One man’s clutter is another’s prized find. 😉 A few weeks ago, my family and I held our very first garage sale. It was a big success! Here are some tips I gathered from that experience that I hope can help you!
How to hold a successful garage sale:
1. Set a date and time, and make the announcement a week before. We held our garage sale on a weekend, so most of the neighborhood’s residents could make it. It’s also ideal to hold the sale right after payday. Our announcement was made via the neighborhood bulletin board and a strong sturdy sign right outside the house.
2. Know what you’re selling and shout it out too! Clothes, toys, books and CDs… these dominated the items at our garage sale. Let your neighborhood know what goods they can expect.
3. Put seasonal clothes close to the front. Because of the rainy season, a lot of the customers were looking for jackets. If you’re holding your garage in the next few weeks, why not throw in some boots and hats too.
4. Keep clothing displays neat and customer-friendly. While it’s easy to throw clothes into a huge box, the clothes will be much better presented on hangers. Customers will be able to appreciate the items more, and you do away with unsightly creases that may make your clothes look older than they really are.
5. Make sure you are selling clean and presentable merchandise. The charm of garage sales is in the quirkiness and sentimental value of old trinkets and clothes. Try not to dilute this by selling items that are damaged and dirty. When unsure whether an item is in presentable shape or not, ask yourself if you’d buy it.
6. Present prices clearly. This way, customers save time on asking you questions for each item. This makes for more browsing (and buying) time! We used colored masking tape and markers as price tags. For items that are sensitive to stickers (ex. posters, small-sized items, etc.), post a sign beside the goods.
7. If the item will help others more than it will help you, consider selling it. I wanted to hold on to these books for sentimental value. The truth is I haven’t flipped open any of these books in years. A day after we set out these books, a Mom happily walked away with the Supreme Cuisine cookbook. It made me happy knowing she’d have fun with those recipes. I didn’t even try a single one. On the flipside, don’t sell anything you’ll regret later on!
8. Old magazines sell. There is magic in old magazines. The older they are, the more educational, the better. They’re literary time machines.
9. Put the interesting toys and trinkets up front. Customers spend more time deciding which clothes and books to buy. To avoid clogging pathways, it’s best to have clothes and books displays on the side or at the back. Toys and trinkets, because they’re usually quick buys, are great front and center.
10. Present your books in an organized manner — spine side-out or face up, in neat stacks. Respect your books. Just a little side story: I come from a family of book lovers. When I see a book with a cracked spine or tossed around haphazardly, I get a little ache. Seriously. I’m sure bookworms can relate. Organizing your books properly is easier on the eye too, hence more customer-friendly.
11. Use the floor to present your books too! Books are heavy. Here, my sister laid out an old blanket and neatly arranged the books face-up for easy viewing. Customers don’t have to get on their knees to flip the books over and see the titles. We get to maximize the garage’s space too.
12. Color-code your price tags if there are multiple vendors. To keep the financial tally organized and know who gets how much at the end of the day, assign a color to each seller. One sister chose red, another yellow, I got blue. After the garage sale is done, dividing the profits won’t be headache at all.
13. Give a little extra! Aside from discounts, give your customers a little extra something to smile about! We had an abundance of fruits that weekend, so my family decided to share the rambutan love. Customers could take a couple home with them, or eat them right there. Behind the basket is a little bag where they could put the rambutan pits in. The rambutan love did put a smile on people’s faces.
14. Don’t forget to have fun! My sister P worked the hardest among us, and it wouldn’t have been a success without her organizational skills. Yey! Because the system was in place, we had tons of fun together. It’s a great way to bond with family too!
15. Learn from your first garage sale experience. I learned that it would be great to: (a) provide boxes/baskets that customers can carry around with them to put their items in, (b) have more toys (there can never be too much of these), (c) set out male-driven items, e.g. men’s wear, tools, etc. in front (it takes more effort for guys to go shopping!).
I’m looking forward to our next garage sale! 😀 If you plan on organizing one, I hope these tips help. Good luck!
Have you held a garage sale? Got any tips to share? I’d love to hear them!
