How to Sell Everything at Your Garage Sale

Price to Sell

If you're planning or thinking about having a garage sale, you must "price to sell." Selling your items means you are going to price them at least seventy-five to ninety percent off the price you paid.

If you have expensive items that you won't sell for that cheap, you can set them aside and list them on Craigslist, eBay, your local newspaper, etc.

You cannot make money, or sell everything at your garage sale, with overpriced items. People are looking for deals and no matter how nice your items are, if you're not offering deals, you will have very few sales.

Price your items to move and go even lower when you are coming upon your closing time. I normally like to price all clothing at twenty-five cents an hour before my garage sale ends.

I will start handing out grocery bags and the clothing quickly disappears. I've had women buy trash bags full of clothing and when they hear the price, they go back looking for more! I usually sell most of my clothing this way and also gain repeat buyers for future garage sales.

How I Price Items at My Garage Sales

1. Tell buyers everything is half-off prices marked.
2. Depending on what you have left, you can say everything except clothing is $1.00, $5.00, you name the price to get the sales going.
3. Let buyers give you their best offer. Something is better than nothing for your items. You'd be surprised at the prices people will offer, sometimes they are more than you would've asked!
4. Give people a better deal for buying in bulk. Let's say your books are discounted to twenty-five cents and you have someone who wants to buy ten of them. Let the buyer know they can pick out an extra five books for fifty cents more or ten books for one dollar more. You'll be surprised at how quickly items will go when buyers know they can get a bulk discount.

Where to Find Buyers for Leftover Garage Sale Items

After I have given some great deals and it's approaching my closing time, I'm clearly tired and ready for a nap. The thought of gathering, packing, and delivering items for donation is tiring and very unappealing.

I want to sell everything that is left from my garage sale without the hassle of storing it for next time, listing each item on eBay or Etsy, setting it all up again the next day, or keeping my garage sale open, hoping people will stop by. So after much trial and error, I figured out the best way to sell every single item at my garage sale.

The #1 way I sell everything, is by selling it all, for one price, on Craigslist. People pay me to clear my driveway and haul off my items. I don't think you can get much better than that! Check out my steps below.

How to Find Bulk Garage Sale Buyers

1. Take a picture of your entire garage sale or make a quick list of what you have.
2. Create an ad on Craigslist under General For Sale.
3. Add your picture, address, and phone number, if you don't mind texts and calls from interested buyers.
4. Determine a price for everything and make it clear that the buyer must take all of it. You don't want the hassle of selling individual items or splitting up the lot with multiple people. Believe me, someone will take it all, especially if the price is right.
5. Consider what you have left. If you have small or inexpensive items you can charge $10, $15, or $25 for everything. If you have furniture, antiques, electronics, etc, then you might want to say $30, $50, or $75 for everything. Just remember to keep the price low, so it sells quickly, and you're left with cash and not your items.
6. Do not hold your items for anyone. Sell them on a first-come, first-served basis.
7. Put a time limit on how long your items will be for sale. You might want to give it up to four hours depending on the time your sale ended. My items sold on a Friday, less than an hour after I listed them.
8. Unless you want to share bags and boxes, make sure your buyers know to bring their own.
9. When the buyer arrives, make sure it's clear what is and isn't a part of the garage sale. Have the buyer pay you first and then let them start collecting the items.
10. Stay outside while the buyer is loading the items. Make sure they aren't taking any "extras" with them and that they are taking all of your leftover items, as stated in your Craigslist ad.

Comments

Ronnie Taylor on May 01, 2018:

I have house hold stuff for sell one price takes all

angieb on January 23, 2017:

I am planning a yard sale, but I want to have it this winter in Mobile AL where we really don't have any cold weather, but I wonder if this is a good idea. I have enough stuff to have at least three weekends of sales without having the same things at them. I have a lot of novels, vases, whatnots, wedding stuff and I am getting older and not doing as much since I retired and just want to get rid of some things, probably a whole room full.

CrisSp from Sky Is The Limit Adventure on September 09, 2015:

Been holding a garage sale every summer except for this summer since I was away. Will certainly keep your useful tips in mind.

Thanks.

