The C&G Guide to Holding a Garage Sale

Local Community

The term ‘spring cleaning’ is more than just a saying. Spring is a fantastic time to have a good old clear out, and make some extra cash to boot. Today, C&G have prepared a guide to holding an awesome garage sale.

If you’re keen to get rid of some items you’ve hoarded for far too long, a spring garage sale is a great way to make your trash someone else’s treasure. The key to having a profitable and fun garage sale is proper planning, advertising and execution. Don’t hold a sale unless you’re confident you have enough items to make it worth people stopping by.

Setting a date

Generally, weekends are the best days to schedule your garage sale, as more people are around and looking for things to do. School holidays and long weekends may be appropriate, too, as families are often seeking inexpensive activities to keep their children busy. That said, people also take holidays during this time and your community may actually vacate. Judge your local area and assess whether a holiday period could be the right time to hold your sale. If you can, opt for a weekend with a good weather forecast. People are far more likely to want to head out to hunt for bargains when the sun is shining.

Pool your efforts

Whether it’s the rest of your family or your neighbours, the more people you can rally up to join in, the better. Try getting your whole street involved. It’ll give the event much more publicity and magnitude, and you may attract more customers if there’s a greater likelihood of a deal. The more items, the better.

The good old Aussie sausage sizzle

Consider supplementing your garage sale with a sausage sizzle, barbecue, or bake sale. It’s an immediate invitation for hungry passers-by, and the smell of a good old Aussie snag will have people flocking to your front yard.

Advertising your sale

The key to attracting buyers is advertising. Facebook groups in your local area, or online groups that specialise in trading the items you’re selling can be a great way to get word out. Encourage both verbal and digital ‘word of mouth’. Advertise on social media and to your friends, colleagues and neighbours. If you’re going down the traditional route of flyers on sign posts, be specific! Signs that say ‘garage sale tomorrow’ are confusing and may have been there for weeks. People might not want to take the risk of looking for your vaguely advertised sale.

Don’t get attached to your items

Remember, the goal of your garage sale is to sell everything and declutter! Don’t hang on to sentimental feeling when it comes to pricing. If someone offers you $3 for something you think is worth $5, try bartering. If they won’t back down, it’s better to take $3 than to wind up stuck with the things you were meant to be getting rid of!