Holding a Moving Sale

I strongly recommend holding a "moving sale" or garage sale for anyone with an upcoming relocation.

Now I realized that this sounds silly at first mention. After all, you're frantically busy with moving, so how on earth will you have time for a garage sale?

While I don't have an easy answer for that one, consider this- if you choose not to sell the items, when will you have time to:

• organize the items
• pack the items
• record the items in your moving inventory
• make sure the items are properly covered with moving insurance
• label the boxes
• move the items
• load the items
• unload the items
• unpack the items
• and find space for the items in your new place?

Besides, it's not uncommon to earn between $200 - $1000 on a well-planned, well-executed garage sale, which works out to a pretty decent wage per hour.

Here are a few basic tips:

• Keep separate boxes in each room for "moving sale" eligible items as you pack.
• Arrange to have a charity donation truck come at the end of your moving sale to take away anything that wasn't sold.
• Stuck on how to price things? Start by dividing the original price by 5 and then discounting for any damage.
• It's easier to make categories of items all the same price, such as "all clothing $4 each."
• Make sure all prices are easily divisible by 2. That way, you can hold a "1/2 price blowout" during the last hour of the sale, and clear out lots of remaining items.
• Have tons of change (bills and coins) on hand on your person (not in a box that can be stolen at the sale).
• Start advertising at least 2 weeks prior to the sale. Use clear street signs in very large letters, ads in local papers, and flyers on cars in a 5-block radius from your place.
• Recruit as much help as you can stand for the big day.

By following these guidelines, you'll be on your way to a successful sale.

For more advice on getting organized for your move, please click here.