Marin on July 23, 2013:

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I feel like I already weiehgd in on this somewhere else, but I am pro-Classifieds! I think more people would use them if they were easier to find and search too :)

Mrs Frugal (author) from United States on July 02, 2013:

Marion- thank you so much for your comments and support! I hope you have a wonderful day~

marion langley from The Study on July 02, 2013:

That was short, sweet, and informative. Thanks for the tips. I'm not having a garage sale right now but I had to read this article when I saw it listed cause of the picture...great choice.

Mrs Frugal (author) from United States on July 01, 2013:

vibesites- thanks for your comments! I enjoy having garage sales and seeing what will sell. Hope you have a wonderful day!

vibesites from United States on July 01, 2013:

I sell the items primarily for getting rid of the things I don't really use or need; making profits is just secondary. Plus I have a great time dealing people. I have been quite fortunate with my garage sales. Thanks for your added valuable tips. Up and useful.

Mrs Frugal (author) from United States on June 26, 2013:

mary615- thanks for commenting. :) I also enjoy having yard sales and getting something for my items. I'm amazed at what people buy and how quick my "junk" turns into cash. Hope you have a wonderful day and week~

Mary Hyatt from Florida on June 26, 2013:

Good advice. I have pretty good luck with my sales. My prices are so low, sometimes I wonder if all the work and effort were worth the little money I make. I think I just enjoy the experience.

Mrs Frugal (author) from United States on June 20, 2013:

Blond Logic- thank you for your comments. I like going to them too! :) Hope you have a wonderful day~

Mary Wickison from USA on June 20, 2013:

It has been a long time since I have been to a garage sale, but I liked going to them. Well most of them. There are people who have one every weekend and always have the same items.

They obviously didn't read your hub!

Great ideas.

Mrs Frugal (author) from United States on April 11, 2013:

Your very welcome VVanNess. I enjoy the free clean up and that I'm getting something for my leftovers. Hope you are able to try it one day, you'll never go back to donating it! :)

Victoria Van Ness from Fountain, CO on April 11, 2013:

Great article! You know, I'm the person that normally just calls the local thrift store and has them come and get everything that is left so I don't have to deal with it anymore.

Craigslist is a great idea! I never thought to post it all and get someone to actually pay me for the leftovers rather than donating it. Score! Thanks for the ideas!

Mrs Frugal (author) from United States on April 03, 2013:

Habee- Pick up and a tax deduction is great! That don't do that here unless they are going to get a lot of items. I've only seen and heard them coming to neighborhood and group garage sales.

Thank you for voting up! Hope your Wednesday is wonderful!

Holle Abee from Georgia on April 03, 2013:

Great tips for garage sales! Here, we have a local charity that will come pick up any leftovers, and we get a tax deduction for the donation. It's a win-win situation. Voted up!

Mrs Frugal (author) from United States on April 01, 2013:

So true dahoglund. I always price my items at around 90% off of what I paid for them, not what I "think" they are worth. Thanks so much for your comments and I hope you have a wonderful Monday!

Don A. Hoglund from Wisconsin Rapids on April 01, 2013:

We don't give garage sales but we go to quite a few. I have noticed that some people think there stuff is worth more than it is, especially books and records. I generally move on.

Kathy Sima from Ontario, Canada on April 01, 2013:

I always price my items low when I have a garage sale, and I try to remember my main goal is to get rid of stuff, not make tons of money. Let's face it, there are certainly easier ways to make money - garage sales can be a lot of work! The part that I always dread the most is packing everything up and deciding what to do with the leftovers. I usually donate anything of value and put out boxes of free stuff for people to help themselves to. I love your idea of selling the leftovers as one lot on Craigslist - how clever!

Ms. Immortal from NJ on April 01, 2013:

I have had garage sales in the past and have said, they are not worth having. I think I may be one of the over chargers.

Good advice and I will use your suggestions for future garage sales.

Mrs Frugal (author) from United States on April 01, 2013:

Thank you for being my first commenter! I know what you mean about expensive and overpriced garage sales. The same people who overprice their items, will complain that garage sales are not worth having, and a waste of time.

No matter what state I have lived in, my yard sales always did well because my prices were fair and cheap. Well I'm off to finish another hub on this beautiful Monday morning. Hope you have a lovely Monday!

moonlake from America on April 01, 2013:

All great ideas. I am always surprised at how much people will ask for used things that are not worth it. We stopped at a sale yesterday and they were so expensive we walked in and walked out so did many other people. Voted up and shared.