Garage sale tips for the dead of winter
The middle of February is not really the time to talk about garage sales.
We’re in the middle of sweater season, I know. Our closets are packed tight full of long-sleeved shirts, cardigans, and that striped thing we have no idea the origin of. What better time, I say, than to think about garage sales. It’s when we’re stuffed inside the house, the snow is heavy outside, and our closets are full to bursting. It’s de-cluttering time.
Thank you theonlineyardsale.com for this definition of a garage sale, which not even Wikipedia.com could give me:
“A yard sale, also known as a garage sale, rummage sale, tag sale, attic sale, moving sale, porch sale, barn sale or junk sale, is an event for the sale of used items by private individuals.”
Call it what you will, I’ve been in love with them forever and now could almost professionally hold them. I love them that much. Get that look out of your eye, I know I’m crazy. I’ve actually pondered the idea of becoming a professional garage sale holder. When I see boxes of clothing and knickknacks ready to set up on tables, my hands start to sweat. Really. I’ve talked before about Junk Fling, the huge garage sales our family used to hold. For days we would gather and ready items for sale, then lovingly set them up into artful vignettes for people to browse through. We had huge crowds waiting to devour and we would make them wait until the stroke of 9 a.m. to storm our doors. What a rush.
Realistically, though, from the perspective of saving/making extra money, what better way is there to clear out the junk you know has been cluttering up your life?
Garage sales can reduce your clutter, but can also net you things that save you money. If you’re into books, garage sales can be a gold mine. Many people buy a book, read it, and set it out for sale. Boom – for $1 that best seller is yours. We all know, without even saying it, that children’s clothing is by far the number one seller at garage sales. What would I have done without them when my kids were little?
You can find play clothing for pennies, coats that are barely worn, and shoes that are like brand new. Kids, especially babies, do not wear through their clothing. These are the types of things to stock up on at tag sales. They can be a saving lifeline that leads straight to your wallet – and leaves money there.
I know I’ve encountered, over the years, people who feel embarrassed to shop at a garage sale. To some, there is a stigma attached to it. “It’s used, it’s dirty, it’s just not for me.” When that little peanut is born you only want to put the best on it, I know. Unless you can afford it, when you start shopping for the best, sticker shock will knock you flat on your face. This is when people make the mistake of loading their credit card full of baby Nike shoes and so forth.
If you can’t afford that fancy Coach diaper bag – don’t buy it. You’ll be paying for it plus interest for a long time to come. I think my first diaper bag came from a baby shower. When that one wore out, it was garage sales for me. Not just diaper bags either. You can find fabulous purses, barely worn, hanging in all their pursely splendor for you to nab. What I’m trying to say is if diligent, you can find exactly what all the fancy people are using if you shop garage sales. You just need a bit more patience.
My motto is this: “We may not be millionaires, but we don’t have to look like it.” Extra time put into mapping out garage sale runs can net you fabulous finds. Looking for fancy stuff? Look for garage sales in the Columbus or North Canton area – maybe a super nice neighborhood is having sales all together. Designer duds have been known to show up, and for pennies on the dollar you can clad yourself in great finds. And no one will know the difference. Trust me. A few of the best dressed people I know shop garage sales – and they look like a million bucks. Patience and tactic, in the end, win the game.
I have a few tried and true tips to make your next garage sale the best one of your life. A lot of people dread putting them on, but they can be so much fun if done with these things in mind:
1) Make sure you have enough stuff. I’ve found there is nothing that stops people from buying than a sparsely filled table. If you don’t have enough for a sale on your own, band together with friends or family. The more stuff spilling out of the garage, the better. How many times have you done a drive by, saw one table, and kept driving? More stuff equals more sales.
2) Advertise. Advertising is key. Keep your ad short and concise. Name big stuff, brand names, and anything interesting. Housewares is too general. Tell them you have funky glassware, and vintage cups – reel them in with fun words.
3) Keep your prices within reason. It’s hard to look at something, know what you paid for it, then price it for pennies. Just remember, this is a garage sale. You’re simplifying your life, not trying to make a fortune. Those high heels you just had to have and paid $50 for will not sell for $20. Recouping a loss will not happen here. Mark them for $5 and hope you get $3. Set realistic prices.
4) Have fun! People shopping garage sales usually are at a leisurely pace. Banter with them, make them feel at home roaming through your yard or garage. I don’t know how many times I’ve made a sale because I started talking to a customer. Sitting in the corner behind the money table, only talking to whoever is doing the sale with you, leaves the customer feeling unwelcome. Always, always greet your shoppers. Why else are you sitting there if not to sell?
5) If you simply don’t know what you’re doing, call me. I’ll run your garage sale for you.
