So you’ve decided to make some extra cash by having a garage sale! Did you know that over 100,000 garage sales are held in the United States each

year? Some experts guess that more than 3 billion dollars are generated in garage sales annually!

This kit is designed to help you plan and host a great garage sale, and easily donate any leftover items with our FREE pickup service. Included are pricing

stickers, directional signs, tips and checklists.

We hope that this kit is your guide to a successful sale!

WHO IS KCDONATIONPICKUP.ORG?

Kcdonationpickup.org in cooperation with The Sherwood Center, Ozanam and MAJ-R Thrift has been helping children and families in Kansas City for 30 years!

By donating your leftover or unwanted items, you’ll make your garage sale cleanup easier and provide invaluable support to a worthy cause! Plus, all

donations are tax deductible!

Schedule a post-garage sale donation pickup right now at www.kcdonationpickup.org or call 816.966.0854.

SCHEDULE YOUR POST-SALE PICKUP TODAY TO GET YOUR GARAGE SALE FEATURED ON OUR CALENDAR AT KCDONATIONPICKUP.ORG.

GREAT GARAGE TIP

#1

The first step in the planning process is deciding “if” you should have a garage sale. Friends that hold garage sales say that often the most frustrating thing

that happens is not making the amount of money they expected to make. Our guide will help you estimate your income or “sales potential.”

Please understand that a successful garage sale is going to take work. From planning to cleanup, any way you look at it, “it’s work!” Try to figure out how

much money you might make, then decide if the work you need to do to make that amount of money is worth the e�ort to you.

LET’S GET STARTED!

STEP 1

Take a moment to think about how much money you would like to make during your garage sale. For example, if you put in 20 hours of work and your garage sale brings in $400, is this amount of money worth the work?

Exercise: Write down the amount of money you would like to make in order to con-sider the work put into your sale “worth the e�ort.”

My expected sales from our garage sale is: $ ________________

BEFORE ORGANIZING YOUR GARAGE SALE, FIRST CALCULATE HOW MUCH WORK IT WILL TAKE TO MAKE THE MONEY YOU THINK YOUR SALE WILL GENERATE.

GREAT GARAGE TIP

#2

PLANNING YOUR SALE

STEP 2

How much money you might make during your garage sale obviously depends on the items you have to sell. TIME TO TAKE AN INVENTORY!

Exercise: Grab a piece of paper, walk around your home, and make a list of those items that you will o�er for sale. Be sure to check all the places where you store these kind of items – attic, basement, closets, garages, and storage sheds. Write down approximately how many clothing items and miscellaneous household items that you will o�er for sale. In this step all that is needed is an estimate.

Take your list of items and place a selling price next to each item. Add up the total dollar amount of all of the items you will be o�ering for sale and write that amount in the space provided.

For estimating purposes, use $2.00 for every ladies’ item and $1.00 for every men’s and kid’s item that you are o�ering. This is a conservative amount of money you will generate for each item of clothing sold.

For other household items, including artwork, appliances, garage and outside equipment like lawn mowers, snow blowers, tools, etc., a good rule of thumb is start with the price you paid for the item, calculate 15% of the original purchase price, then take that number and lower the price based upon condition and age of the item.

ORIGINAL PRICE PAID FOR THE COUCH $1000

15% OF THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE PRICE $150

SUBTRACT FROM THE PRICE ACCORDING $65TO THE CONDITION AND AGE OF THE COUCH

STARTING PRICE FOR YOUR COUCH $90

LET’S USE A 10-YEAR-OLD COUCH IN AVERAGE CONDITION AS AN EXAMPLE:

Think about the best time to hold your sale. Saturday is the most popular garage sale shopping day. Be sure to allow yourself enough time to be properly prepared. Check your calendar to see whether there are events or holidays that will either improve or detract from your sales potential. Plan an alternate date in case of bad weather. www.intellicast.com

Round up all of your “merchandise” in one area. Sort it by type (furniture, small appliances, tools, clothes, etc.).

Clean your items. The nicer they look, the more likely they are to sell at a better price. Test electrical items; if they don’t work, they probably won’t sell.

Gather the supplies and tables etc. you will need, and don’t forget to gather plastic bags so people will be able to buy more items. A change box is essential as most customers will not have exact change for the items they are buying. A shoebox works great!

CONSIDER HAVING A COMBINED SALE WITH FAMILY MEMBERS OR NEIGHBORS! LARGER SELECTIONS WILL ATTRACT MORE BUYERS AND ENABLE YOU TO SHARE THE WORK AND EXPENSE OF HOLDING A SALE.

GREAT GARAGE TIP

#3

PREPARING FOR YOUR SALE

Try to visit other sales in your area. This will give you an idea of the going rate for similar items. Remember, unless it’s brand new, you want to price it at its value now, not the price you purchased it for.

Know the minimum price you will accept for each item. You may consider drop-ping your prices later in the day.

PRICING YOUR MERCHANDISE

RATHER THAN SELLING YOUR ITEMS FOR PENNIES TOWARD THE END OF THE SALE, CONSIDER DONATING UNSOLD ITEMS TO CHARITY AND WRITING OFF THE FULL AMOUNT ON YOUR TAXES. SUPPORT A GREAT CAUSE AND GET A LITTLE BACK. WIN-WIN!

GREAT GARAGE TIP

#4

Always allow for “haggling”. Many buyers expect you to negotiate with them and many people consider this part of the fun of shopping garage sales.

Price every item. Most people won’t want to ask the price of an item even if they are interested in it. With larger items it is a good idea to provide additional infor-mation “Great condition, “Only used a few times, etc.)

Sell or o�er co�ee and/or water. If people are comfortable they will spend more time looking.

