Q&A for How to Have a Garage Sale

A simple garment rack is the best way to do it. If you don't have one, you can buy it, but you probably don't want to invest in one for just a one shot garage sale. You can also ask around and see if your neighbors have it, or just improvise with a piece of wire to hang your hangers. You can also hang a shower curtain in a corner of your garage just so people can try clothes behind a curtain, without giving access to your house.

Be polite and suggest an auction style bid for the item. In this way, you can try to get one to pay more than the other, and the highest bidder wins. Or, suggest a compromise, such as letting one customer get the item but the other customer have a discount on something else or get a similar item plus something in its place. Sounds like a great success of a garage sale though!

Just because you are a kid doesn't mean you can't organize a garage sale but running it with adults or older youth is a safe and wise choice, as you don't want adults taking advantage of your youth and forcing you to take less money or worst still, stealing things from you because they know you can't do anything about it. Having an older person there is a reassurance for you that adults will behave themselves.

Not at all. Your garage sale can be super fancy, or just items thrown on the table with price tags on them.

Smaller, frequently-needed items are my best sellers. Small tables, lamps, rugs, curtains etc. are top sellers. Gently worn denim is always popular, as well as gently used kitchen items and small appliances. Almost any quirky item that can double as storage space is a sure sell.

If the item you are selling is one you really want to get rid of, price it cheaply. If it was hard to part with, price it more.

Absolutely! People know that garage sales are basically cash-only affairs. People at home are not expected to have credit card facilities, not even the new fancy phone varieties. Make it clear if needed, by placing up a big sign that says cash-only. You could give people directions to the nearest ATM if needed, and offer to put the item aside for half an hour.

Write on the price tag "Dollhouse. Some missing furniture. Selling as is."

Plan a rain date for your garage sale, typically a week later. As the time gets closer, watch the weather forecast. If they're predicting lots of rain, go with the rain date. If it looks like scattered sprinkles, you're probably fine, especially if you have a garage or yard tent, use it to provide some protection from the weather.

Depending on where you live, several things could happen. You could get a warning from the local police, or be forced to shut down your sale. In some rare instances, you could also receive a fine. Be on the safe side and check city ordinances before you set up your sale.

Hang them on a jewelry holder or something similar, if you have it available. Otherwise, just lay them out neatly on the table.

Yes. If you do not have a front or a back yard, you can use your garage. If your garage is too small or there are too many things in it, you have it at a friend's or a family member's house. You could also rent out a table at a flea market.

You can ask the owner of the house to use their bathroom, or just leave the garage sale and go to a nearby facility with a restroom, like a gas station.

A quarter to fifty cents, generally.

No, you are not under any obligation to provide transportation. If you have a large item someone would like to buy, they can haul it away. If a person is interested in purchasing a large item but needs to find someone to pick it up for them, you may consider placing a "hold" on the item for up to a certain time.

You can ask her permission, and see if she would allow you to hold it on your own.

It might, but some people put up posters the day before their garage sale to get customers. If you're really nervous, you can put an advertisement for your sale in the paper.

You can do them as often as you like and whatever your city will permit.

You could get someone to help you to carry them out, like family or friends. Or, if it is needed, you can direct and go with the person to show them the item and leave your helper outside to help the other customers.

First, check to make sure that a permit is needed in your city for a garage sale by doing an online search for garage sale permits in your area. If so, you should be able to go to city hall to obtain one. You may even be able to obtain one online.

You could ask some of the other people in the building to consider a building sale, held on common-area property (with building management permission) or stretched across some first-floor tenant "yards" (if possible).

If your apartment building has a garage area or other good public area where you could do it, yes. Inside your apartment, not so much. People don't typically want to go inside the homes of strangers they don't know, nor should you want a bunch strangers coming into your home - they could steal something of yours or cause other trouble.

Yes. This is the best way to get rid of things. Just be aware you may not get as much money.

Amazon has a variety of vendors with signs, price tags, and even sets of tags and signs.

Clean them off. People are more likely to buy things that are nice to look at, and if they're dusty, they're not nice to look at.

If selling any sharp objects, such as knives, scissors, or razor blades, put masking tape over the blade and keep out of reach from smaller children that may pass through your sale.

You would have to put a good deal of fairly valuable things out for sale. You also have to be careful how you price things; people go to garage sales looking for deals. If you price things too high, they won't sell.

In most cases, no, but in some places, you must. Check with your local laws and state ordinances before you have your sale.

Yes, you can.

Best selling things include: Furniture, used books, electronics, crafts, hand tools, toys, sporting and exercising equipment, kitchenware, and more.