Garage Sales

Bob asked:


So, you have an emergency and need some money fast. How can you make money quickly with what you have? A garage sale can be a great way to make some money fast while getting rid of extra items in your house. It will take some work, but it will be worth it to get through the crisis. Having a successful garage sale has become a science to some, so there is a lot of information available online. This article will give you some basic tips and tricks so that you have a smooth operating garage sale experience.

Step one is to set a date and advertise. You can place an ad in your local paper if you wish. If you are looking for cheaper options, consider searching the web for free sites to announce your garage sale. Tell all of your friends, family and co-workers to spread the word for you. A lot of grocery stores have bulletin boards where you can post a flyer letting people know where and when the garage sale will be, as well as what big ticket items you’ll be selling.

The next step is to make signs. Use clear, big, bold letters to write your address and draw really big arrows leading people to your house. Bright poster board is a great option when trying to get the attention of people driving down the road. Make sure that you put an arrow at every turn going through your neighborhood. Make everything match if possible. If your sign off of the main road is bright orange, then use bright orange to make your arrows so that people know that they are still going the right way. Make sure that you don’t post on traffic signs or light poles without permission from the highway commission, because it could be illegal and will point police directly to your house. Ask permission from your neighbors before placing signs in their yards and make sure that you take them down immediately after the garage sale.

Collect everything that you can from around your house, including worthless knick-knacks that you don’t believe anyone would want. You’ll be surprised what people will buy. Go in with other families if you can. The bigger the garage sale, the better. Price items clearly with bright stickers. Make everything as cheap as possible and be willing to haggle. Use different colors for different families if you need to. Collect a lot of cash change before the big day. You’ll need a lot of one dollar bills, fives, tens and lots of coins. Use a cash box if you can. It’s generally not a good idea to accept checks. Not only might the check not be good, but your bank could charge you a fee for presenting them with a check that bounces.

Put everything out on sturdy tables and be prepared for people to flood into your yard. As soon as the ad hits, or people see you putting up signs, they’ll want to be the first ones there. If you don’t make enough money from your garage sale to get you through an emergency, you may consider a payday loan or cash advance to get you through.



CAREY

Victor Tunggal Irawan asked:


Are you in serious need of organizing your home? Are you the type of person who loves to keep things for sentimental reasons?

If you say “YES” to all these, then your garage sale that you have been thoroughly thinking about is highly justified. The need to justify your garage sale is very important so you may go through the hassles of organizing your garage sale.

Most people who hold garage sales are motivated by the need to organize and simplify their life but most don’t know where to start. Having a garage sale is a good start. If you are this kind of person, here are some valuable tips for you:

• Rummage through your things, get them organized, put them into clusters and label them. From there, you choose what to sell. Don’t include the same kind of items but have a variety of items on sale even if they are big ones. You can make good money from them.

• Decide a day or days and time for your sale. Also, you can invite your neighbors who have some things to sell as well to join you in your garage sale. Make sure you discuss and be clear about your arrangements.

• Advertise your sale. Before you put up anything on the corner street, please inform yourself about the laws or ordinances in your area about holding garage sales. If you are clear with those and have secured the necessary permit, then you can begin your advertising through community newspapers, posters on approved areas and bold signs just outside your house. Balloons can be used to highlight your house so people will see the garage sale. Be sure to post your ad several days earlier.

• Be sure you have the knowledge on how to display the items to be sold in the venue where you will hold your sale. You should group all same items together, items that are breakable and notify children or parents. Items should be clean and dust-free to attract the attention of the buyers. Put attractive items by the roadside. For clothes, put up a bar where you can hang them with hangers.

• Be prepared with a lot of change for your sale. Not only change but a wrapper to help buyers wrap the items they bought. This way, you won’t be hassled all the time because of lack change or wrapper when buyers ask.

• Expect buyers to haggle prices with you so be firm and prepared.

Follow all these and you will surely have a successful garage sale, guaranteed!



DELMAR

Victor Tunggal Irawan asked:


The best way to profit on your garage sale is to have creative garage sale ideas. Think of a profitable preparation plan and a selling team. It is recommended that you work on the preparation plan in advance.

In this way, you can sell easily while relaxing and enjoying the day you put up your garage sale. Here are some creative garage sales ideas that can make customers enjoy their shopping at your garage sale while you are earning more profit.

