Hosting a Successful Garage Sale

Time and energy are valuable resources, and it is wise to consider how we spend them. When I was a child, my parents hosted very successful garage sales where we brought in anywhere from $500 to $ 1,000 in cash. The sales were so successful because we worked them for 8 hours a day for a solid week. Even though we spent several weeks prepping for the sale by organizing everything and pricing it right, that was a fantastic return on investment for 1985.

In my adult life, I learned very quickly that garage sales are not as lucrative; spending weeks prepping for a sale was not a good return on investment. Several factors contribute, but the biggest is that our society is full of mass-produced products, and many buyers have shifted to online shopping. My husband pointed out the obvious when he saw how many hours of labor I put in with very little return. So, how do we know when it is worth it to have a sale? I have put together a list of things to narrow the return on investment. Tips for a successful sale:

• We have greater success with sales and traffic when our neighborhood coordinates instead of hosting on our own. Also, the HOA covers the cost of marketing and signage.
  

• If your neighborhood doesn't have a neighborhood sale, collaborating with a friend can make it more fun and drive more traffic when you have lots of items.
  

• While the items buyers are looking for fluctuate, offering an assortment of wares will draw more traffic. In this current sale, buyers were looking for DVDs, CDs, home decor, and our top seller was comic books.
  

• It is a big drain on your time to price every item in your sale. Set up $5, $3, $1 bins or tables and label only the more valuable items such as furniture or a lamp.
  

• Start with $100 cash Suggested Breakdown: [2 $20, 2 $10, 4 $5, 20 $1]
  

• Print QR codes so buyers can pay using cash apps like Apple Pay, Zelle, and Venmo.

How successful were we? + $101 on digital wallet apps + $155 on Facebook Marketplace + $139 cash - $100 cash to start $395 Grand Total

Kingdom Principles: Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." NASB

Proverbs 3:9-10 " Honor the Lord from your wealth, and from the first of all your produce; So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine." NASB

Luke 16:10-11 "He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. Therefore, if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you?"