GARAGE SALE ARTICLES

Prioritizing your gear into the garage sale pile

Just as there are lots of things you should sell at a garage sale, there are certain things that you definitely shouldn’t. Here’s a few tips to help you decide what you should be selling at your sale.

1. A good rule of thumb is ‘if you haven’t used it in two years, sell it’. Of course you’ll feel some loss for certain items of sentimental value. What this can mean is that the item still has some value, which is likely to help it sell quickly at your garage sale.
2. Don’t sell anything that belongs to somebody else in your household without consulting them first. Sure, this can be a pain when the owner is attached to something you see as having little value that’s just clogging up a wardrobe. But, they’re in the best position to know of some cash value it has that never occurred to you. And besides, it’s just polite to ask somebody before you sell their belongings!
3. If you can’t convince the owner that the Beta video recorder they had as a child is worth getting rid of, you may just have to cop it sweet. Suggest however that they must now keep it in their bedroom, rather than in your precious storage space. Looking at the obsolete item every day may convince the owner it’s worth selling at your garage sale.
4. If you’re planning to sell something old that was handed down to you, and you don’t really know how much it’s worth, it’s definitely worth taking down to your local antique store to get it valued. Sometimes the oddest of old knick-knacks have great value as antiques. Old furniture, collections of Star Wars and football cards from the 1970s, and old coins and stamps are the types of items you should keep a sharp eye out for here.
5. With items like old books and records, try selling them at a second hand book or record store first. They of course specialize in the field, and particularly with old books you’ll be surprised how some hold their value. After trying one shop, try another until most your books and records have sold. The remaining ones are what you should sell at your next garage sale.
6. Be careful with old electrical goods. If you know they’re faulty and dangerous you could be liable for any mishap that occurs when the new owner uses them. These items are best dumped or recycled.
7. Remember, your garage or yard sale is the best opportunity you have to free up space and make a little cash on the side. On sale day it’s better to part with the old stuff you no longer need than to haggle too much over the price. Just think how liberated you’ll feel when you can actually walk ’round your garage again! .