There are many reasons you may consider having a garage/yard sale. One of the main reasons they’re held, though, is to get rid of old things that people no longer want or need. This could be anything from clothes to old DVDs and CDs. Maybe you just enjoy social gatherings and need an excuse to throw a gathering for the neighbourhood. Well, either way, you’re going to want to make a lasting impression and also increase the number of customers you bring to your sale. This blog will help you get started on your Melbourne driveway garage/yard sale to maximise the number of people you attract and also encourage them to hang around and shop.
1. Deal in cash only
For starters, you should set up your fundamentals. Dealing with cash only is much easier than trying to get electronic payments going and also keeps things simple and stress-free. Carry around a fanny pack to make it easier to sort and handle the money. This also means you can stay on the go and assist your customers wherever they are during the sale – as opposed to having a stationary register. Staying portable essentially streamlines the whole operation.
2. Price everything as you find it
When you’re looking for stuff you can sell, try to put price tags on them as you find them. That way you don’t have to sort through everything a second time later on. Keep the prices simple – solid dollar prices. You can get little stickers to write the prices on from your local newsagent or two-dollar store and attach them to the item. You can also use this stage to sort the items into categories.
3. Colour coordinate your sale
Pick a theme for your sale! You should try and make sure there is some form of consistency in the layout as people generally enjoy aesthetically pleasing designs and recurring patterns. Whether you go for a monochromatic design or use some colours that may match your Melbourne driveway, the options are almost limitless.
4. Advertise in advance
You should be advertising for your garage/yard sale at least two weeks in advance. Put up colourful signs – or signs that will match the theme you’ve chosen – around your street and around your block with clear instructions and details. Utilise social media as well if you want to bring in a larger audience. But if you’d prefer not to put your address up on social media then just keep it the neighbourhood.
5. Laying it all out
Don’t just put everything out on your lawn or garage, plan where you’re going to put things. Sketch the layout beforehand and make sure there’s room for people to walk around and browse freely. Arrange the clothes on racks by size – cut paper plates and attach them to the rack to use as size dividers. Put bargain bins at the front for the very cheap items. Don’t forget to put up signs explaining what each section is – such as the bargain bin(s). You should also keep in mind that sometimes less is better. If you have an excess of a particular type of item, maybe don’t bring it all out at first. Sometimes limited items sell better than items with plenty of stock.
6. Offer refreshments
Have snacks and drinks handy to encourage people to linger and enjoy the atmosphere or shop around further. This can be anything from doughnuts or just packets of biscuits. You can make some home-made lemonade or iced tea and bake some desserts for a more authentic feeling as well. This is something you may or may not want to do depending on how much you want people to hang around or if you want it to be more of a social gathering.
7. Partner up with another family
If you partner up with another family, then you could potentially double the number of items in your sale. This could also give your potential buyers more of a variety to choose from. The other positive that comes out of this is a shared workload on the day. Sometimes it can be overwhelming to handle everyone – and if you can’t bring along a friend who’s willing to help – having that extra family along for the ride can be good. You can then choose how to divide the profits – whether you’ll split it down the middle or just go by whose items were sold.
Thinking of utilising your Melbourne driveway?
A Better Driveway is a Melbourne driveway business that specialises in exposed aggregate, coloured and textured concrete driveways. We use highly trained and experienced contractors that will turn your dream driveway into a reality so you can host your perfect garage/yard sale.
If you would like to get in contact with our Melbourne driveway company, then please give us a call on 03 9308 6112 or fill out the form on our website.