Many people have garage sales to simply do some cleaning or finally get rid of all those items they have been storing since the kids were still in diapers. Regardless how many items you have to get rid of, here are 12 ways to make more money at your garage sale and have fun in the process.
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Clean your items.
Take the time the night before to give all the items a good cleaning. Nothing will turn off a potential buyer more than picking up something filthy at your sale. The cleaner the item, the less likely the buyer will try and haggle the price.
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Bulk similar items together.
If you are selling balls, chairs, or even pictures, put a few of them together in a group and try to get a better price. This will move the items faster and leave you less unsold items at the end of the day.
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Start high first.
Rather than set low prices across the board, set a slightly higher price on everything and expect the bargain hunters to chew down your prices slightly.
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Organize your sale.
Purchase some stickers and clearly mark the prices to the nearest dollar. This will avoid people asking every second how much an item is, and move the items more rapidly.
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Keep similar priced items together.
Place all $1 items in a plastic pool, tub, or large container. Keeping the high dollar items together will attract those people looking to spend money on items they need.
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Be strong early.
Do not start lowering your price too early. Don’t make the mistake of dropping your prices early in the morning when buyers ask. These are the early birds who hit the scene each week looking for the biggest bargains. Hold your prices until the afternoon before lowering.
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Beware of the reseller.
Some buyers are looking to grab items at rock bottom prices to resell later on their time. They offer to take everything for one low price, but you stand to lose quite a lot of money when the real buyers show up.
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Be patient.
Many people do not get up at the crack of dawn at hit garage sales. Many people stop by on their way out later in the day or on the way home from work.
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Get creative.
Be willing to mix odd items together to try and sell one on the back of the other. Selling a new lawn trimmer is easy, adding a used beat up gas can could be hard unless you offer it as part of the sale price of the trimmer.
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Keep an open mind.
If a buyer sees something not for sale and offers you money, think about if you really need that item and if it is a great opportunity to make some extra cash.
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Utilize the family.
Sitting at the sale all day can get overwhelming, and cause you to start selling cheap to close up shop. Let the family take turns at the sale so you are refreshed throughout the day.
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Repair broken items.
It is easier to get $15 for a chair with a repaired leg, then trying to get $5 for a chair with the leg falling off.
The most important thing at your garage sale: have fun and enjoy the time outside!
For more ideas and inspiration, head to Modernize.com.
Jane Blanchard is a blogger, home design geek, and graphic designer from Savannah, GA. She currently nurtures her HGTV obsession and love for all things home decor, by writing for Modernize.com.