Hi! I'm Toni Tiu,
and I've been blogging at
at Wifely Steps since 2003. This started as a blog to help newly weds adjust to married life. It has evolved into a home and parenting blog. I write about things close to my heart -- good eats, good reads, family, marriage, and the little things that make everyday happy.
ganns
August 11, 2008 at 6:12 pm (16 years ago)Congratulations, Toni! We hold garage sales every three months and always attract a good crowd. It’s a great way of keeping the house relatively clutter-free and helping others as well.
chateau a.k.a. imom
August 11, 2008 at 6:31 pm (16 years ago)We had a garage sale last summer, and it was a hit! We made quite a good sum of money too.
I made some announcement fliers and sent out my alipores, a.k.a. my two manangs and the kids, to distribute them house-to-house. In my flier, I put the specific brands i’ll be selling. Most came looking for those exact brands. 😉
Your tips are so much more helpful. I’m planning another sale next month. I’ll keep this post handy.
chateau a.k.a. imoms last blog post..Win a USD10,000 Dream Room Give-away from Boyles.com
kreez
August 11, 2008 at 7:04 pm (16 years ago)Looks like the garage sale was loads of fun! Thanks for the tips, it will be very handy once we participate on the annual garage sale that we have here in Ams during Queen’s day.
kreezs last blog post..Cholatier!
Gracey
August 11, 2008 at 7:31 pm (16 years ago)How cool! Haven’t tried this out yet but when I go home next time, will ask my mom to do it so they can get rid of all the clutter in the bodega. Thanks for the tips!
Graceys last blog post..New Blanket – 10 August 2008
Candice
August 11, 2008 at 8:34 pm (16 years ago)This is so timely! I’m looking forward to setting up a garage sale soon.
Candices last blog post..Items I want to acquire in the next weeks or months
Sinta
August 11, 2008 at 9:12 pm (16 years ago)I love finding and browsing garage sales. I did it quite often in Asia. Now in the UK, there are car boot sales and antique sales. I still love going into second hand shops too. I like objects that aren’t totally brand new. Objects that carry a bit of history ^_^
witsandnuts
August 12, 2008 at 12:59 am (16 years ago)“When unsure whether an item is in presentable shape or not, ask yourself if you’d buy it.”
– holds true at all times, at all forms.
Thanks for the tips, Toni!
J.
August 12, 2008 at 2:16 am (16 years ago)I love “thrifting” stuff at garage sales. Yours looks very organized, and fun! A tip from me: cookies for the “free stuff!” Freshly-baked cookies really draw crowds.
I had to laugh, by the way, because I see you sold (or tried to) your Comm Research textbook. I think I still have mine, too!
J.s last blog post..That Dress
Kari
August 12, 2008 at 4:24 am (16 years ago)All wonderful tips and suggestions! I only wish I could’ve attended your garage sale. By the looks of it I would’ve walked away with quite a few goodies 😉
odette
August 12, 2008 at 4:31 am (16 years ago)you all looked like you had so much fun! i love your family picture, sooo girl power.
and yes, i’m a sucker for 2nd hands, hand me downs, and old senti things.
odettes last blog post..♥MMM – My Man Meme♥
ibyang
August 12, 2008 at 7:58 am (16 years ago)congratulations on the success of your garage sale. thanks for the tips! nice photographs too
ibyangs last blog post..Walking in a Winter Wonderland
blue rose
August 12, 2008 at 8:15 am (16 years ago)COOL! very helpful tips.
how i wish i could have attended to your garage sale. i love to have that very big teddy bear for my baby and some books for me.*sigh*
blue roses last blog post..off for the weekend…
ayen
August 12, 2008 at 9:13 am (16 years ago)wow, it looks so much fun. ang tagal ko na gusto mag-garage sale. somehow, i haven’t gotten to doing it or maybe i just don’t know where to start. This post is really useful.
rowie
August 12, 2008 at 10:59 am (16 years ago)We hold a garage sale once a year, but I loooove your tips and will incorporate them next time we have a garage sale (which is within the next two months). Ang dami nyong clothes racks tsaka shelves — inggit ako! Most of our clothes end up in boxes because we don’t have racks.
I also love the idea of giving out free rambutan, hahaha!
rowies last blog post..My favorite online shopping sites.
JO
August 12, 2008 at 11:34 am (16 years ago)wow! that is one huge garage sale!
