Even if you've been living frugally, there comes a time when you realize you've accumulated old items you no longer need or want. A garage sale, sometimes known as a "yard sale", is a great way for home owners to convert unwanted items into extra cash.

If you're downsizing your home as a way to save money, you will likely want to rid yourself of excess before the move. 

True, you can always turn to online sites, but a garage sale is an easier and simpler way to quickly dispose of your unwanted items for cold, hard cash. 

Planning a garage sale takes work, and it can be very frustrating if you fail to sell your unwanted items. We've compiled this handy guide to help make planning and holding a successful garage sale easy and headache-free.

Scheduling

When is the best time to hold a garage sale? 

If it's a single-day event, go with a Saturday or Sunday morning. If you've got a lot of items you want to sell and are comfortable with a multi-day sale, you can start on a Friday (night) and let it run until Sunday. Whatever day(s) you pick, be sure to choose a date far enough in advance that you can get it properly advertised.

Generally speaking, it's a good idea to begin your garage sale early so you can wrap it up by the afternoon. A good time frame for an end of summer garage sale is from 7:00 AM to around 2:00 or 3:00 in the afternoon. Remember to be a good neighbour and let home owners around you know about the sale beforehand so they can expect more traffic on the street. 

At the end of summer/early fall, you've got the advantage of pleasant temperatures as well as students and parents thinking about picking up school and dorm supplies, making it the perfect time to get good prices on all your unwanted stuff.

Selecting Your Items

A garage sale isn't going to make you much money if you don't have anything to sell! Go through each room of your house, including the garage, attic, basement and/or shed, and collect anything that you haven't used in six months or more (this is also an awesome way to say goodbye to clutter!). 

Never assume that something broken, outdated, or unusual won't sell. As the old saying goes, "One person's trash is another person's treasure," so don't be surprised if things you consider unsaleable are eagerly snapped up, including:

• Out of style clothes
• Old bottles of perfume
• Picture frames
• CD's
• Electrical and computer cables
• Old mobile phones and phone chargers
• Exercise equipment
• Collectibles

The end of summer is also a great time to catch students heading off to school, so office supplies, dorm room furniture, and winter gear usually sell very well.

Garage Sale Permits

Some cities and communities require people holding a garage sale to secure a permit first. Edmonton no longer requires a permit for holding a garage sale for up to three days, but you may need to obtain a permit if you're holding a multi-day garage sale. You can find more information about that here. 

Residents of other communities should check with their local authorities to learn whether permits are needed as well as any restrictions on what can be sold.

Newspaper Advertising

Traditionally, the most successful garage sales were advertised in the local newspaper. With the rise of social media, this may not always be a cost-effective way to get the word out about your garage sale. However, some newspapers offer free advertising of garage sales on their online site. 

Place an ad in the Edmonton Journal and/or the Edmonton Sun and get the word out there!

Social Media

Facebook is a great place to get the word out about your garage sale to those you know, and friends can repost and share with their own circle of friends, too. Check out "Buy and Sell" or "Garage Sale" Facebook grounds for your local area. Kijiji is a popular online way to advertise a garage sale to reach a wider audience, plus it's cost-attractive because it's free to post your ad.

Glickin

Glickin was founded in 2015 by Travis Lutz, a native of Alberta who wanted to create the "greatest way to find Garage Sales EVER" after he got lost trying to follow posted signs for a garage sale. 

According to Lutz, the name Glickin is based on his answer to the old joke question of why the chicken crossed the road. Lutz's answer was "to get to the garage sale," which ultimately came out as Glickin.

Signs

Before posting any signs anywhere, be sure to check local regulations. If you're not sure where you can or cannot post signs, contact your local non-emergency police department.

You can buy pre-made garage sale signs at your local DIY store, but homemade signs generally work just as well. Choose brightly coloured paper for a more eye-catching sign. Another great idea is to advertise your garage sale as a "back to school sale" to entice students and parents.

Preparing for Sale Day

If you've got a lot of items, it's a good idea to sort them by approximate category. Keep baby or children's items together, for instance. It's also a really good idea to organize the items the night before so you're not scrambling on the morning of the sale.

One important thing to have on hand is plenty of change. Garage sales are a cash-only business, so you don't want to lose a sale because you can't make change. Set up a "cashier station" somewhere and appoint only one person to handle the money. 

With a little bit of preparation ahead of time, it's easy to convert your unwanted items into a tidy sum of cash. Be sure to follow all local laws and get a permit if one is required.

Photo credits: phone, box, senior couple