If you think you may have some particularly valuable antiques or collectibles, consult online price guides such as eBay, Amazon or Craigslist.

PRICING YOUR MERCHANDISE (CONT)

Place a classified ad for your sale. This is very e�ective in promoting your sale. • KC Star www.kansascity.com/classified-ads 816-234-4000 • Craigslist kansascity.craigslist.org/gms • The Pitch pitch.backpage.com/YardSale 816-561-6061

Another great and free way to advertise your garage sale is through your own neighborhood association website. Here are a few options: • www.neighborhoodlink.com • www.eneighbors.com

Get included on the KC Donation Pickup garage sale calendar by pre-scheduling a pickup of your leftover items! Visit www.kcdonationpickup.org or call 816.966.0854.

NOW WE NEED CUSTOMERS!

In your ad(s), include all attention-getting items you’ll be selling. Give as much detail about your items as you can to generate more interest. The wider variety of items you list in your classified ad, the wider variety of response you can expect.

Invite your friends and family to your sale.

Post signs in your neighborhood the week of your sale. Make a list of the locations of the signs so you are able to remove them after your sale.

NOW WE NEED CUSTOMERS! (CONT)

Decide where the sale will be held.

Use color coding or place initials on the price stickers so everyone gets their profit o� their items that are sold.

Maintain a sales log for each family.

MULTI-FAMILY SALES

Plan to be set up at least 1/2 hour prior to your opening time.

Set up a checkout area.

Showcase your merchandise so that it is easy to see all that you have to sell.

If delivery is something you’re willing to o�er, mark large items such as furniture, with a “Local Delivery Available” sign.

Make sure to greet people when they arrive at your sale.

If you see someone with an armful of merchandise, ask if you can hold it for them at the checkout area. Once their arms are full they are much less likely to buy additional items.

ON THE DAY OF THE SALE

Don’t forget, one of your goals is to rid your house of the clutter you no longer want or need. Even if you don’t sell an item for as much as you had hoped, it’s still out of your way.

If you feel you can get more for the item than the customer is willing to pay, have them to fill in an “O�er Card” so that you call them if you do not get a better o�er for the item.

Most sales are made in the early hours of your sale. Later in the day you may wish to reduce your prices on the remaining items. Buyers know what you know which is that you have a limited time to sell your items. Be prepared for tougher negoti-ating as the end of your sale approaches.

“HAGGLING” - IT’S AN ART!

Getting the household back to normal is usually a priority after a garage sale. Make cleanup easier and consider donating your unsold items to charity!

Schedule your FREE PICKUP at kcdonationpickup.org, or call 816-966-0854.

We proudly support the Ozanam home for troubled children, the Sherwood Center which helps local children and adults with autism, and Catholic Charities of Kansas City/St. Joseph. All donations help children and families locally, and are tax deductible.

We accept ladies’, men’s, kids’ and baby clothes, shoes, belts, socks, hats, gloves, scarves, household items, furniture, seasonal items, electronics, radios, TVs, com-puters, toys, sporting equipment, musical instruments, jewelry, tools, cups, knick knacks, baskets, and flatware.

Divide up earnings among the sellers.

Remove all signs.

AFTER THE SALE

____Tables

____Chairs

____Cardboard or poster board for signs

____Price stickers

____Markers

____Tape

____Trash receptacle

____Extension cords

____Clothes hangers

____Batteries to test toys, radios, etc.

____Plastic or blankets for items displayed on the ground

____Plastic for rain protection

____Safety pins for clothing price tags

____Clothesline or garment rack (for clothing display)

HANDY GARAGE SALE CHECKLIST:

____Cash box or money belt

____Change

____Sales record

____Pens

____“Pay Here” signs

____Bags and boxes

____Newspaper for wrapping

____Tape

____Sold signs

____O�er cards

____Magnifying glass (for closer inspection of goods)

____Cloth measuring tape & tape measure

____Paper towels

CHECK-OUT:

I’d like to make an o�er of:

For this item:

Name:

Address:

Phone:

OFFER CARD

Payment must be made in full.

Item will be picked up:

Name:

Address:

Phone:

SOLD!Payment must be made in full.

Item will be picked up:

Name:

Address:

Phone:

SOLD!

I’d like to make an o�er of:

For this item:

Name:

Address:

Phone:

OFFER CARD

I’d like to make an o�er of:

For this item:

Name:

Address:

Phone:

OFFER CARD

Payment must be made in full.

Item will be picked up:

Name:

Address:

Phone:

SOLD!Payment must be made in full.

Item will be picked up:

Name:

Address:

Phone:

SOLD!

I’d like to make an o�er of:

For this item:

Name:

Address:

Phone:

OFFER CARD

MAKE ANOFFER

MAKE ANOFFER

THIS GARAGE SALE INFORMATION PROVIDED FREE FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT KCDONATIONPICKUP.ORG

THIS GARAGE SALE INFORMATION PROVIDED FREE FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT KCDONATIONPICKUP.ORG

MAKE ANOFFER

MAKE ANOFFER

THIS GARAGE SALE INFORMATION PROVIDED FREE FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT KCDONATIONPICKUP.ORG

THIS GARAGE SALE INFORMATION PROVIDED FREE FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT KCDONATIONPICKUP.ORG

SORRYSOLD

SORRYSOLD

THIS GARAGE SALE INFORMATION PROVIDED FREE FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT KCDONATIONPICKUP.ORG

THIS GARAGE SALE INFORMATION PROVIDED FREE FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT KCDONATIONPICKUP.ORG

SORRYSOLD

SORRYSOLD

THIS GARAGE SALE INFORMATION PROVIDED FREE FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT KCDONATIONPICKUP.ORG

THIS GARAGE SALE INFORMATION PROVIDED FREE FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT KCDONATIONPICKUP.ORG