Summer is the perfect time to move, and for more than one reason. Not only is the real estate market in its peak but the summer is also the time when everyone is looking for some great garage sale deals. So, summer is the time to host a moving sale in an effort to declutter so you’ll have less to move upon your moving date. Along with clearing space you will be able to add additional funds that can either be saved or invested into your future home.
But like most things in life, not all moving sales are created equally. In order to capitalize on the benefits and get the most amount of money for your belongings, there are some secrets you should know. And of course, we have them all listed here below.
Pick the right dates – yes, plural
The day on which you host your moving sale is the biggest factor to its success. Ideally, you want to schedule the sale on either Saturday or Sunday when the weather is going to be sunny and warm. Unfortunately, no matter how often you check the forecast, it can change and you can’t guarantee the weather.
As such, it’s important to have more than one moving sale to get the most out of your decluttering efforts. Schedule one now on a day when the weather is expected to be nice and another one near the end of the summer to ensure the highest amount of traffic – and sales.
There’s also the factor of people being on vacation. So, avoid scheduling your moving sale on long weekends or popular vacation weeks.
Advertise as a moving sale instead of a yard sale
As soon as people see a “moving sale” sign, they know what to expect. With yard or garage sales, it’s always a hit or miss. Sometimes you show up to a sale with few items available or worse, no items you need, and other times the items are wildly overpriced.
When you advertise as a moving sale, you’re instantly enticing a large amount of people to come check out your belongings. You’ll receive more traffic because potential buyers know that you’re eager to get rid of a vast array of belongings.
So, whether it’s signs on light posts, a status update in a Facebook group or posts on online classified sites, always advertise your moving sale as exactly what it is – a moving sale!
Bring in some help
If you’ve advertised your moving sale properly, you’re going to be busy on the day of. You won’t be able to answer people’s questions and concerns in a timely manner, and you may even get a line-up at the ‘cash out’ table. No one like lines, especially when they can only shop so many garage sales because people start closing up shop. As such, if you’re too busy, you’ll be losing sales as people will put down their items and shop elsewhere.
So, bring in extra help. Ask some friends to handle the cash, and assign some others to answer questions and concerns potential buyers may have about the items, price, and/or bulk discount. The quicker you can respond to your guests, the more sales you’ll bring in.
Build in bulk prices
The higher the discount people can receive, the more items they’ll likely buy. Advertise that your moving sale has bulk prices available. If someone buys three items from one table, they can save $3. If they add in two more items from another table, they can save a total of $10. These types of things help people feel like they’re getting a great deal and are more likely to spend more money.
Now, determining the bulk pricing strategy can be difficult especially when you’re a wide range of items, all at different prices. An easy way to avoid the trouble of designing bulk pricing without missing out on the opportunity is to advertise that discounts are available when more than three items are purchased. The secret is to make large, easy-to-see signs that read, “Major Discounts When You Buy More Than Three Items” and stage them all around your sale. Pin these signs up on trees, tape them on tables, and remind people of the deal when they’re ready to pay for their purchase.
Make your moving sale easy to shop
Ask any avid garage-saler and they’ll tell you that the worst sales are always the ones that are hard to shop. It’s similar to retail stores; if it’s hard to find the items or category of items you’re looking for, you’ll leave and go to a different store.
So, categorize your items as you’re setting up your moving sale. Put all kitchen items on one table, all children items on another, and so on and so forth.
Additionally, consider designing aisles with one-directional arrows that’ll help your guests navigate through your sale. It’ll keep the traffic flowing while also ensuring all of your items are seen.
Can you say cha-ching? With these moving sale tips, your home will be nice and decluttered, ready for moving day and you’ll also have some extra funds to enjoy.
