Why A Garage Sale?

Every family in Round Rock Ranch is welcome to participate in this endeavor. By having a neighborhood-wide garage sale, we benefit both the families that participate, and the neighborhood at-large. The families who participate benefit from increased traffic that a large-scale garage sale attracts. The neighborhood at-large benefits too by reducing number of Garage Sale signs that dot our landscape, and by reducing traffic in our neighborhood on other weekends when garage sales would have occurred.

To participate, all you need are garage sale items and a garage. Families who choose to participate simply open their garage door for business on the date of the sale. When you want to close up shop, simply close your garage door. Hours can vary from home to home, but the most popular time for garage sale bargain hunters are the morning hours from 8am to Noon. But you can stay open until 5pm if you like -- or close your garage at 10am so you don't miss your 11am tee time.

Remember, participation is voluntary. Families are welcome to have their own individual garage sales whenever they want. For those participating in our neighborhood-wide sale, however, you should start gathering items to sell, and perhaps mark them with prices as you find them. This way, there's less for you to do when it comes time to sell.

A map of the neighborhood will be available on this web site for prospective buyers to print.

What Would I Sell?

Many folks have trouble getting started. This list attempts to get you thinking about all the items you might want to sell. Rummage through the closets, storage areas, and attic. Some folks say if you haven't used it in the last year, sell it. Consider selling your:

• Baby items - clothes, blankets, swings, bouncers, mobiles, musical crib toys, jogging strollers, group matching clothing items (shirt, pants, socks) together with a rubber band and sell as a set
• Books -- paperbacks, coffee table books, novels
• Furniture -- beds, couches, lamps, tables, chairs, rockers, bookcases, throw pillows
• Appliances -- television, radio, toaster, salad shooter, blender, electric knife, food processor
• Clothes & Shoes - group by size and gender
• Old Clothes and Hats even if they are out of fashion - they may be good for kids "dress up" fun, Halloween costumes, Christmas Santa hats, old costume jewelry
• Toys, Toys, Toys -- especially large outdoor swing sets and jungle gyms, matchbox cars, action figures, dolls, doll clothing, board games, bikes, fast food kids' meals toys, playing cards, baseball cards, comic books, stickers
• Tools - saws, hammers, ratchet sets, screwdrivers, table saws, lawn mowers, lathes (Wives, please don't get carried away here)
• Knick-Knacks -- drink coasters, greeting cards, bath samples, recipe cards, stationary, candles, wrapping paper, ribbon, perfume bottles, gift bags, that old neon beer sign, shower curtains, towels
• Holiday Decorations -- Christmas tablecloth, Thanksgiving centerpiece, candlesticks, ice bucket, New Year's noisemakers, ornaments, garland, tinsel
• Craft Projects -- that macramé blanket or needlepoint pillow from Aunt Ethel
• Art & Craft Supplies, exacto knives, glue gun, yarn, popsicle sticks, balsa wood, construction paper
• Party and Picnic Supplies -- leftover paper plates and birthday decorations, Coleman coolers, drink cozies, large ice buckets, folding chairs, card tables
• Kitchen Supplies -- cheese cutter, grater, flatware, corncob holders, Tupperware, pitcher, wine glasses, plates, that old footed gravy boat, turkey roaster, salt & pepper shakers
• Office supplies -- paper, pens, file folders, crayons, scissors, glue
• Garden Supplies -- hoses, garden trowels, gloves, sprinklers, shovels, rakes, ladders, garbage cans, extra potted plants or houseplants

What not to sell:

• Furniture too heavy to carry to and from your garage. If you are not in a condition to move items around, don't hurt yourself for a few bucks. Contact a local charity and ask if they will pick up your large item. Do not sell items from within your home at a garage sale.
• Antiques and Collectibles that you want to sell for a reasonable price. Your shoppers will be bargain hunters - they will be expecting terrific prices on all your items.
• Just one or two items: If you don't have enough to generate a crowd, why waste an entire Saturday just to sell just one item? Talk to your neighbors and see if you might want to gather several homes' items in one garage. Arrange on how to differentiate different families' items and sharing bargaining responsibilities. Be sure your neighbors know just how willing you are to drop prices on your items.
• Automobiles

Preparation for Sellers

Attach prices with tags or masking tape. You will save yourself a lot of time answering questions if you show a price on all merchandise. Use a heavy black felt marking pen for lettering. You can purchase pre-printed garage sael price tags at stationary stores or stores like Wal-Mart or Target. If more families go in with you, identify your price tags with a code such as G 75 cents or M 25 cents. The letters designate, perhaps, the first letter of the last name of the family who contributed items to sell. When you do price your goods, round the prices off to the nearest quarters or dimes: avoid pricing in pennies and nickels. Prices like $4.87 might be great for Wal-Mart, but they're nothing but a headache when you have to make change all day long. It's a good idea never to price items below a quarter. You can group small items so they total at least a quarter; that way it is easy to make change. Categorize items being sold. Place items into separate boxes to speed setup the day before the sale. Consider hiring a babysitter if you have small children. Your garage sale visitors will demand your attention as much as your two-year old.

