How to Set Up a Garage Sale

Dave Kushner • Jun 08, 2021
Custom Garage Cabinets

There’s an old saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Never has this been more true than at the great American garage sale. Each table is a treasure trove of gadgets and goodies ready to be snatched up by savvy shoppers. But bargain hunters aren’t the only ones reaping the benefits. A garage sale is the perfect way to get rid of stuff you no longer want or use – and put a little extra money in your pocket.


The key to hosting a successful garage sale is how you organize and prepare for the big day.


  • Start With a Clean Sweep
  • Make Your Game Plan
  • Set Up Shop
  • Price to Sell
  • Reap Your Rewards


Keep reading to learn exactly how to ensure that your garage sale is a total success. 


Start With a Clean Sweep

It obviously does not make sense to plan a garage sale if you have nothing worthwhile to sell. So, start by cleaning and decluttering your closets, cabinets, and especially the garage. Yes, it’s true – your garage tends to accumulate “stuff” just like the rest of your house.


As you go through each storage space, sort things into three piles or areas: what you want to keep, what you want to sell at your garage sale, and what you want to donate to charity. It's never a bad idea to keep a trash bin handy for broken, damaged, or stained items. An ABC News report found that charitable organizations, such as Goodwill, are facing increasing trash fees. It’s gotten so bad that now the organization is trying to educate donors on what types of items can be resold and what needs to be destined for the dump.


It may be difficult to decide what you should sell and what you should donate. After all, you spent your hard-earned money on this stuff in the first place. Think of your garage sale as a pop-up shop. Sell the stuff you know other people want and need. If it’s summertime, that stack of sweatshirts might not get a second glance, but a box of pool toys could sell like hotcakes.


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. That means dusting furniture, cleaning kitchen items, and washing clothes so they have that “fresh scent.” You should strive to make sure everything is as “like new” as possible – so spend a few minutes filling bicycle tires and basketballs with air before marking them for sale. 

Broom in Garage

Make Your Game Plan

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. It’s best to schedule your sale for the weekend, with Saturday as the preferred 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.



If you’ve watched any of those real estate shows on TV, then you know the importance of curb appeal. 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. Place a few “special items” closer to the street to draw in buyers. Hot sellers tend to be sports equipment, electronics, and furniture. (And never underestimate the power of cute kids! Consider letting your children get in on the entrepreneurial experience and run a lemonade stand or bake sale in the driveway.)

Set Up Shop

Going back to the analogy of thinking of your garage sale as a pop-up store, you should try to display your merchandise like a department store with separate sections for houseware, clothing, electronics, etc... Consider placing small kitchen appliances, pots and pans, and other miscellaneous home goods on one table. You could put electronics and entertainment on another. Not only will this make your garage sale more visually appealing, but it will be easier for shoppers to find exactly what they are searching for.


When displaying your goods, make sure everything is easily accessible. Consider hanging clothing from a garment rack or even a clothesline strung between two trees – and be sure to sort clothes by size and style. Avoid placing piles of clothing on a table if you can because it’s difficult for shoppers to see all of the wonderful items you are selling. Plus, everything will look messy if you are not constantly refolding the clothes. Use plastic bins to sort baby clothes by size, as these pieces are typically too small to hang or fold neatly. When selling shoes, be sure to keep pairs together. One trick is to use a clothespin, which can easily be undone if someone wants to try them on. 


If you are selling books, display them standing up with the spines showing – like at a bookstore – so that shoppers can easily scan the titles. This same principle holds true for CDs, DVDs, and even records. 


Small kitchen appliances and electronics are big sellers at garage sales. Shoppers will appreciate it if you have extension cords and batteries available so they can make sure the items are in working order. When selling electronics, it’s always a good idea to include the cables, remote controls, and any other extras such as user manuals in a Ziploc bag.

Yard Sale

Price to Sell

There’s a strategy for pricing items at a garage sale. Remember, people are looking for a bargain. The Spruce recommends that you follow the “10 Percent Rule” – set your price at about 10 percent of how much the item would cost at the store. You can go a bit higher with “like new” merchandise, but you probably don’t want to exceed more than 20 percent of the original price. It’s also a good idea to keep pricing simple – like everything is either 25-cents, 50-cents, or dollars. This way it’s easy to add up how much a shopper is spending without needing to use a calculator.


To avoid any confusion, try pricing items "by category." For example, charge 25-cents for all paperback books and $1 for hardcover books or price shirts at $2 each and $3 for pants and jeans. Not only does this alleviate the need to put price tag stickers on every single item, but it also allows you to set special pricing for shoppers who buy in bulk. After all, everyone likes to think they are getting a deal so why not charge $5 for one video game but also bundle five games for $20?


Garage sale pricing is pretty low, so you will need to make sure you have plenty of money on hand to make change. Go to the bank beforehand to get a stack of singles, some fives and tens, and a couple of rolls of quarters. Additionally, you might want to consider accepting payment through a mobile payment app, like Venmo, for higher-priced items such as furniture and electronics. 

Reap Your Rewards

A garage sale is a great way to earn some extra money by selling the stuff you don’t want or need. According to The New York Times, the average garage sale can rake in $500 to $1,000. That money can certainly help offset the cost of custom cabinetry in your garage or a slatwall storage system to maximize wall space.



After you’ve cleaned and decluttered your garage, then consider bringing in some brand new custom storage pieces. Not only will they keep your garage looking its best, but with everything stored and arranged properly, you might even save some money by not accidentally purchasing duplicate items. 


Conclusion

In many communities, garage sales are a favorite weekend activity. Bargain hunters delight at being able to scoop up stuff for a fraction of the cost in the store, and homeowners appreciate being able to earn some extra money for their efforts. The key to hosting a successful garage sale is to follow the basics of running any business: organizing, planning, staging, and selling. If you think of your garage sale as your own pop-up shop, you should see big results.

Sources

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