When your Labor Day garage or yard sale is nearing its end, “Don’t bring anything back inside your home!” says Apartment Therapy. Slash prices, make a “free” pile, and invite friends and neighbors to take what they want. Better yet, make an appointment for a donation pickup with ClothingDonations.org immediately after your sale, so that you can get rid of the things you no longer want or need. Garage sales are great for making a few extra bucks from that extra stuff, but the ultimate goal should be to get rid of it and free your physical (and mental) space of clutter.
Tag: yard sale
Labor Day Garage Sales Can Pay
Though some people will be traveling, having a Labor Day weekend garage sale can pay off, since there will be less competition. Consider starting your sale on Friday afternoon with firm prices, Garage Sale Tips says, then allow haggling or slash prices on Saturday. If you have a small amount of quality items and a good location, you can also keep your garage or yard sale short by holding it only in the morning or afternoon, and have the rest of the day to yourself. But don’t kid yourself — a successful sale requires a lot of decluttering, organization and planning.
Garage Sale Signage Tips
Some towns and counties can get rather picky about the placement of yard sale signage, says the Yard Sale Queen, and limit their use on public rights of way such as sidewalks and medians. Check with your local government to find out if there are any restrictions. Even if your town allows such signs, be careful to post them the night before your sale using heavy-duty cardboard and directionals to your location. Use crayons or permanent markers to make your signs legible and waterproof, and avoid stapling signs to utility poles (where they might pose a hazard to linemen) or trees (where they may damage the tree itself).
Considering a Labor Day Garage Sale?
Labor Day is not the best weekend to have a garage or yard sale, says Garage Sale Cow, since so many people will be out of town trying to squeeze the last little bit of fun out of their summer vacations. But if your town is hosting a Labor Day parade or rally, it may be the perfect draw for crowds of people who appreciate a bargain. Get your stuff arranged and priced in the week ahead, and you will be ready to rake in the bucks by the weekend. And if you don’t want to dedicate the entire weekend to decluttering, consider having your sale on Friday and Saturday so you can relax on the other two days.
Shop the Garage Sales Without Hoarding
Over the years, the Organizing Blog has been a frequent advocate of getting rid of the stuff you don’t need by having a garage, yard or tag sale. But once summer starts, the allure of shopping your area’s secondhand sales may prove irresistible.
It’s the thrill of the hunt! Such behavior is hard-wired into humans by thousands of years of evolution. And while today you might be scouring the neighborhood for used records, a nice end table or (most likely) something you didn’t even know you needed, the urge to get a great deal is almost a biological necessity.
Shopping the local sales is also a fantastic way to spend a weekend morning or afternoon. Target a neighborhood-wide sale for the greatest variety of goods, or just pull over when you see a sign; the deals you find can be truly incredible. But remember, just because something is a good deal doesn’t mean you should buy it.
If you don’t need that novelty coffee mug or portable grill, for example, it’s just going to collect dust. If you already have a hammer and rake, they’re going to languish and rust, unused, in the shed or garage. And if you already have three boxes of holiday tchotchkes that didn’t see the light of day last year, you don’t really need another porcelain Santa.
The point is, buy only things that you can use right away or regularly, and those that will earn a long-lasting spot in your overall inventory of stuff. Otherwise, you’ll just add to the clutter and confusion in your own home by “adopting” stuff that didn’t make the cut in someone else’s.
“Ask yourself the following questions before making any purchase: Do I really need this? Will it go well with my existing décor? Could I give it away as a gift? Does it have resale value?” Money Crashers says. “If the item doesn’t meet any of these criteria, ask yourself why you still want to make the purchase.
“Occasionally, there’s nothing wrong with buying something you don’t need just for the fun of it. However, the best way to save money and get the most bang for your buck at a garage sale is to know what you need and to be aware of what you don’t need.”
Enjoy the time you spend on “the hunt,” whether it’s at a neighbor’s garage sale or one of the many thrift stores supplied by generous donations to ClothingDonations.org. But don’t get so carried away that you wind up buying things you don’t need or can’t use just because you want to buy something. You’ll thank yourself later.