Moving is a chance to start fresh, but it’s hard to start over if you are relocating to your new home with boxes that are filled with belongings that you no longer need, use or want. Once you’ve weeded out the items that aren’t heading to your new locale, having a garage sale is the perfect way to send your stuff out the door.The advantages of having a garage sale before your move are threefold: You’ll help yourself to organize and prepare for packing the necessities; you can get rid of things you don’t use and avoid paying to move them; and you’ll make some extra cash that you can spend on new items for your next home.
Here’s a rundown of how to organize a successful garage sale before your big move:
Organize. Before you create the buzz about your garage sale, you will need to know exactly what you are selling. Going from room-to-room sort everything you want sold and organize the items by category such as kitchen mugs, winter clothes, etc. Place these items in one area of your house in order to prevent clutter. You should also make sure that you have enough tables and chairs, and if necessary, borrow some from friends or neighbors.
Advertise. Aim to advertise about one week before your sale. Any earlier and people will likely forget about it, not to mention your sign may be torn down. Post your signs everywhere in your neighborhood and think outside of the box. Ask your local coffee house, library, theater, grocery store or community garden if you can post your sign there. You may also want to place an ad in your local newspaper or on your local community website to get the word out. Make sure your flier or ad includes the time, date and address as well as list of some items that will be sold. If possible, advertise a rain date in case of bad weather.
Set a price. Two or three days before the sale mark every item with your desired price. This will prevent chaos and keep you organized as opposed to having several people haggle you at once. Use bright-colored or neon-colored tags so that your customers can immediately notice how much it costs.
Rest up. The day before your sale make sure that you get sufficient rest. Most likely, you will be on your feet and outside for five or more hours. On the day of your sale have a healthily breakfast and begin setting up your items at least 30-45 minutes before the sale – people will arrive to your garage sale early and they will be ready to spend.
Sell as much as possible. Remember, the more you sell the less you have to pack up - not to mention pay to move. Be willing to accept lower offers for those hard-to-sell items, especially if it is something that will end up collecting dust in your new home.
Consider donating unsold items. If everything you choose for your yard sale doesn’t clear off by the end of the day, consider donating the items to charity. You were willing to sell them, so why not help out a good cause instead?
This article was written by a Relocation.com staff member. Relocation.com is a leading provider of relocation services before, during and after the move
