How to Plan a Garage Sale
An excerpt from Chapter 8, "Organize Your Life and More" by Christina Scalise
Garage sales are a great way to get rid of unnecessary clutter in your home. You will need to set aside time before the sale to advertise and set things up. You can advertise several different ways: online, in the newspaper, and with flyers and signs. Make sure you are prepared for the unexpected. Consider having some of the following items available ahead of time.
1. For displaying sale items: tables, tablecloths, sheets, blankets, and clothes racks.
2. To advertise and label items: pens, markers, poster board and paper for signs, sale stickers, scissors, and tape.
3. For customers to be able to test items or disassemble larger items: batteries, light bulbs, extension cords, and screwdrivers.
4. To combine like items together: rubber bands, paperclips, small boxes, and Ziploc bags.
5. To go with your sale items: any owner’s manuals you have available.
6. For unexpected weather: clear covers, tablecloths, tarps, and tents ready to cover any sale items that will be outside which should not get wet.
7. To wrap fragile items: bags, boxes, scrap paper, and bubble wrap.
8. For conducting sales and keeping track of sale items: bags, clipboard, scrap paper, pens, calculator, fanny pack, and plenty of change. For excess cash, store a second cash box securely somewhere inside your home so you are not consistently walking around with a lot of cash on you. If you have enough room, set up an empty table for your customers to cash out and to set aside sale items they would like to purchase while they continue to shop.
9. For you: a chair and something to read between sales. Catch up on some reading you have been meaning to do, or work on something on your To Do list; basically anything you can accomplish or enjoy while waiting for customers. You can also take time in between customers to straighten up and reorganize your sale items.
Make sure sale items are clean and in working order, neatly organized by category (toys, clothes, books, household items, etc.) and priced. If an item is not working properly or is missing pieces make sure to attach a note to that item ahead of time.
To make your sale an attractive and comfortable place for potential customers to shop, consider using a fan for hot days, play a radio (not too loud and nothing inappropriate), freshen the air by using air freshener sprays, plug-ins, or other scented items, use plenty of lights to accentuate your sale items, and plug in as many electrical items as possible to show they are in working condition.
With a little hard work your garage sale will be a success and your house will be clutter-free in no time.
Written by Christina Scalise, Organize Your Life and More
Website: www.OrganizeYourLifeAndMore.com
