Prepare For The Moving/Garage Sale

Here it is, the first of August! Where has the time gone? If we have been keeping up we should be pretty well through with sorting and downsizing our ‘stuff’ in preparation for a move or just being able to stay safely in our homes. That means, that everything that is left are items we want to keep or move to our new home, or they are items that you are going to try and sell at a moving/yard sale.  

So let’s talk about preparing for that sale. There are eight major things that need to be done; 

1. Pick a date – If you are planning a sale during the month of August or September try to avoid Labor Day Weekend.  People tend to spend the last days of summer at a beach or getting the children ready for school, rather than at Moving sales. Pick a weekend or two before or after Labor Day, and mark your calendar and everything you do now will be working toward being organized and prepared for the sale.
2. Consolidate – You have set aside and designated items as yard sale items, and they are currently in different staging areas around the house.   Start to bring these items to a central area, probably the recently cleaned out garage (It is okay it is only temporary until after the sale.)
3. Set a Goal – What do you want to achieve from this sale?  Is the sale just to make money and whatever doesn’t sell you will keep? Or is your goal to sell as much as possible because it is good and serviceable and whatever you make is a bonus and you won’t have to pay someone to take it away?  Whatever the goal is will determine your pricing strategy.
4. Clean, Price and Sort – When brining the items to the garage if they are dirty and grungy try cleaning the items in order to make them look better for the sale.  After you clean up the items a bit, start to price the items but remember what the GOAL is and price the items accordingly.  Also put like items together; electronics, books, dishes, etc.  It will facilitate setting up for the sale.
5. Advertising – Find out when the deadline date for placing ads in the local papers, on-line sites, and don’t miss the cutoff date.   Also, spend the money and have several posters or signs made that clearly shows the
   date, address, and time of the sale for distribution throughout the surrounding areas.
6. Supplies – Collect the supplies and equipment you will need for the sale.   You will need several long folding tables to put items on; for both outside and in the garage.  You will need to have extension cords available to test electric items; such as radios, toasters, TV’s etc.  Make sure you have enough gas in the lawn mower, snow blower, or other items so buyers can test the items.   If they are working you will get more money for the items.
7. Money – Have about $75 in cash ($1s, $5s, and a roll of quarters) to start the day.  Remember what you started with deduct that from the gross sales of the day and the net is what you made.
8. Pick Up after sale – Arrange for someone to come in the day after the sale to remove all unsold items.  They will take the items and either donate or trash the items, and when trashing the items it will be done in an environmentally safe manner.

Preparing for a sale is a lot of work, but if you allow yourself enough time prior to the sale you will not be too frazzled. Setting up and breaking down the sale will
be relatively easy and effortless and because you planned ahead for this event
it should be a huge success.