Craigslist Sf Garage Sales (2024)

FAQs

What is the best garage sale day? ›

Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings are usually the best time to hold a successful garage sale. Consider scheduling your sale on the first weekend of the month—when people have just gotten paid and haven't spent all their fun money yet.

When you walk up with an item to negotiate on - have another item or two in mind that are at the same sale. If you reach an impasse on the price of the item - agree to pay what they are asking if they throw in the other item. You've given them a way to win - they got the price they were asking.

While you can certainly make money through a garage sale, it may be less than you expect. Garage sale shoppers are looking for bargains and will haggle over your prices, even if they were very low already. And if you have bad weather, you might get fewer shoppers and make much less money than expected.

Consider how much cash you'll need on hand to make change for attendees and stop by the bank ahead of time. Conventional advice is to have at least $100 cash available to make change.

Set Prices in a Simple, Honest Way

Nearly new items can be priced higher, but used or worn items should be priced accordingly. Use round numbers that are easy to add up, like $1, $5, $10. This makes transactions quicker and easier for both you and the buyer. Remember, many garage sale buyers expect to haggle.

The 10% Rule

Sometimes, math is simple. For an easy pricing guide, try the 10% rule where you price whatever item it is that you're selling for 10% of its original cost. So, if you bought that lamp for $20 at Target five years ago, try to sell it for $2.

How much do most garage sales make? ›

With proper planning and garage sale pricing, though, you can potentially earn between $500 and $1,000, depending on how much you have to sell.

Start posting online ads and hanging flyers, and a few days before the sale, tell everyone you know about it in person and on your social media. Call it something catchy but simple, such as "Shannon's Huge Sale!" or "Friends' Ultimate Group Sale!" so your sale stands out.

But you can earn money on the site without making anything. Your vintage goods may take longer to sell online than in your garage — but you'll probably nab a much better price for a lot less effort.

For the smaller items that won't bring in much cash, make a separate "make a deal" table with no prices. Donate the excess. Have paper shopping bags and charge $5 to fill a bag. $1 for everything else and group cheaper items into small bags for $1.

For the best attendance, choose a Saturday or Sunday morning between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m., when temperatures are cooler. If you can have a two-day sale, that's an even better way to maximize your profits.

Post your garage sale flyers around the neighborhood a few days before the yard sale. Make sure to place them in high-traffic areas like marts, parks, office elevators, and churches so people will see them. You can also ask your friends and family to help out.