April 15, 2014

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First of all, I must declare that I am so glad that Spring has sprung here in Minnesota. It was probably the harshest and longest winter I've experienced since relocating here 20+ years ago.

 

In the process of enduring a very long winter, the walls of our garage have felt as if they began closing in on us. The garage feels filthy, grungy and has somehow sprouted all sorts of stuff. Granted, some of the items just need to get put away in their proper homes but during the sub-zero temperatures we've had, it was too difficult at the time so we just "stashed and dashed" in various parts of the garage.

 

But now that the weather is warming up, you might be thinking that it's time to turn your junk into someone else's treasure.  When our children were little, my neighbor and I put on a joint garage sale every year. We timed it with other neighbors' sales in our development so we were guaranteed traffic. It was always a fun social event, but I won't kid you, it was also a lot of work. But depending on the amount of junk, I mean treasure, you have, your stuff could turn into cash as well.

 

Here are 10 things to keep in mind before posting your Garage Sale signs:

1. Start early. Begin by going through closets, cupboards, shelves, cabinets and all storage areas. Be ruthless about what you no longer need. Put your items in bins, laundry baskets or boxes until you're ready to price them. If you've got kids, involve them by offering part of the proceeds for any items they are ready to part with.
2. Check with your city to see if a permit is required. Also ask them if they are planning any city-wide garage sales because you'll want to host yours on the same date(s). Be sure to ask about regulations on the posting of garage sale signs.
3. Plan your sale with a friend/neighbor. Between the two of you, you'll be able to share set-up and work together the days of the sale. Establish ways of tagging your items separately so there's no mix-up at check-out. For example, one could use plain masking tape for price tags while the other one could use colored dots/labels.
4. Inform your neighbors of your plans. They may decide to host a sale at the same time which will be great for attracting traffic.
5. Allow plenty of time for pricing your items. This step always surprises first-time garage salers. And be sure to be competitive with your pricing. If helpful, check out a few other garage sales to see what items are selling for.
6. When arranging items in your garage and/or on your driveway, allow for plenty of room for people to stroll through. Be sure to accommodate space for baby strollers too.
7. Spend time on your signage. Make sure that any posters/signs you create are truly visible and read-able from the street. There's nothing worse than not being able to read a sign when driving by.  When the sale is over, gather up your signs immediately.
8. On the day of your sale, be sure to have plenty of cash on you (not in a cash box), along with a supply of plastic bags for shoppers and newspapers for wrapping fragile items.
9. Have batteries, outlets or light bulbs available for items that might need to be tested. You can always remove the light bulbs and/or batteries before sending the item home with its new owner.
10. For items that do not sell, consider donating to a local charity. In many cities, non-profits will come right to your door to pick up your items. You can usually schedule a pick-up via phone or online. Here is a list of some of the charities I've used:

• Salvation Army
• Epilepsy Foundation
• Vietnam Veterans
• Goodwill 

If you have larger items to sell, then resources such as eBay or Craig's List are good options to consider. And if you just want your items to go to a good home versus the landfill, check to see if you've got a FreeCycle.org site operating in your area. This non-profit is for FREE items only and I've seen everything from Mason jars to baby monitors given away.  

 

Have fun turning your trash into someone else's treasure!

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