Prelude: A hummingbird flew into my garage the day before the sale. He linger for a moment on a red item am then swooped away. I didn't know we could get them down here. Maybe I ought to get a feeder.
Before I devolge harbourred secrets of a sucessful garage sale, let me start with a story of ill representation of humanity. So it is the first day, Friday, sometime early in the sale. A woman mills aroung slowly. She is slowly evaluation everything. She picks up a few loose items. She asks about the dining table. We walk over to it and the six chairs. "It is Dutch Modern, and we are decorating with Mission," I explain. She shakes the table. I explaing that we only quickly screwed on the legs this morning and it is not wigglely if the nuts are screwed on with a wrench. She talks about looking for something for her daughter. She says she will think about it and asks the price. Sevety five for the set. That, by the way, was my purchase price ten years ago from my neighbor's sale. She wonders to the other table, asks if it has chairs, is told no, and says she will think about. Meanwhile someone is intested in the Burley double stroller and bike trolley so I go over there. In a few minutes the table woman calls me over. We talk about how it needs to be buffed and maybe varnished. She says something about it is for her daughter and womders if I will take forty. I say sixty. Big story of her daughter not haing a lot. She asks fifty. With hesitation, okay. It is for her daughter's new home and somewhere in there someone has cancer or something blah lah blah. Later in the day, she comes pick it up. Maybe this is when she talks about being ill or something as she is climbing up into the truck with a step stool. She is friendly, we, my mom and I, laugh with her as we help load. I was a good moment feeling like we'd really helped her out.
Flash forwrd to today, the close of the sale. I had packed up the loose itms I thought I could consign or sell to the flea market. The kids and I drove around running things here and there. At Front Range Merchantile, they gladly bought a few antique dresser scarves. After making the exchange, Daughter wants to go look for Bsrbies. I turn around to approach the first aisle and there it is, my table. $257.95. I couldn't believe it. The vary next day after I shared my geuine soul and caring to this woman, she flips it for a huge profit. It isn't the fact she buffed it up and resold it in one day, it is the fact that I felt totally taken advantage of. After all, I ran downstairs where it was stored to look for a missing cap on one of the chair legs. When I couldn't find it, I asked for her number so I could look harder later and call her if I found it. After all, she was going to give it to her daughter, right? She played the cancer empathy card, and I ate right of her hand. Seriously, fifteen dollars? I hope karma catches up with you, Honey. Just be honest, geesh.
Okay, I will step off of my soap box now. How about those tips?
-Get a friend to help, preferably one who will bring you beakfast and watch the sale so you can run to the store, Thamks Mom.
-Advertise specialty items like crafts, children's clothing, specific furniture, etc. by doing all caps in the article. We emphasized crafters and furniture and that is who came.
-Be aware that when you say the sale starts at 8 am, they will come at 7:15.
-Resalers come on Fridays.
-Families come on Saturdays.
-Resalers will clear you out of big items like furniture, will try to get it super cheap, may make you feel a bit insecure, and will be your best customers.
-Have jobs in mind for children helpers.
-be clear that anything in the sale is not to reenter the house.
-Bend a little because their puppy dog faces are too cute and let them have something from the sale but only in exchange for a toy of equal value.
-Send kids on missions like bugging their friend around the block who is having her own sale.
-Put things of interest out near the street to entice the drive-bys to park and take a better look.
-Label what you can that isn't one dollar. Anything without a label is one dollar.
-Put out bins. One for small items for a quarter. The if you have a lot of children's clothing, sort by size and gender in bins.
-Offer bulk purchase prices for similar items.
-Make lunch, a sandwhich or a wrap, the night before.
-Get out breakfast bowls and cold cereal the night before and set for kids to serve themselves.
-Put fives and tens in your left pocket and dollars in your right pocket. If you are left handed, switch that.
- Play light music to take the edge off the day.
-Call the thrift store, DAV or ARC are dependible, to schedule a pick up after the sale.
-Smile a lot and say hi to all customers. Your kindness will motivate sales.
-Have a friend help...wait I said that already.
- Schedule a massage...oh wait...yah, well, okay...at least plan an easy dinner or delivery, have kids bath early, and watch a movie. Don't do anything but cuddle your kids on the couch and go to bed early.
-And last but not least, give away at least ten percent to charity. Offer out your bounty and gifts will flow in trifold.
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