Now’s the Time for a Great Garage Sale

Most people stage garage sales in the spring — right after they do their spring cleaning and neighbors start to emerge from their houses to enjoy the warmer weather. But the end of summer and beginning of autumn can be an equally favorable time for your effort to declutter and make a few bucks off the things you no longer need.

So, with the autumnal equinox coming up on Friday, Sept. 22, and the weather still warm in many parts of the country, now’s the time to plan a late-season yard, garage or tag sale!

The more temperate the climate, the longer the garage sale season, says Household Tips Guide blogger Lynnette Walczak, who had her most successful sale in late October in Tennessee. Warmer areas also favor Friday sale hours, she adds, but no matter which days one chooses to hold a sale, the “early bird” hours of the morning will be busiest.

To take the hassles out of having a late-season sale, you should have a garage-sale “stash” at the ready by decluttering continuously throughout the year, says the Money Saving Mom. Set aside unwanted stuff on a regular basis and designate containers and a place to collect it all — maybe in the garage itself. When you’re ready to have a sale, it will be near-ready to sell.

You may still have stuff left over from a spring garage sale that’s still saleable, too, and some of these items — sweaters, blankets, skis, etc. — may have added appeal ahead of the cold winter months. A late-season sale will also benefit from a new set of customers, since many people won’t have seen your fliers and signs on the first go-round.

Older shoppers are out looking for deals in the fall, says My Divine Concierge. “Those kept inside by the heat of summer now find cooler days to go garage-sale shopping. And don’t forget the snowbirds who are preparing to leave for their annual migration south in a few weeks. They are out looking for a few last-minute items they need for their winter homes.”

To attract bigger crowds, enlist a few friends or neighbors to contribute items to your sale, or enlist the whole block or neighborhood and make it a multifamily sale. Multifamily sales attract an estimated 50 percent more customers, according to tips appearing in the Duluth News-Tribune, and more traffic means more sales.

Our Organizing Blog has many more tips on staging, pricing, and advertising a successful garage sale that apply throughout the year. And don’t forget: If you need to get rid of any unsold items following a sale (or just don’t have the time or energy to devote to staging a sale, but still want to declutter), contact ClothingDonations.org to schedule a pickup. It’s easy, tax-deductible and helps veterans programs nationwide!