1. You have to schedule your garage sale in advance. You may place your garage sale in the classified ads of your local newspaper. You may also inform your friends and neighbors about the items that you are going to sell. It is recommended that you hold your garage sale during weekends so that many customers can drop by your garage sale.

2. Look for items in your attic, storage place, basement, and garage that you can sell. You may consider selling items that you would like to dispose like your old shirts, pants, bags, shoes, hats, old appliances, kitchenware and other stuffs.

3. Ask your friends and family to include their stuff in your garage sale. The more items that you can display, the more customers you can attract. You may even get a 25 percent commission on the things they sell in your garage sale.

4. Make sure that all items are properly cleaned. You may fix some damaged items to increase their price values. Make sure that they also look presentable.

5. You may create a selling team if you are expecting a large crowd on the day the garage sale. Your family and close friends may be willing to help you without anything in return. You can just treat them with a free meal after you have sold everything in your garage sale.

6. You may distribute flyers that will advertise your garage sale. You may go to your community’s commercial places like the coffee shop, grocery stores, community centers, laundries, and gasoline stations to post your advertisements.

7. You should put up your cash table closer to the entrance. Make sure to have plenty of dollar changes, a ledger book, plastic bags, pen, and a calculator that are important materials that you may need during your garage sale.

You should be always cheerful every time customers look at your items. Talk to your customers and make them feel comfortable with the place. You may influence them to buy your things if they are properly attended.



LUIS

Armando Yusef asked:


Now you can shop till you drop online and never once have to take out your wallet to pay for what you acquire. On the flip-side, you can now clean out your garage and rid yourself of all the clutter that you no longer have a use for, in exchange for things that you and your family can actually use and enjoy. This is because new online garage sale sites are now the latest places where people are giving and getting the best deals that can be had for online buyers and sellers.

Keep Your Wallet in your Pocket or Purse

Its such a simple and pure concept that it is truly amazing that they took so long to appear and flourish the way that they have. Simply put, a buyer or seller barters with another buyer or seller until they come to some agreement on what they are buying or selling. So, for instance, if you have moved from the ocean to the mountains, you can trade your old diving gear for mountaineering equipment and never have to spend a dime.

Online Bartering is Addictive but thats OK

So how good are your bartering skills? These sites are a great place to test them and the beauty of it is that you can start out with smaller items that you have and slowly work your way up to “larger game” as you progress. Watch out though, because it can become addicting but unlike standard online auction sites such as Ebay, you can wallow in your addiction for years and it won’t cost you a dime.

Check Out Your Friends Garage

So you don’t have a garage full of unused items of value? Thats no problem, because for sure one of your friends has something that they no longer need. If they allow you to handle it, both of you can have a great time searching around for something that you both can use, so everyone benefits.

The Ancient System of Bartering

Bartering is the original economic system that ancient cultures and societies used before the advent of money. There is an element of purity that it containes that you can discover and feel for yourself at these new online garage sales. Also, you will be amazed at the variety and quality of the goods and services that are “up for grabs” at these refreshingly new online garage sales.



ODELL

Pete Flack asked:


This article will tell you how to earn money shopping at garage, tag, rummage and yard sales. It will show you how to make going to sales a profitable part time business as well as buying things for your home and personal use.

First thing to plan is what you want. Do you need something for the home such as garden, kitchen, tools or outdoor chairs? Why not go to a sale save money and when you buy these items at not only do you save money but you also save the environment also. Maybe you are a collector of something. Personally I have seen antiques, coins, vintage, stamps, memorabilia, records, toys, advertising and anything else you can possibly thing of. Keep a mental note or write a list of things you maybe want. Also good things to pick up are broken jewelry; the price of gold is at an all time high. If you sell on eBay go to http://pulse.ebay.com/ to find out what’s selling on eBay the best or what’s hot.

Then locate the sales by newspapers not only the major papers in you are but the tiny ones you get in the mail or stores such as super markets and Laundromats. Pay particular too these little publications because these hidden sales is where you may find that rare item or items at a great price. Also keep your eyes open for signs and announcements of sales. Also listen for sales. Another place to look is on the internet particular you will find undiscovered sales on Craig’s list and if you live on Long island New York you can go to the author’s website longislandgaragetagsale.com where you will also find links to various web sites.

