A garage sale can be an excellent way to get rid of things you no longer need or want and eliminate clutter in your home. Here are some tips to make your garage sale a success.

Figure out What to Sell

Start by going through your home and finding items that you want to sell. If you don’t use something on a regular basis, or if you forgot you had it, you can probably get rid of it. Comb through each room, as well as the basement, attic, garage, and shed. Then sort items into categories.

Advertise the Sale

Schedule your garage sale for a weekend. You can plan on hosting a one-day sale, or it can last for two or three days if you have a lot of things that you want to get rid of.

Advertise the garage sale on social media.

You can also post fliers at local businesses if they give you permission. Put up signs to direct people to your home and balloons at the end of your driveway.

Set Prices and Organize Items

Choose prices that are reasonable based on the age, condition, and usefulness of the items you’re selling. Don’t expect to get anywhere near what you paid for them. You want to get rid of your old and unwanted stuff, so set prices that will entice buyers who are looking for good deals. Don’t let memories or emotion influence you when pricing items for your garage sale.

Be willing to negotiate, but don’t set prices high expecting that all customers will want to haggle. Many will just walk away.

Figure out your rock-bottom prices in advance so you don’t let a persistent customer talk you into selling an item for an unreasonably low amount of money.

Clean items for sale and make them look appealing. Organize things in a logical way so people who are looking for something specific can find it.

Make sure that customers know how much things cost. Clearly label individual items or place similar items in containers and post signs with prices.

Be Prepared on the Day of the Sale

Have a lockbox to keep cash safe. Be sure that you have enough small bills at the beginning of the sale to make change.

If you schedule your garage sale weeks in advance, you may have no idea what the weather will be like on the day of the sale.

Using a portable canopy can help you avoid weather-related problems. You can set up the items for sale under a canopy to protect them and your customers from rain or extreme heat.

Shelters of America sells portable canopies in a range of sizes to suit a variety of needs. Order a canopy for your garage sale today.