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MichLiz213
Life is Good!
Member since 7/07 7979 total posts
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Garage Sale Tips?
DH and I have never had a garage sale before. Any tips?
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Posted 8/6/19 11:14 AM  |
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CSK
LIF Adolescent
Member since 9/11 892 total posts
Name:
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Garage Sale Tips?
Have prices on everything.
Have signs from main roads with an address
Realize people will show up early if you have the information out there.
you will get significantly more for bigger items if you sell on a local facebook buy sell board.
if you price your garage sale on the higher side, you will have a lot of stuff to pack up at the end of the day.
IMHO, as someone who used to have garage sales every few years... It seems barely worth it anymore unless you have tons of stuff. I put the bigger/pricier things on buy sell boards, give away the childrens clothes and other stuff to friends, and donate ( my mother has a friend who runs a garage sale wth proceeds going to charity every month).
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| Posted 8/6/19 11:21 AM |
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MarathonKnitter
HAPPY
Member since 2/07 17374 total posts
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Re: Garage Sale Tips?
i used to have them every year when i lived in NJ. damn, i used to have a lot of junk lol
* if you're selling anything that needs power, have an extension cord so you can show it works.
* if you're going to sell something for a fraction of a dollar, only do it in 25 cent increments. this way you only need quarters and not nickles, dimes, pennies.
* hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
* try to have some background music playing (but not too loud)
* be prepared to be exhausted by the time it's over
* try to have fun
i love yard sales. sad that they aren't as much fun out here as they were in the north east.
good luck!
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| Posted 8/6/19 11:30 AM |
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Pomegranate5
LIF Adult
Member since 2/11 4798 total posts
Name:
Pomegranate5
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Re: Garage Sale Tips?
Posted by CSK
Have prices on everything.
Have signs from main roads with an address
Realize people will show up early if you have the information out there.
you will get significantly more for bigger items if you sell on a local facebook buy sell board.
if you price your garage sale on the higher side, you will have a lot of stuff to pack up at the end of the day.
IMHO, as someone who used to have garage sales every few years... It seems barely worth it anymore unless you have tons of stuff. I put the bigger/pricier things on buy sell boards, give away the childrens clothes and other stuff to friends, and donate ( my mother has a friend who runs a garage sale wth proceeds going to charity every month).
I second all of this.
Be up and running at least 30 minutes before the official start time because people are definitely going to show up early. We always make a big chunk of our money before our start time.
Also, organize your stuff. Put kitchen stuff with kitchen stuff, put tools with other tools, etc.
My last tip is to beware of people who come through, move quickly and move your stuff around. Like they pick up a few things, walk around with them for a minute, then put stuff back on a different table. I'm not talking about people who are casually wandering through and end up deciding against an item. I'm talking about people you're having a hard time keeping track. More than likely they are stealing some of your stuff and moving things to distract and confuse you. So if you have high value, but small items have someone assigned to specifically watch that table. DH is a hawk so he has caught multiple people trying to steal jewelry and small tools from our sales.
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| Posted 8/6/19 1:27 PM |
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MarathonKnitter
HAPPY
Member since 2/07 17374 total posts
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Re: Garage Sale Tips?
Posted by Pomegranate5
My last tip is to beware of people who come through, move quickly and move your stuff around. Like they pick up a few things, walk around with them for a minute, then put stuff back on a different table. I'm not talking about people who are casually wandering through and end up deciding against an item. I'm talking about people you're having a hard time keeping track. More than likely they are stealing some of your stuff and moving things to distract and confuse you. So if you have high value, but small items have someone assigned to specifically watch that table. DH is a hawk so he has caught multiple people trying to steal jewelry and small tools from our sales.
yes, yes, yes, yes!
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| Posted 8/6/19 1:48 PM |
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PhyllisNJoe
My Box Is Broken
Member since 6/11 9145 total posts
Name:
Phyllis
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Re: Garage Sale Tips?
Posted by MarathonKnitter
Posted by Pomegranate5
My last tip is to beware of people who come through, move quickly and move your stuff around. Like they pick up a few things, walk around with them for a minute, then put stuff back on a different table. I'm not talking about people who are casually wandering through and end up deciding against an item. I'm talking about people you're having a hard time keeping track. More than likely they are stealing some of your stuff and moving things to distract and confuse you. So if you have high value, but small items have someone assigned to specifically watch that table. DH is a hawk so he has caught multiple people trying to steal jewelry and small tools from our sales.
yes, yes, yes, yes!
