Should i price garage sale items

Think of your garage sale as a pop-up shop. Sell the stuff you know other people want and need. Like a store, you also want to limit your inventory. Shoppers want to be able to browse and see the merchandise. If you cram every nook and cranny with stuff, it will be too overwhelming to potential buyers.

Remember why you started this — to eliminate clutter! Shoppers despise it as much as you do. Finally, The Spruce recommends making sure that all of your merchandise is actually clean. Once you have sorted through your stuff and determined that you have enough quality merchandise to warrant a garage sale, the next step is to plan for the big day. You will want to publicize it to attract lots of shoppers.

Use social media and place an ad in your local newspaper if your community has one. You can also hang up posters around the neighborhood directing people to your home. Well, the same holds true for your garage sale. You want to make it look attractive so that people stop and shop. One sure-fire way to attract attention is to tie a bunch of balloons to your mailbox.

Hot sellers tend to be sports equipment, electronics, and furniture. 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. It might seem silly, but going the extra mile can really be the difference in making a sale and losing one. The morning of the sale, get up early and do a little setting up. For everything else, keep it organized, clearly priced and easy to sort through. Stock your checkout area with plastic grocery bags and newspaper to wrap up fragile items.

Those small touches will go a long way! So, why not cut them in on the profits? Is this just a secret plan to get your teen to clean their room?

If you have younger kids, get them involved by letting them man a lemonade stand or bake-sale booth. Who can resist a pint-sized entrepreneur?

Okay, this might seem like a strange garage sale tip, but stay with us. Most shoppers are well-meaning people just out looking for a good deal. Just keep a pitcher of complementary water outside and point them in the direction of the nearest gas station.

Be on guard when it comes to all that cash too. Keep the smaller bills in a cash box or on your body with an apron or fanny pack. If you still have some higher-dollar items left at the end of the day, sell your stuff online! Consider selling clothing on places like Poshmark and thredUP. Just be sure to always include pictures of your items. And research similar items before you price yours so you can get an accurate idea of what to ask for.

According to guides published by Real Simple and The Spruce , yard sale pricing varies widely by region. Visiting a couple of local thrift stores can provide valuable intel as well. To make prices clear for your customers, label each item individually with a tag that clearly shows the price. Putting labels on every product at your sale may seem like a lot of work, but it will save you trouble on the day of the sale itself. For the same reason, resist the urge to use color-coded stickers to indicate the price.

You can then make a chart to show what each color stands for rather than writing all the prices by hand. The problem is you will have to field repeated questions from buyers about what the labels mean. Some garage sale experts recommend bright-colored price stickers that catch the eye, while others prefer plain masking tape because it costs less.

It also has the advantage of being easy to remove cleanly. Taking the time to place individual price stickers on everything avoids the problem. You can account for this tendency to haggle by setting the initial prices just a little on the high side. However, this approach can backfire if you take it too far. Not all buyers like to bargain, and some will simply walk away from something that looks overpriced. However, there may be a few goods on which you prefer to state a firm price rather than leave room for haggling.

When this happens, consider dropping your prices — not just by accepting lower offers but on the price tags — to make your merchandise more appealing. The more attractive your tables and set-up, the more likely you are to get a good price. This includes having a neat, clean yard and garage. Make sure your items are clean and that there are electrical outlets or extension cords available to easily check for working condition of appliances and tools.

Clothing should be sorted by gender and type and either stacked neatly on tables or hung on hangers. The exception to these is, of course, if an item is truly a collectable or very valuable. Then you may be better off having it professionally auctioned or having it sold through a private sale via an appraiser.

We have a huge garage sale every year and pricing is a snap. Want to know how to price garage sale items? If the former, you should visit local thrift shops and antique shops to see what they are asking for similar items.

This will give you an idea of the value of your items, but be prepared to carry most of your stuff back into the garage at the end of the day. If the latter, which is the reason for my sales, I price items at what I would want to pay for them if I were considering purchasing them at a garage sale. Since I am an avid bargain-hunter, this means that I price my items considerably below their market value.

However, at the end of the day, I have some space in my basement and some money in my pocket. Subscribe to The Dollar Stretcher , our free twice-weekly newsletter aimed at helping you live better for less on the money you already have!