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Garage salers are able to clean house and make money

Photo

Photo by Dan Lassiter

Furniture and baby items were among the items at Keri Miller's garage sale in Milton.

Photo

Photo by Dan Lassiter

Games are among the many popular items you can find at most garage sales, including this one in Milton.

JANESVILLE — Listen to this: Deb Oren takes a week off work to prepare for her garage sale.

Now, before you start thinking she's crazy, consider this: Her four-family sales have made more than $4,000.

No kidding.

In today's economy, Oren might be considered a financial whiz, more in tune with money matters than those Wall Street types who cleaned out our 401(k)s.

Oren and other knowledgeable rummage salers can teach sale newbies—and shoppers, too—how to make the most of the experience.

It all comes down to a few basic rules: Keep it clean, keep it organized, price to sell and advertise.

Clean and organized

Oren, her two sisters and their parents usually have a garage sale every year.

"I didn't think we'd have one this year," Oren said. "My kids are growing up."

Oren and her sisters have six kids between the three of them. But four of those six are grown up, and fewer kids mean less stuff.

But her parents suggested the family might have enough for one more sale, so Oren probably will be back at it.

Here's how it works:

Everyone prices their own things and brings them to Oren's home.

Then, the week of the sale, she organizes them into categories ranging from children's games to bedding, bath stuff to tools, and kitchen items to toys.

As the week progresses, items are placed on tables in her garage. Clothing goes on wooden dowels that rest on stepladders.

The morning of the sale, family members carry the tables out to the driveway.

"Everything is very clean and very, very organized," Oren said. "We get a lot of compliments on the way we've set things up."

Sharon Weichmann, another experienced garage salers, said curb appeal is crucial.

"People can get out their cars and then turn around and get right back in," Weichmann said.

Clean and organized refers to the items, as well.

"My stuff is clean and in excellent condition," Weichmann said. "I had one lady last year who said, ‘This is the only place I'd buy a used bed mattress from.'"

Buyer's note: Consider what kind of shopper you are before hitting the road. If you like the fun of the hunt and have no time restrictions, don't worry about curb appeal. If you're looking for a certain item, do a drive-by tidiness check.

Price to sell

More than one garage saler has lost their minds deciding how to price a casserole dish or TV tray.

"Pricing is a guessing game," said Oren. "I look at things and think, ‘What do I think I can get for this?' The only thing I really agonize over is clothing.'"

Weichmann doesn't like a cluttered house, and that makes pricing easy.

"I guess my philosophy is if I haven't used it in a year, it's time to get rid of it," Weichmann said. "I price all the items to sell. I don't want to have stuff leftover."

Buyer's note: Price negotiations are allowed.

Also, bring along batteries—you'll want to know if toys and other electronics work before bringing them home.

Advertise

"I think the ad you put in the paper should be very detailed," Oren said. "Our ads are extremely long. I think it's worth it."

Oren and her family share the price of the ad.

Weichmann agreed, adding she always includes her phone number.

"That way people can call to ask if I still have something," Weichmann said. "People might not want to drive across town unless they know an item is still available."

Safety matters in garage sale purchases

Safety warnings often seem so obvious:

Don’t drop your hair dryer in the tub.

Frayed wiring can cause fires.

Sharp things might poke you.

Duh. Duh. Duh.

But some safety issues aren’t as obvious.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warns thrift store and rummage sale shoppers to beware of certain items including:

Bike helmets: Styrofoam and plastic parts break down with age—even if they haven’t been in an accident. Unless you’re certain the helmet is new and hasn’t been in an accident, don’t buy it.

Infant car seats: Again, seats contain parts that break down over time or in accidents. Car seats now have expiration dates. Look for them in instruction books or on the underside of seats.

If you want more information about a particular seat, call the National Highway Traffic and Safety Association at 1-888-327-4236.

Children’s furniture: On cribs, look for a safety seal. Also, crib mattresses should fit snugly to prevent suffocation. On bunk beds, make sure guardrails, headboards and footboards are spaced so kids won’t fall.

Adult products: Check out the wiring on electric items of any kind. Hair dryers should have immersion protection plugs to prevent electrocution.

For everybody: Check the safety products commission Web site, www.cpsc.gov for recalls.

Recalled items range from Wal-Mart shoes to Stanley stud finders, televisions to coffee makers and playpens to high chairs.

Finally, a good dose of common sense will help keep shoppers safe—and is especially important when considering children’s items.

Look for loose or rusty parts, sharp corners and small pieces.