Yup!
Also be ready to scrap 
I had a lady offer me $3 for a brand new george forman grill (this was in 2010) I had it priced at like $10 or something new in box. I said no. She asked me "What if I was to just take it without paying ta all"? She looked me dead in the eyes when she said that. I said, Well, then I'd have to send my rottweiler over to bite your face off until you drop it and pointed to my dog sitting on the steps - chained. She just laughed and left. I had mace ready to go and other stuff "just in case". People are nuts
Message edited 8/6/2019 2:59:59 PM.
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| Posted 8/6/19 2:59 PM |
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Re: Garage Sale Tips?
Posted by PhyllisNJoe
Posted by MarathonKnitter
Posted by Pomegranate5
My last tip is to beware of people who come through, move quickly and move your stuff around. Like they pick up a few things, walk around with them for a minute, then put stuff back on a different table. I'm not talking about people who are casually wandering through and end up deciding against an item. I'm talking about people you're having a hard time keeping track. More than likely they are stealing some of your stuff and moving things to distract and confuse you. So if you have high value, but small items have someone assigned to specifically watch that table. DH is a hawk so he has caught multiple people trying to steal jewelry and small tools from our sales.
yes, yes, yes, yes!
Yup!
Also be ready to scrap
I had a lady offer me $3 for a brand new george forman grill (this was in 2010) I had it priced at like $10 or something new in box. I said no. She asked me "What if I was to just take it without paying ta all"? She looked me dead in the eyes when she said that. I said, Well, then I'd have to send my rottweiler over to bite your face off until you drop it and pointed to my dog sitting on the steps - chained. She just laughed and left. I had mace ready to go and other stuff "just in case". People are nuts
Wtf wow
What if I just take it
What is WRONG with people
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| Posted 8/6/19 3:09 PM |
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MarathonKnitter
HAPPY
Member since 2/07 17374 total posts
Name:
EMBRACING CHANGE
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Re: Garage Sale Tips?
Posted by anonymoususer
Posted by PhyllisNJoe
Posted by MarathonKnitter
Posted by Pomegranate5
My last tip is to beware of people who come through, move quickly and move your stuff around. Like they pick up a few things, walk around with them for a minute, then put stuff back on a different table. I'm not talking about people who are casually wandering through and end up deciding against an item. I'm talking about people you're having a hard time keeping track. More than likely they are stealing some of your stuff and moving things to distract and confuse you. So if you have high value, but small items have someone assigned to specifically watch that table. DH is a hawk so he has caught multiple people trying to steal jewelry and small tools from our sales.
yes, yes, yes, yes!
Yup!
Also be ready to scrap
I had a lady offer me $3 for a brand new george forman grill (this was in 2010) I had it priced at like $10 or something new in box. I said no. She asked me "What if I was to just take it without paying ta all"? She looked me dead in the eyes when she said that. I said, Well, then I'd have to send my rottweiler over to bite your face off until you drop it and pointed to my dog sitting on the steps - chained. She just laughed and left. I had mace ready to go and other stuff "just in case". People are nuts
Wtf wow
What if I just take it
What is WRONG with people
a LOT is wrong with people.
sadly, people do go out to yard sales with the sole purpose of taking your stuff.
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| Posted 8/6/19 3:48 PM |
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Mrs213
????????
Member since 2/09 18986 total posts
Name:
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Garage Sale Tips?
I thought of doing this recently but figured it’s not worth the stress lol.
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| Posted 8/6/19 10:37 PM |
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jellybelly79
LIF Adult
Member since 5/06 3389 total posts
Name:
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Garage Sale Tips?
My parents had one almost every weekend the month before they moved and they made a ton of money
They had signs on the corners
They had so many people show up the night before which is crazy to me, nothing set up but weirdos would ring the doorbell to ask if they had specific items for sale
Just be on top of what you are selling and obviously don’t let anyone in your house
My mom had a guy ask if his kid could use the bathroom...ummm sorry but no!
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| Posted 8/7/19 12:58 AM |
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LiveItUp
Love my babies!
