How to hold a garage sale
A garage sale is an effective way to reduce clutter around the home; save resources; give items a new life; and get together with family, neighbours and friends, all while making some extra money.
Here are some simple steps to help your garage sale run smoothly:
1. Recognise the need to host a garage sale by identifying items around your house that are no longer needed, wanted or used.
2. Set a date for a weekend that you, your family and friends are available.
3. Let your neighbours know and invite them to join you with a few items they wish to sell. Alternatively, they can hold their own garage sale at the same time to provide more sale sites for garage sale visitors.
4. Advertise in your local papers, on designated internet sites (i.e. eGaragesales, Facebook, Gumtree, Trading Post, Courier Mail, etc), through word-of-mouth and grocery stores, just to name a few.
5. Create a basic poster stating the time and venue. Remember to keep it simple and easy to read. Keep in mind that only one sign is permitted to be placed on the footpath in front of the premises holding the sale on the day of the sale only. No directional signs for garage sales are permitted to be placed on any council controlled land or any infrastructure including telegraph poles, street signs and trees.
6. Set up your garage sale the day before in order to have everything ready on the day.
7. Display the items for sale neatly. Keep everything accessible and group like items together e.g. garden equipment and outdoor electrical items.
8. Make sure you label anything that isn’t for sale so people do not get confused.
9. Price every item clearly with a sticker or label. If your neighbours are sharing your garage sale site, use different coloured price labels for each seller.
10. Label everything “as is” to cover any future problems.
11. At the end of the sale, decide if you would like to keep the items left for the next sale, or you can donate them to your local charity or the Moreton Bay Regional Council Treasure Markets at Caboolture and Dakabin.
12. Make sure you have an esky for cold water or drinks, a kettle or thermos for cups of tea, coffee or hot drinks and plenty of food for your family, friends and neighbours to nibble on during the day/morning whilst working at your garage sale.
13. Have fun during your garage sale, enjoy the community and social benefits of getting together to give your pre-loved items a new home. And remember you can sell almost anything!
For more information on waste minimisation, visit the Moreton Bay Regional Council website at www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/waste or phone 3205 0555.
Page 1 of 1 July 16