fun and profitable—this is how to do it .
🗓️ Before the Sale Determine the date. Choose a weekend that works for you. If your ton holds a city wide garage sale that would be a good time to host your sale. Contact a few family and friend and see if they want to be part of the sale. Hosting a multi-family sale can bring in more people.
Then it’s time to declutter. Go through an find all the item you want to get ride of. Make sure you clean and price everything. I do recommend a quick clean of everything because they will sell better. I am used to dealing with dirt – I will brave the sticky – but it will turn your average shopper off. I’ve seen the lip curl of normal shoppers when they see something that is too dirty.
Arrange your table so that there is plenty of room for more than one person to pass each other if you can. Group like items together. That way if I’m hunting for something in particular I will have a better chance of finding it. If you have things scattered all over things can be overlooked. Think of your sale as a small store and image how you would like to find things.
📣 Marketing your sale is essential! Post on Facebook, craigslist, and even your local newspaper (yes, I still check the free newspapers in small towns). Make sure online you post lots of photos. Close ups help me decide if I’m prioritizing your sale over others. The more photos the better. Did I say a lot of pictures? I just want to make sure. 😉
Don’t forget good signs! This is the best way to catch people who are driving by and might not have seen your online or newspaper ads. When I say good signs I mean a large SALE and an arrow ➡️pointing the direction shoppers should turn. Nothing else. Because if I’m driving by at 55 miles per hour I can’t read anything else. Stake the signs in at every corner within a two mile radius of your sale. If I can’t find you, I can’t buy from you.
🛍️ Selling Steps for the Garage Sale Day. If you’re able to open early like 7 a.m. you will catch people on their way to the office but most sales start at 8 a.m. When people walk up give them a good morning or afternoon and then let them shop. There’s nothing worse than aggressive seller at a garage sale. If you’re open to negotiation you can let people know. Post signs if you want but don’t automatically say I’ll take $10 on that if someone is looking at something. They’re just looking. Let them decide.
Bags are essential. Make sure you have more than enough. So is change. Small bills. Most people are going to hit an ATM that spits out 20s so be prepared to make change. Please consider taking Venmo. You will sell more. There is no charge for a personal Venmo account (there is a fee for same day deposit but regular deposits are not cost) so you won’t be losing any money.
🧹After the sale pack up all the leftovers an donate them to a local charity or thrift store that does good in your area. It’s tax deductible and your contribution can help so many.
✨ Bonus Non-Essential Garage Sale Tips: Let your kids set up a lemonade stand. I promise I will buy from them! If they want to sell bottled water so much the better. I will buy that too. If they want to sell their handmade bracelets – I’m going to buy those too. I love little entrepreneurs and I appreciate a cold drink on a hot day.
Are you excited from everything you read? Ready to declutter? Following this simple step by step will guarantee smooth garage sale success and extra cash in your pocket (and extra space in your home)! Want a printable checklist version? Click HERE to download!
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