Member since 8/11 4096 total posts
Name:
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Re: Garage Sale Tips?
Posted by MarathonKnitter
Posted by anonymoususer
Posted by PhyllisNJoe
Posted by MarathonKnitter
Posted by Pomegranate5
My last tip is to beware of people who come through, move quickly and move your stuff around. Like they pick up a few things, walk around with them for a minute, then put stuff back on a different table. I'm not talking about people who are casually wandering through and end up deciding against an item. I'm talking about people you're having a hard time keeping track. More than likely they are stealing some of your stuff and moving things to distract and confuse you. So if you have high value, but small items have someone assigned to specifically watch that table. DH is a hawk so he has caught multiple people trying to steal jewelry and small tools from our sales.
yes, yes, yes, yes!
Yup!
Also be ready to scrap
I had a lady offer me $3 for a brand new george forman grill (this was in 2010) I had it priced at like $10 or something new in box. I said no. She asked me "What if I was to just take it without paying ta all"? She looked me dead in the eyes when she said that. I said, Well, then I'd have to send my rottweiler over to bite your face off until you drop it and pointed to my dog sitting on the steps - chained. She just laughed and left. I had mace ready to go and other stuff "just in case". People are nuts
Wtf wow
What if I just take it
What is WRONG with people
a LOT is wrong with people.
sadly, people do go out to yard sales with the sole purpose of taking your stuff.
Sadly true. I once had a woman come up to me to buy a purse, and good thing I opened it first before selling it to her because there was some other stuff that we were selling inside. And of course she was like "oh how did that get in there? I had no idea. Someone else must have done that " but she was one of our first customers so I doubt another customer filled the bag with stuff and then just left.
And I agree with what others have said about being prepared for "early birds" They are so annoying. We've had people parked in front of our house for up to an hour before our posted start time. And they have the nerve to start swarming and trying to go through our stuff as we're setting up. It's always made me nervous bc it's hard to watch them while running back and forth with boxes and trying to concentrate on where to put things. Some of them have the nerve to try to lowball you on price before you've even officially started yet. Be prepared to just tell them "no thank you" and not get stuck haggling with them while you're trying to set up.
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| Posted 8/7/19 6:33 AM |
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Tulip9
LIF Adolescent
Member since 2/14 597 total posts
Name:
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Re: Garage Sale Tips?
signs signs and more signs- very important
also try and have plastic bags to put the purchases in, people seem to love that...
good luck
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| Posted 8/7/19 8:13 AM |
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MichLiz213
Life is Good!
Member since 7/07 7979 total posts
Name:
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Re: Garage Sale Tips?
Thanks all, now I'm anxious.
We bought my grandmother's house when she moved to Florida, so it's a lot of her stuff plus a ton of things my son has outgrown (toys, games, etc.). I donated 15 bags of baby clothes and stuffed animals already, so we figured we would try our luck with a garage sale just to so I wasn't hauling it all to Savers.
Seriously, thanks for the tips though. I'll use our local Facebook group to spread the word and hang signs the day of. Also we have an Arlo camera so we'll make sure it's facing the area where we have everything. We'll deal with the crazies on a case by case basis I guess!
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| Posted 8/7/19 10:11 AM |
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NervousNell
Just another chapter in life..
Member since 11/09 54917 total posts
Name:
..being a mommy and being a wife!
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Re: Garage Sale Tips?
Honestly after reading all this garbage- donate the stuff and move on.
Not worth dealing with low lives
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| Posted 8/7/19 2:05 PM |
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noni882
LIF Toddler
Member since 7/06 377 total posts
Name:
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Re: Garage Sale Tips?
We've had some real success with garage sales. the last one I had I made about 500 dollars. To me it was worth the one day of aggravation instead of having to post on facebook groups etc and wait for people to come pick up stuff.
I did put all my more valuable stuff on one table that was closest to my house. We sat behind this table and I made sure one of us was always right by it.
Yes, there are people who will come up with a bunch of stuff and say $5?
I would politely say no and give them the number I was looking for and if they didn't agree that was that.
I tried not to get into major haggling situations.
Towards the end of the day though when I wanted stuff gone, I was much more flexible.
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| Posted 8/8/19 10:13 AM |
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