Garage Sale Pricing - Downers Grove,IL

Frankly, it doesn't matter what you price things at. Everyone is going to offer you .25 no matter what it is. That is why I donate everything. The $250 I might make at a garage sale is not worth all the work and effort put into it. JMO. Good luck.

IMO, people want fast and cheap. You might just do boxes or baskets with "everything in this basket $1" I would price sets for a few dollars and other items for less. You can also put color coded stickers on them so that if you change prices later in the day, you can just say that everything yellow is now 50 cents.

I also tend toward a clothing share, consignment sale/store, or donation if the real goal is just to clear it out.

High-end/Name brand go on ebay or craigslist or consignment shop.

Shirts are 25 cents - start out at a $1.00 -0 but realize that people will get you down to .25 cents.

Toys need to be priced individually - including strollers - and again - keep in mind people will talk you down.

Otherwise? You will get more money as a donation to Goodwill or The Salvation Army.

Good luck!

If the goal is to just get rid of it sell it cheap. Last time I had a garage sale I sold all my kids' clothes for 25¢. Sets I sold for 50¢. Clothes that were never worn or looked like they were never worn I sold for $1. I think I priced winter coats at $5 and didn't sell a single one. Shoes I sold for $1 if they looked brand new or 50¢ unless they looked really worn. I didn't make a lot of money, but things sure cleared out. Surprisingly I even sold socks and underwear. I had a box of each that I put out but didn't expect to sell. Two ladies who run a daycare talked me into selling them both boxes for $5. I think I had it priced as 5 for 25¢.

I bought colored dots that I put on items that were specially priced. You can find some that are pre-printed with prices, but I did like some thrift shops do and put up a poster that showed what each color dot cost. I didn't put the dots on the things for a quarter.

I had signs up that said "all clothing 25¢ unless marked." Things priced for more than a quarter I tried to hang up so it was obvious what was priced for more. Most of those things didn't sell.

Everything that didn't sell went to one of two places: a missions trip to an Indian Reservation or Goodwill. I had planned to take unsold items to a kids' consignment shop, but they would only take certain brands and I could only get store credit, not cash. I had looked at clothing there a couple of times and wasn't too impressed so I wasn't interested in store credit.

Kids clothes sell for about $1 per item at yard sales around here. Things like coats, outfits and dresses can sell for as much as $5 if they are brand name and like new condition. Yard sales aren't a big money maker for us, but in Canada we don't get tax deductions for donations of used items. They are still worthwhile because we involve the kids and let them "earn" the money for their things that they sell. The kids usually sell canned drinks and snacks as well.

We price all kids clothes at 50c each (even name brands like Gymboree and Lands End), unless it's a fancy holiday dress or something else expensive. Put them in bins by size, so it's easy for people to find what they're looking for. Expensive clothes are less likely to sell at garage sales (even things marked just a few dollars), but you can try and then take the rest to a resale shop afterward.

I would take the nicer items to a consignment store. Throw the rest in boxes labeled as you stated above. Simplify for you and them. Good luck!!

I have been to sales in DG. They do not price things for .25, except little things or maybe onesies for baby. You can make a table with just the kids clothes and separate by size. And then you can also place a pile of jeans. Jeans in our area actually sell for $2 or so depending on the condition and name. If you have anything like 7 or anything expensive brands, you might consider taking them to Platos Closet in Oakbrook. But these would be adult or teen clothes. For kids toys, especially if they are like Fisher Price or Leapfrog etc, you can get a couple bucks. If any clothes are out of season, they will not sell well so price low. Anything stained, give away. I always made a box of free stuff and put little stickers on them so I didn't get someone trying to switch. Another thing to consider is if someone buys a bunch of stuff, take off a couple of bucks. You might also consider reducing the prices towards the end. If you do Sat and Sun, then Sun around 1:00, everything half off. Or you can give them a grocery bag and they fil lit for $5. That is something that has been done.

I'd price them to move, unless you want to deal with them further. I think the most I've sold anything for was $3 and that was a really nice snowsuit. Most things, a quarter unless they are brand spanking new or super special.

If you want to make money then a garage sale isn't where you'll do that. Some other sort of thing like Ebay will bring you more money.

If you simply want to get rid of clothes don't mark any garment over $1. I put most play clothes and casual stuff for $.25. The nice dresses and coats I might put a couple of dollars on but if my goal is to get rid of them then they need to be priced to go.

If you haven't been to a garage sale in your area you might want to do that this weekend. See what other people have prices set at. Are they selling much? Are they sitting waiting on sales? If so then their prices might be too high.

It might also be that it's the end of the month and no one has much money left. I always do my garage sales on the first weekend of a new month.

I do both ways. I always have a hanging rack. The items on there are nicer things. Dressy outfits worn only once or twice. Etc. Then on a table I have the stacks of pants, shirts, shorts etc. Try to put them in stacks according to size and season.

Unless you price each item individually - expect people to move things to the cheapest section (box, table, pile etc.). You might check prices at consignment stores nearby (go way lower) or other garage sales in your area before then. GL
(nice name :))

I have done my share of garage sales over the years and I have found, like a couple of the responses below...the work that goes into them is not worth the meager return. Instead, I find a very good charity to donate to...women's shelters, teen mother group homes, anywhere kids will benefit. I get a greater satisfaction from giving then from selling. I know my items go to a great cause and I get to feel good about it...not to mention an entire weekend to myself!

I have been on both ends of this. I have had garage sales and gone to garage sales. It really is easier to just donate and keep track so you can use it on your taxes. At any rate having them didn't amount to much. Going to them is very confusing if the things aren't marked in some way such as individually or on a table of some sort with a price. I usually leave those since I don't want to barter. I'm not really good at that or figuring out what someone wants and then hear I was way off target. Having had them it was also difficult because someone else said they still want to pay .25 cents I guess for everything. I remember fighting years back with someone for a working tv. And the lady kept fighting and fighting. I finally kept it because it turned out I was being way too sentimental. It had been my sons' first television. So later on, it probably went in the garbage or to donations. So this last two years we donate things and feel better about it. And we still look at garage sales, but I am still hoping they would price their things.

If you have a Kid to Kid or other store that buys back, I would try them first. Garage sales brings the cookoo out in people.

If you clearly mark your items, people will ask you, "How much to do you want for the pants." When you tell them the same thing that is on your clearly marked sign, they will put it back.

My brother in law once made $600+ at his garage sale of just stuff. He is actually a sales person. My garage sales bring in $30 in quarters.