Garage Sale Like a Pro! Your Essential Checklist

Anyone whose had Garage Sales knows they are a great way to clear out clutter and make extra cash. But poorly planned, they can also cause a lot of stress– or years of regret selling a beloved item for less than it was worth. Follow these steps to ensure that you’ll be counting your cash with a smile on your face by the end of the day!

5. A Week In Advance….

Decide what you’re going to sell. Go through each room of your house (including the garage!) and place the items you plan to sell aside. Make a list of the items including a “Maybe” list, so that you have a week to think it over.
Start thinking about prices. Figure out what you originally paid for everything, versus what you want to get out of it. A good rule of thumb is to price items at half or 1/3 of the original value. This way they are priced to sell and there’s still room for negotiation.
Check the weather and set a date! While Saturdays are generally the best for Garage Sales, you might want to schedule it for a Sunday if nicer weather is expected.

4. A Few Days In Advance

Pick up your FREE KoolFM Garage Sale Kit! The kit includes three signs and price stickers. It is available at the KoolFM Studios (431 Huronia Road) or at participating Macs Convenience Stores.
Place a few signs in highly trafficked areas around your neighbourhood. You can also list it on our website and on Kijiji to generate traffic. On the signs, be sure to include an arrow, your exact address and the time/date of the sale.
Get cash! We recommend two rolls of quarters, a stack of 50 $1 bills, 10 $5 bills, and 5 $10 bills. Remember- most banks are closed on the weekend! This gives you a bit of leeway in case you forget.

3. The Night Before

Clean and organize your items. If they are battery-operated, put in fresh batteries to show customers they work. Have an extension cord ready so that people can plug-in and test items that require power.
Figure out which tables and clothing racks you’ll use to display your items. Having the items well-organized and displayed will make a big difference to your bottom line. Think of your garage sale as a boutique and try to display things as nicely as possible to get more money for them!
Price ever single item! Take it from our experience, you don’t want to let your husbands golf clubs go for a fraction of what they are worth because he stepped away for a minute!

2. The Morning Of

Be prepared for people showing up WAY too early. Most garage sales start early (at about 8am), but Garage Sale Pros (yes, they exist!) will generally show up an hour ahead of time. Be prepared for this! There’s nothing worse than trying to set up while people ask questions and rummage through those items you so nicely organized.

1. During the Sale

Don’t be pressured into selling something for less than its worth. Some of the people you will encounter are professional hagglers, looking for items to re-sell (and to double their money!) Especially early on in the day, if someone is low-balling you on an item, just WAIT! Odds are it will be sold for a higher price later on in the day.
Keep your friends close, and your money closer! Wearing an apron or money belt in a good idea. You’ll have a lot of cash and you don’t want it to go “missing!”

Do you have any tips we missed?

The KoolFM Garage Sale Kit is brought to you by:

Image via John Beagle