Planning Your Garage Sale
By Cheryl Gochnauer
Here in the Land of Opportunity, we're on the brink of Garage Sale Season.
Figuring out what to part with is easy. You're tired of it. It hasn't fitin two years, and never will. The color is wrong; the style is wrong; it'sjust not you.
But hang a sign on it, and somebody's sure to think it's perfect for THEM.With the right spin, trash miraculously transforms into prime merchandise.Flame your entrepreneurial spirit with these tips for your upcoming garagesale.
PRESENTATION REALLY IS EVERYTHING
. Appear disorganized and dirty, and buyerswill drive right by.
Instead, mow the grass and sweep the sidewalk. Advertise in the local paperand post bright signs at nearby major intersections, leading buyers to yourdoor with arrows. Tie balloons to your banister. Move large, eye-catchingitems like furniture out on the driveway. Open all garage doors; turn onall lights. Make everything easy to see.
Smile at visitors, but don't hover. Stand at their shoulder, and you'll losesales. Instead, sit at a table on the driveway, with pop and cookies.Divide your garage and driveway into clearly defined zones, like babyclothes, household items, children's toys, bedding and linens, etc.
Thumbtack sheets to hang from the ceiling, then stash "not-for-sale" itemsbehind the curtain.
Have an extension cord ready to prove electrical items work.
Don't lump 50 stuffed animals together, hoping someone will take time tosort through them. Instead, place an elf next to a sparkly Christmasdress...position a cowboy peeking over a pair of boots...have a huge teddybear "read" one of a series of books piled beside him.
Know your customer. Used prom dresses are a hard sale to adults, but takethose same chiffons and hawk them in the toy section under "Dress-upClothes" and a mini-ballet dancer or princess will clean you out.
Play jazz or easy listening music, giving your sale ambiance. Instead ofstacking pictures on a table, display them in appropriate areas: astill-life by some dishes, an angel positioned over a crib.
If something's dated, come up with a new way to enjoy it. For instance,don't display an old Selectric with your office supplies. Roll in a pieceof glow-orange paper, set the typewriter with the kids' stuff, and plug itin. Watch a preschooler fall in love with its tap-tap-tap.
Put cars, trucks and other "try before you buy" toys on a sturdy area rug.While Mom shops, Junior will bond with something, then take it home.
Don't pack clothes tightly on rods; separate them by size and type. Hangdresses; put shorts and tops in clearly marked boxes or baskets: "Boys2T-4T;" "Girls 10-12." Display frilly baby outfits on ladder rungs.
PLAYING GARAGE SALE LIMBO
: How low will they go? That's the question onshoppers' minds as they spring from cars. Don't keep them in suspense; postprices prominently. Color-coded dots work well; stick one on every item andlet shoppers check a chart for prices: yellow-25, blue-50, red-75, etc.
Garage-salers are looking for deals. Don't demoralize them with $10toddler dresses. Know what similar items are selling for at other sales,then charge SLIGHTLY higher prices. When merchandise is clean andattractively displayed, shoppers are willing to pay more. (But not tentimes more.)
The first person up your driveway will try to negotiate, but don't dropprices before noon. If someone makes an offer, write down their phonenumber.
Build in perceived value. If books are 50 cents, offer "3 for a dollar".Toss in free sheets when you sell a bed.
Start the day with plenty of change so the first shopper doesn't clean youout, using a $20 to pay for a 75-cent purchase. Keep money in a fanny pack,and immediately take large bills in the house for safekeeping.
Garage-saling is a combination of fun and sport. Tailor your sale to pleaseyour customers, and stuff will fly off your shelves.
Copyright 2002 Homebodies.Org, LLC.
Advance copies of Cheryl's new"Stay-at-Home Handbook: Advice on Parenting, Finances, Career, SurvivingEach Day Much More" are now available ($10.99 plus $3.00shipping/packaging). "Stay-at-Home Handbook" has 42 chapters, featuring theinsights of 60 families and a foreword by Dr. Laura Schlessinger. To orderyour autographed copy, visit
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