Sure, you have finished with spring cleaning and have already sorted what goes back into the garage and what stays out permanently. Now, the next question would be – what should you do with the piles of boxes that no longer serve their purpose for you? Your options could be narrowed down to three, which are for donation, for throwing out, and for selling. Garage sales are great for making some extra cash with what you already have that are still in good condition, if not barely used (emphasis mine). But the money rolling in would not be handed to you that easily. It may take days, even weeks, to prepare for garage sales. And if luck somehow forgets to land on you that day, you might be barely making any money at all. To prevent that, avoid the following mistakes to maximize the profit you are projecting to gain from this little bazaar in your backyard. 
Starting late
The adage “The early bird catches the worm” exists for a reason. Adjusting the time to open your garage sale according to your normal routine would be comfortable on your part, but remember that garage sales are not part of your daily routine. And it is unlikely that you are the only one who has thought of setting up garage sales during this season. Most garage sale shoppers are out and about early in the morning. Some onlookers might drive by or pass by your porch on their way to the market or early morning exercise. You would want as many possible customers to check out your items, which would later turn into spending their money to buy your stuff. If you really opt to start out late, be sure to inform in advance. Write it on the poster outside your home, or make use of social media to announce your garage sale’s opening time.
Not maximizing social media or technology enough
It is safe to say that everyone has a social media account–Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tiktok and more. While a physical signage outside your home or your community’s bulletin board is a good marketing collateral, take advantage of the media mileage that social media has. Post it on your own account, share stories on Instagram and Facebook, and do not forget to tag your friends and neighbors, and ask them if they can share it on their accounts as well. It would be better if you also add photos of the items you are going to sell so the potential buyers have an idea on what to look forward to in your garage sale. Also, post social graphics inviting everyone to your garage sale on Facebook groups, and even to Craigslist. It is free anyway, unless you would want extra mileage, then you can buy ads to target more people.
Not putting a price tag to every item in your sale
While there are people who would ask you directly for the price of the items they are interested in, more often than not, people would just shy away and walk past without even asking. And it could be very frustrating. So, mark every item. And it would also be better if you group the items according to the same price range, and even have a bigger signage of the price point. Not only does this system make your work a lot easier – getting asked of the price every now and then could be a little draining – the buyers will naturally gravitate towards the table that they think they could afford.
Pricing the items too high
Yes, we get it, some of the items are still brand new or even barely touched so you would want to ask for the book value. However, garage sale customers are looking for bargains. And they would not be open to see retail prices on the items that are included in the sale. If you want to stick to selling them at book value, then garage sales are not the venue for it. Might as well sell them online instead like Facebook Marketplace, where you can find a buyer willing to pay your asking price.
Not merchandising your garage sale items
The way you set up your garage sale says a lot about you and the items you are selling. Never just line boxes next to each other and have the potential buyers scour through them. As a buyer, you would want to easily tell what kinds of items are up for sale even at a distance. And the way you lay out your items could be telling at how well you have taken good care of your stuff. So, if you are selling clothes, hang them nicely; put toys on colorful tables; another table for kitchen items, gardening tools, and the like. Put all your garage sale items at different heights so that it could interest the buyers.
Not prepared enough to have money change
If you accept online payments then it could be easier. However, if buyers opt to pay in cold cash instead, then you have to be prepared to have loose change. Not having change available could disappoint your buyers, and could eventually just walk away without having purchased anything from your sale. So, always remember to have loose change ready before you open your garage sale.
Not having enough bags to store their bought items
While having to purchase extra bags for this would cost you expenses, not having one could also cost you customers. Yes, you could also put in your garage sale announcement that they should bring their own bags to tuck away their purchases, however, not all are prepared enough to do that because in some cases, some customers you attract are those who happen to pass by your area. And if you are environmentally conscious, why not opt to buy paper bags or reuse old plastic bags you have brought home from your grocery trips.
Fleximounts sale to take advantage of
Aside from garage sales that frequent during this spring, Fleximounts is also offering 7-Day Deals on the website. Enjoy 15% off on select items like the GR Series Overhead Garage Storage Rack, Overhead Garage Storage Rack with Hooks, 3-Tier Height Adjustable Wall Shelving with Hooks, and Wall Shelving with Hooks.
