Parade of Garage Sales 2024

Of course, holding your garage sale during the Acadia Parade of Garage Sales is a fantastic time since lots of shoppers will already be out and about.

But if you are going it solo, make sure you pick a date and stick it on the calendar. One of the biggest benefits to having a garage sale is that it forces you to declutter and gives you a deadline to get it done.

The Acadia Parade of Garage Sales runs on Saturday and Sunday starting at 9 am. If you can host your sale on both days instead of just one, you’ll likely sell a lot more. You’ll have more shoppers if you have more time available to shop.

In most communities the morning is prime time for garage sale shoppers. While we advertise a 9am start, that doesn’t have to limit you and you can open as early as you wish. Lots of shoppers are out and about before 8am!

Don’t forget that a big reason for having this garage sale is to DECLUTTER. As soon as you have the date for your sale, get to decluttering like crazy! Now is the time to go through your house and pull out anything that you don’t need or want.

The great thing about decluttering for a garage sale is knowing each item you get rid of might mean a bit more money in your pocket!

The more you can plan (and actually do) ahead of time the better.

Write up descriptions, price items as you are decluttering, categorize items, etc.

During this time, also make a plan for what you will do with items that do not sell. Think about where you will donate them and have boxes ready to go at the end of your garage sale.

Clean any items that are dirty or dingy looking as they will sell much better. wash clothing so it smells fresh, clean any dishes or vases, and dust off anything that’s been in storage for a while. Dirty items can turn some buyers off completely. Even if they see just a few dirty items they may assume that everything is dirty.

Prices should be clearly and visibly marked for each item. Avoid making people ask or just saying “best offer.” This will turn a lot of shoppers off because some people don’t like the awkwardness of having to ask prices or having to come up with an offer. When every item has a clear price it will make it easier for buyers to purchase.

If you price things too high, no one will buy. You will actually make MORE money by pricing things lower.

An item is only worth what someone will pay regardless of how much you personally love it or how much you actually paid for it when you got it.

Garage sale prices should be rock bottom prices – even lower than thrift store prices. Also, when you price low it encourages shoppers to buy more. For a lot of items (like clothes and movies and even some toys) we’re talking 50 cents to $2.

Before the sale, make time to go to the bank and pick up a roll of quarters, a roll of loonies, a roll of toonies, $30 in fives, and $40 in tens – assuming most of your items are priced in the $0.50 to $15 range.

You’ll be bringing in a lot of cash as the day goes on, so you just need enough to get you through the morning rush.

If you’re looking to sell some more expensive items (power tools and furniture are some popular items) you may need to break $100 or at least a $50 so make sure you have the cash on hand to do that.

Display items nicely and keep them well organized. The nicer your items are displayed, the more people will browse and buy. When everything is just thrown on a table, it’s hard for people to find what they want. Plus it just doesn’t look appealing. When you set it up more like a store, it encourages people to stick around, browse, and it helps them find only what they’re interested in.

Group all the clothes by size. All the kitchen stuff should be together. You want to make it easy for shoppers.