If you are planning a move, this is the perfect time to declutter your home and get rid of unwanted items. After all, there is no sense in taking the time to pack and unpack things you don’t plan on keeping. While you could easily throw away, recycle, or donate these items, hosting a pre-moving garage sale is a great way to get rid of excess clutter and make some extra money to help cover those moving expenses.

A garage sale is probably the easiest and most efficient way to turn your unwanted clutter into much-needed cash. Hosting a successful garage sale takes a little bit of work and planning, but these helpful tips will ensure you get the most  out of your efforts.

Consider Your Moving Date

Moving is stressful enough so you don’t want to add to that stress by hosting your garage sale the week before your move. Instead, start planning for your garage sale well in advance and pick a date for your sale that is at least 3-4 weeks before your moving date. This gives you plenty of time to get rid of your unwanted items and still have time for packing well before your actual move date.

Decide What to Sell

Prior to a move, it’s always a good idea to go through each item in your home and decide which items you no longer wish to keep. This is such an important step because it prevents you from wasting time, space, and packing supplies to move unwanted items. As you sort through your items, go ahead and set aside anything that is broken, falling apart, or in poor condition. Some items might need to be thrown away or donated rather than sold in a garage sale. People who attend garage sales are looking for a bargain, but they don’t want something that is broken. Place all of your garage sale items in a room together so you can easily see what you have and begin pricing your items.

Price Things Right

When you decide to hold a garage sale you certainly want to make a profit from your unwanted belongings. However, you also need to keep in mind that your primary goal is to get rid of those items prior to your move. That said, you need to be sure you price items to sell. If you aren’t quite sure how to price your items, consider these tips:

• ●Do a little research on the market value of the items you plan to sell and consider pricing them about 40-50% off the retail price.
• ●Determine the lowest price you would be willing to take for the item and add about 10-20% to that to make room for negotiating.
• ●Consider pricing like items together for a bulk price. For example, you could sell books 3 for 1 or you could sell shirts 2 for 1. This incentives the buyer by giving them a “bargain.”
• ●Be careful not to underestimate the value of antique or rare items. If you are unsure whether or not something is more valuable, check with a local antique dealer to be sure.

Organize and Clean Your Items

After all of the hard work in preparing for a move and a garage sale, it can be tempting to throw everything on tables in your driveway. However, that doesn’t make your items appealing to buyers. Remember that your goal is to get rid of as much as possible before your move, so you want to make your items look as desirable as possible. Take the time to wipe down and clean any dirty items. Organize clothing on hanging racks. Make sure all electronics have fresh batteries and are in working order. Take the time to blow up the tires on an old bike or inflate sports equipment. Also, try to keep like items together when setting up your sale. Spending a little extra time preparing and organizing your items will make for a much more successful sale.