After finishing college, I moved back to my hometown where my mother and grandmother invited me to join them in a garage sale. Since I had a lot of stuff from college that I didn’t want to take to my new house, I happily agreed. This was a great chance to get rid of things I didn’t need anymore and earn some money. Our first garage sale didn’t have a huge turnout, but we decided to try again the following spring as I had more items to sell.
Over the years, our garage sales became an annual tradition. The venue switched from my grandma’s house to mine, which improved attendance because my house is closer to a busy intersection, unlike my grandma’s place which is hidden at the end of a dead-end street. Our sales now feature items from my mom, grandma, and sometimes even my cousin, making it a family event. And the best part? We usually make about $1,000 each year!
Let me share some tips on how we host successful garage sales, so you can do the same.
First, I’ve learned a lot about advertising. Initially, we only advertised in the local newspaper, which didn’t attract many people. Later on, we expanded our strategy by using radio station announcements, online platforms like Craigslist, and local Facebook Buy/Sell/Trade groups, which brought better results. We also put up eye-catching signs at busy intersections to reach more people.
When setting up the garage sale, it’s important to clean up the items and arrange them on tables or shelves. The goal is to make the space look inviting and organized, even if we’re selling used items. We display big-ticket and popular items near the curb to attract people driving by. Although we usually have more small items than big ones, grouping similar items together in an organized way has helped us maintain the $1,000 mark every year.
As for pricing, we aim for a balance. We want the prices to be attractive without making it seem like we’re selling low-quality items, but also not too high to scare off potential buyers. Any leftover items are donated, so we don’t have to store them until the next sale.
In summary, these strategies have consistently helped us make $1,000 at each annual garage sale. While it’s nice to earn some money from items we no longer need, my main goal is to make thoughtful purchases and reduce clutter, which might eventually make our annual garage sale unnecessary.
How about you? Have you had any great garage sale experiences? Or do you find it hard to attract a crowd? We’d love to hear your stories and what you’ve learned!