Holding a good garage sale - Part un

As it gets warmer, a lot of us look forward to one thing: garage sales. There are good garage sales, and ones so bad that people won't even get out of their cars to look. Here are a few of my tips and tricks to holding an excellent garage sale, culled from years of experience on both sides of the garage door. I'm separating this into two posts; it's long-winded.

• Pick a date far enough out so you can really prepare. Comb through the house and pull everything, then go around for a second loop. Get it all in one place so you can stage it quickly when the time comes.

• Give it a name (but not too corny). The Huge Westside Sale, or The 10-family Everything Sale, or All Good Stuff Moving Sale. Use this name on everything you do (ads, signs, flyers...). You could also change it up a bit by calling it a tag sale, yard sale, or estate sale (but use the latter only if it really is).
• Get out your folding tables, or borrow some. It's great to have a work space while you're pricing things; more importantly, on garage sale day you want to have things up as close to eye level as possible. To dress them up, throw canvas painter's cloths or sheets over them.
• Price things to sell, or you'll waste a precious day (plus!) and have to drag it all somewhere afterwards (back inside or to donation). Just because you think you saw Grandma's chair on Antiques Roadshow doesn't mean you're going to get top dollar for it.
• Blue painter's tape (like masking tape; available at paint stores) is great for marking prices (use a sharpie on it). It sticks, but doesn't ruin things. You can also use color-coded stickers for price groups, but you have to have multiple signs explaining the price codes. You can also get shipping tags at office supply stores; more time-consuming, but cute. For multiples like books, you could make up a sign with one price each, with a discount for "bulk" purchases (paperbacks $1 each, or 12 for $10). Puleeese don't use an ink pen to write directly on the items, or stick permanent labels on things.
  
• Have lots of change available for the day, and carry it with you. Remember, everybody who goes to the ATM before setting out for a day of garaging is going to have lots of $20 bills on them.
• Before your sale, scope out and count the spots where you'll need to place signs in the neighborhood. Note how many need a left or right arrow -- you don't want to be putting the finishing touches on your signs the morning of your sale. Keep in mind that it can be illegal or against neighborhood policies to post signs in certain places (e.g., utility poles). If you do make signs, be sure they're all the same color. As shoppers drive around, they may not read the details, but they'll figure out to follow the neon green (or whatever) signage. If you've named your sale, put this on the sign. Use a big, dark marker and write clearly: block letters if needed. You can get heavy poster board at art supply stores; make sure background color and ink color are very contrasty. Black marker on a dark cardboard box section doesn't show up well. Use the same poster board for a sign at your house; attach it to sawhorses and stick it on your driveway or front lawn. You might want to tie on some helium balloons. A dire note on signage: be sure to remember where you put your signs, and remove them right after your sale. If you don't, A) your neighbors will not appreciate your lack of environmental sensitivity, and B) you'll get stray shoppers banging on your door at 9pm. Scary!
• Consider serving donuts & coffee (recommend donut holes from Delish Donuts in Bend River Promenade!) or lemonade & cookies. Put it in your ad/posts to entice customers. You could charge a nomimal amount, or put the kids in charge of it as a fundraiser. Better if free...

Next: advertising, promoting, and survival tips for the day of your sale.