JOs last blog post..Patrick in ’18 Roses Dance’
lady cess
August 12, 2008 at 11:34 am (16 years ago)kung magkalapit lang tayo, i would have made pakyaw the national geographic! naghahanap talaga ako ng 2nd hand na mura (ang mamahal sa booksale kahit second hand) kasi ginagamit ko yan for my son’s projects.
lady cesss last blog post..Good Reads
Jeanny
August 12, 2008 at 1:43 pm (16 years ago)that’s a great success..congratulation!
and that looks so so fun.
Thank for the tips Toni.
I can relate to that book ache thing…hehehe.
Have a great day, muahhh
Jeannys last blog post..Spicy Dinner
Kittymama
August 12, 2008 at 1:45 pm (16 years ago)Toni, you sold that fuzzy bear for P20! Oh, my! I would have loved to give it a new home…
I love the way you and your sister organized everything. I picked up new lessons for my own garage sale (it’s always a hit in my little barrio) which I hold every 5 to 7 years just to clear out stuff. I always make sure that what I sell would not be “basura.” I try to put myself in the buyer’s shoes so I prewash clothes, linens and stuffed toys before I set them out for sale.
Just a short “kuwento:” in one of my sales, I sold some old but unused baby briefs for P3 apiece. One mom, carrying an underwear-less toddler of about two years of age, went to the pile, sniffed the fabric of the briefs, remarked on how good it smelled, and gave me three pesos. Then she put on the briefs on her son and said,” Ayan, me panty ka na.” She was beaming. I ended up giving her the whole lot for P3. Natunaw ang puso ko.
Tatz
August 12, 2008 at 2:25 pm (16 years ago)kakatuwang tingnan…pero ang proceeds saan napunta. Tiyak ko kulang pa sa pangkain ng grupo he he he. huwel, what counts most was the fun, di bah!
Cookie
August 12, 2008 at 8:49 pm (16 years ago)The last garage sale we held was about 2 years ago and we’re seriously thinking of having one again. Too much kalat already. You’re right, old magazines sell. We were able to unload all our old magazines on just 1 buyer!! To sell more clothes we gave special prices like 25 bucks or 60bucks for 3.
Cookies last blog post..Weekend Snapshot : Street Art
sheng
August 13, 2008 at 8:41 am (16 years ago)Hmmm, I wonder when i can have that kind of sale too, it’s kinda weird because i don’t seem to have gotten off with the fondness of each of my belongings. It’s all a clutter in our house, I hope to get rid of them soon. Your tips I love.
shengs last blog post..I Hate Chores
dyanie
August 13, 2008 at 11:42 am (16 years ago)Yay! You had a garage sale pla. Sana nakapunta kami hehehe 😉
dyanies last blog post..Greatest Hits of the 80’s the Repeat
maan
August 13, 2008 at 4:10 pm (16 years ago)your buttons are cute!!! and you’ve so many books. and the posters….huwaaa. sana nakadaan ako sa garage sale mo….
maans last blog post..
Fides
August 13, 2008 at 10:06 pm (16 years ago)Hi toni, I have been an avid fan ever since the day my friend sent me a link to your site. I would have gone to your garage sale if you were my neighbor. I had seen so many stuff that I would have bought. I do garage sale too every once in a while but I never imagined that there would be a better and organized way of doing it. i usually just dump it in my garage and let the customers rummage through it and thank you for the tips.I’ll keep these in mind in my next sale.
Leah
August 14, 2008 at 11:35 am (16 years ago)These are all great ideas. We’ve been planning a garage sale every weekend but it has not happened yet. I will surely use these tips. Thanks
Leahs last blog post..Lucky day and a sketch
Fides
August 18, 2008 at 8:59 pm (16 years ago)some books,i love the buttons (i could attach magnets and stick it on my ref or simply put it on an old t-shirt)
Rachel
August 27, 2008 at 11:59 am (16 years ago)wow congrats Ate Toni sayang di ko man lang nasulyapan yang garage sale nio, mukhang maraming mabibili ah.
Jonathan M.
November 11, 2008 at 1:53 am (15 years ago)I was looking for ideas and products to help solve some of my garage organizing problems. Then I stumbled on a website http://www.1stchoicegarage.com and was happy to see they have lots of solutions for your garage. Car lifts, overhead storage, wall organizing products, and the list goes on, and on. I recommend you take a look at this site, and see how they can help you.
Jonathan