Tips for Planning a Moving Sale

Planning a moving sale can be a great way to go through your items and sort out things you no longer need. For a successful sale, consider the following.

First, you need to pick a date for the sale to take place. Garage sales do better over the weekend, so it is best to choose a Friday and Saturday. Consider coordinating with your neighbors or asking family and friends if they would like to sell anything at your sale. The larger the sale, the more likely it will attract customers. Settle on a date that works for everyone that plans to host on that day, and schedule it to run from morning through the afternoon: around 9 or 10 to 4.

Next, you will need to advertise your sale. It is common practice to place yard signs around your community announcing the sale, address, date, and time. For extra traction, post about your moving sale on social media and ask your friends and family to share it to boost engagement. The more people that know about your sale, the better. There are even garage sale finder apps that direct people to sales around their neighborhood, so consider adding a pin for your location to boost traffic. Local newspapers often report garage sales as well, so you can reach out to your local paper to alert them to your upcoming sale.

Once you have settled on a date and begun to advertise, gather the items that you wish to sell. Sort the items into categories such as clothes, kitchenware, tools, jewelry, etc. This will make it easier to space out your setup and make it easier for your customers to navigate. To differentiate between your items and any that friends or family are selling, use distinct color stickers to display the prices of each item.

Garage salegoers expect a deal, so price your items accordingly. It can be a good idea to stop by a few garage sales in the weeks before your sale to get a more accurate gauge for prices in your area. Generally, expect a ballpark price of $2 for clothes, $1 for books, and fair prices for electronics and more. Be prepared for haggling over more expensive items, and if you cannot budge on a price, make that clear by noting “firm” on the sticker after the listed price.

Prepare for the weather on the days of the sale. Have tarps ready to cover your items if rain is in the forecast and have beverages for sale on hot, sunny days. If possible, have two people running the sale so you can each take a break for lunch. Bring a pleasant attitude and you will have a successful sale.