National Garage Sale Day is Approaching and Here are Some Helpful Tips to Celebrate it
Did you know there was an annual day to celebrate going to and holding garage sales?
Lots of us love a good yard or garage sale. And why not? You can find such cool stuff a lot of the time, for just a few pennies to a few bucks.
Of course, the other side of things, is being able to hold a great yard sale or garage sale. You get to make a few bucks, while having fun doing it.
Another big advantage is finally clearing away some of the old stuff you no longer have a use for, so you can make room for new stuff.
Well, here’s some great news for those of us who love a good garage sale, no matter which side of the table you’re on.
National Garage Sale Day is August 14th. This eventful day regularly falls on the 2nd Saturday in August. It’s slowly but surely becoming a day that both shoppers and garage sale holders look forward to.
The Origin of National Garage Sale Day
The start of National Garage Sale Day is credited to Daniel Rhodes of Alabama. Rhodes created the day in 2001.
He’d been watching his neighbors holding their sales on different weekends, and he got to thinking.
He realized how much more convenient it would be for everyone concerned, if they coordinated the sales, and everyone held them on the same weekend.
Apparently he was right, and the rest is garage sale history!
How to Hold a Successful Garage Sale
If you’d like to get in on the fun this year, and celebrate “National Garage Sale Day” with the rest of your fellow yard vendors, here are a few helpful tips to help you have a successful day.
Be Proactive and Spread the Word
If you tell them, they will come; hopefully, but at the very least, you have to try. Don’t leave the success of your garage sale to fate. Let people know you’re having it.
Right now, you have about a one week lead, so get busy on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and wherever else you have a platform to shout from. You can even go a step further and use a listing service.
They have online services that are dedicated exclusively to listing your yard sales and garage sales in a timely manner.
To make your ad stands out from the rest, try to be a little creative and a lot clever. Say something that will want to bring the buyer to you, but avoid being misleading. It will definitely come back to bite you in the butt.
Just keep it simple, and make a witty, but descriptive remark about the collection of items you’re offering.
Besides any online advertising you might want to do, you should always go old school when holding garage and yard sales. Get yourself some poster boards and markers and create some attractive signs.
Put them in strategic locations in and around your neighborhood, but be sure to be mindful of any local ordinances.
Preparing for the Day
When getting your sale items ready and preparing for the big day, make sure to do the following:
- Wash and fold clothing. No one wants to buy musty, dusty, dirty, or wrinkled items.
- Organize and sort all like and similar items together.
- Put price tags on items, making sure the price is clear and legible
- Price items reasonably, but don’t undersell. Try the 50/30/20 rule: Charge 50% of retail price for new items, 30% for barely used, 20% for the rest.
- Designate a packing station or area, where customers can wrap and bag their own purchases. You should include basic items like bags, boxes, tape, newspaper, and hand sanitizer [See “Safety Precautions” below].
- Make sure to have lots of small bills to make change, and a fanny pouch or something convenient to carry your money in for easy access.
Safety Precautions: Since COVID is still a very real threat and we need to take precautions to safeguard our health, this applies to everything we do.
Shopping and visiting garage sales is definitely no time to have an exception to the rule.
In addition to making sure sale items are clean, and dust-free, you will need to be sure to do everything you can to keep tables, counters, and items wiped down as often as possible.
Keep your gloves and cleaning items handy, and pay particular attention to items that are handled often, but not purchased.
On the Big Day
- Have a good meal and start your day off early
- Allow plenty of time to set up your items
- Imitate store displays and arrange items on cloth covered waist high tables
- Greet shoppers with a smile and friendly disposition
- Be willing to negotiate so you can sell everything (Otherwise, you’ll have to pack everything back up at the end of the day — bummer!)
Final Thoughts
The above information was provided to help you have a successful garage sale on this national holiday, but clearly, these pointers will come in handy on any day you choose to hold a sale.
The really great thing about this special day, is that you can enjoy and take advantage of National Garage Sale day, as a vendor, as a shopper, or both.
Whatever you decide, it promises to be a good time!
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