Fun junk sites: http://www.carterjunk.com, http://www.junkmarketstyle.com/, http://redneckchic.blogspot.com/
We’re in the middle of sweater season, I know. Our closets are packed tight full of long-sleeved shirts, cardigans, and that striped thing we have no idea the origin of. What better time, I say, than to think about garage sales. It’s when we’re stuffed inside the house, the snow is heavy outside, and our closets are full to bursting. It’s de-cluttering time.
Thank you theonlineyardsale.com for this definition of a garage sale, which not even Wikipedia.com could give me:
“A yard sale, also known as a garage sale, rummage sale, tag sale, attic sale, moving sale, porch sale, barn sale or junk sale, is an event for the sale of used items by private individuals.”
Call it what you will, I’ve been in love with them forever and now could almost professionally hold them. I love them that much. Get that look out of your eye, I know I’m crazy. I’ve actually pondered the idea of becoming a professional garage sale holder. When I see boxes of clothing and knickknacks ready to set up on tables, my hands start to sweat. Really. I’ve talked before about Junk Fling, the huge garage sales our family used to hold. For days we would gather and ready items for sale, then lovingly set them up into artful vignettes for people to browse through. We had huge crowds waiting to devour and we would make them wait until the stroke of 9 a.m. to storm our doors. What a rush.
Realistically, though, from the perspective of saving/making extra money, what better way is there to clear out the junk you know has been cluttering up your life?
Garage sales can reduce your clutter, but can also net you things that save you money. If you’re into books, garage sales can be a gold mine. Many people buy a book, read it, and set it out for sale. Boom – for $1 that best seller is yours. We all know, without even saying it, that children’s clothing is by far the number one seller at garage sales. What would I have done without them when my kids were little?
You can find play clothing for pennies, coats that are barely worn, and shoes that are like brand new. Kids, especially babies, do not wear through their clothing. These are the types of things to stock up on at tag sales. They can be a saving lifeline that leads straight to your wallet – and leaves money there.
I know I’ve encountered, over the years, people who feel embarrassed to shop at a garage sale. To some, there is a stigma attached to it. “It’s used, it’s dirty, it’s just not for me.” When that little peanut is born you only want to put the best on it, I know. Unless you can afford it, when you start shopping for the best, sticker shock will knock you flat on your face. This is when people make the mistake of loading their credit card full of baby Nike shoes and so forth.
If you can’t afford that fancy Coach diaper bag – don’t buy it. You’ll be paying for it plus interest for a long time to come. I think my first diaper bag came from a baby shower. When that one wore out, it was garage sales for me. Not just diaper bags either. You can find fabulous purses, barely worn, hanging in all their pursely splendor for you to nab. What I’m trying to say is if diligent, you can find exactly what all the fancy people are using if you shop garage sales. You just need a bit more patience.
My motto is this: “We may not be millionaires, but we don’t have to look like it.” Extra time put into mapping out garage sale runs can net you fabulous finds. Looking for fancy stuff? Look for garage sales in the Columbus or North Canton area – maybe a super nice neighborhood is having sales all together. Designer duds have been known to show up, and for pennies on the dollar you can clad yourself in great finds. And no one will know the difference. Trust me. A few of the best dressed people I know shop garage sales – and they look like a million bucks. Patience and tactic, in the end, win the game.
I have a few tried and true tips to make your next garage sale the best one of your life. A lot of people dread putting them on, but they can be so much fun if done with these things in mind:
1) Make sure you have enough stuff. I’ve found there is nothing that stops people from buying than a sparsely filled table. If you don’t have enough for a sale on your own, band together with friends or family. The more stuff spilling out of the garage, the better. How many times have you done a drive by, saw one table, and kept driving? More stuff equals more sales.
2) Advertise. Advertising is key. Keep your ad short and concise. Name big stuff, brand names, and anything interesting. Housewares is too general. Tell them you have funky glassware, and vintage cups – reel them in with fun words.
3) Keep your prices within reason. It’s hard to look at something, know what you paid for it, then price it for pennies. Just remember, this is a garage sale. You’re simplifying your life, not trying to make a fortune. Those high heels you just had to have and paid $50 for will not sell for $20. Recouping a loss will not happen here. Mark them for $5 and hope you get $3. Set realistic prices.
4) Have fun! People shopping garage sales usually are at a leisurely pace. Banter with them, make them feel at home roaming through your yard or garage. I don’t know how many times I’ve made a sale because I started talking to a customer. Sitting in the corner behind the money table, only talking to whoever is doing the sale with you, leaves the customer feeling unwelcome. Always, always greet your shoppers. Why else are you sitting there if not to sell?
5) If you simply don’t know what you’re doing, call me. I’ll run your garage sale for you.
Fun junk sites: http://www.carterjunk.com, http://www.junkmarketstyle.com/, http://redneckchic.blogspot.com/
Published: February 5, 2012
