With summer just around the corner there is no better time to declutter and get rid of those old bits and bobs around the house. A great way to say “good riddance” to your clutter is to host a garage sale. But, the trick to success is planning well. If you don’t, you could be leaving money (and your unwanted stuff) out on the curb. In fact, 97% of people leave within two minutes if they don’t see anything they like at a garage sale  

Here are some tips and tricks to ensure that your garage sale is a success:  

1. Get your neighbors involved
   By having the whole block/street involved you will get a lot more foot traffic. It can also be a fun bonding activity for your neighbours! You could pool your funds together and raise money for a local charity if you are feeling extra generous!

2. Advertise your garage sale 
   There are lots of ways you can advertise without having to spend a pretty penny! Use social media as well as free classified ads such as Craigslist and Kijiji. Do not forget about posting good old-fashioned paper signs around the neighbourhood as well. Our C21 tip is to use community bulletin boards at your public libraries, groceries stories, gyms, etc.  

3. Rain date
   Although summer is here, it’s good to plan for the worst when it comes to weather. Schedule a rain date in your advertising so people will know the alternate date if your sale gets rained out. If you have a portable gazebo it would be wise to set that up in case it starts to rain during your sale. You don’t want all your treasures to get soaked!

4. Pricing
   Take your time to go through your items and pick a reasonable price. Remember—you are paying someone to take your junk from your yard, but you still want your time to be worth the effort you’re putting into the sale. Expect hagglers so make sure you price your items knowing that shoppers will haggle!
    

5. Liven up your garage sale with music 
   Music makes everyone happy so blast out some fun beats. Not only will it put your customers in a good mood but it will also attract passersby.
    

6. Pick Saturday over Sunday
   We recommend Saturday over Sunday as people are usually more active on Saturdays. As well, you can use Sunday as an overflow day if you want to extend the sale or it could be your rain day.