Planning a Successful Garage Sale

 
The air outside may still be chilly as the calendar turns to the month of March, however it’s never too early to get started on your spring cleaning. Instead of tossing your unwanted goods in the trash this year, plan a garage sale! Your clothing, gadgets and household items may not be of use to you and your family anymore, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be valuable to somebody else. Here are some tips and tricks for planning a successful garage sale this upcoming spring:
 
Save the Date
 
The first step to planning your garage sale is deciding when to have it. Many people choose to have their sale over an entire weekend, however if you are only offering up a few items, a Saturday or Sunday morning or afternoon may suffice. Try to avoid long weekends, as many families tend to leave town and streets are often quieter than on an ordinary Saturday and/or Sunday.
 
The More the Merrier
 
The last thing you want to happen on the day of your garage sale is to set everything up only to see you will be in direct competition with your neighbour. Once you’ve decided on the date, contact your neighbours and see if they are also interested in selling some gently used goods. Strength comes in numbers, and having one big garage sale will more than likely be more successful than several small ones spread out across your street. Getting your neighbours involved will also help to spread the word and also create a nice variety of goods for your customers to choose from.
 
Give Back
 
Just want to clear some space in your house and not interested in making a profit? Donate all the proceeds of your garage sale to a charity. Not only will some people be more encouraged to take some items off of your hands knowing those less fortunate will benefit, but you will also be making a difference in your community. Charities such as SickKids Foundation allow you to register your event through their website and will send you posters and stickers to help you promote it. They will even advertise it on their website to help you attract some attention!
 
Savvy Advertising
 
It’s always ok to go old-school and advertise your garage sale by placing signs around your neighbourhood. However, the Internet allows you to make your message a bit more widespread. Many communities and neighbourhoods have Facebook groups you can post ads and announcements in, and some cities even have their own Kijiji-style websites where you post a free classified. If your garage sale will feature an item you think many people could be interested in, make sure that it is highlighted in your advertisements, and maybe even include a picture!