Hey frugalicious ones!!
Welcome back to The Frugal Files!! Recently, I’ve been
helping a friend prepare for an out-of-state move. Her biggest task:
decluttering. She went through each room to remove items she didn’t want. Then
after getting down to the nitty gritty, she found she was just a huge paper
pack rat. She literally had binder after binder of “important papers” and
“keepsakes”; things she that had traveled with her through 3 states.
Because you all know me, you know I was not going to let her
take it all to another state. We went through every binder she had from two
offices, several cabinets, the basement and her storage. We recycled; we
shredded and found a recycling bin close to her home, which was a lifesaver.
In addition to paper, she had EVERYTHING in her home, even in duplicate. We
organized it and used every resource possible to get rid of it. She freecycled
a great deal, but when you have a lot of stuff and moving expenses, it makes
sense to make a few extra bucks. How? The good, old Garage Sale. Today, I have
tips for the Seller and the Buyer, so let’s begin.
As the Seller, you want to make as much as you can. This
requires patience and planning. Most people think having a sale is as easy as
throwing up a sign and sitting pretty, but there is so much more work
involved.
First, name the sale. It’s just a garage sale right? Wrong.
When people hear or read Garage or Yard sale, they look for bottom basement
prices. If you don’t mind letting things for under $2-$3 with most items being
0.50, then those names are fine. If you want more money, purpose to use Estate
or Moving Sale instead. Those names appeal to more than just the veteran
thrifty that will haggle you about an item that’s a dime. Help the customer
know what to expect from your sale.
Second, arrange your sale items neatly. If there are items
in your sale space that aren’t for sale, remove them or cover them, so the
buyer knows they are off limits. Also, messy sales do not typically yield big
profits. Clutter causes people to not want to buy, so as annoying as it might
be to re-arrange items after someone rummages it through, do it as a courtesy toward the next paying customer. Hang items up if you can, separate
them by size and place like items together on your tables.
Third, advertise. Don’t just open up shop and rest on your
laurels. Tell your neighbors, co-workers and family and tell them to pass it
on. Post the information in your online groups, craigslist and the newspaper.
Advertise early so people can prepare to come. A tip for multiple day sales:
advertise each day individually. When people see signs for multiple days and
miss the first day, they will assume all the good stuff was taken and may skip
your sale altogether.
Another tip, if you live on a side street, post signs on the
main street, then help guide the driver all the way to your sale with
accompanying signs. Also, don’t be afraid of gimmicks. Note that you have bags
and boxes for them. When advertising your great items, consider “Stuff-A-Bag”
as part of your sale. Do you have a bunch of little items, but don’t want to
bother with coins at your sale? Then put those items in one section and give
people a bag or box. Give them a set price and tell them they can stuff
whatever they can fit in their bag, from that area, for that price. It’s a
great way to get rid of stuff and make guaranteed money.
For the Buyers, the rules are simple:
1)
Take a set amount of money in your budget for garage
sales. Once the money is gone, you are done shopping.
2)
Do not buy items you don’t need just because it’s cheap. Only get it if you’re going to use it or give it as a
gift within 30 days. This is not an opportunity for your to clutter up your
house.
3)
Do not take children or people with poor spending habits with
you. Just like in the grocery store, children will want
everything they see, so to keep the tantrums at a minimum and to avoid
overspending, keep them at home. Same goes for your clutterbug of a friend.
Don’t take them if they will influence you to be a spendthrift.
As the Seller, once you’ve sold all you can, consider
offering a Free for All on freecycle. They will come and clean you out and if
they don’t, pack up the remaining items and drop them off at a thrift store.
Don’t forget to grab your tax deduction slip!!
Happy Garage Sales to you!! Until next time…
Frugalicious Diva
Follow me on Twitter at @FrugaliciousDva
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