You’ve made the decision to clean out your garage and maybe the spare room or the attic, and now you are going to host a garage/yard sale to get rid of the items that are still useful, just no longer for you.
There are lots of things to consider when preparing and arranging a sale, and some common mistakes that people make before, during, and even after are beneficial to avoid.
These tips will help to ensure you have a successful and stressless sale.
Making sure you have a plan of action in place is the first step to ensuring a successful sale.
Check with your local police station to see if you require any permits to have the sale. Not having the right permits in place can be costly and not in a good way.
Talk to other people in your neighbourhood to see if you could make this a community event. Getting more people involved will help to attract more buyers and therefore lead to better profits.
Set a date, and if possible, check the weather. Though it is hard to see what the ever-changing weather will do a month from now, you can get an idea within the next two weeks.
This doesn’t mean that you can’t plan something a month in advance, but it’s best to check it often as you may need to change the date last minute to avoid being rained out.
Once a date is set, book a bin for the day after to dispose of any items that didn’t sell.
As the date gets closer, make sure you have the supplies you need for the actual day. Price labels, cash boxes, calculators, and extension cords so that they can test electrical items to prove that they work are just some of the things not for sale, that will help you.
Don’t leave it till the day as this is where things get missed and forgotten. The last thing you want is to ask someone to wait for a moment while you find something, as this will put the buyer off and you will lose the sale.
Make sure to also have signs, either bought or made, to advertise your sale. No one will come if they don’t know it’s happening. Try to give people enough time to plan a trip to your sale by advertising at least 2 weeks prior.
The day is here and you are ready to start selling! But did you make sure that the items you are looking to move are appealing to potential buyers?
You want to make sure that your items stand out and look their best to attract their new owners. There are some common mistakes that people make at this point.
Declutter and organize your items. Make sure that like items are together, sets are all in one piece and the area you are setting them in is free of unnecessary clutter and distractions.
If you have anything electrical, ensure that there is a power supply close to hand so that people can test the items to ensure that they work.
If everything is jumbled together and people have to dig through it to see what you have on offer, people will lose interest and walk away.
Make sure it’s in good, working condition. The point of a sale is to sell items that are still in good working condition. No one wants to purchase something that is broken and can’t use.
Check over your items and separate out anything that is damaged in any way. Offer to demonstrate the item working as part of the sales technique to people who are interested in it.
Clean and wash the items. Make sure that the items are as free of dirt and grime as possible. Any clothing you are selling has been washed and dried and there are no tears in them.
Clean items are more eye-catching and will attract more people.
The price is right. It goes without saying to make sure that all the items are priced. No price tag means that someone may pass by as they don’t want to ask you if you are busy.
But, you also want to make sure that you are not overpricing the item. Priced too high will deter people just as much as no price. But don’t go too low either, the aim is to make money.
The sale has drawn to a close and you take a look at what is left. In very rare cases, everything will sell, and you will have nothing left.
Typically though, there are always a few items that you just can’t get rid of. They are either out of date, out of fashion, or just not commonly used anymore.
It’s best to have a plan for the things that you don’t get rid of afterward. Renting a bin prior to the sale, ensuring it is delivered the day after and taken away a few days after that, will help to make sure it does not leave you with the daunting task of deciding where things go.
It is easy enough to take some items to a reuse center, or donate them, but for everything else, there is a landfill and a bin rental will assist with this.
For Toronto Bin Rental, Scarborough Disposal inc can accommodate your needs and help you to have a successful clean-up after the event.
One of the biggest mistakes people make when planning a sale is what to do after the sale is done with the items that remain.
Contact Scarborough Disposal Inc today to book your bin rental now and secure your date and reduce your to-do list.
Our expert team is ready to answer your questions and make sure that you have the right bin to take care of what is left behind.
Reach out online or call us today at 416-265-7979 and let’s get you started.