Then when you locate the sales draw a map so that you can go to as many sales is possible. With gasoline prices at an all time high plan your day as efficient as possible by going to sales that are located close to each other. Remember if you go to sales where the item you want is too expensive at the end of the sale if the item is still there at the end, the price might be right. Remember at the sale the price of everything is negotiable.

After you come back to your home with all you finds. Now comes the time where you can make a few bucks. If you collect things go to the places where you buy them and offer to sell what you got. Plus you can also list things on eBay or Craig list.

Remember do this as a business. Do not spend to much time at any one sale the idea is to hit as many sales as possible. You are not at sales to make friends do not worry about getting things to cheap that’s what you are there for. Don’t pay more than 25 percent if you are reselling collectables. Follow this article you will save money and the enviorment good luck and god bless.



WESLEY

Steve Gillman asked:


What kind of lost treasures can you find in an old house? You have probably heard about the rare book found in the attic that was worth thousands, or the antiques that people find. That’s fun too, but this is about the things which somebody actually hid on purpose.

It’s common to hide valuables or money in attics, in basements, under the stairs, and in many places around the house. It is sadly also common to die without telling anyone that you have hidden things, or where they are hidden. This is how it becomes lost treasure.

Where To Find Lost Treasures

I was helping to clean out an old house once, and I found a jar full of pennies in the attic. It was the usual story; the old man who had previously owned the house died shorty after selling it. He had no family, and had forgotten about many of the things he had hidden in the house. I might still have some of the old coins from that jar in my collection.

Some of the other things I found up in the attic brought me sixty dollars or so at a rummage sale. He had hidden things under the insulation, and between walls. I suspect there are still valuables buried on the property around the house.

As a young man I hid some magazines in the basement of my parent’s house, a fact which I just remembered now. The house was sold, but most likely they are still there, up on top of the heating ducts, between the floor joists. While there isn’t much value in that lost treasure yet, they could be worth something to the person who finds them eighty years from now. If you have an old home, this should make you wonder what was hidden in it before you were born. Take a look.

Don’t limit the search to attics, basements and other obvious storage places. Look in spaces under stairs, garages, sheds, and under loose floorboards (this used to be a favorite place to hide cash). Above ceiling tiles is another good place to check. Lost treasures are a lot more common than you might think.

A good example is in an item I saw on the news one night. A couple from Chicago found a lost treasure that made big money for them. While tearing open the walls of their house during a remodeling project, they found them filled with thousands of movie posters which were old and valuable. Later they discovered that the home had once been owned by a theater operator in the twenties and thirties.

This previous owner had been taking home all the movie posters back to his house, and was either hiding them or, more likely, just using them to insulate. It used to be common to insulate houses with newspapers, magazines and other things. Time makes such things valuable. In fact, at the time the story ran, the couple had sold $200,000 worth of the posters. They still had half of what they found too.

Search for those valuables and stashes of money, starting in your own house. If it has none, poke around the basement at mom and dad’s, or the old houses owned by other family members. Peek under the insulation in that attic (wear gloves and a mask). Shine a light into those crawl spaces, and anywhere else there might be hidden and lost treasures.

 



EARL

Christine Groth asked:


If you were going to ask your friends, could you make a living at starting a daycare out of your home? What do you think they would say?

Chances are they would say no way, but I’m here to tell you different. In fact I’m here to educate you as to the vast amount of potential that lies within this small business. The fact remains in this day in age that we need to be creative in earning money and find ways to earn an income, care for our children, and feel that we have contributed to the happiness of others.

I’ve talked to a lot of people out there, some who stay home and make no money and others who desperately want to stay home and create some type resemblance of order in their life.

Daycare business is a serious business; it’s not babysitting or taking care of a couple of kids here and there. It’s about running a profitable small business that provides a viable income.

Below you will discover interesting fact’s regarding childcare.

Fact #1 It Really Takes No Money To Start Up This Business

I think this has to be one of the few businesses out there that you can start up for next to nothing. Just think about this for a minute, maybe you have children’s items lying around in your basement that no one is using. The funny thing is most daycares utilize the items that around 90% of most households. This would include, couches, small tables, sleeping bags, and of course T.V sets. And in case you don’t have any toy’s and books, you can always visit the local library and area rummage sales.

