It’s “Garage Sale” season! Time to reclaim your garage, closets and bedrooms from the clutter that invaded while making some much-needed cash!
Before the Sale:
• Sort things in your garage, closets and the kids’ rooms.
• Have a trash bag, recycle bag and several boxes handy while you work.
• Pick one area to work in at a time. Set aside at least one to two hours. Then, allow nothing to interrupt you.
• Open up that closet door and pull things out. Make four piles: Things to Keep, Toss, Donate or Sell. Sort the Sell items into boxes by putting like items together (i.e.: all the kids’ clothes in one, adult clothes in another, toys in a third, etc.). Throw the Toss or Donate items in the trash, recycle or donate bags and what’s left are the items you keep. Put them back into the “roomy” closet you have just created.
During the Sale:
• Organize your sale items into categories, such as function or area of the home. You will sell more and make more money when your customers can find what they want together.
• Make your items easy to access; use a rack for hanging clothes instead of piling them. And leave a pathway between items.
• Mark your prices clearly using increments of $0.25; don’t use odd amounts like $2.49 etc. Be sure your prices are reasonable!
• Group like items together and sell as a package; i.e. towels or linens or gather costume jewelry, hats and purses into small groups and sell as “dress up” sets. Or use the “buy one — get one free” tactic to move items quickly or at the end of the sale. Be willing to negotiate!
After the Sale:
• Be prepared to donate the “leftovers” after your sale. Have a plan for those donations, Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc. Or if you have large items that need to be hauled away, like furniture, call the organizations that pick up and have them come as soon as possible. You don’t need to have things cluttering up your garage for months after your sale.
Hopefully after your garage sale you’ll feel lighter, be a little richer and be able to park that car back in the garage, at least for a while.
Barbara Ricketts is a Certified Professional Organizer (CPO). If you need professional assistance to get organized, contact her at MessDoctor@Mac.com or call 661-263-0124.