Garage Sale Tips To Prepare For Your Move

Are you getting ready to move, or want to clear out the junk so when you do move life will be much easier? Have a garage sale! Remember one man's trash is another man's treasure. But organization and preparation is the key to a successful garage sale. Here are some tips to help you clean up and clear out into your new home. Avoid The Holidays - It may seem like a good idea to have a garage sale Labor Day, 4th of July or Memorial Day weekends, but truly most people have their plans or travel set up for long weekends. So unless you live in a tourist destination that will bring in more foot traffic, try to avoid holiday conflicts. Visibility - Find out from your neighborhood or county what kinds of signs and advertising are allowed on city streets. Place signs accordingly and think about advertising on free outlets like garage sale websites, Craigslist and other places that will help increase your traffic. Place helium balloons on fence posts or your mail box to make the house easier to spot by would-be buyers. Be Neighborly - Let the neighbors know your plans ahead of time. This will keep the peace and also hopefully get them out to buy. Think about printing a simple flyer that you can put on their doors to let them know so they won't be surprised by all the extra car traffic heading down your street for the sale. Prep Ahead Of Time - Have enough change on hand so you can break big bills. Make sure to have plastic bags for carry away, and newspaper to wrap more delicate items. Keep a tape measure on hand to assist people with proper dimensions of items they may be interested in. The Price is Right - Don't over price your items, especially if you want to clear everything away in one day and avoid countless trips to donation drop-offs. Be prepared to negotiate and make sure your prices are well marked. Consider two for one items like T-shirts, books, CD's and other things that you are trying to clear. Try to detach yourself from your stuff. There's a reason it's in the must go pile. Display Your Wares - Make sure you set up tables and hanging bars. People won't always take time to pick through piles of stuff, but if you group your items by type or theme it will help people get right to the types of things they want to look for. Make sure everything is cleaned up and well maintained. Secure Your Home - Remember you are inviting strangers to walk around your property. Make sure to secure doors and windows and have helpers on hand to keep an eye on tables, answer questions and assist you with sales. A one-man garage sales can turn into a stressful situation if a lot of prospects show up at once. Keep money secure on your person in a money belt or hip bag. Trash the Trash - remember if it's junk, throw it away. Don't clutter up your honest offerings with things that will ultimately end up in the trash pile anyway. The goal is to clear your home and lighten your load when moving to a new home.