10 Tips for a Successful Garage Sale in the Greater Baton Rouge Area
I have a love/hate relationship with garage sales, but there is no better motivation to make myself declutter and pick up some extra cash. Garage sales always make me take inventory of what I truly need. Organizing a successful garage sale requires planning and strategy.
Whether you are clearing out your kid’s clothes, toys or household items, these tips will help ensure your sale is a hit!
1.) Pick the Right Date and Time
Baton Rouge summers can be brutally hot, so schedule your garage sale in the spring and fall. Opt for a weekend when most people are off work. You may want to make sure there is not a college football game the day you are planning your sale or if there is an “Away” game that it is later in the day to ensure more traffic. Aim for early hours, from 7 a.m. to around noon, as the heat later in the day can sometimes discourage shoppers.
2.) Advertise Smartly
Garage sale shoppers usually plan their weekends around several sales, so make sure your sale is noticed. There are several online communities where you can post garage sale announcements, like Facebook Neighborhood, Marketplace or Garage Sale Groups, Nextdoor, Craigslist, and local mom’s groups. Make sure to include details such as the date, time, address, and a list of a few “hot items” (e.g. furniture, antiques, appliances, tools, kid’s bikes, baby gear) to attract more interest.
3.) Organize Your Items
Grouping similar items together makes it easier for shoppers to find what they are looking for. Organize by category and display everything neatly. Put higher value or popular items (like furniture, electronics, or name brand baby gear) near the front to draw customers in.
4.) Price Everything Clearly
One of the quickest ways to lose potential customers is unclear pricing. Use brightly colored stickers to price items individually or, group similar items together with bulk pricing. Garage sale shoppers are looking for deals, so it is good to price items between 10-30% of their original value. Pricing certain items in bundles. such as kid’s clothes, can help move items faster.
5.) Be Ready to Negotiate
You will need to decide beforehand what the lowest price you are willing to accept is on big-ticket items but remain flexible. A fair negotiation is often the difference between selling something or having to haul it back into your home.
6.) Offer Refreshments
The heat in Baton Rouge can be really exhausting, even in the early morning hours. Consider offering bottled water, or other refreshments, for a small fee or for free. Children can even sell lemonade, homemade cookies or other treats to make some of their own income. These things can be a nice gesture that makes shoppers linger longer at your sale, giving them more time to browse and more time to potentially buy items.
7.) Have Plenty of Change
Be sure to have a variety of coins and small bills on hand to make change. You don’t want to lose a sale, because you don’t have the right change. Start with at least $50 minimum, with an emphasis on $1 bills. Keep the money in a secure place, like a fanny pack, or inside the house to prevent theft. These days paying for items can be made simple for customers, by having a Venmo or Zelle account for them to utilize and they can even buy more this way.
8.) Partner with Friends or Neighbors
A multi-family sale often draws larger crowds, because people know they can shop multiple homes in one stop. This is why you should partner with friends or neighbors in the area to host a community Garage Sale.
9.) Make sure you have Signs that Stand Out
Clear, eye-catching signs can make a huge difference in directing traffic to your garage sale. Use large, bold letters and bright colors on your signs, and include basic information like address, date and time of sale. Place signs at busy intersections near your home and around the neighborhood the night before your sale, following local guidelines.
10.) Plan for the Leftovers
Even after a successful garage sale, there will likely be items left over. Plan ahead by contacting local charities to see if they accept donations. You can also list unsold items for free on platforms such as Freecycle, Facebook Marketplace, or Craigslist. Some Facebook Neighborhood pages even list photos of free items left at the curb for people to pick up if they are interested. This way you will not have to bring unwanted items back into your home, and others in need can benefit from them.
