Do you have too much stuff, and know that there’s no way everything can fit into your new apartment living quarters? Are you low on funds and want to have a chance at making back the down payment you made on your new digs? How about making at least enough money to update your wardrobe for Fall? It’s time for a Garage Sale!
The first step is to find a secure spot to sell your excess baggage. Be sure to look into neighborhood association yard sale restrictions before you begin your first stages of planning. If you are already an apartment dweller, make plans with one of your friends to have a joint garage sale at their house. Make it a team effort! It will be cheaper to run an ad when the cost is split, and more people at the sale will encourage other people to come.
After you have found a place to have the garage sale, select a weekend date. Running a sale on Saturday is a good idea. You may want to have a second day of selling on Sunday in case of inclimate weather on Saturday, or to just have another opportunity to get rid of your load. Be mindful of holidays and paydays of big industries in the area. Select a date that will be good for a big crowd.
Post messages on your social networks, and run an ad on Craig’s List under the “community” section to promote the sale. If you plan to create street signs, make sure your lettering is bold. Use crayon and permanent marker in order to keep ink from running if there is a rainstorm. Post signs at apartments in the area on their community board. Be careful about where you place signs and be sure to abide by all signage restrictions. Running a print ad for a local newspaper is also a good idea. Be sure to submit your ad content a couple weeks in advance to ensure that your ad will run the week of your yard sale.
Small apartment living requires you to think about saving space. Keep that as your mantra when you are parting with your stuff! A good rule of thumb is to price items for a quarter or a third of their original cost. Make sure that items are labeled well and that you have a sign posted that says “all sales final.” Also, remember to bring plastic grocery bags and newspaper (for fragile items) for purchases.
Good luck at your garage sale! See you next week on the apartment living blog!
