October 5, 2022 Posted in How-to
Hannah Michaelson

Hannah is a freelance relocation writer from NYC that has become an expert on packing and unpacking.

How to Have a Successful Garage Sale Before Relocating?

Relocating across the country is a challenge for many reasons – not only is it a huge step out of your comfort zone, but it also requires plenty of planning and packing. One thing you’ll need to learn is how to have a successful garage sale – decluttering is a part of the relocation process, and what better way to get rid of some stuff than to sell them? That’s why we’ve prepared a few excellent garage sale tips for you.

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Are you wondering how to organize a garage sale before relocating? We can help

With these tips for a successful garage sale, you will easily get rid of the excess belongings from your home. Start by picking the right date – it should fall on a weekend, preferably on Saturday. Next up, you have to declutter your home and decide what you want to sell. As the date approaches, you should advertise the event in your neighborhood and on social media. On the big day, be ready to arrange everything properly and have bags and change at hand.

Why Is It Important to Learn How to Have a Successful Garage Sale Before Moving Cross Country?

When you start planning your long-distance move, there will be many things to consider – from choosing a cross-country moving company with the best moving services to packing all your belongings into countless boxes for movers to transport to a new city across the country. Aside from being a lengthy process, relocation is also quite pricey.

That’s what led many people to come up with some relocation hacks for saving cash – one of the best ways to make some money before the move is having yard sales. This is an excellent way to increase your moving budget and ensure you have the most efficient move ever. Besides the money, the additional benefit of this brilliant hack is that you will make your moving inventory smaller – why not make relocating easier by lowering the number of boxes you need for packing the entire house?

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How Do I Make a Good Profit From a Garage Sale? Our Garage Sale Ideas Will Ensure You Earn Some Money Before The Move

You might think that picking long-distance moving services is the only pre-relocation task that you could use some advice for, but trust us – planning yard sales is something where you could use help. Lucky for you, we know everything about this relocation essential, and we will share our wisdom with you, so you can get to move to a new home without any stress.

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Would you like to earn something extra before the move? Just follow our advice

Garage Sale Organization – When Should You Host It?

Obviously, you will have to organize this event a few weeks before the big relocation day – that will leave you with enough time to handle packing everything from your home and do a move-out cleaning. Most people prefer to move in the summer (during the relocation season), which is helpful in this case – simply because not many people like to visit yard sales when the weather’s bad.

For this event to be a success, we suggest you set aside one whole weekend – be sure to pick the weekend when you’re free and don’t have any other commitments, so you can devote your full attention to selling various items you’d like to get rid of. It’s best to start on a Saturday morning – as early as 8 AM. Yes, there are people who like to shop that early. Besides, this will ensure you have a lot of time to sell everything. If you don’t sell everything by the end of the day, you can always prolong the event and sell a few extra stuff on a Sunday.

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Yard sales should be on weekends, a few weeks before the big move

Once You Have a Date in Mind, It’s Time to Pick the Belongings That You Will Say Goodbye to

If you thought that avoiding relocation scams and choosing the right cross-country moving service would be the most difficult thing on your moving-out list, think again. When the moment comes to decide what to keep with you and move to a new house and what to put a price tag on, you will have some hard decisions to make.

This is where the decluttering process comes into the scene. So, how do you declutter? You will need a day to go room by room until you declutter the whole house. Set aside what you don’t plan on packing.

The Decluttering Process – Not Everything You Want to Get Rid of Has to Be Sold, as There Are Other Options

Keep in mind that some of your items might not be suitable for selling – some are just destined to end up in the trash or be recycled. If you wish to have any success in selling, you have to display things that are useful and well-preserved.

There is another option for your belongings that we must mention – donating. Feel free to donate a few nice things to your local donation center – why not do something good? You can go through a list of places to donate unwanted stuff in your area and pick the one that seems suitable for you.

Decluttering is just one of many things you’ll have to do before you start packing – with or without packing assistance from your long-distance movers. Organizing the relocation to another state can be complicated, which is why we suggest you get a pen and a piece of paper (or open notes on your phone) and write down all the great relocation tips you find online.

