It's Garage Sale Season!! - Best of the Best Tips for Success!

Roger Dean Stadium answers the Garage Sale Season call May 27th with the annual ABACOA YARD SALE!

Got a well-loved kitchen table that needs to go? There’s someone in the market for that. You’re finally ready to part with those clothes you’ve never worn? Yep—somebody will probably want those too. It’s time to get rid of that stuff and here’s how you can get ready!

Best of the Best Tips for Success!

1. PLAN TO HAVE FUN!  Good vibes means good sales.

2. Clean out your closet. You know that closet in the hallway that you avoid? The one you open very slowly in fear something might fall on you? Yeah . . . it’s time to clean it out. And while you’re at it, dig through your garage, basement, attic, other closets, cabinets and under all the beds. If you don’t use it or wear it often (or you forgot it even existed), it probably needs to go. You’re about to make some extra cash and gain extra space.

3. Start Sorting. As you’re unearthing all of those tennis rackets, clothes and old board games, sort them into three basic categories: Keep, Sell and Trash. Don’t worry about pricing anything right now—just focus on sorting and getting organized. Your main goal here is to get rid of the junk and find a permanent home for the stuff you’re going to keep. Once your piles are made, pull out all the items you sorted to sell.

4. Gather your crew. Get the family in on the process! The kids can sort and help the day of the sale as well. If you have a teenager, you know it’s hard to get them excited about most things that happen early on a Saturday morning—let alone a garage sale. So, why not cut them in on the profits? Make a deal with your teen: If they gather up their unwanted items to sell, you’ll let them keep whatever cash they make. BONUS!...gets your teen to clean their room!

5. Stock up on supplies. You can buy simple pricing stickers and blank labels at the dollar store or any office supply store. Or if you want to be really kind to your budget, just pick up a permanent marker and masking tape and get to pricing your items. You’ll also need a table and chairs  on garage sale day. You can set out tables, blankets, boxes and storage containers or even lay a board over two sturdy boxes. Whatever you do, make sure breakable items are supported on a stable surface.

6. Get ready to accept digital payments. Want another hint for having a successful garage sale? Make it easier for shoppers to buy by accepting digital payments. Download a free app like Venmo or PayPal to your smartphone. Or check out services like Square or Stax so you can accept card payments. It’s true, cash is always king, but taking other forms of payment can help with sales. TIP: Make sure you’ll have a working hot spot if your Wi-Fi signal is iffy.

When it comes to garage sale pricing, you’ve got to put yourself in the shoes of the buyer. What would you pay for that item at a similar garage sale? What would be too much? What would be so cheap you felt like you stole it? Here are some garage sale pricing tips for all that good stuff you just cleaned out of your house.

1. Have a goal. Whatever the purpose for your garage sale, have and keep a goal—and an amount—in mind. It’ll help you stay motivated when you’re feeling worn down by a relentless garage sale haggler.

2. Name your price. Want to know one of the top garage sale tips for pricing? Don’t be sentimental about your stuff and end up overpricing it. If you need an objective opinion, ask a friend what they’d pay, or do a quick online search to check the current value. Keep it realistic by pricing items a quarter or a third of what they would cost brand new. If you price a sweater you bought for $80 at $50, it’s probably not going to sell. But an $80 sweater (in perfect condition) for $15? Now you’ve got yourself a deal. If you’re not sure about garage sale pricing, here are some suggestions to get you started:

Baby Clothes:  Suggested price: $1 to $3 for items that are gently used or in good condition, and less than $1 for well-worn items

Adult Clothes:  Suggested price: $3 to $5 (more if the item still has tags on it)

Shoes:  Suggested price: $3 to $7

Coats:  Suggested price: $5 to $15

Jewelry:  Suggested price: 50 cents to $2 (but if you think the jewelry is valuable, have it appraised first)

Books:  Suggested price: $1 to $2 for hardcover and 25 to 50 cents for paperback

Blu-Ray Discs, DVDs or CDs:  Suggested price: $3 to $5

Toys and Games: Suggested price: $1 to $3

Home Décor:  Suggested price: $3 to $5

Furniture:  Suggested price: $10 to $30 for low-quality pieces (a dream for people looking for cheap furniture to fix and flip) and no more than one-third of the price for high-quality items  

3. Make prices visible. Make sure your prices are in plain view. To save time, you can also group similarly priced items together with a sign that breaks down the cost. Another option: Use colored stickers and hang up a chart that specifies the cost by color. For instance, green stickers are 50 cents, blue stickers are $1, and red stickers are $2. Bigger items call for bigger price tags. Don’t make the buyer search for a tiny sticker on that armoire you’re selling. Make it big, noticeable and attractive to the buyer.

4. Bundle items. It’s easy to pass up DVDs or books at $1 a pop. But if you offer them at four for $2, you’re sure to catch someone’s attention. Look around for ways to make a deal. If it’s the end of the day and you really want to move your items, let customers fill up a bag with items at a $5 or $10 flat rate. Remember those grab bags at the store when you were little? That same concept still works for adults at a yard sale!

5. Don’t hike up your prices in expecting to haggle. Remember: You’re trying to make extra money here. So price your items so they’ll sell. Period. Don’t set the starting price high and expect your customers to haggle you down. Many potential buyers will walk away from big prices and never even bother to haggle—and you just lost a potential sale.

6. Have some change on hand.You don’t want to lose a sale just because you don’t have some spare George Washingtons floating around (that’s dollar bills, folks). Have enough small bills and coins on hand to make change for your cash-paying customers. Use an old toolbox or a crafting caddy as your official cashbox.

7. Know how to negotiate or haggle. Everyone wants a deal (who doesn’t?). That’s why people wake up early on Saturday mornings to buy your castoffs. If the customer wants to negotiate, then let them negotiate, but stick to your guns if the price gets too low. You’re not giving your stuff away! Well—not yet anyway.

MAKE IT APPEALING

1. If you really want your stuff to sell, you’ve got to make it look nice. And don’t forget to make sure it still works! It might seem silly, but going the extra mile can really be the difference in making a sale or losing one.

• Clean the dust off older stuff.
• Wash clothing and fold it nicely or hang it up.
• Display clothing in complete outfits when you can.
• Fill bicycle tires and basketballs with air.
• Scrape the mud off your kid’s old soccer cleats.
• If something needs batteries to run, fill it with some half-used batteries (or even new batteries if you want to be nice) so the buyer knows it works.
• Keep an extension cord handy for buyers to test out appliances that need an outlet. And place a mirror near the clothing and accessories.

2. Position your stuff. The morning of the sale, get up early and do a little setting up. Make sure whatever you’re selling looks attractive. Put bigger and more popular items closer to the street so people know you’re selling more than just T-shirts, costume jewelry and old coffee mugs. Group items on separate tables. For example, put all your kitchen items on one table and kids’ toys on another table. For everything else, keep it organized, clearly priced and easy to sort through. And don’t forget to stock your checkout area with plastic grocery bags and newspaper to wrap up fragile items. Those small touches will go a long way!

Once the hard part is over, you can kick back. You’ll have a plan for your money and less clutter. Now that’s what we call a successful garage sale.

RAMSEY