5 Tips for Hosting a Successful Garage Sale
By Alia Hurst
Summer is officially here, and that means it is garage sale season! This annual tradition allows individuals to declutter their homes, make some extra cash, or simply find unique treasures at bargain prices. Hosting a successful garage sale requires careful planning, organization, and execution, so if you are planning on hosting one this summer, here are five tips to help you maximize your sales and create an enjoyable experience:
Tip 1: Plan Ahead.
A well-organized garage sale begins with thorough planning. Start by selecting a date that is convenient for you and potential buyers. Weekends are typically ideal since more people are likely to be free. Additionally, give yourself enough time to sort through your belongings and decide what to sell, price items, and gather the necessary supplies such as tables, clothing racks, and signage.
Tip 2: Sort and Declutter.
One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. Before your sale, go through each room and identify items that you no longer need or use. Be disciplined in your decluttering process, but keep in mind that items in good condition tend to sell better. Separate your items into categories such as clothing, electronics, books, and household goods. This will make it easier for buyers to navigate and locate items of interest.
Tip 3: Price Items Reasonably.
Pricing can be a challenging aspect of hosting a garage sale. While you want to make money, keep in mind that buyers come to garage sales expecting low prices. Research the market value of items similar to yours to ensure you are setting fair prices. Consider using colored stickers or tags to indicate the prices clearly. If you have valuable items, consider using a separate area or displaying them prominently to attract attention.
Tip 4: Organize and Display.
A well-organized and visually appealing setup can significantly impact the success of your garage sale. Display items neatly on tables or clothing racks, grouping similar items together. Hang clothes on a portable rack or display them on hangers to make them more appealing to buyers. Place larger or eye-catching items near the edge of your display area to attract attention. Utilize boxes, bins, or shelving to keep smaller items organized and easily accessible.
Tip 5: Donate Unsold Items.
When your sale ends, the last thing you want to do is haul the unsold items back to the basement or shed. To ensure your space stays decluttered, donate your gently used items to Goodwill. When you donate to Goodwill, you don’t have to worry about putting the leftovers back in your house. Plus, the donating process is easy. Goodwill picks up large furniture items for free within the Lincoln and Waverly city limits when you schedule a home pickup online. If your garage sale is part of a larger neighborhood event, contact your association to find out if they’re participating in Goodwill’s 2023 Neighborhood Challenge. Goodwill also accepts gently used donations year round at all Lincoln and York thrift store locations.
No matter which Goodwill donation method you choose, your gently used, unsold garage sale items will support the community and the environment. The revenue earned through our thrift stores helps fund local job-related programs for people who face different barriers to employment, such as physical, mental or emotional disabilities, gaps in job skills, language barriers, past incarceration, and more. Goodwill also helps the environment by recycling many items that cannot be sold in our stores, and in doing so, we divert over 2 million pounds of materials from the local landfill each year. This impact is only possible thanks to generous community donors like you.