Trust us, it’s really easy to forget something, and having it all written in one place will ensure you don’t overlook anything when you move. This video can show you what needs to be done and what to write in your moving to-do list – be sure to check it out.

Which Items Should You Sell Before Packing for a Relocation to a New State?

What can and what can’t be sold in sales that are organized in backyards? If the item is functional and in good condition, it has a chance of being sold. Of course, some types of belongings will do better than others. So, what sells best at a garage sale? You would probably guess that furniture does great in these markets – the same goes for books, dishes, electronics, and exercise equipment. Clothes are also in demand – including baby clothes. Toys and games do well, too.

What Should You Not Sell at a Garage Sale?

Preparing for a move and letting go of many different items can be quite fun – but you still need to know what stuff you can’t get rid of by selling them. Things from the following list can either go with you or be thrown away since they probably won’t be useful to anyone else.

  • Open cosmetic products,
  • Used makeup and perfumes,
  • Used underwear and bathing suits,
  • Outdated or broken electronics,
  • Shoes that have been worn.

Apart from obsolete electronic devices and damaged appliances (which are basically useless), things from this list simply aren’t sanitary to be sold. No one wishes to see used underwear at backyard sales, trust us. So, you should consider packing cosmetics with your bathroom items and disposing of clothing you no longer need.

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Some things will do great on yard sales, while others won't be a big hit

Tips on How to Prepare for a Garage Sale – What Will Make It a Success?

While preparing for this event, you will constantly be asking yourself – how do I succeed in a garage sale? Yes, the tricks and hacks we’ve shared so far will be invaluable to you, but there’s more you should learn. The organization isn’t done once you select the belongings that will be displayed. The key to success lies in details – how will you arrange everything? Here’s what you should do to get the most out of this event:

Arrange tables and clothing racks where you will display items

You will most likely need a few tables for all the stuff. Try to group similar things in one place – for example, display all the books on one table. Clothes can be neatly displayed on clothing racks, and furniture should be arranged so that there is enough room to walk around.

Prepare price tags and decide on the prices upfront

Be sure to print out price tags a few days before, and think of the prices you’ll set. Most things should cost around a few dollars, with the exception of furniture or exercise equipment. Remember, it doesn’t really matter how much you paid for an item originally – you’re selling second-hand stuff, so it has to be priced accordingly.

Check if every item you want to display is clean

No one will buy anything that’s not clean. In fact, if a potential buyer sees, let’s say, a dirty glass, they will assume that everything around is dirty. The chances they’ll buy anything after that are essentially zero. So, prevent this by double-checking to see if everything is spotless.

Prepare plastic bags and change

Your buyers will for sure greatly appreciate it if you have a bag to pack their new belongings, especially if they buy more than a few things. Additionally, you must also have some change to give back.

Stay safe and lock your home when shoppers are around

You never know who can come to these sales, so lock your house, and feel free to close the windows as well. One can never be too careful, right?

Advertising Is the Key – If No One Knows About the Event, How Do You Expect to Earn Any Money?

If you’re hoping to get some cash out of this, advertise the event – you can’t rely on neighbors accidentally noticing your backyard is full of stuff and coming over. Signs in the neighborhood that point to backyard sales are essential. Of course, you need signs that state the time and place as well.

Use the Power of Social Media to Your Advantage

Since this is the 21st century, paper signs won’t be enough.This is one of those moments when you can use social media to your benefit – write a post in your neighborhood group on Facebook or advertise in your Instagram stories. The options are endless.

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Advertising online is the best way to attract many customers

The Money You’ll Earn Will Help With Your Relocation Costs – Plus, You’ll Have Less Stuff to Pack

As your move approaches, it will become more and more obvious how many relocation-related expenses there are – and it’s not just the cost of cross-country moving services. That’s why the cash you will earn selling useless stuff from your household will be so helpful.

Although this won’t be enough to pay the reputable long-distance moving company you’ve booked, it will bring you one more benefit that people often overlook – there will be less stuff your cross-country movers will move. Considering that most cross-country moving companies base their prices on your household inventory, fewer things to move mean a lower price!

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