Garage Sales are a Great Way to Make Money From Home

There's no better way to make money than garage sales. They get rid of items you don't need and bring in much needed money. However, you should not run a garage sale like a junk sale. That would be a mistake, as it would turn several potential buyers off. It may even become a distress sale where you may not get the right price. You should keep the following points in mind while organizing garage sales:

Product selection and publicity: Your first step should be to identify the items for the garage sales. This would mean walking from room to room, and making a note of all items that can be sold. This is not an easy exercise, because suddenly every item seems valuable. Don't get swayed by emotions. Sell any product that you have not used for a year or more. This does not mean that you sell family silver. Keep those items that you prize.

Now assign a price to each item. Remember, the price should be reasonable. Garage sales are not high-value sales. If you want a product to be picked up don't price it more than a quarter of its value. Anything more expensive should be sold on E-bay. Use bright color price tags, and glue them prominently. Place an advertisement in the local newspaper. Put some fliers in local shops. Highlight the products that are likely to sell. Make sure that the date and time of the sale are mentioned prominently. A day before the sale put up some sale signs near your home in bold letters printed in bright colors. You should even place some arrows that point to your home.

Product Display: Rent some display tables and covers, and display your best products closest to the entrance. Clothes must be hung from a clothesline, and not stacked on tables. Also, there should be a fair amount of space for people to move around. Garage sales must be an occasion to enjoy. So, don't cramp your customers by forcing them walk in narrow aisles.

One every useful item is a box of small denomination notes and change. Sometimes, a customer wants to buy a product for which he may not have the exact amount, and he would prefer to skip buying it then going home and getting the change. Avoid this from happening. Have the small change ready.

Be innovative: At garage sales, sell the unimportant items with the fast moving ones by offering combo or package deals. Don't hesitate to cut price if you find a customer wavering. There is no point in stocking the same item again for next year. Get rid of it, even if it means getting slightly less. Slash prices in the evening, and announce it loudly. Give people an extra reason to pick up a product. Play on human psychology. Nothing pleases a customer more than being made to feel important -- and smart. If the season is hot, put up a lemonade stall under a tree. This will make people hang around longer. Also, give the garage sales a festive look by putting up streamers and helium balloons.

Precautions: Garage sales bring all kinds of customers. Keep an eye on those whom you have never seen, and whose behavior seems suspicious. However, don't create a scene. Instead, follow the stranger carefully, and chat with him off and on so that he knows he is under observation. After the sale, make sure that you remove all the road signs or streamers that you had put up. Keep the neighborhood clean. It will win you many friends