More and more people today are changing and simplifying their lifestyles; they are moving into smaller spaces, getting rid of “stuff”, and focusing on enjoying the simple pleasures of life.

One of the best ways of getting rid of things that you don’t need anymore without adding to the garbage we already produce worldwide is to hold a garage sale.

Let others buy what they need from your “stuff” and earn some money to help you enjoy this new phase of your life.

Here we give you 16 tips to make your garage sale a hit, because if you are going to invest your time and energy into such a project, you better ensure it casts a good omen over your new plans:

1. Research if there are restrictions for garage sales in your area.

2. Some days in advance, advertise through your local newspaper or shoppers’ guide, and post notices on your grocery store and local bulletin boards.

3. Partner with other neighbors interested in selling some of their “stuff”, in this way, you will offer a lot more, attract more customers, and you can all share costs.

4. Put up colorful signs with arrows to guide people to your house, but make sure you check the local regulations in this regard.

5. Establish a selling schedule so that people know when to come, but always expect a few early birds.

6. Never do a garage sale during a holiday weekend; no one will be around!

7. Set good prices and expect a lot of bargaining.

8. You can mark your items in two ways:

- Put price tags on individual items

- Group items by price

- To make it easier, color-code your tags by price.

9. Take your time and clean your items before the big day; they will attract more eyes.

10. If you are selling clothes, organize them on racks, separate female and male clothing, and check all the pockets to make sure you are not giving away a $100 bill for 5 bucks.

11. Set the tables and place similar items together. Someone interested in a CD may also remember he needs a CD case if they are next to each other.

12. Plan to have a lot of change at hand for that day.

13. Be careful with your money; use a lockbox to hide it or wear a fanny pack. If several neighbors are joining in, decide beforehand who is going to take care of the money, and establish that only that person can touch it.

14. Get plastic bags (recycle the ones you have at home) for your customers and paper (old newspapers) to wrap items that can get broken.

15. When the fun is over, remove the signs you posted around the neighborhood.

16. If this is something you would like to repeat, save what was left for the next sale, but if you really need to get rid of everything, pack what’s left up and take it to a local charity.

There is great excitement when you are going to move to a new home.  Despite the crazyness of the packing and planning with the Seattle moving company, the idea of a new place or even a new life puts a smile in most faces and a shine in most hearts.  And it can get even better, because it can put good money in most pockets too!

Moving time is a great time for a garage sale.  It is the perfect time to get rid of what is not useful anymore, to make room for all the new that will be coming along with your new home.

If you are moving into a smaller place, a garage sale IS a necessity, as well as if you are a fan of season sales; there is only so much room between four walls.  So there you go. If you want to get rid of unused clothes, old toys, unecessary furniture, and other belongings that are truly in your way, think garage sale.  You can always buy new stuff with the money you make, or even better, you can save it!

Although there is endless information in books, magazines, the web, and even from experienced friends, on how to run a successful garage sale, here we show you the best tips to fill your pockets with money:

1.    Check with local authorities the restrictions for garage sales.

2.    Invest some money on advertising in local newspapers, ad bulletin boards, and shoppers guides.  Post it online also.

3.    Ask other neighbors to join you, you can share costs and attract more buyers due to the amount of items on sale.

4.    Mark the way with flashy signs with arrows showing the way to your house.

5.    Define sale hours and avoid holiday weekends, no one will be home.

6.    Be prepared for customers who arrive too early.

7.    Set attractive prices and be ready to bargain.

8.    Put a price tag on every item and group items by price.  You can also use colors to differentiate prices.

9.    Clean the items before the sale, to make them more desirable.

10.    Put the clothes on racks for easy viewing and check the pockets beforehand!

11.    Put similar items, or things that complement each other, together; it may get you more sales.

12.    Have plenty of change in hand.

13.    Be careful with the money; have it locked up in a box or wear a fanny pack.

14.    Offer bags for the customers who buy and paper to wrap the china.

15.    Remove all signs after the sale is over.

16.    Give to charity whatever is left; it will make you feel really good!

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