Hi Ladies
Its that time of year and I am iching for spring so I have been doing some cleaning, reorganizing painting etc on the inside of my house. My formal dining room is loaded with stuff I want to get rid of...so I want to have a garage sale. I would like to let the people on my street know that I am having a garage sale on (such and such) date to see if they would like to have a garage sale too. So I want to write up a little flyer saying "this is what I am doing...wanna join?" if I get enough responses I would put an add in the paper or some sort of advertising. so my question to you ladies is
1. how do I politly say to the neighbor "hey lets have a neighborhood garage sale" (my thought is we would have more customers if I promote it as a community sale vs just 1 house
2. What is the best way to advertise? I have never posted an "add" in the newspaper and I figured with todays technoligy(i.e. Craigslist) there could be better, more cost effiicent ways for advertising
3. what kind of lead time should i give the community. I am ready about NOW but I know that is unrealistic for them. I was thinking of having it the weekend before Memorial day...but then part of me whats my formal dining room CLEAN so I want to do it the weekend before Easter (like april 15 and 16th)
Thanks ladies
We did one last June. I put it on Craig's list and we had people driving up from far and wide to see the listed and unlisted stuff. We made money.
People that love garage sales are biting at the bit right now. Just do a flyer with the date you want and put your email address on it so people will let you know if they are interested. Give them at least a month to prepare.
Craigslist is very good for advertising...just post everyday the week before.
Also, put signs up a day or two before the sale.
You want to give at least two or three weeks, if not more, to the neighbors who haven't been doing the decluttering you're doing.
You could send letters to your neighbors saying, "I'm planning to have a garage sale on such-and-such a day. Would you like to join me by having your own sale? It might be fun - and help us know one another better - if we could make it a block (or neighborhood) event." (Or you could talk to them in person.)
Make it clear that they would participate by having their own sale and managing their own money, rather than putting things in YOUR sale. Ask them to contact you within a week, so you can plan. If there is interest, offer to do the advertising this year - on Craigslist, on whatever local options you have, AND with signs posted at several good places a few days ahead. I've often found the best g-sales by driving around and seeing signs with arrows! That means you're putting out some money and energy to make the event happen, but since it's your idea and you'll be doing that for yourself anyhow, it seems only right.
If neighbors aren't interested, you can hold your own sale anyhow. If just a few on your block want to do it, promote it as, say, a three-family block sale.
I like group sales, where I can park in one place and walk around. I remember a neighborhood sale where the women were all in one driveway looking at the scrapbook supplies, and the men were all two driveways away looking at the tires!
1. I would start by asking one or two neighbors that you are close with just casually, "What do you think about.....". You can also put a flyer on each of their doors,. Yes, community garage sales tend to do better than single garage sales.
2. In most communities the best way to advertise is an ad in your local paper. It's a good idea to have it run both the day before and the day of the sale. There's no need to have a large ad, just the basic information will do, date and address. If you have any large items or a lot of a particular type of items like baby cloths you may want to list that. Make some flyers and put them up the night or early morning of the sale. Just "Garage Sale, Sat 4/15, 123 Main St and an arrow". Craig's list in another option.
3. Contact your neighbors NOW. They should have a minimum of 4 weeks to plan.
The weekend before Easter would NOT be a good time. Many people (both your neighbors and your potential customers) travel during this time or our busy preparing for the holiday. I would stick with the weekend before Memorial Day.
We have a neighborhood garage sale at the same time every year. (It is always the first Saturday in June, so we know when it is coming.) The person in charge gives a flyer to everyone about three weeks before the sale. Those of us who wish to participate donate $1 for advertising and we let the person in charge know if we have any items of special interest to include in the ad. Everyone who participates puts a balloon on their mailbox. It works out GREAT and I look forward to it every year. My family and friends bring their items to my house to sell because we get so many people! Also, I shop at everyone else's sales while my husband runs ours :)
My only advice is to keep your money box in the house or find a way to hide it in the garage. I have heard of many people who held garage sales and toward the end of the day 2-3 people will stop by usually in the same car and 2 of them will distract the seller by asking a lot of questions about an item for sale, then say ahh no it won't fit in my apartment or it's still a little to much and walk away to join the 3rd person back in the car. When the seller goes to pick up the money box it's gone or empty.
Do a flyer, put the date and times, (remember beginning or end of month is when people get paid) that you are planning on holding it. let them know the more people that participate, the less the add will cost. If you have 8 houses that is only about $3.00 each..
Here in Austin a 3 day add for a garage sale is only $23.00 and you are on their website. Older people still do not use the computer, so Craigslist is also great, but when we place it in the daily paper, our traffic is way higher.
Let them know you will need help making and hanging signs. The kids in our neighborhood sell bottled water and lemonade during the sell too.
Have fun!
If you want a successful sale, dont invite the neighborhood! BUT if you insist, just make a flyer saying block sale on this date, from these hours. Ad will be placed on Craiglist/Pennysaver etc (whatever you decide on) Be sure to note some tips like having at least $50 in change ($1s) set up by 6:30am etc. I love yardsales and am always successful at them...I had like 6 last year! Also check with your city you may need to pay a permit to have one. Letting the neighbors know now is best so people can start planning, also yardsales after the 1st are best, people get paid/social security etc!
We do garage sales all the time on our street (granted there are only 17 houses). A few of us usually get together, set a date, then tell the others with a flyer the dates/times. We do a couple of things to advertise ~ the local paper (neighbors participating typically pitch in to cover costs), craigslist, & the night before the sale ~ we put up brightly colored signs. I'd do the sale in early May ~ before there are a million sales going on. We've done them early & during the summer months. It seems as though we made more $ in May. Good luck & have fun!
Our HOA sets up a spring and fall sale for the neighborhood.
We do not participate as we hate garage sales, the traffic it brings into our neighborhood and the safety factor.
We prefer to donate to charity for someone who truly appreciates the donation vs someone trying to get a deal for nothing. The tax benefit is usually greater.
IF you do choose this, just be very careful. Like someone else said, as unfortunate as it is....you end up being a target for crime. (stealing your $ box, stealing merchandise, casing out your house for what you have they might want)
