Garage Sale Season!!

I've over joyed that Garage Sale Season is here!
If you have been with me long you know just how much I love garage sales. and how the Lord always provides awesome clothes for our kiddos at a forth of the price. whats not to like about that??? 
So this morning I'm going to share just a about about how to have a Successful  Garage Sale.



  Here's some of my tips that I use!

1. Invite the neighbors! Neighborhood or community sales are much more fun!
2. As you find items to sell, make sure everything is in clean and good working order. If it's dirty, wash it! and price as you go!
3. Check the ordinances in your city to see if you need a permit to hold a garage sale. Some cities, like mine, do not require them but many close by do. They have rules governing how many sales you can have per year as well as how many days in a row. Don't risk ignoring the ordinances and getting shut down in the midst of your sale.
4. Choose a date with family members so you'll have the assistance that you need with the kiddos. it's hard to keep an eye on the kiddos and do a sale!. Most sales are on Friday and Saturday and some are just Saturday. . I  like to have 3 day sales starting on Thursday and ending on Saturday.
5. Choosing a start time is important. I like to open at 8 and close at 5, but Sat. just till 2. Think through a rain plan. what you will you do if it rains? Some people have it anyhow, if it's all contained in a garage. Die-hard garage-salers go to sales in the rain. :) 
6. When pricing your "treasures", think of prices you would like to see if you were shopping at a garage sale. The lower the price, the faster it will sell, the more money you make and the less you will have to pack up at the end of your sale. Nobody likes packing up the leftovers. A good rule-of-thumb for pricing is 1/2 to 1/3 of retail prices.
7. Mark your prices large and clear on each tag and try to place your tags in the same spot on each thing.  ie..on Clothing... right by the collar on the right. and so on.
8. have a  “free box”. Everyone loves those!
9. Do not put eBay auction pages on your merchandise or tell people how you can sell it for more on eBay. Your garage sale is not an auction. No one cares what it sold for on eBay. If you can sell it for more on eBay, then you do it! :)  (Sorry just a pet peeve of mine. :)
10. Advertise in your local newspaper, There are lots of Facebook garage sale pages, just ask around for one in our area, and post clear signs. make sure that you can read the Address from 15 feet away! when your driving in the car you need to be able to read it quickly as you go by! use arrows as well! 
11. Add balloons, streamers to your sign to catch attention. Do the same on each sign. that way if there are 2 sales in the same area they will know witch is yours. :)
    and too, the ladies that come to ours always know to look for the smiley face balloons from the dollar store! They last all weekend and you don't have to add new ones each day like you would if you just used normal balloons, saving you $ and time in the long run!
12. If possible, set up the tables in your garage and start arranging a couple days earlier. If there is more than one family, it may take some time.
    Try to keep everything all together, and have clear signs telling what each table has... "girls 12months~ 3T". As items sell, rearrange to make tables look full, take them down if most of it's items sell and fill the other tables.
13. Make sure you have been to the bank for change a day or two earlier.I always start with $75 in bills and $10 in quarters. Have plenty, and remember that the bank closes at noon on Sat. people will use lots of $20's. Always keep just about $100 in your change box. and keep the rest in the house. 
14.  Our kiddos always love having a little stand to sell things on Sat. they do really well. last year they made $10 in lemon-aide! I always sell coffee too, it's a great seller,( $5, on one pot.) and it makes the garage smell yummy too!
15. Have a blast!!

I hope this helps you out a bit as you think about what to do with all your "unneeded" things.
and for me after I have a sale, I have the extra $$$ to go to Indiana and garage sale for the kiddos clothes for the next coming seasons!

Have a wonderful day. I'm getting ready for our sale next weekend! :)

Sweetest Blessings!
Carra