How to Hold a Successful Community Garage Sale

Many people are attracted to community garage sales due to the large variety of items presented at great prices. A well-organized community garage sale can attract lots of buyers while clearing the clutter from your home and provide you that satisfactory feeling of success that comes with purging their old stuff.

Before organizing a sale, check your HOA’s policy for rules and any city regulations (a permit is needed in most municipalities).

Below are some guidelines for holding a successful community garage sale:

Date and time matter! Choose a date in advance and set the sale hours before advertising the event.

While it’s always best to wait until your community-wide garage sale day, consider the weather, local events, and holidays when planning for a garage sale date if the community date doesn’t fit your schedule. You’re more likely to draw a big crowd when the weather is pleasant and potential shoppers aren’t out of town due to holidays or sidetracked with special events.

A good time range for garage sales is typically between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m., as most garage sale shoppers are “early birds” who are on the hunt for a good deal, and many will want to start shopping before 8 a.m. As the day goes on, offering bargains in order to sell off as much as possible before the sale ends.

(Hint: Buyers tend to spend more freely right after paydays, typically on the 1^st and 15^th of the month.)

Choose the location.

If your community or individual garage sale will be spread throughout the neighborhood or at one specific address (as opposed to being held in one common area) be sure flyers are posted to point buyers in the right direction.

Prepare ahead of time.

Price all items ahead of time, consider sectioning off the goods being sold (clothes in one area, books in another, etc.), and make sure all items are clean and well-presented. Keep newspaper on hand to wrap any breakable items, such as dishes. If possible, have an electrical outlet nearby to prove that electrical items are operational.

It’s always a good idea to have plenty of coins and small bills on hand to make change for customers!

Price to sell.

Buyers are looking for deals! Price items competitively for the context you find yourself in.

Pre-made garage sale stickers can be purchased from local stores such as Wal-Mart, Target, or Walgreens. Stickers that suit the specific needs of participants can be found in the office supply section of the store.

Advertise!

Advertising in local papers and on social media (Nextdoor.com, Facebook, Craigslist, etc.) is always a good idea, as this will increase your chances of a larger turnout. The best part? These types of advertisements are free!

You can create buzz by posting photos of hot-ticket items.

Strategic sales sell more.

By placing the most attractive or interesting items strategically, sellers are more apt to catch someone’s eye and pique their interest. This will draw in the crowd.