As summer settles in, garage sales are popping up in local neighborhoods, offering bargain hunters a great deal and sellers a chance to clear out their garages. But, according to Aaron LaPedis, author of The Garage Sale Millionaire, when most people have a garage sale, they don’t know what they’re selling. Follow LaPedis’ tips below to ensure your garage sale is worth the time and effort. You can also download his complete garage sale checklist at thegaragesalemillionaire.com.
- Do what you can to add value to items. Make sure all collectibles are in their original boxes and include any paperwork you may have for them. Without these things, items can be devalued by 20 to 50 percent. When selling fitness equipment, bikes or kids’ toys, clean items up and fix any flat tires. This can add between 20 and 40 percent to items.
- Find a price. It’s important to price items correctly. Log onto eBay and compare your items with similar ones that have already gotten bids.
- Drive people to your sale with social media. Let your Facebook and LinkedIn friends know about your sale a week out and again a day before to jog their memories. Craigslist and tagsellit.com are other great places to list your sale. Also, place 20 large, foam board signs around your neighborhood, and be sure to list any hot items like antiques, tools, garden tools or furniture, and baby items.
- Don’t sell anything illegal, weapons, ammunition, fireworks or anything that’s been recalled.
- Buyers, beware when buying anything for your children. Use a smartphone to look up baby or kids’ items on the national recall list before purchasing them. Also, never buy other people’s bedding. It’s not sanitary and could introduce bedbugs to your home.
- Never let anyone inside your house. Statistics show that sellers who allow buyers to use their restroom or phone tend to end up with items missing—or are robbed a few weeks later.
- Encourage your children to run a lemonade and cookie stand at your garage sale. This will allow you to keep an eye on them, help teach them about money, and offer refreshments to buyers. Happy buyers will stay at your sale longer and tend to find more items to buy.
- Make sure you have volunteers to help you work your sale. This will allow you to dedicate time to buyers who have questions. Offering background information often encourages sales. Volunteers can also help load large items into buyers’ vehicles.
- Donate leftover items. Chances are, if an item didn’t sell at this garage sale, it won’t sell at your next one either. Keep it from becoming clutter in your garage and donate it to a local charity. You’ll get a receipt for your items and be able to write them off come next tax season.
- Have an extension cord on hand to prove that electrical items work. Also, wear your money wallet around your waist and never take it off. Offer bags or boxes to buyers who purchase multiple items. iBi
