The day before your sale begins
- Complete your garage sale setup and layout (get tips here)
- Post any signage inside your sale area, such as pricing signs, or signs with item details
- Cover or move not-for-sale items (planters, garden hoses, etc.) from your yard and garage. Some folks prefer to tape sheets over or throw sheets over these items.
- Promote your sale: take photos of your sale & post them on Facebook/Craigslist (see “Promoting your sale online” for details)
- Gather plastic bags (for customers to take stuff home in)
- Get change at the bank: 25 to 50 one dollar bills, a few fives and tens, at least one roll of quarters, and a handful each of dimes and nickels
- Place directional signs. (IMPORTANT: review the Sign Rules so your signs aren’t kidnapped by the North Liberty sign police!)
- Rope off any areas where you don’t want customers to go
- If you have kids you’ll need to entertain during the sale, plan activities for them (in other words, charge the iPad 🙂
Morning of your sale
These are “day-of” items you should do either the night before or the morning your sale starts.
- Set up a table or box for shopping bags and newspapers so customers can wrap fragile items
- Pack your apron or fanny pack with your change, a pen, and a small calculator
- Park cars down the street (check the list for other sales on your street, and be kind and avoid the immediate vicinity of other sales!)
- Charge your cell phone or grab your charger and make sure you can charge the phone in the garage
- Put the final touches on your setup
- Set out driveway items
- Place furniture and other showy items nearest the street to attract customers
- Put your bags, boxes, and newspapers next to your checkout area
- Lock the house if appropriate (the last thing you want is someone sneaking in the front door while you’re in the garage, unable to see)