Did you ever get the bargain of your life at a garage sale? Or have you been like me and have gone to a garage sale to pick up a few good books to read and end up buying a 250 dollar telescope that when you got it home didn't work? Next time come home from a day shopping at garage sales feeling like a winner.
Go with a purpose. It is best to have some items in mind that you want and ask if they have it. Know what certain used articles sell for, you will appear knowledgeable and confident to the seller.
Make sure you have all your garage sale equipment with you. Have sizes on hand in case you hit a jackpot on the exact size and type of clothing you or your family may want. Always carry a tape measure. There is nothing like seeing that perfect corner cabinet for sale for practically nothing but you hesitate because you are not sure if it will fit. Small bills and change are imperative. It is easier to negotiate if you have odd amount such eight dollars instead of ten or sixty six cents instead if one dollar.
Establish a rapport with the seller. Ask questions - get to know about the item you are looking at. Find out where, when, why, how. This can give you the ammunition you need to bargain with. Remember the emotional factor the seller may have for a certain article and respect him for it. If you can show the seller you relate to that they may give you a better deal. When I have done this I have ended up buying other items they originally did not have for sale.
Don't be sneaky unless you expect it in return and don't play mind games. When I have had garage sales, I could usually spot those people trying to scam me and, instead of dealing with them I usually just waited for them to leave.
Be considerate; don't go earlier then the time advertised. If you go as soon as the garage sale opens you may find a better selection. However, if you go towards the end, you may get a better deal.
Also, remember the section of town you are in. In rural areas you may find a better deal on a lawn mower then in the middle of a city.
The bottom line is to be prepared and rested. When you are prepared you can think best and negotiate with confidence. If you are successful you may even find bargains to resell on eBay.
How To Have A Successful Garage Sale
Are your ready to have a successful fall garage sale or are you going to be fumbling around getting things unpacked and cleared out, throwing dirty old stuff in boxes and on disorganized racks, shoes in boxes and just going through the stages of planning a mayhem party.
So what can you do to ensure a hugely successful fall a garage sale? For starters, your fall garage sale planning starts months before. What I have found to be a good practice is I have keep few boxes in the garage and each month as I am cleaning out things or come across something that is unused I will throw it in the box for a possible garage sale item. When fall comes around and I am ready to sell, I have all the inventory I could ever dream of having. This way I am are constantly clearing out outdated and most importantly unused items.
Here are a few more great tips that will help you have a garage sale that will be talked about for months on end.
Plan the date of your garage sale ahead of time, contact your local newspaper and put in an order for an advertisement.
Make out an inventory list of all the items you will have for sale, with prices and the date printed on the list, make fifty copies and drop them off around the neighborhood. Make sure that you mention that your neighbor invite their friends. If you can, have an entry form on the back that can be completed for the end of garage sale drawing.
Make some colorful signs that are placed in some high traffic intersections. Remember your goal is to have a ton of people to come to your sale so that you can sell out of everything.
Mark all your items, this ensures that you will not have to answer, as many questions about pricing at the sale this can be extremely stressful.
If you have any items that could use a little cleaning and repair work before hand, go ahead and do it. Items that are broken or dirty may not sell and you will end up just throwing them away.
For some added sales, try to pick a warm to hot day. Have a large tub filled with ice and cold drinks. Sell them for a dollar a piece, you will be amazed how much money you can make selling drinks and this actually may be the real item that can make your garage sale successful.
I hope that this article has given you some good ideas for your fall garage sale. Lastly, do not forget the fun part, counting all your money and dreaming about the nice things you can buy.
Both Linda Waters & Peter Engelbrecht are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.