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Download Checklist As A Word Document |
| Garage Sales should be a fun and hassle-free way to make some good money and off-load your unwanted
items to new homes. Our comprehensive Garage Sale Checklist helps you to do just that. Use it to get
organised, be prepared and maximise your profits. The checklist takes you step-by-step through the process of having a successful garage sale experience. It just takes a bit of effort. |
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5 weeks before the sale and ongoing:
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Search the house from top to bottom for unwanted items. |
| Label boxes "To Sell" and "To Give Away". Give Away items should be useful but would probably fetch a very low price. Free items will have people lingering longer. Put them at the back with a large sign so people have to go past your priced items. |
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Give boxes to every member of your family. |
| Have each person fill boxes with things they don't need anymore. Ask them to identify which are to sell or to give away. |
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4 weeks before the sale:
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Give the neighbours
a courtesy call about your garage sale and encourage them to hold
their own garage sales on the same day. |
| Multiple garage sales in the one street tend to attract more people as they can check out a few sales without driving. |
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Offer to sell
stuff for friends to get a bigger selection - maybe ask for a commission. |
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Start
collecting plastic bags to hand out to buyers. |
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Browse Ebay and other
websites that sell second hand items to check out prices. |
| The local newspaper
classified ads could also be a good reference. |
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3 weeks before the sale:
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Organise friends
and family members to help in the last week and during the sale day. |
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Systematically
search the entire house again to look for more items to sell. |
| Be ruthless. When
was the last time it was used? Bigger sales can generate more
traffic. |
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Price the items for the sale. |
| Price items about
25-35% of what it cost new. Clothes are an exception at 5 to 10%
of the original cost. |
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Print free signs,
or purchase our big bright weather proof garage sale signs, from the
Egaragesales.com.au web site. |
| Use arrows to show directions. Include
the address, date, and the start and end times. |
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Start collecting
loose change. |
| Or get some from the
bank during the week before. It's hard to negotiate if you don't have change for 50's. |
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Decide on plans
for what to do with any unsold items. |
| You could try to contact charity organisations
to find out if they will pick-up or accept unsold items. |
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1-2 weeks before the sale:
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Scrub, wash, polish
and launder anything you plan to sell. |
| Pre-loved goods sell better. If there is an item
that needs a simple repair to greatly increase its selling price,
do it. |
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Sort out the garage
or area where the sale will be. |
| Start cleaning it.
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Check out how
many tables you have and work out how many you need. |
| Borrow tables if necessary.
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Plan the lay out
of your selling area. |
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Collect all the
items from friends and families that you will include in the sale.
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| Don’t forget
to ask them about prices. |
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Advertise on Egaragesales.com.au!
You can get started and place an ad HERE. |
| The earlier you advertise, the more exposure you will get! Remember to be as
thorough as you can by listing as much stuff as possible. A well-described item
you list for sale might attract someone who buys lots more items! You can make changes any time you need as you find more items. You can even postpone your ad for free if your sale date changes for any reason. You won't be hassled either as your street name is hidden until 24 hours before your sale unless you choose to display it earlier. |
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Consider placing ads in your local
newspaper. |
| If the local newspaper
has a large garage sale section, it could pay to advertise there.
Of course your ad will be light on detail, but try mentioning a
couple of items and then including the words “Details at www.irp.id.au”. This will keep your newspaper ad at
minimum cost, but still allow people to see what you have for sale
by going to your Egaragesales ad. Remember though, you need to be certain about your garage sale details as it is hard to change a newspaper ad. |
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Determine where
to place your signs. |
| Consider that buyers
are coming from all directions. Make it easy for them to find you
by giving directional signs. Make sure you check out the Council Rules about signs. See if we list your council by clicking on Council Laws in the left hand menu. |
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Put our FREE garage sale flyers on community notice
boards and in letter boxes in your area. |
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Check out your supply
of loose change, balloons, nails and masking tape needed for the sale. |
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1-2 days before the sale:
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Make any necessary changes to
your Egaragesales ad to update what is being sold. |
| Add extra items. Remove
items no longer for sale. Generate lots of interest by describing
the items for sale. Make sure to add directions if your house is
hard to find. Give an idea of the condition of your items. |
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Arrange your sale
area. |
| Display the items
according to categories: Kitchen appliances, bedroom, kid’s
stuff, etc. It’s best to hang clothes. |
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Gather what you
need to process purchases. |
| Loose change, waist
money pouch, plastic bags, calculator and newspapers for wrapping. |
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Cook and prepare
food in advance. |
| You don’t want
to be hungry while selling. |
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Set up some music
and have a book handy to keep you company during the sale. |
| Background music encourages
people to buy and sets a better mood. |
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Buy refreshments
for friends and family who are volunteering. |
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Want some additional
cash?
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Sell soft drink and bottled water
as well. Put your children or the young ones in charge of the
drinks table and they will enjoy being able to sell stuff too.
Most buyers go to many garage sales and get thirsty easily. Parents
will buy their children a drink for coming along to the garage
sales. And you can keep for yourself whatever doesn't sell. |
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Night before the sale:
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Put up your signs. |
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Sleep early and
condition your mind that you want to sell everything. |
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Morning of the sale:
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Spread out a rug
and lay out some of the toys you are selling. |
| Children will play
with them and may encourage their parents to buy some. |
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Make sure your
house is locked up and fully secure. |
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Put some real
crowd-pleasers up front to entice passing cars. |
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Protect yourself
from theft by displaying small valuables within eyesight. |
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Place the “Give-away”
boxes near the back, with a noticeable FREE sign, so that people
will have to go past the main selling area first. |
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Make sure there
are plenty of parking spaces nearby. |
| Move your cars if
necessary. Buyers don’t want go around a couple of times looking
for a place to park. |
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Be cheerful; greet
the customer as soon as they arrive. |
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Get people talking
and encourage haggling. |
| Many people are reluctant
to negotiate but its fun once they start. |
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Re-Arrange your display
when time allows. |
| Tidy up disturbed
items and rearrange others to improve appearance and interest. |
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Middle of the sale:
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Acknowledge a
point of diminishing returns. |
| Be ready to slash
prices drastically when business drops off. |
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Add any unnoticed
items to your “Give Away”table. |
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Closing time:
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Pack up unsold
items and arrange disposal. |
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Fix and clean
up selling area. |
| Return borrowed tables. |
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Remove directional
roadside signs. |
| You don’t want
to be fined by the city council. |
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Count your money
and take a bow for a job well done!!!! |
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