organizing, decorating and home staging solutions 
Garage Sale Game Plan
How to be a savvy second-hand seller
By Heather Cameron
Talk to any garage sale guru and they will all have their own tricks of the garage sale trade, but they usually all agree on one thing — a good game plan can make all the difference.
The warm-up
Take inventory of what you have — year round. Have a designated space in your garage or basement for your no-longer prized possessions. If you don’t use it, need it or love it, put it in your garage sale supply space NOW, not later. It will save you the scramble of gathering up (and perhaps, forgetting) items for your garage sale. (And be sure to check inside pockets and boxes for any items you don’t want up for grabs.)
Advertising works. Great signage is key. Make sure you use plenty of posters to direct treasure hunters to your sale. Be sure to go for heavy-duty bristol or poster board. Use bold, thick lettering (in permanent marker for those rainy days) so drivers can quickly see your message. Splurge on a small ad in your community or city newspaper and take advantage of free advertising on the web. Check out these sites: www.kijiji.ca; www.ottawacity.ca; www.myottawa.ca.
A team effort. Multi-family garage sales can mean shared duties and, of course, more stuff may equal more buyers interested in one-stop shopping.
State your time. If you don’t want to start your Saturday at 6 a.m., be sure to clearly note your start time and the words “No early birds” on your ads and signs. Some sellers suggest putting up a sign stating prices are three times more before 8 a.m.
Cold, hard cash. Be sure to load up on small bills and change. Keep a calculator and pens and paper handy for quick tallies. A fanny pack is a good way of carrying your cash — you don’t want to have to spend your time babysitting a cash box.
Prepare your table. Beg, borrow and …well, beg and borrow tables from friends and family. Items displayed on tables look more attractive and are easier to see. If you have space in your garage, pre-arrange your small but non-breakable items on some of your tables the night before so you and your partner can just carry them out — displayed and ready to sell in the morning.
Sticker price. To price or not to price? Some people don’t like to barter (or even ask the price of an item) so be sure to give buyers a starting point. If they are savvy hagglers, they will let you know in no time!
Wrap it up, folks. Make sure you have lots of plastic bags available for customer purchases. Have tissue or newspapers at hand for delicate items.
Game day
Two’s company. Make sure you have a partner co-host your garage sale. An extra pair of hands (and feet) can ensure you never miss a sale (or a bathroom break).
Get comfortable. Prepare yourself for what can be a long, hot day. Keep cold drinks and munchies on hand and don’t forget a comfortable lawn chair, sun protection and a good book.
Power up for profit. Be sure to have an electrical outlet or extension cord handy for proving that your electronic gadgets work. If you have them on hand, place instruction manuals on display with each item.
Order it. Put like with like to make the perusing experience easier on your buyers. Separate your books from your CDs from your DVDs (all displayed spine up for easy scanning) from your jewellery. Keep small appliances together and matching sets of dishes in their own groupings.
Wet their whistle. Hitting the garage sales can take it out of a buyer. Why not keep the kids busy (and making a little profit) by letting them sell cold bottled water and freezies?
Toy trader. It can be difficult to part children from their toys — even if they don’t play with them anymore. To ease the pain, tell your budding entrepreneurs that they will get the proceeds of any toy sale.
The cool-down
Pack your bags. DO NOT put unsold items back in your garage or basement. Move them from the driveway into your car and take a quick drive to your favourite charity.
Take it off. Be a good neighbour and please take down your signs. If you don’t, the wind and rain will.
Recommended websites:
yardsalequeen.com
freshstartpro.com/organizingtips.html
Heather Cameron operates Edited Interiors, an Ottawa-area business that offers professional organizing, home staging, and interior decorating/redecorating services. You can contact her at 613 831-6398 or visit www.editedinteriors.com.
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2007 issue of Due West/Due East magazine, a publication of Coyle Publishing Inc.
Copyright 2007, Edited Interiors. All rights reserved.