Organize and Clean - Turn Your Clutter Into Cash

Have a Garage Sale to Unclutter Your Life and Home

If you have an abundance of clothing, household goods, sporting equipment or basically anything you don't need, use or want, there is someone else out there who would love to have it. Garage sales have become a permanent fixture in neighborhoods from spring through early fall because more and more people are realizing they can organize their homes and make some good money doing it. Like everything else in your life, the more organized and prepared that you are for your garage sale, the more successful you will be.

Organize Your Items

Group everything that you are selling in categories such as kitchen, bathroom, toys, etc. The easier that you make it for your customers to find things that they are looking for, the more you will sell. There is no reason to have stuffed animals mixed in with purses or shoes!

It is also a good idea to make sure everything is clean. Just because you're selling something used does not mean that anyone wants to buy it dirty, especially if your garage sale stuff has been collecting dust and grime in your garage. If you are a smoker, you should also freshly wash any clothes, even if they are clean. Non-smokers are very sensitive to items that have been in a home around cigarette smoke.

Pricing

There is nothing worse than going to a garage sale where items aren't marked and you have to ask how much something is or make an offer. Many consumers would prefer to just leave and move onto the next one down the road. Small colorful stickers are handy if you don't want to write a price on everything because then you can just designate a price to every color, make a chart that's easy for people to read and simply designate a color to all your items.

It's always a good idea to have a free table with some items on it. Most people won't take something for free unless they also make a purchase and it is an easy way to attract customers when you advertise.

Advertise

Of course, the traditional sign on poster board stuck at the end of your street with eye-catching balloons will always attract people driving by but if you have a lot of stuff to move and you don't really want this sale continuing on for a week, you should do a little extra advertising. Newspapers are always effective as are online listings such as Craigslist. This way, if you have collectable items, you may attract people specifically looking for your products. Mention your hours and a general idea of what you are selling. It is always a good idea to have someone to help you and make sure you have shopping bags or boxes, money to make change and even consider having refreshments like ice tea or lemonade available.

Clutter can be turned into cash that you can spend on getting your home organized.