Let's address some safety issues, such as not letting people into your home during your yard sale. Sometimes people will ask to use your washroom or your telephone. Although It might not seem neighborly, you can avoid most problems at your yard sale by politely (but firmly) declining. Much of the theft, damage, and heartbreak from yard sale problems begins with allowing someone in your home.

A similar tip is to not leave doors or gates open or unlocked. Lock your door each time you enter or leave your house: shocking as it sounds, some people will take it upon themselves to just walk into your home or back yard uninvited.

Your pets belong behind those locked doors. Don't let your pets, no matter how small, join you at the sale. Many people are afraid of even the smallest dog, and you never know how your otherwise-timid cat will react to being chased by the unruly child of a customer.

Turning to the economics of yard sales, the first tip is don't leave your cash unattended for even a moment. This is easier if you're using a money belt, fanny pack, or a hip pouch, but even if you are using an ordinary muffin tin, remember to always carry your cash with you. Just turning your back for a second can ruin your whole day.

Speaking of your cash, you'll make more of it if you don't put out lots of unpriced items. Many people are too shy to ask what something costs, or just can't be bothered: unpriced items often become unsold items. Also, pricing everything means you can avoid answering the question "How much does this cost?" a thousand times.

You should plan to make change anyway, though: don't start the day with only bills because you'll inevitably find that your first dozen sales are made with $10 and $20 bills -- even when somebody's buying a 50 cent item. Don't get caught denying sales because you can't make change. Have a calculator, pencils, scratch pad, and record-keeping materials on hand.

Be an early bird yourself on the day of your sale. Shoppers will arrive early and if you aren't ready, you may spend quite some time simply moving items out of the house. Don't underestimate the amount of time it will take to set up the sale. Do as much the night before as you can and have everything ready to set out before the sale begins. Have some grocery sacks on hand for folks who buy several items.

Don't try to handle a garage sale alone. You will be overwhelmed at times answering questions and taking money. In general, the more people who are available to help you, the better. Be sure each knows his job.

Stock the refrigerator in advance with refreshments for everyone helping at the sale. A typical sale has busy times and lulls. Have a book, radio, or checkerboard on hand (marked "Not For Sale") for idle moments. Have a wide-brimmed hat, sunscreen, and/or long sleeved shirt on hand if it's going to be sunny.

Set up card tables or ping-pong tables to display small merchandise. Place tables in a manner that will leave room for shoppers to browse without feeling crowded. Display your wares attractively. Be sure they are clean, usable, and priced temptingly. If some items are dusty, have rags on hand for folks to dust them off.

People are looking for bargains. Don't disappoint them. Remember that what you sell is something you don't want anyway, so whatever you get is gravy.

Take advantage of the space under the tables, if you need more display room. You will be amazed how buyers spot the smallest item under the table. Colorful table covers draw a lot of attention to your items.

It's useful for shoppers if items are grouped. Place children's clothes or toys together for instance, and kitchenware in another area. Boxes keep small items from getting lost among other things. Hanging clothes keeps items from being unfolded and jumbled in a pile. You can hang items on a fence or place them along your driveway. Put books, binding up, in cardboard boxes. If you or a friend have a knack for displaying items, use it to your advantage.

If you have toys for sale, put them in a box on the ground for children to play with. This keeps children busy and also helps sell the toys. Be sure they are priced.

Mark items in your garage or yard that are not for sale. If necessary, cover these items with sheets, drop cloths, or tarpaulins. Move small items to your back yard or into the house.

Be sure you have electrical outlets nearby to plug in toasters, blenders, electric skillets, irons, hair dryers, electric razors, etc., to show people that your articles do work. If you have to use an extension cord, make sure it is in excellent condition and preferably a heavy duty one.

If you have any fragile, rare or expensive items such as crystal, cut glass or jewelry, be sure it is displayed on a sturdy table and up high out of reach of children. They are curious and you might be too busy to watch them. Have newspaper on hand to wrap fragile items.

Drinking glasses, dishes, cups sell best when priced in sets of 6 for $1.00 instead of 15 cents each. Paperback books, magazines, records and items that have titles will sell more readily if they are marked separately. If they want them collectively, they'll ask you. Then bundle them all up and sell them.

Some shoppers will try to negotiate lower prices. Before the sale begins, you should decide whether you will take less than the marked prices. You may want to stick to your prices the first two hours or so of the sale, and then come down a little when traffic thins. Don't take it personally when someone makes you a ridiculously low offer.

Aftermath

Keep all the tags and at the end of the sale, especially multi-family sales. Divide the tags according to code and total the sales. You may not come out right to the penny on sales and change you had on hand as anyone can make errors in making change for a customer.

Do not expect to sell everything. You will have some leftover items. You can give them to a charity or to friends, keep them, freecycle them or throw them away. Some charitable organizations will pick up your leftover items and give you a receipt so you can claim a tax deduction. It will take some time to clean up the lawn, patio, driveway, and garage and pack up everything. You may want to arrange in advance for extra help with this job. Close the garage door. Take down any signs you may have posted.