Tag (Sale) — You’re It!

CURATING | by JANNA LUFKIN

GARAGE SALES, TAG SALES, YARD SALES — whatever you call them — can be fun, profitable and give you your garage back.

SOURCE: iSTOCKPHOTO.COM

Summer is the perfect time to tackle this project. If you encourage your family to pitch in, by the end of the day you’ll not only have a few extra dollars in your pockets, you will have cleared some much-needed real estate.

Here are a few tips and tricks to organizing these weekend money-makers:

• Give yourself time to organize. A month before your sale, clear your house and garage of saleable items; box and price as you go.
• Choose a sale date that is not a holiday weekend. Families often leave town and you’ll want as many people around as possible to attend your event.
• Purchase tags or stickers in different bright colors. Assign each family member his or her own color. When an item sells, keep the tag. At the end of the day, each family member will know how much they sold.
• Make sure all electronics are in working order. Have an extension cord handy for potential buyers.
• Group like-size clothing together. Make sure they are clean.
• Advertise your sale. Craigslist is a great way to get the word out. Bright colored, large, neatly printed signs work well to grab a neighborhood passerby.
• Have enough small bills and loose change on hand when the sale starts. Wear a carpenter’s apron to keep money handy and safe.
• Set up a free-coffee table in the morning; turn it into a .25 cent lemonade stand in the afternoon and get the kids to help.
• After the sale, immediately pack up and donate unsold items.
• Park your car in the garage — it’s a great feeling!