Fact #2 Almost Everything is Tax Deductible

Just about everything you use in your house is tax deductible and I mean just about everything! You can also think about tax deductible purchases such as that new couch you bought this year that children sit on, or how about your cell phone bill that parents call you up on. If a household expense can some how relate to your childcare business, than you can write it off.

Fact #3 How Much Money Do Daycare’s Really Make?

Here’s the real surprise, are you sitting? I made over $90,000 in my daycare last year. Not to shabby, why do you think we **** being called babysitters? When was the last time you met a babysitter that made that kind of money?

Fact #4 Who Is Doing All The Work In The Daycare?

A lot of family daycares employ assistants who help out with Daycare children. While the assistants are working you are doing more important things. Perhaps, caring for your own children, making money at other things, or out just plain out having fun. I work at my daycare perhaps 5 hours per week which gives me lot’s of time to pursue other adventures.

Fact #5 You Can Start Your Business Today, and Collect Cash Tomorrow

That really the reality of it all, it’s easy to find children to enroll as well. Tell your friends; visit your area schools and churches. Everyone is looking for good childcare and particularly someone they can trust. Why not you?

As you can see, day care is a real business. A lot of people out there are successful and really, are making money and most of all enjoying their time at home with the children and families they care for.

(c) CG Groth Inc.2007



ADOLPH

Brian Jenkins asked:


There are many houses with a two car garage that have never had two cars in them. Instead of using that space to shield cars from the sun and harsh weather, the garage has become home to a collection of gardening and lawn equipment, tools, woodworking equipment, cast-off furniture and things that are no longer used, but are not throw away.

Finding items that are needed in a cluttered garage is a complicated process. Usually, it starts with edging between the stacks of boxes and miscellaneous equipment. If the home owner’s lucky, they may remember where this particular item was last, or which box it might be in. More often, it’s a process of elimination that involves knowing what went into the garage during which time period and playing ‘hot, hot, cold’ until that person what they’re looking for.

Garages used to be a place to store your vehicle. These days, garages have become an extension of the house. They’re used as catch-all storage units, workshops, laundry rooms, offices and outbuildings. If the garage mentioned before sounds familiar, here are some tips to help you get a handle on organizing your garage into a successful storage area for all the things you need.

Getting Back to Basics

Organizing your garage storage starts with having the right tools. In the case of organization, the tools of the trade include hooks, shelves, closets and storage bins.

- Get rid of useless clutter.

Use the two year method. If there is something in your garage that you have not used in two years, chances are good you will never use it again. Spend a day sorting through the clutter in your garage and deciding what to keep and what to get rid of. Once you’ve got it all sorted, pack it into your trunk and take it to the recycling center, thrift store or have a garage sale. When you’re done, you’ll have a far better idea of just what you have to tackle.

- Start with a plan.

Measure your space before you start buying so that you have an idea of how much space you have to work with. There’s no sense in buying shelves and storage boxes that won’t fit the space you have available.

- Decide on storage options that suit what you have to store.

Vertical storage is a great space-saver. That means getting boxes and equipment up off the floor whenever possible. Invest in storage shelves that turn your wall space into storage space. Hooks are another way to get things up off the floor. Specialized hangers that hold handles of gardening equipment are a great way to get hoes, spades and rakes out of that tangled – and dangerous – mess in the corner.

- Invest in utility cabinets to hold smaller items.

Need somewhere to store those jars of nails and screws, extra glass coffee pots and other things that you’re holding onto? Utility cabinets with adjustable shelves will let you arrange your important clutter in a way that makes sense for you. While you’re at it, pick up an inexpensive labeler so that you can label shelves and make it easy for others to keep your space neat, too.

- Collect and Organize tools.

If you use your garage as a workshop, organize with tool boxes and tool chests,

and a workshop table that’s designed with storage in mind.

- Step back to the past.

for an excellent and very low cost method of storing tiny screws, nails and other

essentials. Mount a board above your work space and nail baby food jar lids to the

board. ***** the jars into the tops and voila! Neat, easy to find, and up out of the

way.

- Don’t waste the space above your head.

There are a variety of ways that you can turn unused space overhead into useful

storage space. One of the easiest is with a set of overhead metal hangers that hang

from the ceiling joists. They’re ideal for big and bulky items like lengths of

plywood. Look for specialized hangers for things like bicycles and sports

equipment.

