5 tips for holding a great garage sale

Second Hand Saturday is the biggest coordinated garage sale day on the NSW north coast. It’s on again this year on Saturday 4 November across Ballina, Byron, Clarence Valley, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley and Tweed council areas. Here are our 5 top tips for holding the best garage sale in town.

Display your goods: presentation, presentation!

It’s important to make sure your goods shine on the day so you get the best chance of a sale. Organise your items and make sure they look good. Some things might need a quick wash or wipe. The better your second hand goods look the more chance they have of being chosen for purchase.

Display your items in a way that is easy for people to see and make sure there’s room for people to move around and browse. Think about using tables, clothes racks or bargain boxes to display your items and remember to group similar things together.

It’s a good idea to place larger items in the driveway. This will grab people’s attention and encourage them to stop and visit your garage sale.

Set the price

Everyone loves finding a bargain at a garage sale, so set your prices with this in mind and be willing to negotiate. You may be able to charge a higher price for items that are near new or for antiques and collectables.

Make sure the price is displayed clearly for each item or group of items. You can place stickers or price tags on each item or use signs to show the price for a group of items.

If you are flexible around price and are keen to clear out your goods by the end of the day you could encourage people to ‘make an offer’ instead of set prices.

Manage your money

Make sure you have plenty of change ready for your garage sale. It’s always better to have more than not enough so you don’t run out and miss out on a sale. Take note of the total amount of cash at the start of the day so you can tally up your profit at the end of the day.
Think about how and where you want to keep your money so it’s secure and easy for you to access. A money belt or bag is a good idea as it allows you to move around during the day or, for bigger garage sales, you could have someone manning a ‘counter’ with a money box. Keep a calculator and pen and paper close by for quick calculations.

Make it fun

Second Hand Saturday is all about taking part in the fun of reuse and recycling. Make it fun for both you and your shoppers in your own creative way. Why not put on your favourite music or decorate your driveway or garage?
A great vibe mean shoppers will be keen to visit your garage sale and will spend more time looking at your goods before moving onto the next garage sale. Think retro, vintage or why not showcase your own ecofriendly style to spread the reuse and recycling message!

Promote your garage sale

If you register online as part of Second Hand Saturday your garage sale will be promoted for free! Your garage sale address will be advertised in local free newspapers and on the Second Hand Saturday website in the week leading up to the big day on Saturday 4 Novemberr.
It’s free to register to hold a garage sale and be part of the fun. Register online now! Then remember to pick up your free Second Hand Saturday garage sale sign from your local Council office.
If you are selling something extra special or interesting let us know by email or post it on the Second Hand Saturday Facebook page so we can spread the word.