Do you have excess inventory?  We all have some. When things are piling up and taking too much real estate in your home, why not give a garage sale a try? It can be a great way to clear the clutter and make some cash too!

The National Association of Professional Organizers in Michigan wants to share some tips on organizing a garage sale:

1.       Make sure you have enough inventory.  What we mean by that is – have enough stuff that makes it worthwhile to stop at your sale. Many times, people just slowly drive by looking for specific items. Baby accessories, children’s items, sporting goods, home décor, small furniture, collectibles and clothes are all in-demand items. Make sure everything is in good shape, otherwise donate or toss.

2.      Choose a date. Springtime sales are the most successful. Generally Thursday is the best day followed by Saturday. If you are lucky enough to have a subdivision-wide garage sale, usually you do not need to advertise. Otherwise, put an ad in the paper or post on social media to attract people to your sale. Balloons are a great and inexpensive way to showcase your house.

3.      Merchandise your items. Set up enough tables so that your customers can see everything. If you are selling clothes, try to keep them hanging on a line or rack or fold nicely like in the stores. It helps to bring larger items out in the driveway and have a good flow between your tables so people can browse.

4.      Price your items to sell. That’s the main objective here. Remember these are things that are just taking up space and causing you stress!

5.      Donate anything that doesn’t sell. If you got it out of the house, it certainly shouldn’t go back in.  Either drive to a donation location or call for a pick up from Purple Heart or another charity of your choice.

Good luck with your sale and pray for good weather!

Organizing your garage sale is easier than you think! 

For more organizing tips, check out our Blog at NAPOMichigan.com.

Article submitted by Chapter member, Susan Carmody, Professional Organizer and Owner of PerfectlyPlaced.net.