- Make use of garage rafters.

The second way that you can use overhead storage space is to make use of the

garage rafters. Just slide board over them to provide ‘floor’ space and you’ll have

created a ready-to-use attic to store things like Christmas decorations up and out

of the way.



YOUNG

Dan Farrell asked:


The garage is that one place where we all seem to love to be disorganized, however the sooner you get organized, the sooner you can make better use of that space. Organizing your garage can be a tiresome task for many homeowners. When you think about organizing your garage you should keep in mind that this activity means to find a designated place for everything while keeping your goods available for everyday use.

The following steps compromise a simple system for garage organization.

Sort your garage items.

First of all sort and categorize all the items in your garage, for this you should empty your garage and start sorting everything into categories. Separate the tools from sporting equipment, electric tools, etc. You will realize how much stuff you have and only then you will be able to determine the best ways to organize and store everything. Misplaced items in your garage should be returned to their proper place. Also you should sort the things that should be in the garage from the things that should actually be in the basement, attic or better, sold at a garage sale.

Remember to recycle everything that you decide to throw away. Separate seasonal items and equipment.

A special rack should be installed to hang lawn maintenance tools and to keep them accessible yet out of the way. If it is near winter place snow related tools like snow blowers, ice scrapers, snow shovels and also skis, snowboards and sleds grouped together. Also the items for warm seasons should be stored in a special cabinet. Near the beginning of every season you should plan this activity and rotate the cold and warm items places in the cabinet. For the other sporting equipment, shelves and drawers should be designed.

If you have the space, buy or build a storage shed. The sheds found at your local home depot or lowe’s has all you need to store your lawn equipment, fertilizer, seed and other hardware.

Additional shelving and cabinets.

While organizing you should consider adding additional garage storage space to help you maintain the organization. Shelves and cabinets should be mounted on the walls. The basic principle is to store the items that you use on a regular basis in a way that makes them accessible every time you need them. Create efficient working area. Installing a bench or a table would be a good choice if you use your garage as a workshop. A sturdy tool chest and a pegboard are great in storing your tools and keeping them easily accessible.

Relocate trash and recycling bins to a place nearby the garage. To easily dispose unwanted items from your garage a good idea is to relocate the trash and recycling bins near to your garage entrance. This way you won’t be tempted to keep certain items because the trash bins are too far away.

Now would be the time to hire a handyman to have cabinets, closets and shelves built right into your garage. Invest in some good storage units as described before and start organizing, sorting and storing.



ROBERT

Victor Tunggal Irawan asked:


In a garage sale, there are only two things a buyer considers when purchasing an item. And that’s first, the usability of the item and second, the reasonability in pricing. Pricing is very important in any sale, be it in a garage sale or otherwise.

And in pricing your items, you only have to answer only one question: Is the price worth it? Answering this question would lead you to properly pricing your items. Here are some tips:

1. Consider its functionality. Is the item in a 100% working condition? Is every part of it intact? Try to answer these questions as honestly as possible. If the item is still fresh, never been repaired, then you can price it a little higher than usual.

2. Consider its age. How long have you had that item? Was it always used or seldom used? Does it still look new despite its age? If your answer is yes to all of these, then you can sell the item at half-price or higher, with reference to its current store price.

3. Consider the demand. Is the item still in demand these days? Are a lot of people in need of the item? This is especially true on small items like digital cameras, cell phones, and the likes. If you think your product is still in-the-hot, then you can sell it at a relatively high price.

4. Consider its value. Does your item have an increasing or decreasing value over time? This is applicable on collections like coins and stamps, as well as antiques. These items are valued higher the older they get. Very unlike books and dictionaries, that decreases their value as time goes by.

5. Consider its rarity. Is your item unusual? Is it from a limited edition series? Rarity could also mean that the item has special markings or has a date in it that has high significance. Maybe it was signed by its famous maker, such as in paintings or books. If so, it can be priced higher.

6. Consider the assessment of an expert appraiser. Check out with an expert in antiques and other items of high value. They would be able to give a fair assessment of how much a particular item will be priced. Follow their expert appraisal and you are sure to be selling items worth its value.

Remember, your items may be of sentimental value to you, but that isn’t enough reason to price it high. You’ve got to be realistic and sell each of your items within a sound range.



KENNITH