Packing your entire home or business into boxes to move to a new location can be nerve-racking. However, not everything has to go with you. If you want to lighten your load, you could go through your belongings and find items to be disposed of, discarded, or given to family and friends. For other items, you could hold a garage sale.
Garage sales help you declutter and downsize before a move while giving you extra cash. If you’ve never held a garage sale before, or if you’re looking for some tips on how to organize a garage sale like a pro, this guide might help you.
How To Organize a Garage Sale
Step 1: Start with a Plan
Pick a date for your sale. Choose a weekend with no major events in your area, and monitor the weather forecast. Before your garage sale, give yourself enough time to sort through your belongings. Planning can help you comfortably donate, gift, and discard some belongings while deciding which ones can be sold at the garage sale. If your moving service isn’t handling the packing for you, you should also be planning the packing portion of your move.
Step 2: Sort Your Belongings
Start by going from room to room, deciding what you want to keep and what you want to sell. Make four piles: items to keep, sell in a garage sale, gift to a family or friend, and dispose of. Be realistic and practical about what you keep, so consider the item’s true value and whether it’s more worthwhile to replace the item once you’ve settled in your new home. Remember that the point of itemizing is to lighten your load before moving.
Step 3: Price Your Items
As you’re sorting through your belongings, start thinking about how much you’d sell your items for in the garage sale. Keep in mind that people come to garage sales looking for deals since most items are pre-loved. Be fair and competitive with your pricing to ensure your items sell, and don’t be afraid to negotiate with buyers.
Step 4: Advertise Your Sale
It’s time to spread the word once you know what items will be in your garage sale. Use all possible channels to get the word out, including social media, local community boards, and online classifieds. Your ad should outline the date, time, and location of the sale, as well as any big-ticket items you think might draw people in. Remember to put signs in your neighborhood directing people to your sale.
Step 5: Get Your Space Ready
Set up the space where your items will be displayed a few days before your sale. Ensure your garage or yard is clean and free of any debris that might cause injury or inconvenience. Set up tables and shelves to organize and display your items logically. For instance, group similar items, such as kitchen appliances, tools, or clothing.
Step 6: Keep Your Sale Organized
On the day of the sale, try to stay as organized as possible. It’s essential to know where the items in the piles you created earlier are, and it can be easy to lose track of an item amongst all the chaos. One tip for keeping your garage sale organized is to label each pile with a color-coded sticker based on its price. You can also use small signs to designate categories or sections.
Step 7: Clean Up and Donate
When your garage sale is over, cleaning up your space and dealing with any leftover items is important. If you haven’t sold some items, consider listing them online or donating them to charity. Many organizations will even pick up donations from your home, making it easy to give back and clear out your space simultaneously.
Move With Ease With Liberty Moving & Storage
Knowing how to organize a garage sale before moving can help you declutter and cut down on costs. Following these simple steps will make the process easier as you lighten your load before the big move.
Hire a trusted moving company like Liberty Moving & Storage to handle your belongings and make your move even easier. Our personalized moving solutions have assisted countless households and businesses through our full-service moving company. Get in touch with us today for a free quote.
