Garage Sale Tips from the Pros
This is the season of garage and yard sale bargains – even some freebies! – and you can find lots of fertile shopping ground driving around on the weekends near Colliers Hill. And if you’re the one selling, expect a long line of takers for the stuff you no longer want or need. Who doesn’t like scoring a deal on barely or gently used kids’ clothes, sports gear and lawn equipment, snow blowers, bikes, trikes, scooters and kitchen tools!
Here are some tips from the pros to make your garage sale weekend a huge success!
Sell Your Stuff!
Some of us are tempted to donate things we don’t use anymore, but the truth is, the average garage sale item sells for 85 cents and the more you have the more you’ll make! From the selling end, here are the things you need to know before you put out your yard signs.
• Start at the advertised time – don’t make the folks who want to give you their money, wait!
• Buyers expect to haggle so expect to negotiate. And round DOWN so people feel like they’re getting a bargain. Win-win!
• Have plenty of change (dollar bills and quarters) because if a buyer has to drive away to break a $20 bill, they might not come back.
• Be prepared to let people test items so a buyer can plug something in to see if it works. Have batteries on hand to loan and an extension cord.
• Cleaned up items will bring in more money. Cassie, who blogs for Wholefully.com, made $1500 at a yard sale – and shares her tips here!
• A pile of clothes can be too overwhelming for people to dive through. Make it as effortless as possible and sort by size and gender (girls or boys, adults, etc.) for easy pickings.
• When you advertise, give some examples. Bargain shoppers need a reason to stop and spend.
• Use a big, fat, marker and block lettering so shoppers can read your signs and prices. Yardsalequeen.com has ideas about sign placement, and free ways to advertise your sale.
• Not that we don’t trust people, but humans are humans wherever you go. So, don’t take your eyes off your customers. Beware of people who switch tags. And in a crowded sale there might be lots of distractions so note each bill you are given so no one tries to get more change than they deserve!
On the Buying Side
Yard Sale Queen also has tips for buyers – from what to wear to how to evaluate an item, especially for kids. And for a quick look at items that have been recalled, check with the Consumer Safety Product Commission.
Here’s a look at some great steals and deals!
• Exercise equipment is a category of consumer goods that generally has a HIGH cost-to-use ratio. People like to unload these, and often at a huge discount!
• Solid, quality wooden bookcases, desks, dressers or other furniture with fine craftsmanship are better buys than newer mass-marketed (and cheaply-made) items.
• Toys and games are usually a great bargain at garage and yard sales and can keep kids occupied for hours. Just double check that all the pieces and parts are intact.
• Anything silver with engravings like, “9.25,” “925/1000,” “Sterling,” or “S/S” that is relatively inexpensively priced.
Pass Up These Deals
Always walk away from these deals when you see them at a garage sale, even if you need one:
• Electronics are like rolling the dice. Maybe they will work long after you get them home and maybe they won’t.
• You don’t want to find out the hard way that cosmetics, hair products and toiletries are rancid, which can happen even if the expiration date is in the future.
• Tires are not worth taking a chance on – even if you eyeball them and they seem to have plenty of tread left.
• Safety devices like child car seats, bicycle helmets, baby cribs or other items designed to protect your loved ones are a risky – always check with the Consumer Protection Commission.
For more dos and don’ts for sellers, check out the tips at This Old House.
Deals Near You!
Not only are there yard sales every weekend in and around Erie, there are plenty of amazing new construction homes in this premiere master-planned community — including quick move-ins! Colliers Hill offers desirable amenities and a variety of floor plans in new builds. Tour the model homes from Richmond American Homes, Century Communities, Shea Homes and Meritage Homes offering ranch or two-story designs, priced from the upper $300s to the $600s.
