Garage Sale prep blows

[infomama]

Staring at 7 huge garbage bags of clothes/shoes/toys. I never know what to price this stuff at. Garage sales are SO much work and I don't want to do this!!!!

[DrSally]

Yes it does. I did a small one (no clothes) last week and it still s#@ked. OTOH, my friend recently had one and made $600+

[ThreeofUs]

Oh, my gosh. I have btdt, and I've now taken to giving most everything away.

If I were near, I'd help, though! Good luck.

[infomama]

If I were near, I'd help, though! Good luck.
That is so sweet. Wish you were! I can't mark the clothes individually....there are just too many. I will do my best to keep everything orderly and attractive during the sale.

[WatchingThemGrow]

Are you hanging the clothing, tops at least? When I go to sales, I tend to buy more if things are hanging/easy to look through.

[snowbunnies300]

Had my first garage sale May 5th thru 7th. I have one a year sometimes two. This year we are going to have three sales. We had the spring one so next up is summer and fall. I can advertise for free in our weekly shopper and I already paid for the signage/sign posts so an additional sale or two doesn't cost me anything but my time to set up and sit at the sale.

I found that it is easiest to use regular masking tape instead of the pre-printed garage sale stickers. I find that the stickers fall off easily and are a pain to keep putting back on the items. My self made tages have the following information:

Initials (as we have more than one family member selling at my sale)
Name brand of clothing (may not be necessary for all items)
Size
Price

I find that this helps people so that they can quickly look through the tables and see the sizes without having to unfold each items to see what size it is. Since I do sales each year what doesn't sell goes into a tote that is labled. Then when it is time for the next sale the set up is so much easier.

I also try to price throughout the year. A tote is set aside so that as I come across items for the sale I put them in the tote. Then one night while watching TV I can price the tote. Then it is taken to the storage shed and placed in the loft area. A new tote is started. Since most totes are already oragized from the previous sale(s) you only have a couple totes to organize prior to the sale. This year I didn't follow my own advise and had 7 large bags of clothing to price. I have really learned from this and have my tote ready to go from here on!

I wish you luck on your sale. My went ok but was during a huge 100 mile sale. I belive we will do better with the summer and back to school sale as the competition won't be as bad. My sale is HUGE!! We have 8x4 table stacked high. Four families contribute and we fill a three car garage.

[infomama]

Are you hanging the clothing, tops at least? When I go to sales, I tend to buy more if things are hanging/easy to look through.
I agree. I am hanging a lot.

[g-mama]

Yes, it blows. Big time.

[DietCokeLover]

Yep it's a pain. One thing I did recently was but colored dot stickers. Green dots were $.25, yellow were $1, pink were something else, etc. It made pricing so much easier and then I had a couple of signs up with the "code" of what the costs were.

[amldaley]

Yep it's a pain. One thing I did recently was but colored dot stickers. Green dots were $.25, yellow were $1, pink were something else, etc. It made pricing so much easier and then I had a couple of signs up with the "code" of what the costs were.

We did something similar...we bought the sticker pack from WM that already has prices on the stickers. We were in a huge hurry doing prep in our garage at 0500 for a 0700 start time.

I literally ran through the stuff, sticker and move on, sticker and move on...I did not give myself time to dwell and think.

And yes....garage sale prep is a PAIN in the A...I mean, neck. Kudos to you for even tackling it! One year we just set all the stuff out and made up prices when people asked. Another year we just left the house and went to breakfast and saved all the stuff for another year!

[liz]

Yes. Yes it does. I have been prepping today. It blows because:

1) This is all the crap I have been ignoring for years

2) I don't really know what to price things at

3) It's finally sunny today after days and days of rain

4) Aforementioned rain has delayed this freakin yard sale twice now (hence adding to my slacker response in getting ready for this yard sale)

OT, but how the heck should I organize the MOUNTAINS of baby clothes? I want to hang up the adults clothes I have (not sure how to go about this either- I don't have any trees nearby, etc) so I won't have room for the baby stuff. gah.