De-Cluttering Before a Move? Consider a Garage Sale
- Written by News Company
When you move, you don’t want to take all your clutter with you. Clearing it out can save you money when the removalists arrive to take your belongings to your new home since most of them charge less for fewer belongings.
If you really want to save money, though—go one step further when you clear out your clutter. Throw a garage sale that can help you pay for at least part of your move. Here are some tips for throwing the finest garage sale in your neighbourhood.
Think as a business person would. How do successful stores attract the right buyers? With the right advertisements.
Use Online Advertising That Attracts the Right Buyers
Look at the belongings you want to sell. If you want to sell camping gear, make sure you advertise online in local camping enthusiasts’ forums as well as in your circle of friends and acquaintances. Similarly, if you have a trunk full of your Aunt Addy’s old sheet music, place ads in local music forums.
Target Your Posters to Reach Likely Customers
Design posters to appeal to your target buyers. For the trunkful of music, make musical notes prominent on your posters. Use camouflage colours to appeal to camping fans. And so on. Put up the posters where your target buyers hang out to make sure they see what you have. Remember the adage, ‘One man’s trash is another one’s treasure’. People will buy what you sell—you just have to attract the right ones!
Put up Generalised Ads, Too
Your old camping equipment, antiques, and fishing gear aren’t all you’ll want to get rid of before you move. You might have some old dishes, clothing, or books that will appeal to the general public. Use your social media profiles to advertise for free. Your friends will spread the word.
Don’t Forget the Uni Crowd
Remember when you were in uni—and a set of used dishes fished from a garage sale was like finding a hidden treasure? University students have one thing in common—a tight budget. Stuff you might think is practically worthless (like chipped mugs, scratched furniture, or mismatched plates) are just what they need to furnish their Spartan digs. If you live near a university, be sure to advertise there.
The Day Before the Sale
Before you hold your garage sale, get some boxes from your removalists. What you don’t sell—and want to keep—put into the boxes right after the sale so you won’t have to pack it twice.
The Day of the Sale
Organise your sale by type: Again, think about your favourite store. Create ‘departments’ so that people interested in antiques, for instance, can head over to that table, and those interested in books can go to your book table.
Create attractive displays: Just like a home, merchandise sells better when it’s ‘staged’. As best as you can, put your items in their best light. For instance, if you have a chair for sale, accent it with a throw that brings out its colour for a visual pop. Put knickknacks on shelves so buyers can imagine the items on their own shelves.
Make sure you have an extension cord for electrical items: People will want to test electrical items they want to buy. Make it easy for them with an extension cord.
Don’t Set Firm Prices—and Say ‘Thank You’
Set your initial prices with this in mind: people want to haggle. Allow them to do so—that’s what makes garage sales so appealing. It’s like a treasure hunt. People love to find a bargain. Offer them two items for the price of one—and watch your merchandise fly off the shelves. And do say ‘thank you’. Word-of-mouth travels fast. Friendly sellers attract more buyers—just like in any other business.
Wrapping up the Sale
Box up the things you want to take with you in the removalists’ boxes. The rest, sort into two piles: ‘Donate’ and ‘Throw Away’. Take these to the charity or to the trash bin right away so these tasks won’t complicate the days right before you move.
Wrapping up Your Move
Once you’ve cleared the clutter out, you may be in for a surprise. Double-check with your removalists to see if the ‘leaner, cleaner you’ is eligible for a lower price with fewer boxes and fewer large belongings.
Splurge a little with the proceeds on a dinner out with the family or friends to celebrate a successful sale—and use the rest to pay some of your moving expenses. To learn more about how to save money and time when you move, visit the expert team of Zoom Removals today at https://www.zoomremovals.com.au/.
