The big day has finally arrived. You’ve decluttered, sorted and arranged your goods. The alarm goes off at the crack of dawn to awaken you for your final preparations. An “early bird” is waiting in the driveway even though your announcement said the sale begins at 8:00 a.m.
The kids bust their way into your neatly organized garage and start to go through all the toys as if they have never seen them before. They cry when they realize you are selling a plastic badminton set they got as a party favor two years ago.
As your husband comes into the garage to help, he spots the Bill Cosby sweater he wore on his first date and decides that it shouldn’t be in there because it may have some vintage appeal. Then, right as you open the garage, you realize you forgot to get change for your twenties. Oh, it’s going to be a long day.
But it doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. Here are a few things you can do to temper the stress of it all.
+ Do the garage sale with friends. You’ll enjoy the company and the “multi-family” approach seems to bring in more traffic.
+ Have good, strong coffee and donuts on hand. You’re going to need the caffeine and, if you’re like me, a nice, sugary treat is a rare indulgence.
+ Be generous. We give serious discounts on books, toys, and miscellaneous supplies to teachers, students, and children (sometimes even free). It feels rewarding, and furthermore, the main purpose of the sale is to lessen the load. We also like to do “gift with purchase” by throwing in a little something extra. Sometimes we’ll say, “You’d look great in this shirt. I’d like you to have it.” Small gestures like this make people happy.
+ End the day with a bang. Spend your profits on something fun. After our last garage sale, we took a boat out on the bay with a bunch of friends and then spent the evening drinking wine and dancing to 80s music. The morning after that was far more painful than the morning of the garage sale. Nothing like a crazy night out to put things in perspective!
Other successful yard sale tips include prominent signage, a date that doesn’t coincide with major holidays or local events and a wide pricing spectrum to appeal to a variety of budgets.
What are your tips for a successful yard sale experience?
Photo by sneakerdog
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