Garage Sale Tips: Part TWO

Check out part ONE of my garage sale tips here.

It was a great day, hard work and quite tiring, but well worth the effort. Here are the final tips and some praises for my awesome team of helpers.

Fifth: PRICING

I found it really helpful to price out almost everything we had (whether it was actual stickers on things with prices or that things were in bins with everything worth the same value, etc.). This made it extremely easy on me on the day of and it also ensured that my friends helping me could make sure they got me a good price (if they were being negotiated with) and could take money from people instead of everything having to come to ME to find out how much things were. It's a bit more of your time, but I would say it's totally worth it. As a buyer and as a seller I would find it somewhat annoying to have to keep asking what the price is for everything. And as a seller who is a Mom and sometimes had to run inside or disappear for a few minutes, it was freeing to know the sale wasn't completely dependent on me.

Also, if I had known where to find out belt pack (aka fanny pack), I would have totally worn it. If you have one, it's probably a good idea to keep the money in one. We just used a little container which was handy to pass around between Shereen, Jen and I, but sometimes felt a bit exposed. I tried to keep bringing in the larger bills so we only had fives, some tens and change outside.

We also had a table set up with music (so people didn't feel awkward talking to each other quietly about prices), coffee and baked goods that people could donate toward Ugandan orphans. We did advertise that a portion of our proceeds would be going to an orphanage in Uganda (we haven't decided which one, yet) and so we were so thrilled with the outcome.

Our grand total of profits made was (drumroll, please):

~$850!!!

I couldn't believe it when I counted out the cash and Jamie didn't believe it either when he called later on to find out how things were going.

I am so thankful and completely indebted to my amazing all-star cast of helpers who gave of their time and energies and even paid ME money to buy some of our stuff!

My all-star cast of helpers were as follows: 

the MVH (Most Valueable Helper):

Shereen (my amazing sister)

Shereen (hardworker, childcare - and everything in between!) came over Friday morning and played with my boys, helped me price things when I was completely overwhelmed and had no idea where to start, stayed in the cold garage all day to sort, organize and price things, went out at 10:30pm to poster with Jen for over an hour, stayed up to chat with me, got up super early and helped all day long with me. She was my go-to girl for just about everything and even helped me pack up and unload the van at Bibles for Missions thrift store with our left over stuff. Thank you a million times over, Shereen!

Next are Suzanne (hardworker, organizer) and Jen (networker, hardworker) who both helped before and during the sale at different points.

Suzanne came over with her little (big) 8 month old guy and helped me sort and fold baby clothes as well as price and arrange them all. She was happy to do it and it doesn't hurt that my boys love her and her son Jacob. Suz also came over in the morning to help me set up and I am pretty sure we couldn't have started on time (as early as we did) without her help getting stuff from the garage to the driveway.
Jen came over the night before and helped price and organize the cold, cold garage and then went out with Shereen to poster up our neighbourhood. Her posters (I'm convinced) are what brought such high amounts of traffic to our sale! She was also there to help set up and stayed for quite some time to help with the sale. Her daughter Hannah even watched the boys for a little bit. 

Suz and Jen - you guys are such great friends. Thanks for your help!

My Mom sent at least 5 containers of muffins and scones to sell at the garage sale and they were "even better than Tim's" according to one garage-sailor. Thanks, Mom! 

And of course my husband, Jamie who watched the boys when I thought he wouldn't be able to, brought us all Tim's breakfast sandwiches and was extremely supportive and helpful during the entire process. (You're the best, babe!)