This is the follow-up to our recent post on how to organize a garage sale or yard sale. In the first part we covered planning and preparation. Now it is time to get into what actually happens on sale day, and what to do once it is over.
These tips are written with a specific situation in mind: running a sale as part of the decluttering process before a move. That context matters, because your goal is not just to make money. It is to get things out of the house so you are moving less stuff.
Setting Up Your Sale Space
- Move anything that is not for sale out of the sale area. If that is not possible, rope it off or mark it clearly as NOT for sale. Ambiguity here causes friction with buyers and frustration for you.
- Group your merchandise in a way that makes sense: books together, toys together, kitchen items together. People browse faster when things are organized by category.
- Price everything. Use price stickers directly on individual items, or a thick marker on cardboard boxes for small stuff, for example: “Every item in this box 50 Cents.”
- If you are selling electrical equipment, have extension cords and batteries on hand so you can show buyers that things actually work. A buyer who cannot verify something works will either walk away or lowball you.
- Display items at a comfortable height when you can. Folding tables work well. Reserve ground-level space for larger items only, and if something does go on the ground, set it on a sheet or tarp. Hang clothes on a garment rack rather than folding them in a pile.
- Have enough change ready before the first customer arrives. At minimum, stock up on 1 and 5 dollar bills and a good supply of coins. If your coin jar has been sitting around for years, this is a practical use for it. Your bank can also provide rolls of coins if you need more.
- Put up a visible sign letting people know you are not providing restroom access. Have the address or cross streets of the nearest gas station or fast food place ready so you can point visitors in the right direction.
- Keep interior doors locked and blinds drawn during the sale. You are inviting strangers onto your property, and basic security measures are worth the small effort.
- If you are running extension cords for electrical demonstrations, tape them down or route them along walls so nobody trips over them.
What to Do After the Sale Ends
- Go collect every sign you posted in the neighborhood. Leaving them up after the sale is over is inconsiderate to neighbors and gives people a reason to show up at your door the following weekend.
- You will likely have a pile of coins left over. Most banks will ask you to sort and roll them yourself before depositing. If that sounds tedious, many larger supermarkets have coin counting machines near the entrance. These typically offer gift cards at no charge or cash for a small fee.
- With any luck, you sold most of what you put out and have some extra money to put toward your moving budget or other expenses. For whatever did not sell, you have a few options: hold onto it for another sale, list it online, or donate it. If your main goal is to reduce what you are moving, take a look at our article series on decluttering before a move. It covers practical guidance on selling, donating or recycling clothing, kitchen items, books, electronics and furniture.
Sources and further reading:
https://www.angieslist.com/articles/13-organizing-tips-successful-garage-sale.htm
