Craigslist Billings Garage Sales (2024)

FAQs

What is the best garage sale day? ›

Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings are usually the best time to hold a successful garage sale. Consider scheduling your sale on the first weekend of the month—when people have just gotten paid and haven't spent all their fun money yet.

Baby & kids clothing, toys, and gadgets sell super well as well as kitchen stuff (dishes, cookware, etc). Adult clothing can sell, but it's generally not as popular as kids clothing. If you don't have many of the best selling items, a garage sale might not be worth your time.

Post your garage sale flyers around the neighborhood a few days before the yard sale. Make sure to place them in high-traffic areas like marts, parks, office elevators, and churches so people will see them. You can also ask your friends and family to help out.

While you can certainly make money through a garage sale, it may be less than you expect. Garage sale shoppers are looking for bargains and will haggle over your prices, even if they were very low already. And if you have bad weather, you might get fewer shoppers and make much less money than expected.

Set Prices in a Simple, Honest Way

Nearly new items can be priced higher, but used or worn items should be priced accordingly. Use round numbers that are easy to add up, like $1, $5, $10. This makes transactions quicker and easier for both you and the buyer. Remember, many garage sale buyers expect to haggle.

People come to garage sales because they want to get a deal. If you have something of real value and want to be paid what it's worth, consider selling it through another outlet like eBay or Poshmark.

How much cash should you start with for a garage sale? ›

It is worth if you have $100 worth small changes to pay back the difference to the buyers . Sometimes I've started with only $30 but always make sure and have the 10 $1 bills because a lot of people will buy a one or two dollar item and give you a five.

Place an ad in the newspaper, free classified papers, and websites, including the date(s), time, and address of the garage sale. Add information about what will be available, such as kids' clothes, furniture, or special equipment. On the day of the sale, use balloons and signs with prominent arrows to grab attention.

Post on Craigslist or other local community board a “Moving Sale” for $1 (you have to enter a price), but in that post the list major items for sale with individual prices, include general descriptions of the other stuff for sale (dishes and cooking sets, camping accessories, baby clothes, etc.)

For the best attendance, choose a Saturday or Sunday morning between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m., when temperatures are cooler. If you can have a two-day sale, that's an even better way to maximize your profits.

Winter Is Better for Sellers; Summer is for Buyers

Spring and summer are packed with garage and estate sales. Fortune favors the brave; if you have a sale during the winter you will surely see more people come through the sale. More people means more potential buyers.

How do I have a garage sale without pricing everything? Pricing things individually can take a long time, so here are some other ways to do it. Put smaller items like books or knick knacks in a box or tote, or bundle articles of clothing together and put one price tag on it such as: $1 each.