Kat’s Money Corner: Make the most of a spring garage sale
Spring-cleaning is no longer just a nice idea to consider; it’s a yearly event. Whether you’re taking it upon yourself or it’s a neighborhood-wide affair, preparing for a garage sale is no easy task. Here’s my advice for separating, pricing and publicizing your items – on your own or with a group.
Develop a strategy
Are you going to wait for your whole block to have a shared sale, or go it alone? If you decide on a solo sale, you set the dates and times, but you’ll also have to do all the advertising to attract customers to your driveway. Consider more than just yard signs; sites like Craigslist and Facebook are popular with sale fans.
A neighborhood sale will probably get more traffic, so if the timing is right, take part. You won’t have to worry about the marketing and permits required. Be sure to have your sale ready to go bright and early, around 6 a.m. on the first day, and follow the guidelines set up by organizers.
I often decide to participate in a group sale because I live in the back of a cul-de-sac and don’t have the best location. I also don’t have a ton of time to invest, but I have retired friends who do. For a little of my cut they’re willing to do the work!
Set up your stuff
Don’t leave any real work for the morning of the sale. Have everything organized and ready in your garage. Knowing where you’ll display items makes that first morning go much more smoothly.
Show off your best merchandise. Hanging clothes so they’re all visible and organizing them by size for easier browsing can make all the difference. Make sure your tables are arranged in a way that won’t clog foot traffic, and consider putting some of your showier and bigger items along your driveway to attract attention.
Getting down to business
Have a friend or family member available as backup so you can take a break or answer questions about that vintage record machine or leather coat when someone else is ready to buy. Keep your cash in a secured location, and have plenty of small bills and change on hand.
Garage sale shoppers are notorious for haggling. But you don’t have to go there right away. If you don’t feel like parting with your china cookie jar for 50 cents, you don’t have to. A good rule of thumb is to sell items for one-half to one-third of the price you paid, and to always round up to the nearest quarter. As the sale goes on, you will feel more inclined to make deals.
As the sale day winds down, you might find yourself not wanting to lug your unsold leftovers back inside. If you have big items, consider posting them on Craigslist. If that doesn’t work, move them to the curb with a “Free to a Good Home” sign. For everything else, make an itemized list, then drop it off at a charity store like Goodwill, and enjoy the tax deduction you get for your donation.
Kat's Money Corner is posted on Dollars & Sense every Tuesday. Kat Hnatyshyn, when not blogging or caring for her little ones, is a manager with CommunityAmerica Credit Union. For more financial chatter, click http://twitter.com/savinmavens or visit http://communityamerica.com.
This story was originally published March 29, 2016 at 9:18 AM with the headline "Kat’s Money Corner: Make the most of a spring garage sale."