Instead of putting your unwanted items in storage or paying to have them moved for you, make some extra cash by selling them at a garage sale. De-clutter, make money and familiarize neighbours or locals with the neighbourhood home that’s going to be on the market soon.
Things to buy or do before a successful garage sale:
- Place an ad in the paper for one or two days before the sale.
- Make and distribute paper flyers.
- Ensure you have plenty of change.
- Hide anything not for sale, if buyers can see it, they might want it and be disappointed.
- Double check electronics or other items so you can sell them in working order (all DVD cases have a DVD in them, etc.).
- Have some spare grocery bags on hand to encourage the purchase of multiple items and help customers out who may be walking or biking.
- Buy stickers or labels and a marker for making price tags.
- An ad in the paper a couple of days before shouldn’t cost more than $20 to $40. It’s money well spent, as there are some people who think garage sale shopping is a sport.
- Print off a few flyers and tape them around telephone poles or other designated sign-posting areas. Use bright, attractive, coloured paper if possible. Don’t forget to write what you’re selling, even broadly glossed over: Videos! DVDs! Electronics! Furniture! And more! This will get people to your garage sale who are looking for specific items.
Don’t think you can ask nearly what you paid for the original item at a garage sale, as that’s part of the bargain shopping ideal when it comes to used items. Garage sale hunters also know that the best stuff is usually gone first, so expect people before the sale opens, or set up half an hour to an hour earlier than stated in your ad.
If you have kids, the garage sale experience gets that much better for you. They can make and hang up the signs, help you set up on the day of the sale, run the till and earn a bit of money along the way.
Julian Merry is a Broker with Royal LePage/Johnston & Daniel Division. Julian is a regular contributor to the Muddy York Toronto Real Estate Blog. Julian’s website is located at www.julianmerry.com.
